Buena Vista Deposit

The Buena Vista Deposit is a mica mine located in Rio Arriba county, New Mexico at an elevation of 8,251 feet.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Buena Vista Deposit
Secondary: Kiawa Group

Commodity

Primary: Mica
Tertiary: REE
Tertiary: Feldspar
Tertiary: Uranium
Tertiary: Thorium

Location

State: New Mexico
County: Rio Arriba
District: Petaca District: Kiawa Group

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Joseph M. Maestas
Home Office: Vallecitos, N.M.
Years: 1939 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1939
Discovery Year: 1935
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: OTHER DIKE

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Mica
Ore: Microcline
Ore: Monazite
Gangue: Fluorite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Albite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1930'S (?)

Comment (Location): LOCATION ACCURATE FOR PROSPECT MARKED ON THE LAS TABLAS QUADRANGLE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1979

Comment (Workings): THE DEPOSIT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WITH OVER 20 CUTS AND PITS. THE LARGEST PIT ON THE NORTH DIKE MEASURES 20 FT LONG, 10 FT WIDE, AND 15 FT DEEP. THE LARGEST PIT ON THE SOUTH DIKE MEASURES 35 FT LONG, 8 FT WIDE, AND 16 FEET DEEP.

Comment (Geology): DEPOSIT OCCURS IN THE PETACA SCHIST MEMBER OF THE ORTEGA QUARTZITE.

Comment (Deposit): SEE ALSO: KIAWA GROUP ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Development): DETAILS OF MINING OPERATIONS AND OWNERSHIP ARE UNKNOWN.

Comment (Deposit): THERE ARE TWO PEGMATITE DEPOSITS PRESENT. THE NORTH DIKE IS 450 FT LONG AND DIPS STEEPLY NORTH. THE SOUTH DIKE IS 400 FT LONG AND DIPS S 50-65 W.

Comment (Production): REDMON (1961) REPORTS THAT PROBABLY A FEW TONS OF SCRAP AND PERHAPS A FEW HUNDRED POUNDS OF SHEET AND PUNCH MICA WERE RECOVERED AS A RESULT OF THE FAIRLY EXTENSIVE MINING OPERATIONS.

References

Reference (Deposit): JUST, E., 1937, NMBMMR BULL. NO. 13, P. 67-68

Reference (Deposit): JAHNS, R.H., 1946, NMBMMR BULL. NO. 25, P. 117

Reference (Deposit): REDMON, D.E., 1961, USBM IC 8013, P. 10

Reference (Deposit): WOODWARD, L.A., 1974, NMGS GUIDEBOOK, 25TH FIELD CONFERENCE, P. 127

Reference (Deposit): MCLEMORE, V.T., 1983, NMBMMR OFR OF-183, APPENDIX 1

Reference (Deposit): NMBMMR GENERAL FILE DATA

Reference (Deposit): BINGLER, E.C., 1968, NMBMMR BULL 91, P. 118-121

Reference (Production): REDMON, D.E., 1961, USBM IC 8013, P. 11

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