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Ore Deposits in Northern Yuma County, Arizona

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Ore Deposits in Northern Yuma County, Arizona DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR BULLETIN RECONNAISSANCE OP THE ORE DEPOSITS IN NORTHERN YUMA COUNTY, ARIZONA ROWLAND BANCROFT WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1911 1PP. CONTENTS. Page. Introdtiction........................<. .....-.......:...................... 7 Area examined ...... ................................................ 7 Purpose and character of reconnaissance............................... 7 Access to the area.................................................... 8 Explanation of the general map...'..................................... 9 Acknowledgments ...... ............................................. 9 Previous investigations ............................................ T...... 10 Bibliography ....................................................... 11 History................................................................... '12 Climate.................................................................. 13 Vegetation............................................................... 14 Timber.................................-.-.----.----..-.-.........-:...- 14 Mining and metallurgy ................................................... 15 Conditions and cost of mining......................................... 15 Methods of raining .................................................... 17 Properties examined ......................................... ......... 18 Other properties ..................................................... 19 Topography............................................................. 20 Belief................................................................ 20 General features ................................................. 20 Mountain ranges ................................................. 21 Drainage ............................................................ 22 Ground-water level ...... ............................................ 22 Geology ................................................................. 22 General geologic features ............................................. 22 Pre-Cambrian rocks ................................................... 23 Granite-gneiss-schist complex...................................... 23 Metamorphosed sediments and sedimentary schists................. 24 Position and character......................................... .24 Quartz-mica schist group ..................................... 25 Quartzite-dolomite-limestone group ........................... 26 Argillites and arenaceous-shale group.......................... 27 Intrusive rocks .... .............................................. 28 Post-Cambrian rocks ................................................. 29 Mesozoic intrusive rocks......................... .................. 29 Granite...................................................... 29 Intrusive dikes connected with the granite..................... 30 .Tertiary rocks........................................................ 30 Quaternary deposits ............I ..................................... ' 32 Geologic history...................................................... 34 Pre-Cambrian conditions...'................:...................... 34 Mesozoic conditions ..........................'.................... 34 Tertiary and Quaternary conditions................................ 34 Effects of metamorphism ............................................ v 35 Regional dynamometamorphism.................................. 35 Contact metamorphism........................................... 35 Physiographic problems.....................'......................... 36 3 4 CONTENTS. Page. The mineral deposits...........".........-....'.........-.................. 36 Periods of mineralization............................................. 36 Gold deposits........................................................ 37 Quartz veins and shear zones in granite, gneiss, schist, and metamor­ phosed sediments.............................................. 37 Quartz-siderite stringers in amphibolite, shale, and limestone.....; . 39 Thin films of gold deposited in joint planes in shale................. 40 Copper deposits...................................................... 40 Deposits in the pre-Cambrian sedimentary series................... 40 Eeplacement deposits in limestone...........................'..... 4*1 Shear zones in amphibolite and chloritic schists.................... 42 Shear zones and fissure veins in gneiss............................. 42 Fissure veins in andesite.......................................... 43. Contact metamorphic deposits..................................... 43 Iron deposits. .......................................................^ ' 44 Lead deposits .................................................... .... 44 Quicksilver deposits .................................................. 44 Descriptions of mineral deposits............................................ 45 General statement.............. ...................................... 45 Deposits in the vicinity of Williams River............................. 46 Planet copper mine................................................ 47 Mineral Hill deposits............................................. 55 Clara Consolidated Mining Company's properties................... 59 Deposits along Colorado River........................................ 67 On the California side ............................................ 68 Viati Mining Company's property............................. 68 Copper Basin prospects....................................... 71 Bowman prospects............................................ 72 On the Arizona side.. .-^............. r............................. 73 Quartz King property........... .............................. 73 Billy Mack property........................................... 74 Carnation property ........................................... 76 Wardwell & Osbourne property ................................ 77 Deposits in the Dome Rock Mountains...........................:..... 78 Location and characteristics....................................... 78 Valensuella Copper Company's.property ........................... 79 Mariquita prospect ............................................... 81 Colonial Mining Company's property.............................. 82 French American prospects ....................................... 84 Placer deposits near the Dome Rock Mountains..................... 85 Deposits in the Plomosa Mountains.................................... 87 JNew York-Plomosa............................................... 87 Guadalupe......................................................... 89 Lead Camp ...................................................... 90 Mudersbach copper camp ......................................... 91 Iron mine...................................... .<... .............. 92 Little Butte and vicinity .......................................... 93 Deposits at the southwest end of the Harcuvar Range................... 95 General description............................................... 95 Yuma Copper Company's property (formerly I. & A.) .............. 95 Yellow Bird and vicinity.......................................... 97 Arizona Northern (Salome strike) vicinity ......................... 98 Desert prospect ......I............................................ 102 CONTENTS. 5 Descriptions of mineral deposits Continued; Page. Deposits at the southwest end of the Harcuvar'Range Continued. Calcite prospect................................................... 102 Cobralla vicinity .................................................. 103 Deposits at the southwest end of the Harquahala Mountains............. 104 Bonanza (Harqua Hala)........................................... 105 Golden Eagle property............................................ 108 Hercules property................................................ 109 Socorro property................................................. Ill Sah Marcos deposits.1............................................ 113 Miscellaneous deposits...........-......................'................ 115 Cunningham Pass vicinity . 1.....................:................ 115 Bullard Peak vicinity.............................................. 119 Corona vicinity .................................................. 120 Planet Peak vicinity on the southwest............................. 122 McCracken lead mine .............................................. 123 Index.........................:..............................:....... 125 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PLATE I. Topographic and geologic sketch map of the area-............. In pocket. II. A, Smelter at Planet, Ariz.; B, Mountain of gneiss and schist on Williams River 1 mile west of Planet........................... 48 III. A, Basalt bowlders on divide between Billy Mack's and Ward well & Osbourne properties; B, Smelter at Cinnabar, Ariz............ 78 IV. A, Ridges in vicinity of Arizona Northern property; B, Peak just east of Arizona Northern property.:..................... ...... 100 V. A, Caved stope in Bonanza mine; B, Part of Harquahala, Ariz., including buildings of the Bonanza mine....................... 106 VI. Plan of the workings of the Bonanza (Harqua Hala) mine......... 108 VII. A, View near Hercules mine; B, View near Cunningham Pass mine. 110 VIII. A, Head frame, dump, and other features at Critic shaft, Cunning- ham Pass mine; B, Camp of Corona Copper Company........... 118 FIGURE 1. Index map of Arizona showing location of
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