Bluebird

The Bluebird is a copper mine located in Gila county, Arizona at an elevation of 3,445 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: Bluebird
Secondary: Blue Bird

Commodity

Primary: Copper

Location

State: Arizona
County: Gila
District: Miami 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

Type: Patented

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Cyprus Miami Mining Corp.
Company ID: 200158
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: P. O. Box 4444, Claypool, Az
Info Year: 1992

Production

Year: 1981
Description: 971450 Mt Ore Mined
Year: 1982
Description: Leach Op/Sx-Ew Plant Closed 10/25/82 1406 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1981
Description: Mine Closed But Leach/Sx-Ew Operating 6045 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1980
Description: 5904 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1980
Description: 3622580 Mt Ore Mined
Year: 1979
Description: 4969 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1979
Description: 3428290 Mt Ore Mined
Year: 1978
Description: 1781 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1978
Description: 937850 Mt Ore Mined
Year: 1977
Description: 2037680 Mt Ore Mined
Year: 1977
Description: 7742 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1976
Description: 8108 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1976
Description: 3129580 Mt Ore Mined
Year: 1975
Description: 6859 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1975
Description: 3969370 Mt Ore Mined
Year: 1974
Description: 6960 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1974
Description: 4964210 Mt Ore Mined
Year: 1973
Description: 6806 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1972
Description: 6659 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1971
Description: 5650 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1970
Description: 5225 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1967
Description: 3488 Mt Cu Prod From Leach Ppt
Year: 1969
Description: Solvent Extraction Started In 1969 4500 Mt Cu Cathode
Year: 1968
Description: 657 Mt Cu Prod From Leach Ppt

Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Porphyry Cu
Operation Type: Surface
Mining Method: Unknown
Year First Production: 1961
Discovery Year: 1900
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: M

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Basin And Range Province
Physiographic Section: Mexican Highland

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Porphyry Cu

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: L
Structure: Low Angle Bulldog Fault, Miami Fault- Both Cutting Are Into Distinct Pieces

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Argillization

Rocks

Name: Schist
Role: Host
Description: sequence of coarse grained quartz-muscovite schist, fine grained quartz-sericite-chlorite schist and some fine grained amphibole schist.
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Mesoproterozoic

Role: Host
Description: multiple phase-predominantly a porphyritic quartz-monzonite (adamellite), although in the mine area it includes granodiorite, quartz-monzonite and porphyritic quartz-monzonite and later phase granite porphyry.
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Curite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Azurite
Ore: Covellite
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Chrysocolla

Comments

Comment (Deposit): MILS REF PROPERTY VISITED 9/77. PROPERTY UPDATE JULY 1987 PROPERTY UPDATED JUNE 1992. THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN COMBINED INTO THE CYPRUS MIAMI (INSPIRATION) PROPERTY (SEQ NO 0040070008). CYPRUS MINERALS COMPANY CONSOLIDATED THIS PROPERTY AND THE OX HIDE (SEQUENCE NO 0040070060) INTO ONE OPERATING UNIT ALONG WITH THE INSPIRATION PROPERTY.

Comment (Identification): The Bluebird property is part of the Cyprus Miami Properties ******SEE Cyprus Miami- Deposit ID 10186051 for full record info

References

Reference (Geology): The Porter GeoConsultancy webpages for Globe Miami and Miami Inspiration contain descriptions of the geology. Accessed on 9/2/2010. http://www.portergeo.com.au/
URL: http://www.portergeo.com.au

Reference (Geology): RANSOME,F L,1919, THE COPPER DEPOSITS OF RAY & MIAMI, ARIZ.: USGS PROF. PA. 115, 157 PP.

Reference (Deposit): RANCHERS EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENT CORP., APPLICATION FOR MINERAL & MILLSITE PATENTS, 22 PP. (EXPLORATION, LANDS)

Reference (Workings): MCCOLLY,R A,1974, MINERAL REPORT FOR BLUEBIRD PATENT APPLICATION, US BLM (DESCRIPTION OF MINE, PLANT, GEOL.,& ENV.)

Reference (Reserve-Resource): RANCHERS EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENT CORP., ANNUAL REPORTS 1964-76. (EXPLORATION, RESERVES, PRODUCTION,MINING COSTS)

Reference (Reserve-Resource): PAYDIRT,9/27/71, P.387. (RESOURCE CALCULATIONS)

Reference (Geology): SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW, 5/25/68 & 1/14/78.(POWER,PROCESSES)

Reference (Geology): POTTER,S C,1972, GEOLOGY & ORE DEPOSIT AT THE BLUEBIRD MINE, GILA COUNTY, ARIZ., UNPUBLISHED REPT FOR RANCHERS EXPLOATION & DEVELOPMENT CORP., 19 P. (GEOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT)

Reference (Geology): PETERSON,N P, 1962, GEOL. & ORE DEPOSITS OF THE GLOBE-MIAMI DISTRICT, ARIZONA: USGS PROF. PA 342, 146 P. (GEOLOGY)

Reference (Production): MILLER,A,1967, HEAP LEACHING COPPER ORE AT RANCHERS BLUEBIRD MINE, MIAMI, ARIZONA, AIME PREPRINT 67-B-339 (EXPLORATION GEOLOGY, LEACHING, MINE EQUIP., SOLVENT-EXTRACTION)

Reference (Production): GANT,T L,1971, CERTIFICATE OF SURVEYOR- MINERAL SURVEY 4684A & 4684B, LOCATED IN USBLM MINERAL PATENT FILE A7196 (SIZES OF BUILDING & VALUE OF MINE & LEACH PLANT)

Reference (Production): BAER,R,1977, TRIP NOTES FOR THE BLUEBIRD MINE, GILA COUNTY, ARIZONA. (DETAILS ABOUT GEOLOGY, MINE, SOLVENT-EXTRACTION PLANT & MARKETING)

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.