White Oaks and Big Steve Mines

The White Oaks and Big Steve Mines is a lead and silver mine located in Santa Cruz county, Arizona at an elevation of 4,199 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: White Oaks and Big Steve Mines
Secondary: Old Clarke
Secondary: White Oak Adit.

Commodity

Primary: Lead
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Zinc
Tertiary: Uranium

Location

State: Arizona
County: Santa Cruz
District: Pajarito District

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: W. V. Rhea
Years: 1958 -

Owner Name: W. H. Clarke
Years: 1966 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1926
Year Last Production: 1958
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
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: TABULAR

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Nw Trending Fault Zone

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Marcasite To Galena To Anglesite And Cerussite; Pyrite Gossan; Cerussite Also Fills Fissures And Partly Replaces Breccia And Gouge

Rocks

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cretaceous

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SELECTED SAMPLES ASSAYED UP TO 0.82% U AND A CHIP SAMPLE ASSAYED 0.47% U
Analytical Data: MINOR CU
Analytical Data: 0.3OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: 33% PB
Analytical Data: 300 TONS OF ORE AVERAGING ABOUT 60 OZ/TON AG

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Chrysocolla
Ore: Pyromorphite
Ore: Uranophane
Ore: Galena
Ore: Marcasite
Ore: Anglesite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Fluorite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Amethyst

Comments

Comment (Commodity): CONCENTRATIONS OF HIGH GRADE MATERIAL ARE SMALL, DISCONTINUOUS AND RARE

Comment (Location): UTM TAKEN TO THE WHITE OAKS SHAFT AT THE HEAD OF WALKER CANYON; THE BIG STEVE MINE SHAFT IS ABOUT 1/4 MILE W OF THE WHITE OAKS SHAFT. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1979)

Comment (Development): OTHER PAST OPERATOR IS: W.H. CLARKE (1926 TO 1950). THE WHITE OAK AND BIG STEVE MINES ARE PART OF A GROUP OF 4 CLAIMS IN THE AREA.

Comment (Deposit): MINERALIZATION DISCONTINUOUS IN SHEAR ZONE

Comment (Workings): ADITS, SURFACE CUTS, PITS, SHAFTS; WHITE OAK ADIT ALMOST CONTINUALLY STOPED; ADIT BLOCKED 350 FT FROM PORTAL

Comment (Geology): ORE IS FOUND WITHIN BOUNDING FAULT PLANES; NO TRACE OF THE HOST ROCK LEFT IN THE SHEAR ZONE EXCEPT FOR SOME QUARTZ PHENOCRYSTS; URANIUM IS FOUND IN 2 SMALL INTERSECTING VEINS (DIPPING 75 AND 41 DEGREES) ABOUT 15 FT LONG, 6 IN WIDE AND 10 FT THICK AT THE WHITE OAK MINE.

References

Reference (Deposit): USBM-ABGMT PRODUCTION FILE DATA

Reference (Deposit): USBM FILE DATA-CLUSTER #19-WHITE OAKS; CLUSTER #20-BIG STEVE MINE

Reference (Deposit): ADMR FILE DATA; BIG STEVE MINE FILE; WHITE OAK FILE.

Reference (Deposit): ARIZ BUR MINES BULL 191, P. 72

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 1147-A, P. A42-A44

Reference (Deposit): USAEC PRELIMINARY RECONNAISSANCE REPORT D-441, 1952, A-R-2, 1953

Reference (Deposit): NELSON, F.J., 1963, THE GEOLOGY OF THE PENA BLANCA AND WALKER CANYON AREAS, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, ARIZONA: UNIV. ARIZ. MS THESIS

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.