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Empire Mining District, Empire Mountains, Pima County, Arizona, USAi
Regional Level Types
Empire Mining DistrictMining District
Empire MountainsMountain Range
Pima CountyCounty
ArizonaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
31° 53' 1'' North , 110° 38' 30'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Mindat Locality ID:
31691
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:31691:3
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A Pb-Zn-Cu-Ag-Au-Mo-W-V mining area located in T17-18S, R17E, G&SRM, in the Empire Mountains, about 20 miles East of Tucson. Adjoined on the West by the Helvetia-Rosemont District. It extends from Davidson CAnyon eastward to Cienega Creek, 7 miles distant. The district contains 6 mining camps - the California, Montana, Lavery, Total Wreck, Copper or Hilton, and Prospect.

The dominant topographic feature in the district consists of the Empire Mountains, which form an outlier of the Santa Rita Range.

Mineralization is varied: (1) Replacement deposits of partly oxidized Pb-Zn-Cu minerals in Permian limestone and shale and in Cretaceous sedimentary formations, localized largely in badly faulted and overthrusted blocks and associated with strong faults and fissures. Some rhyolitic and dioritic dikes; (2) Contact metamorphic deposits of copper, tungsten and minor lead and molybdenum along the contact of Paleozoic limestone and Laramide intrusive; and, (3) Weak base metal sulfides along fissure veins in Laramide intrusive and Paleozoic quartzite.

Workings include numerous mines and prospects, mostly relatively shallow. Worked sporadically from about 1880 through 1964. Produced some 34,500 tons of ore containing about 172 tons of copper, 8,335 tons of lead, 258 tons of zinc, 740 oz. of gold, 206,400 oz. of silver and 76 tons of molybdenum.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region.


Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

46 valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

Acanthite
Formula: Ag2S
Anglesite
Formula: PbSO4
Aragonite
Formula: CaCO3
Aurichalcite
Formula: (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Azurite
Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
Localities: Reported from at least 6 localities in this region.
Cerussite
Formula: PbCO3
Localities: Reported from at least 8 localities in this region.
Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
Description: In ore and also some occurs in the granitic rock near the contact.
Chlorargyrite
Formula: AgCl
Chrysocolla
Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Covellite
Formula: CuS
Descloizite
Formula: PbZn(VO4)(OH)
Habit: sharp crystals up to a few mm
Colour: reddish-brown, black
Description: black masses of sharp crystals, reddish-brown in backlight
Duftite
Formula: PbCu(AsO4)(OH)
Epidote
Formula: (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Fornacite
Formula: Pb2Cu(CrO4)(AsO4)(OH)
Description: Occurs as micro-crystals.
Galena
Formula: PbS
Localities: Reported from at least 6 localities in this region.
Galena var. Silver-bearing Galena
Formula: PbS with Ag
'Garnet Group'
Formula: X3Z2(SiO4)3
Gypsum
Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O
Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
Hematite var. Specularite
Formula: Fe2O3
Hemimorphite
Formula: Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Description: Occurs with plattnerite on limonite.
'Hornblende Root Name Group'
Formula: ◻Ca2(Z2+4Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
Jarosite
Formula: KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
Kaolinite
Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Libethenite
Formula: Cu2(PO4)(OH)
'Limonite'
Magnesio-hornblende
Formula: ◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Description: Occurs as phenocrysts in a diorite porphyry dike.
Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Localities: Reported from at least 7 localities in this region.
'Manganese Oxides'
Mimetite
Formula: Pb5(AsO4)3Cl
Habit: Micro-crystals
Minium
Formula: Pb3O4
Molybdenite
Formula: MoS2
Mottramite
Formula: PbCu(VO4)(OH)
Description: Microcrystalline masses and as complete pseudomorphic replacements of wulfenite crystals.
Muscovite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Plattnerite
Formula: PbO2
Description: Occurs with hemimorphite on limonite.
Plumbojarosite
Formula: Pb0.5Fe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
Powellite
Formula: Ca(MoO4)
Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Quartz var. Agate
Formula: SiO2
Colour: Blue & white banded
Quartz var. Carnelian
Formula: SiO2
Quartz var. Chalcedony
Formula: SiO2
Quartz var. Fortification Agate
Formula: SiO2
Colour: Blue & white banded
Rosasite
Formula: (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
Habit: Micro-crystals
Scheelite
Formula: Ca(WO4)
Siderite
Formula: FeCO3
Smithsonite
Formula: ZnCO3
Localities: Reported from at least 6 localities in this region.
Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
Talc
Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
Turquoise
Formula: CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O
Vanadinite
Formula: Pb5(VO4)3Cl
References:
'Wad'
Willemite
Formula: Zn2SiO4
Wollastonite
Formula: Ca3(Si3O9)
Wulfenite
Formula: Pb(MoO4)

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
Chalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
Acanthite2.BA.35Ag2S
Covellite2.CA.05aCuS
Sphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
Chalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
Galena2.CD.10PbS
var. Silver-bearing Galena2.CD.10PbS with Ag
Molybdenite2.EA.30MoS2
Pyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 3 - Halides
Chlorargyrite3.AA.15AgCl
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
Minium4.BD.05Pb3O4
Hematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
var. Specularite4.CB.05Fe2O3
Quartz
var. Agate
4.DA.05SiO2
var. Chalcedony4.DA.05SiO2
4.DA.05SiO2
var. Fortification Agate4.DA.05SiO2
var. Carnelian4.DA.05SiO2
Plattnerite4.DB.05PbO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
Calcite5.AB.05CaCO3
Siderite5.AB.05FeCO3
Smithsonite5.AB.05ZnCO3
Aragonite5.AB.15CaCO3
Cerussite5.AB.15PbCO3
Azurite5.BA.05Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Malachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Rosasite5.BA.10(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
Aurichalcite5.BA.15(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
Anglesite7.AD.35PbSO4
Jarosite7.BC.10KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
Plumbojarosite7.BC.10Pb0.5Fe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
Gypsum7.CD.40CaSO4 · 2H2O
Fornacite7.FC.10Pb2Cu(CrO4)(AsO4)(OH)
Powellite7.GA.05Ca(MoO4)
Scheelite7.GA.05Ca(WO4)
Wulfenite7.GA.05Pb(MoO4)
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
Libethenite8.BB.30Cu2(PO4)(OH)
Duftite8.BH.35PbCu(AsO4)(OH)
Descloizite8.BH.40PbZn(VO4)(OH)
Mottramite8.BH.40PbCu(VO4)(OH)
Mimetite8.BN.05Pb5(AsO4)3Cl
Vanadinite8.BN.05Pb5(VO4)3Cl
Turquoise8.DD.15CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O
Group 9 - Silicates
Willemite9.AA.05Zn2SiO4
Hemimorphite9.BD.10Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Epidote9.BG.05a(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Magnesio-hornblende9.DE.10◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Wollastonite9.DG.05Ca3(Si3O9)
Talc9.EC.05Mg3Si4O10(OH)2
Muscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kaolinite9.ED.05Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Chrysocolla9.ED.20Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Unclassified
'Limonite'-
'Wad'-
'Hornblende Root Name Group'-◻Ca2(Z2+4Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
'Garnet Group'-X3Z2(SiO4)3
'Manganese Oxides'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
H Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
H AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
H ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
H DescloizitePbZn(VO4)(OH)
H DuftitePbCu(AsO4)(OH)
H Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
H FornacitePb2Cu(CrO4)(AsO4)(OH)
H GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
H HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
H JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
H KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
H LibetheniteCu2(PO4)(OH)
H Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
H MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
H MottramitePbCu(VO4)(OH)
H MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
H PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
H Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
H TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
H TurquoiseCuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O
H Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
CCarbon
C AragoniteCaCO3
C Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
C AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
C CalciteCaCO3
C CerussitePbCO3
C MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
C Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
C SideriteFeCO3
C SmithsoniteZnCO3
OOxygen
O Quartz var. AgateSiO2
O AnglesitePbSO4
O AragoniteCaCO3
O Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
O AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
O CalciteCaCO3
O CerussitePbCO3
O Quartz var. ChalcedonySiO2
O ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
O DescloizitePbZn(VO4)(OH)
O DuftitePbCu(AsO4)(OH)
O Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
O FornacitePb2Cu(CrO4)(AsO4)(OH)
O GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
O HematiteFe2O3
O HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
O JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
O KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
O LibetheniteCu2(PO4)(OH)
O Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
O MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
O MimetitePb5(AsO4)3Cl
O MiniumPb3O4
O MottramitePbCu(VO4)(OH)
O MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
O PlattneritePbO2
O PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
O PowelliteCa(MoO4)
O QuartzSiO2
O Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
O ScheeliteCa(WO4)
O SideriteFeCO3
O SmithsoniteZnCO3
O TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
O TurquoiseCuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O
O VanadinitePb5(VO4)3Cl
O WillemiteZn2SiO4
O WulfenitePb(MoO4)
O WollastoniteCa3(Si3O9)
O Hematite var. SpeculariteFe2O3
O Quartz var. Fortification AgateSiO2
O Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
O Quartz var. CarnelianSiO2
O Garnet GroupX3Z2(SiO4)3
FFluorine
F Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
MgMagnesium
Mg Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Mg TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
AlAluminium
Al ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Al Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Al KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Al Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Al MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Al TurquoiseCuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O
Al Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
SiSilicon
Si Quartz var. AgateSiO2
Si Quartz var. ChalcedonySiO2
Si ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Si Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Si HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Si KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Si Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Si MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Si QuartzSiO2
Si TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)2
Si WillemiteZn2SiO4
Si WollastoniteCa3(Si3O9)
Si Quartz var. Fortification AgateSiO2
Si Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
Si Quartz var. CarnelianSiO2
Si Garnet GroupX3Z2(SiO4)3
PPhosphorus
P LibetheniteCu2(PO4)(OH)
P TurquoiseCuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O
SSulfur
S AcanthiteAg2S
S AnglesitePbSO4
S ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
S ChalcociteCu2S
S CovelliteCuS
S GalenaPbS
S GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
S JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
S MolybdeniteMoS2
S PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
S PyriteFeS2
S SphaleriteZnS
S Galena var. Silver-bearing GalenaPbS with Ag
ClChlorine
Cl ChlorargyriteAgCl
Cl MimetitePb5(AsO4)3Cl
Cl VanadinitePb5(VO4)3Cl
Cl Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
KPotassium
K JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
K MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Ca AragoniteCaCO3
Ca CalciteCaCO3
Ca Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Ca GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Ca Magnesio-hornblende◻Ca2(Mg4Al)(Si7Al)O22(OH)2
Ca PowelliteCa(MoO4)
Ca ScheeliteCa(WO4)
Ca WollastoniteCa3(Si3O9)
Ca Hornblende Root Name Group◻Ca2(Z42+Z3+)(AlSi7O22)(OH,F,Cl)2
VVanadium
V DescloizitePbZn(VO4)(OH)
V MottramitePbCu(VO4)(OH)
V VanadinitePb5(VO4)3Cl
CrChromium
Cr FornacitePb2Cu(CrO4)(AsO4)(OH)
FeIron
Fe ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Fe Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Fe HematiteFe2O3
Fe JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Fe PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Fe PyriteFeS2
Fe SideriteFeCO3
Fe Hematite var. SpeculariteFe2O3
CuCopper
Cu Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Cu AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cu ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cu ChalcociteCu2S
Cu ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Cu CovelliteCuS
Cu DuftitePbCu(AsO4)(OH)
Cu FornacitePb2Cu(CrO4)(AsO4)(OH)
Cu LibetheniteCu2(PO4)(OH)
Cu MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Cu MottramitePbCu(VO4)(OH)
Cu Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
Cu TurquoiseCuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O
ZnZinc
Zn Aurichalcite(Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
Zn DescloizitePbZn(VO4)(OH)
Zn HemimorphiteZn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O
Zn Rosasite(Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2
Zn SmithsoniteZnCO3
Zn SphaleriteZnS
Zn WillemiteZn2SiO4
AsArsenic
As DuftitePbCu(AsO4)(OH)
As FornacitePb2Cu(CrO4)(AsO4)(OH)
As MimetitePb5(AsO4)3Cl
MoMolybdenum
Mo MolybdeniteMoS2
Mo PowelliteCa(MoO4)
Mo WulfenitePb(MoO4)
AgSilver
Ag AcanthiteAg2S
Ag ChlorargyriteAgCl
Ag Galena var. Silver-bearing GalenaPbS with Ag
WTungsten
W ScheeliteCa(WO4)
PbLead
Pb AnglesitePbSO4
Pb CerussitePbCO3
Pb DescloizitePbZn(VO4)(OH)
Pb DuftitePbCu(AsO4)(OH)
Pb FornacitePb2Cu(CrO4)(AsO4)(OH)
Pb GalenaPbS
Pb MimetitePb5(AsO4)3Cl
Pb MiniumPb3O4
Pb MottramitePbCu(VO4)(OH)
Pb PlattneritePbO2
Pb PlumbojarositePb0.5Fe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Pb VanadinitePb5(VO4)3Cl
Pb WulfenitePb(MoO4)
Pb Galena var. Silver-bearing GalenaPbS with Ag

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