Mineral Resources of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Cochise County, Arizona
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Mineral Resources of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Cochise County, Arizona U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1703-D DEFINITION OF LEVELS OF MINERAL RESOURCE POTENTIAL AND CERTAINTY OF ASSESSMENT Definitions of Mineral Resource Potential LOW mineral resource potential is assigned to areas where geologic, geochemical, and geophysical charac teristics define a geologic environment in which the existence of resources is unlikely. This broad category embraces areas with dispersed but insignificantly mineralized rock as well as areas with few or no indications of having been mineralized. MODERATE mineral resource potential is assigned to areas where geologic, geochemical, and geophysical characteristics indicate a geologic environment favorable for resource occurrence, where interpretations of data indicate a reasonable likelihood of resource accumulation, and (or) where an application of mineral-deposit models indicates favorable ground for the specified type(s) of deposits. HIGH mineral resource potential is assigned to areas where geologic, geochemical, and geophysical charac teristics indicate a geologic environment favorable for resource occurrence, where interpretations of data indicate a high degree of likelihood for resource accumulation, where data support mineral-deposit models indicating presence of resources, and where evidence indicates that mineral concentration has taken place. Assignment of high resource potential to an area requires some positive knowledge that mineral-forming processes have been active in at least part of the area. UNKNOWN mineral resource potential is assigned to areas where information is inadequate to assign low, moderate, or high levels of resource potential. NO mineral resource potential is a category reserved for a specific type of resource in a well-defined area. Levels of Certainty U/A H/B H/C H/D HIGH POTENTIAL HIGH POTENTIAL HIGH POTENTIAL M/B M/C M/D MODERATE POTENTIAL MODERATE POTENTIAL MODERATE POTENTIAL o Q_ UNKNOWN <r POTENTIAL L/B L/C L/D 15 O in LOW POTENTIAL LOW LOW POTENTIAL POTENTIAL N/D NO POTENTIAL B C LEVEL OF CERTAINTY A. Available information is not adequate for determination of the level of mineral resource potential. B. Available information suggests the level of mineral resource potential. C. Available information gives a good indication of the level of mineral resource potential. D. Available information clearly defines the level of mineral resource potential. Abstracted with minor modifications from: Taylor, R. B., and Steven, T. A., 1983, Definition of mineral resource potential: Economic Geology, v. 78, no. 6, p. 1268-1270. Taylor, R. B., Stoneman, R. J., and Marsh, S. P., 1984, An assessment of the mineral resource potential of the San Isabel National Forest, south-central Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1638, p. 40-42. Goudarzi, G. H., compiler, 1984, Guide to preparation of mineral survey reports on public lands: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 84-0787, p. 7, 8. Chapter D Mineral Resources of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Cochise County, Arizona By HARALD DREWES, GERDA A. ABRAMS, and JERRY R. HASSEMER U.S. Geological Survey JEANNE E. ZELTEN U.S. Bureau of Mines U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1703 MINERAL RESOURCES OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS- SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL MODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1986 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Mineral resources of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Cochise County, Arizona (Mineral resources of wilderness study areas Southeastern Arizona ; ch. D) (U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 1703-D) Bibliography: p. Supt. of Docs. No.: I 19.3:1703-D 1. Mines and mineral resources Arizona Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness. 2. Geology Arizona Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness. 3. Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness (Ariz.) I. Drewes, Harald, 1927- . II. Series. III. Series: U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 1703-D. QE75.B9 no. 1703-D 557.3s 86-600381 [TN24.A6] [553'.09791'53] For sale by Books and Open-File Reports Section U.S. Geological Survey Federal Center Box 25425 Denver, CO 80225 STUDIES RELATED TO WILDERNESS Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Areas The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Public Law 94-579, October 21, 1976) requires the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines to conduct mineral surveys on certain areas to determine the mineral values, if any, that may be present. Results must be made available to the public and be submitted to the President and the Congress. This report presents the results of a mineral survey of a part of the Dos Cabezas Mountains (AZ-040-065) Wilderness Study Area, Cochise County, Arizona. RESOURCE/RESERVE CLASSIFICATION IDENTIFIED RESOURCES UNDISCOVERED RESOURCES Demonstrated Probability Range Inferred (or) Measured Indicated Hypothetical i Speculative 1 ECONOMIC Reserves Inferred Reserves MARGINALLY Inferred Marginal Reserves ECONOMIC Marginal Reserves Inferred SUB- Demonstrated Subeconomic Subeconomic Resources ECONOMIC Resources Major elements of mineral resource classification, excluding reserve base and inferred reserve base. Modified from U. S. Bureau of Mines and U. S. Geological Survey, 1980, Principles of a resource/reserve classification for minerals: U. S. Geological Survey Circular 831, p. 5. IV CONTENTS Summary 1 Abstract 1 Character and setting 1 Identified mineral resources 4 Mineral resource potential 4 Introduction 4 Investigations by the U.S. Bureau of Mines 5 Investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey 5 Appraisal of identified resources 6 Mining and mineral-exploration history 6 Appraisal of examined sites 6 Quartz veins in Rough Mountain 8 Quartz veins in other areas 8 Industrial rocks 9 Assessment of potential for undiscovered resources 9 Geology 9 Geochemistry 14 Geophysics 17 Mines, prospects, and mineralized areas 21 Mineral resource potential 23 Areas of moderate mineral resource potential for metals 23 Western moderate terrane 23 Wood Canyon moderate terrane 25 Areas of low mineral resource potential for metals 25 Areas of low mineral resource potential for energy resources 26 Areas of low mineral resource potential for sand and gravel 26 References cited 26 PLATE 1. Mineral resource potential map of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area In pocket Contents V FIGURES 1. Index map showing location of Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area 2 2. Summary map of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area 3 3-8. Maps showing: 3. Distribution of oil and gas leases and mining leases in and near the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area 7 4. Generalized geology of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area 10 5. Distribution and abundance of silver, copper, lead, zinc, and molybdenum in stream-sediment and rock-chip samples of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area 16 6. Distribution and abundance of tungsten, bismuth, and fluorite in stream- sediment and rock-chip samples of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area 18 7. Distribution of total-intensity aeromagnetic anomalies in the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area 20 8. Distribution of complete Bouguer gravity anomalies in the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area 22 VI Contents MINERAL RESOURCES OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA Mineral Resources of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Cochise County, Arizona By Harald Drewes, Gerda A. Abrams, and Jerry R. Hassemer U.S. Geological Survey Jeanne E. Zelten U.S. Bureau of Mines SUMMARY Mountains, about 6 mi southwest of Bowie and 18 mi east of Willcox in southeastern Arizona (fig. 1). The Abstract towns lie on Interstate Highway 10 and the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, which both skirt the The USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) and the USBM northwest end of the mountains. Vehicular access to the (U.S. Bureau of Mines) studied 11,921 acres of the Dos study area extends to canyon mouths and to most of Cabezas Mountains Wilderness Study Area (AZ-040-065) the larger, but now inoperative, mines. A few unmain- in Cochise County, Arizona. The study of this acreage tained jeep tracks and trails lead to old prospects and was requested by the BLM (U.S. Bureau of Land Manage to cabins that are near springs. Scrubby forest, herba ment). In this report, the studied area is called "wilder ceous plants, grasses, and cactus vegetation provide a ness study area" or just "study area." The wilderness substantial cover, but offer little hindrance to foot ac study area covers about 18.6 sq mi (square miles) of the cess. northeast flank of the Dos Cabezas Mountains in south The Teviston mining district occupies the northeast eastern Arizona, where they lie just south of Interstate flank of the mountains and the Dos Cabezas mining dis Highway 10 and 3-18 mi east and southeast of Willcox. trict the southwest flank. Nearly $1.8 million of metals Geologic, geochemical, geophysical, and mine and pros have been mined from mainly the Elma, Ivanhoe, Mas pect studies were undertaken by the USGS and the cot, and Leroy mines in these districts, but outside the USBM mainly during 1984. These followed more exten study area. Most properties were inactive at the time of sive geologic studies of the entire range, as well as this investigation. studies of adjacent ranges. As a result of these investiga The study area has geologic features and a tions, about 3 sq mi of the study