Bonanza Mine

The Bonanza Mine is a gold and silver mine located in La Paz county, Arizona at an elevation of 1,801 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: Bonanza Mine
Secondary: Harquahala

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Copper

Location

State: Arizona
County: La Paz
District: Little Harquahala District

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Peter Kiewit Inc.
Years: 1986 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Sonoran Desert

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: LINEAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Overthrust Faulting In District Places Prec-Metamorphic Over Pal-Mes Sediments.

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 158,761 TONS OF ORE AVERAGING ABOUT 0.85 OZ AU/TON, 0.53 OZ AG/TON, AND MINOR LEAD AND COPPER.

Materials

Ore: Silver
Ore: Hematite
Ore: Copper
Ore: Galena
Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Production): DISCOVERED IN 1888 AND WORKED INTERMITTENTLY ON A LARGE SCALE TO 1918. SUBSEQUENTLY ON SMALL SCALE, LARGELY BY REWORKING DUMPS AND TAILINGS, TO 1964; TOTAL PRODUCTION DATA INCLUDES PRODUCTION FOR GOLDEN EAGLE MINE GROUP.

Comment (Geology): RICH, POCKETY SHOOTS OF GOLD WITH MINOR SILVER IN A GANGUE OF IRON OXIDES, SHATTERED QUARTZ, CALCITE, AND GYPSUM IN AN OXIDIZED ZONE, IN SHEAR ZONES; IN DEPTH, GOLD VALUES MAINLY IN AURIFEROUS PYRITE WITH SOME COPPER AND LEAD SULFIDE MINERALIZATION, IN FRACTURE VEINS; VEINS OFTEN FLAT DIPPING WITH LARGER AND RICHER DEPOSITS IN THE SHATTERED QUARTZITE.

Comment (Development): CONSISTS OF 6 CLAIMS; PREVIOUS OPERATORS INCLUDE HARQUAHALA OPERATING CO., DAVID OBENSTINE, C. PICKENBACH, JACK GIVENS, M.M. CARPENTER, H.E. HICKSON, YUMA WARRIOR MINING CO., J.B. MARTIN, HARQUAHALA GOLD MINING, BONANZA MINING CO., A.G. HUBBARD, INTERNATIONAL MINING, C.C. CANFIELD, H.C. REEDALL, HUBBARD AND BOWERS, G.R. MILLER (1941), RAY MACDONALD (1937), GOLDEN EAGLE, JOHN JONES, R.H. WHITE (1924), JOHN MARTIN (1914). DURING 1984-1986 PERIOD, PETER KIEWIT INC. PERFORMED A GEOLOGIC EVALUATION AND SURFACE DRILLING PROJECT HERE.

Comment (Deposit): RICH, POCKETY SHOOTS OF GOLD WITH MINOR SILVER IN A GANGUE OF IRON OXIDES, SHATTERED QUARTZ, CALCITE, AND GYPSUM IN AN OXIDIZED ZONE, IN SHEAR ZONES; AT DEPTH, GOLD VALUES MAINLY IN AURIFEROUS PYRITE WITH SOME COPPER AND LEAD SULFIDE MINERALIZATION, IN FRACTURE VEINS; VEINS OFTEN FLAT DIPPING WITH LARGER AND RICHER DEPOSITS IN THE SHATTERED QUARTZITE.

Comment (Workings): BONANZA SHAFT: 600 FEET DEEP WITH LEVELS AT 110, 200 AND 500 FT LEVELS; OTHER WORKINGS INCLUDE MOLLINA SHAFT (110 FT, ROY SHAFT (65 FEET DEEP WITH 70 FT CROSSCUT); ROY SHAFT NO. 2 (50 FT DEEP); NEW DEAL CLAIM SHAFT(100 FT DEEP); SUMMIT SHAFT (100 FT DEEP); ROY TUNNEL (300 FT LONG), SUMMIT LOWER TUNNEL (175 FEET), SUMMIT UPPER TUNNEL (125 FEET LONG).

References

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 451, P. 105.

Reference (Deposit): ABM BULL 140, P. 104.

Reference (Deposit): ABM BULL 137, P. 128.

Reference (Deposit): USBM-ABGMT PRODUCTION FILE DATA.

Reference (Deposit): NIEMUTH, N.J., 1987, ARIZONA MINERAL DEVELOPMENT 1984-1986: ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES DIRECTORY 29, 46 P.

Reference (Production): A.B.M. BULLETIN 140, P. 104; A.B.M. BULLETIN 137, P. 129

Reference (Reserve-Resource): NIEMUTH, 1987.

Arizona Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Arizona" looks at the density of modern placer mining claims along with historical gold mining locations and mining district descriptions to determine areas of high gold discovery potential in Arizona. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Arizona.