Mineral Resource Areas of the Basin and Range Province of New Mexico
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Mineral Resource Areas of the Basin and Range Province of New Mexico Compiled by Michelle Frodey Hutchinsl' U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 83-665 1983 This report is preliminary and has not been edited or reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey standards. 'Current address: Missoula, Montana CONTENTS Page Introduction............................................................. 1 References............................................................... 13 ILLUSTRATIONS Plate 1. Mineral resource areas of the Basin and Range province of New Mexico........................................... In pocket TABLES Table 1. Mineral resource areas of the Basin and Range province of New Mexico................................................ 2-12 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this map (pi. 1) and table 1 is to identify the mineralized areas within the Basin and Range Province which include areas of past or present mining and prospecting activity as well as areas of potential resources based on projection of geologic data. The limits of the resource areas shown on the accompanying map are not legal Mining District boundaries and may include more than one district (see table 1) as well as adjacent areas having resource potential. Informal names are used for those areas that have no formal name. Resource areas containing only building materials are not included. This is a preliminary evaluation and is subject to review and to future identification of additional occurrences. Table 1 tabulates basic information for each resource area, including location, commodities, short description of the type and age of the deposit and the enclosing rock, and a few pertinent references. Mineral deposits within the Basin and Range Province in New Mexico are predominantly in vein systems containing base and precious metals. They are generally low temperature deposits and are mostly relatively small with minor production records. Notable exceptions are the several porphyry copper deposits in the southwestern part of the State and at Cerrillos in the north- central part, and the massive sulfide deposits in the Willow Creek District east of Santa Fe. Large underground mines were developed east of Santa Fe, at Magdalena (Kelley) and in the region around Silver City, and smaller but still significant mines around and south of Cerrillos, at Kingston, Lake Valley, Organ, and in the Silver City-Lordsburg region. The remainder of the mining districts have only small mines or prospects or small open cuts. Two of the porphyry copper deposits, Santa Rita (one of the largest in the U.S.) and Tyrone, have developed into large open pit mines; others are in early developmental stages. Table 1. Mineral resource areas of the Basin and Range province of New Mexico (by county) County Mining area Location Commodities Description of deposit and host rock References Bernallllo Rio Puerco Coal Tps. 9,10,11,12 N., Coal Coal beds within Cretaceous Mesaverde Group. A, 7, 25 Rs. 1 E., 1,2 W. Tijeras Canyon Tps. 8,9,10 N., R. 5 E. Ag, Au, barite, Cu, fluor- Veins in Precambrian granitic gneiss, directly 4, 7, 25 ite, Pb, stone beneath Pennsylvanian limestone. Tijeras Coal T. 11 N., Rs. 5,6 E. Coal Coal beds within Cretaceous Mesaverde Group. A, 7, 25 Catron Mogollon Tps. 10,11 S., R. 19 W. Ag, Au, Cu, fluorite, Pb, U Deposits along faults in Tertiary volcanics, 6, 7 including andesite, rhyolite, and quartz latite. Sullivans Hole Tps. 7,8 S., Rs. 9,10 W. Ag Fracture-filling veins and disseminated 15, 24 deposits in Tertiary volcanics. Taylor Creek Tps. 8,9,10,11 S., Sn Veinlets in altered Tertiary rhyolite; placer 7, 25, 30 Rs. 11, 12 W. deposits in gravels. Wilcox T. 12 S., R. 18 W. Au, Bl, fluorite, Te Veins along faults in Tertiary andesite. 7, 31 Dofla Ana Aden T. 25 S., R. 3 W. Scoria Scoria from Quaternary cinder cone. 1, 7, 24 Bear Canyon T. 20 S., Rs. 4,5 E. Barite, Pb, V Replacement deposits in Silurian Fusselman 2, 7 Dolomite. Bishops Cap T. 24 S., R. 34 E. Fluorite, barite Fracture-filling and fault-zone deposits 23, 25 in Silurian Fusselman Dolomite. Black Mountain No. 1 T. 21 S., R. 4 E. Ag, Au, barite, Bi, Cu, Replacement deposits in Silurian Fusselman 2, 7 fluorite, Pb, Zn Dolomite. Black Mountain No. 2 Tps. 25,26 S., Rs. 1,2 E. Scoria Scoria from Quaternary basalt. 1, 7, 24 Brickland T. 29 S., R. 4 E. Clay Clay beds in Cretaceous rocks 7, 24 Dofla Ana Mountains T. 21 S., Rs. 1,2 E. Ag, Au Fissure-filling deposits in rhyolite dike, 2, 7 cutting andesite. Gold Camp T. 21 S., R. 4 E. Ag, Au, barite, Bi, Cu, Veins in Precambrian granite, often along dikes. 2, 7, 20 fluorite, Mo, Pb, Te, W, Zn Hembrillo T. 16 S., Rs. 3,4 E. Barite, Cu, talc Replacement deposits associated with shear zones 2, 7 in Cambrian and Ordovician Bliss Sandstone and El Paso Limestone. Iron Hill Tps. 21,22 S., R. 1 W. Fe Hematite replacement deposits in Pennsylvanian 2, 7 Magdalena Limestone. Table 1. Mineral resource areas of the Basin and Range province of New Mexico (by county) Continued County -^Mining area Location Commodities Description of deposit and host rock References Dofla Ana Northern Franklin Tps. 25,26 S., R. 4 E. Fluorite, gypsum, Jarosite, Jarosite replacement deposits in shear zones in 2, 7 Mountains Pb Pennsylvanian Magdalena Limestone; lead and fluorspar ore bodies in Silurian Fusselman Dolomite; bedded gypsum in Pennsylvanian or Permian Hueco Limestone. Organ Tps. 21,22 S., Ag, Au, barlte, Bi , Cu, Fissure veins in quartz monzonite; replacement 7, 20 Rs. 3,4 E. fluorite, Mo, Pb , Te, W, veins in Pennsylvanian Magdalena Limestone; Zn and contact-metamorphic deposits along contact zone of quartz monzonite and limestone. Organ Mountains Tps. 21,22,23,24 S., ;, Au, barite, Bi, Cu, Fissure veins in quartz monzonite; replacement 2, 20, 23, Rs. 3, 4 E. fluorite, Mo, Pb, Te, W, deposits in Pennsylvanian Magdalena Limestone; 25 Zn along contact of quartz monzonite and limestone; and in other Tertiary intrusives. Potrillo Mountains Tps. 27,28 S., Barite, marble?, Pb Replacement deposits near shear zones in limestone 2, 7 Rs. 1,2,3 W. of disputed age (Cretaceous, Permian, or Pennsylvanian). Rincon Tps. 17,18 S., Rs. 2,3 W. Barite, fluorite, Mn, W Vein deposits in Tertiary extruslves. 2, 7, 25 San Andreelto T. 17 S., R. 4 E. Cu Deposits along faults and fissures, in or near 7, 19 (San Andres Mountains) Precambrian granites and schists, in vicinity of quartz monzonite and other intrusives. San Andres Canyon T. 18 S., R. 4 E. Barite, Pb Deposits along faults and fissures in or near 7, 19 (San Andres Mountains) Precambrian granites and schists, in vicinity of quartz monzonite and other intrusives. South Canyon T. 23 S., R. 4 E. Mg?, Mn Deposits in dolomite xenoliths within mass of 2, 7 quartz monzonite. Tonuco Mountain Tps. 19,20 S., R. 1 W. Ba, fluorite Veins in Precambrian rocks. 2, 7 Tortugas Mountain T. 23 S., R. 2 E. Fluorite Replacement veins in Pennsylvanian Magdalena 2, 7 Limestone. Grant Alum Mountain T. 13 S., R. 13 W. Alum Deposits associated with Tertiary volcanic rock 7, 33 (Alunogen, Gila River) (part of Mogollon-Datil field), which contains disseminated pyrite altering to alunite. Black Hawk T. 18 S., R. 16 W. Ag, Co, Ni, U, W Fissure-filling deposits in Precambrian quartz 7, 9 diorite gneiss near Laramide diorlte porphyry. Bound Ranch T. 23 S., Rs. 15,16 W. Au, fluorite, perlite, U, W Deposits along faults in Precambrian granite. 7, 9 Table 1. Mineral resource areas of the Basin and Range province of New Mexico (by county) Continued County Mining area Location Commodities Description of deposit and host rock References Grant Burro Mountains Tps. 18,19,20,21 S., Ag, Au, Cu, fluorite, Mo, Veinlets and fracture fillings within shear zones 7, 9 Rs. 15,16,17 W. Te, turquoise, U in Precambrian granite and Laramide quartz monzonite stock. Caprock Mountain T. 19 S., Rs. 19,20 W. Mn Veins in quartzite and Tertiary Gila Conglomerate. 7, 20 Carpenter Tps. 16,17 S., R. 9 W. Ag, Au, Pb, Zn Veins along shear zones cutting Ordovician 7, 21 crystalline limestone. Central Tps. 17,18 S., Rs. 12, Ag, Au, Cu, Pb, V, W, Zn Veins in quartz diorite porphyry sills intruded 7, 20 13 W. into sandstone and shale of Upper Cretaceous Colorado Formation. Chloride Flat Tps. 17,18 S., R. 14 W. Ag, Fe, Mn Irregular replacement deposits in limestone in 20 Silurian Fusselman Dolomite. Eureka Tps. 27,28 S., R. 16 W. Ag, Au, Cu, Pb, turquoise, Vein, replacement, and disseminated deposits in 7, 17 W, Zn Comanchean age sedimentary rocks (mostly lime stone), near intrusions of monzonite, quartz monzonite and porphyritic granite; also placer deposits Fierro-Hanover Tps. 16,17, S., R. 12 W. Ag, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn Replacement deposits in Paleozoic limestones, 7, 20, 29 including Ordovician El Paso, Mississippian Lake Valley, and Pennsylvanian Magdalena Lime stones, near Laramide granodiorite stock. Fierro Manganese Tps. 16,17 S., R. 12 W. Mn Fissure-vein deposits in Carboniferous limestones. 7, 30 Fleming T. 17 S., R. 15 W. Ag, fluorite, Mn Veins in locally brecciated Cretaceous Beartooth 7, 20, 21 Quartzite. Georgetown Tps. 16,17 S., Rs. 11, Ag Deposits in Ordovician limestone, near dikes of 7, 21 12 W. granodiorite porphyry. Gila Fluorspar T. 14 S., R. 16 W. Fluorite Deposits in hydrothermally altered Tertiary 7, 9 volcanic rocks. Gold Hill Tps. 21,22 S., Rs. 16, Ag, Au, fluorite, rare Pegmatites and hydrothermal veins in Precambrian 7, 9 17 W.