San Xavier Mine

The San Xavier Mine is a copper mine located in Pima county, Arizona at an elevation of 3,281 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: San Xavier Mine
Secondary: Palo Verde
Secondary: Pima
Secondary: Mission Complex
Secondary: Mission Mine
Secondary: Eisenhower

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Molybdenum

Location

State: Arizona
County: Pima
District: Twin Buttes

Land Status

Land ownership: State
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

Type: Private Lease
Type: State Lease
Type: Patented

Workings

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.)
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: New York
Info Year: 1995
Years: 1980 -

Production

Year: 1982
Mined: 9040000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 54,800 Mt Cu & 35,700 Kgs Ag 106 Mt Mo 9040000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1981
Mined: 8630000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 50,000 Mt Cu & 26,900 Kgs Ag, 382 Mt Mo 8630000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1980
Mined: 5087000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 19,100 Mt Cu, 8,330 Kgs Ag, 646 Mt Mo 5087000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1993
Mined: 20900000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 107,000 Mt Cu & 58,100 Kg Ag (Contained) 20900000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1991
Mined: 12515000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 78,040 Mt Cu & 42,500 Kgs Ag (Contained) 12515000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1989
Mined: 9006000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 53,180 Mt Cu & 42,400 Kgs Ag (Contained) 9006000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1985
Mined: 8897000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 53,500 Mt Cu & 28,200 Kgs Ag (Contained) 8897000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1990
Mined: 9875000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 72,350 Mt Cu & 41,200 Kgs Ag (Contained) 9875000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1988
Mined: 9236000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 59,132 Mt Cu & 38,800 Kgs Ag (Contained) 9236000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1995
Description: Silver Production 2604000 T Oz/Yr Silver
Year: 1992
Description: 93,621 Mt Cu & 51,700 Kgs Ag (Contained) 0 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1979
Mined: 8872000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 41,500 Mt Cu, 18,800 Kgs Ag, 782 Mt Mo 8872000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1987
Mined: 9005000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 53,159 Mt Cu & 25,200 Kgs Ag (Contained) 9005000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1986
Mined: 9007000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 55,500 Mt Cu & 40,300 Kgs Ag (Contained) 9007000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1984
Mined: 9383000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 51,600 Mt Cu & 27,600 Kgs Ag (Contained) 9383000 Mtpy Ore Milled
Year: 1983
Mined: 8902000.000 mt
Material type: ore
Description: 50,900 Mt Cu & 29,400 Kgs Ag (Contained) 8902000 Mtpy Ore Milled

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Plant
Plant Type: Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant Subtype: Flotation
Operation Type: Surface
Mining Method: Open Pit
Milling Method: Flotation
Year First Production: 1961
Discovery Year: 1954
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: L

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Not available

Comments

Not available

References

Reference (Deposit): KINNISON, JOHN E., MISSION COPPER DEPOSIT. GEOLOGY OF THE

Reference (Deposit): PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS, SOUTHWESTERN NORTH AMERICA.

Reference (Production): HEINRICHS, WALTER E., PIMA DISTRICT, ARIZONA - A HISTORICAL

Reference (Production): AND ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE. AIME 105TH ANNUAL MEETING, LAS

Reference (Production): VEGAS, NEVADA. FEB. 22, 1976, 15 PP.

Reference (Production): SCHAEFER, A.L., HISTORY OF THE MISSION MINE, AIME - ARI-

Reference (Production): ZONA SECTION, MAY 17, 1965, 4 PP.

Reference (Ownership): ASARCO 1985 ANNUAL REPORT, P. 6

Reference (Reserve-Resource): ASARCO INCORPORATED, 1993 ANNUAL REPORT, P.5,13.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): ASARCO INCORPORATED, 1993 FORM 10-K, P.A15.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): ASARCO INCORPORATED, 1994 10-K, P.A18,A20,A21.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): ASARCO INCORPORATED, 1995 10-K, PP. A18 - A21.

Reference (Deposit): GEOLOGY

Reference (Deposit): SOUTHWESTERN PAY DIRT. CLIPPING, DEC. 1987 P 7A

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO ANNUAL REPORT, 1985 P.6

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO ANNUAL REPORT 1986 PP 5.11.12

Reference (Deposit): THE MINING RECORD. JAN 1988 P.26

Reference (Deposit): AE&MJ INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY, VOLUME 14,NO7 DEC. 1987,PG

Reference (Deposit): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES, MINERALS AND MATERIALS, FEB./MAR.,

Reference (Deposit): 1989, P.28.

Reference (Deposit): O'NEIL, TIM, ASARCO: PLANT EXPANSIONS AND MODERNIZATIONS

Reference (Deposit): CONTINUE AMIDST COMPANY RESTRUCTURING, MINING ENGINEERING,

Reference (Deposit): 6/89, P.430-434.

Reference (Deposit): NORTHERN MINER, 11/11/91, P.17.

Reference (Deposit): MINING RECORD, 11/13/91, P.10.

Reference (Deposit): MINING ENGINEERING, 12/91, P.1394.

Reference (Deposit): EPLER, BILL, ASARCO COMPLETES MISSION PORTION OF MAJOR

Reference (Deposit): COPPER EXPANSION, SOUTHWESTERN PAY DIRT, 12/91, P.23A.

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO INC., 1991 FORM 10-K, P.B2.

Reference (Deposit): CARTER, RUSSELL A., EXPANSION ALMOST COMPLETE AT ARIZONA'S

Reference (Deposit): WORLD MINING. UNITED STATES OPEN PIT AND UNDERGROUND TON-

Reference (Deposit): NAGES, SEPT. 1982, P. 68.

Reference (Geology): ERSITY OF ARIZONA PRESS, P.475-485.

Reference (Production): HISTORY

Reference (Geology): TITLEY, SPENCER R., SOME FEACHES OF TECTONIC HISTORY AND ORE

Reference (Geology): GENESIS IN THE PIMA MINING DISTRICT, IN "ADVANCES IN GEOL-

Reference (Geology): OGY OF THE PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSITS- SOUTHWESTERN NORTH

Reference (Geology): AMERICA", 1982, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA PRESS, P.387-406.

Reference (Geology): JANSEN, LOUIS J., STRATIGRAPHY AND STRUCTURE OF THE MISSION

Reference (Deposit): BUILDER ARCHITECT. $ 32 MILLION CAPITAL REINVESTMENT AT

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO MISSION MINE. NOV. 1981, P. 34.

Reference (Deposit): PT. 2 (PP. 44-51), AND PT. 3 (PP. 47-51).

Reference (Deposit): SAN XAVIER UNIT

Reference (Deposit): ARGAL, GEORGE O., JR., ASARCO'S NEW CU LEACH PRECIPITATE

Reference (Deposit): PLANT FOR SAN XAVIER NORTH PIT ORE. WORLD MIN., OCT.,1973,

Reference (Deposit): PP. 46, 48, & 50.

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO'S NEW LEACHING AT MISSION NOW IN OPERATION. PAY DIRT

Reference (Deposit): MAG., MARCH 26, 1973.

Reference (Deposit): ROBERTS, ROLLIN W., SAN XAVIER VAT LEACH PLANT OPERATION.

Reference (Deposit): MIN. CONGRESS J., NOV., 1974, PP. 53-7.

Reference (Deposit): UPDATE REFERENCES:

Reference (Deposit): ARIZONA PAY DIRT. PRESS CLIPPING, DEC. 1981, P. 16.

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO ANNUAL REPORT, 1979, P. 7.

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO ANNUAL REPORT, 1981, PP. 8-9.

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO SOUTHERN ARIZONA MINES. MISSION MINE -EISENHOWER

Reference (Deposit): MINE -SAN XAVIER MINE. COMPANY BROCHURE, 1978 (?), 12 PP.

Reference (Deposit): VINCENT, J.D. AND WAYNE BOSSARD, MISSION BY-PRODUCTS PLANT

Reference (Deposit): OPERATION AND CONTROL. AIME ANNUAL MEETING, FEB. 27-MAR.3,

Reference (Deposit): 1966, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 15 PP.; AM. MIN. CONGRESS

Reference (Deposit): 1965 MINING SHOW, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, OCT. 11-14, 20 PP.

Reference (Deposit): WEISS, NORMAN L. AND J.D. VINCENT, DESIGN AND OPERATION OF

Reference (Deposit): THE MISSION MILL, PTS. 1, 2, & 3, MINING CONGRESS JOURNAL

Reference (Deposit): SOUTHWESTERN PAY DIRT, NO.636, 6/92, P.4A-11A.

Reference (Deposit): KILBURN, JOHN, ASARCO FINDS MISSION REWARDING, NORTHERN

Reference (Deposit): MINER, 11/30/92, P.1,6.

Reference (Deposit): CANEY, DEREK J., ASARCO PLANS TO UP OUTPUT AT MISSION,

Reference (Deposit): AMERICAN METAL MARKET, 9/30/94, P.2.

Reference (Deposit): METALS WEEK, 10/3/94, P.6.

Reference (Deposit): MINING RECORD, 10/5/94, P.1.

Reference (Deposit): MINING MAGAZINE, 11/94, P.299.

Reference (Deposit): MINING ENGINEERING. VOL. 47/N9. SEPTEMBER, 1995. PP.

Reference (Deposit): 818-822.

Reference (Geology): COPPER DEPOSIT, IN "ADVANCES IN GEOLOGY OF THE PORPHYRY

Reference (Geology): COPPER DEPOSITS- SOUTHWESTERN NORTH AMERICA", 1982, UNIV-

Reference (Geology): ERSITY OF ARIZONA PRESS, P.467-474.

Reference (Geology): KING, JOHN R., GEOLOGY OF THE SAN XAVIER NORTH PORPHYRY

Reference (Deposit): THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC. PRESS CLIPPING, OCT. 4, 1981.

Reference (Deposit): THE TUCSON CITIZEN. PRESS CLIPPING, SEPT. 29, 1981.

Reference (Deposit): SPENCER TITLEY, ED., 1966, PP. 281-7.

Reference (Deposit): MINING AND MILLING

Reference (Deposit): ENGR. AND MIN. J., JUNE, 1966, P. 600.

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO'S MISSION. ENGR. AND MIN. J., JAN., 1962, PP. 70-84.

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO TO EXPAND ITS MISSION MINE BY 50%. SKILLINGS MIN.

Reference (Deposit): REVIEW, DEC. 11, 1965, P. 16.

Reference (Deposit): FALL, C.S., DRILLING AND BLASTING AT THE MISSION MINE.

Reference (Deposit): THE TUCSON DAILY REPORTER. PRESS CLIPPING, SEPT. 26, 1981.

Reference (Deposit): ANAMAX, ANACONDA, AND ASARCO FORM NEW COMPANY. WORLD

Reference (Deposit): MINING, NOV., 1976, PP. 48-9, 77.

Reference (Deposit): ARGALL, GEORGE O., ASARCO'S MISSION COPPER. MINING WORLD

Reference (Deposit): JAN., 1962, PP. 19-40.

Reference (Deposit): ASARCO BY-PRODUCTS PLANT RECOVERS MO-ZN CONCENTRATES.

Reference (Deposit): MINING REV., SEPT., 1965, PP. 84-6.

Reference (Deposit): MISSION MILL EXPANSION COMPLETED IN ARIZONA. SKILLINGS

Reference (Deposit): MINING REV., MAY 20, 1967, P. 8.

Reference (Deposit): TAINTER, S.L., MINE ENGINEERING METHODS AT THE MISSION MINE.

Reference (Deposit): MIN. ENGR., DEC., 1965, PP. 89-92.

Reference (Deposit): MISSION AND MORENCI MINES, ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL,

Reference (Deposit): 2/92, P.C14-C16.

Reference (Deposit): DILLARD, GARY, MISSION'S COPPER UPS ASARCO'S SELF-

Reference (Deposit): SUFFICIENCY, SOUTHWESTERN PAY DIRT, 4/92, P.4A-11A.

Reference (Deposit): DILLARD, GARY, EXPANSION DOUBLES PRODUCTION, LOWERS COSTS,

Reference (Deposit): NOV., 1962, DEC., 1962 AND JAN., 1963, PT. 1 (PP.68-72,80)

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.