Arizona Mining Districts, Part II

CASA GRANDE, PINAL COUNTY
This is a new district, located near the line of Pima and Pinal Counties, thirty miles south of Casa Grande Station, at what was formerly known as Krohn's Camp. It embraces a portion of the Quijota Mountains. The formation is syenite and limestone. Carbonates predominate in the silver ores, in all of which the value of gold is about equal to the silver. The veins are large, with distinct croppings. On a number of locations rich ore has been found, but none have as yet been developed to any great extent. There is plenty of iron wood, and mesquite for fuel, but water is scarce.

CASTLE DOME, YUMA COUNTY
This is a very large district, in the western part of the county, bounded on the south by the Gila River, on the west by the Colorado, and on the north by Silver District. Many of the mines in this section have been worked almost continuously since 1869, and a large amount of bullion in the aggregate has been extracted. At the present time there is comparatively little activity prevailing, on account, perhaps, of the rich discoveries in other portions of the Territory, which have monopolized general attention. At Castle Dome Landing, on the Colorado River, is located the smelting works of the Castle Dome M. & S. Co., who are engaged in the reduction of ore from their mine some miles distant. In addition to this, large quantities of ore are sent to San Francisco for reduction. The district contains both gold ore and silver ledges, and in some localities considerable placer gold has been extracted.

CAVE CREEK, MARICOPA COUNTY
This district is located in the northeastern portion of the county, near the line of Yavapai. The mines were discovered in 1875 by H. C. McDonald and William Hicks.

 

 

The formation is granite and slate. Some of the ores are free milling, while others contain base metal, and are rebellious. Wood and water are abundant. The Panther mine, owned by a New York company, is taking out good gold ore, and are about to erect a forty stamp mill. At the Galena Prince mine, owned by Philes and Chaney, a good quality of argentiferous galena is being extracted. Prospecting is going on in the Gold Hill, Maricopa, Phoenix, and Rackensack. TheGolden Star Mining Company has a ten-stamp mill. In the southern part of the district are the Union, Gila Monster, Scarlet, Red Dog, and Deseret, in all of which good ore has been found. It is said that iron ore in large quantities has recently been discovered in this section.

CEDAR VALLEY, MOHAVE COUNTY
This is one of the districts which was formed a few years ago during a silver rush excitement in silver mining in this part of the Territory, consequent upon finding several rich mines. It is situated immediately north of the Aubrey District, and embraces in its eastern part the Hualapai range of mountains, which is undoubtedly a rich mineral region. The district contains plenty of wood and water, thus affording facilities for successful mining. The Values are in gold ore, silver, copper, and lead. The Arnold and Hibernia were at one time considered valuable locations. The Magendie and Gunsight have both produced good ore. There is one ten-stamp mill in the district.

CHEERY CREEK, YAVAPAI COUNTY
This district lies near Fort Verde, in the Black Hills. We have no particulars in regard to it except that some large veins of copper ore have recently been discovered. The boundaries of the district are undefined.

CHIRICAHUA, COCHISE COUNTY
This district, which at present is attracting considerable attention, is located in the Chiricahua Mountains, about 75 miles northeast of Tombstone. The first discoveries were made in 1875 by Jack Dunn, the famous Indian scout. The formation is principally limestone, carrying veins of argentiferous ore, which is easily reduced. Many locations have recently been made in the district, some of which are being energetically developed, and yield silver ore of a high grade. This section affords excellent facilities for mining, yellow pine and cedar for lumber, and oak and ash for fuel, being abundant ; and in addition to this, there is a good supply of water for milling purposes. The mountains rise to a height of 10,000 feet above the sea level, and are noted for the grandeur of their scenery. The foot-hills are covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, and the valleys and mesa lands at their base, thinly covered with trees, present the appearance of beautiful parks.

 

 

CLIFTON, GRAHAM COUNTY
This justly celebrated copper district is situated on the San Francisco River, at a point some fifteen miles above its mouth. The developments of copper ore here are remarkable; the veins are very wide, with distinct croppings, which can be followed on the surface a distance of three miles, and where broken into they appear more like quarries without any limit to the quantity of ore. At one point, where the canon cuts across the vein to a depth of 1,000 feet, the ore is shown in the same quantity and quality. The ores are cuprite red oxide, grey and green malachite carbonates, and copper glance. These readily reduce into soft copper, equal in quality to that of any other portion of the world. The yield is from 20 to 50 per cent. The Longfellow and Copper Queen, owned by Lezmsky & Co., are unsurpassed by any upon the continent, and are being successfully worked. Seven miles of narrow-guage railroad connects the Longfellow miine with the reduction works at the town of Clifton. 14,000 pounds of copper per day is the usual yield of this mine. The Metcalf Copper Mountain, in the same district, might well be classed with mineral wonders. Extensive tunneling is being done here, but no ore is yet being reduced. Besides the above mentioned mines, there are hundreds of others located which must prove valuable when opened. The Placer gold mines, situated upon the San Francisco River, begin at the town of Clifton, and extend up the river 15 miles. The gravel on both sides of the river is gold nugget bearing, showing good prospects on the surface, while the bed-rock has shown some rich specimens of coarse native gold in quartz. A Boston company is now making preparations to wash these placers by the hydraulic process.

DOS CABEZAS, CACHISE COUNTY
This district is situated in the eastern part of the county, on the northern portion of the Chiricahua Mountains; most of the mines being worked are gold quartz. The Juniper is a gold ledge of great promise, from which considerable ore has already been taken, some of which yields over $100 per ton. Jewel Springs joins the Juniper on the west; it has a shaft down 67 feet, and shows high grade ore. The Greenhorn, Bear Cave and Galena Chief, in the same neighborhood, are also extracting gold ore of a good quality. The Silver Cave, owned by S. R. DeLong, has recently struck ore which assays as high as $500 per ton. There is one ten-stamp mill and six arrastras at work in this district.

EL CAPITAN, GILA COUNTY
This district is located on the south side of the Pinal Mountains, 18 miles south of Globe City, and contains two groups of mines, named the Pioneer and the El Capitan. They are some-times included in the Globe District. There is a plentiful supply of wood and water for mining purposes. The Pioneer, owned by George Scott, has been opened at considerable expense, and 55 tons of gold ore packed on mules to mills near Globe City, and worked. Packing the ore cost from $18 to $30 per ton. Milling cost $45 per ton. Still there was a margin left more than sufficient to pay the expenses of extraction. This will give some idea of the difficulty of mining profitably in districts where no facilities for reducing exist. The Pioneer South, an extension of the Pioneer, has three shafts and is yielding high grade ore, which is shipped to San Francisco for reduction. The Great Republic, in the same group, is owned by D. Larry.  In the El Capitan group are the Little Giant, National, Zuni, Farragut, Mohawk, etc., owned by S. A. Lowe ; the El Capitan, by Lowe & Anderson ; the Burns by Holt & Burns ; the Olympic, Topia, and Foote by Hardesty & Oury j Bullion Dust by Anderson & Curry, and several others.

EMPIEE, PIMA COUNTY
This is a recently formed district in the eastern portion of the county. A number of locations have been made, and considerable prospecting is now going on. The indications of developing good mines are said to be favorable. Among the most prominent locations are the Sunrise, Total Wreck, and Star mines.

EUREKA, YUMA COUNTY
This district is immediately north of Silver District on the Colorado River. It contains several mines on which a good deal of work has been done, and from which considerable ore has been extracted. At the present time, however, there is no activity there.

 Return to The Arizona Page:
Arizona Gold Rush Mining History

 

 

.

Nevada Outback Gems

Find out more by checking out All of our links below:

View our Contemporary Turquoise Jewelry - Wearable Artwork! View our Unique Gem Quality Turquoise Cabochons
Premium Jewelry, with Gemstones of all types Top Quality Loose Gemstones - Gemstones of all types
Rare Crystals and Gemstone Rough, all types Our Free Colored Gemstone Information Encyclopedia
Chris' Gold Prospecting Encyclopedia Take a virtual tour of our Nevada Turquoise mines
Miners Reference Pages         More Info about Turquoise, the Beautiful Gem
Basic Placer Mining Mineral Photo Gallery Nevada Outback Gems Homepage
Build Your Own Mining Equipment Gold Rush History Investing in Gold and Precious Metals
Metal Detecting with the MXT Metal Detector More information about us - Nevada Outback Gems
Locations to Prospect for Gold The Rockhound's Corner Nevada Outback Library and Bookstore - Learn more!
 Chris's Prospecting Adventures About Nevada Turquoise More Info about Gem Cutting Tanzanite Jewelry
Nevada Outback Gems Site Map Make Your Own Jewelry Photos of Precious Metal Ores