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Sheep Tanks Mining District, Little Horn Mountains, Yuma County, Arizona, USAi
Regional Level Types
Sheep Tanks Mining DistrictMining District
Little Horn MountainsMountain Range
Yuma CountyCounty
ArizonaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
33° North , 113° West (est.)
Estimate based on other nearby localities or region boundaries.
Margin of Error:
~1km
GRN:
N23W68
Type:
Mining District
Köppen climate type:
BWh : Hot deserts climate
Mindat Locality ID:
33781
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:33781:9
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A Au-Ag-Mn-Fe-Cu-Pb-Ba (Be) mining district located in T1N-T1S, R14-15W, within a mile of the southern margin of the Little Horn Mountains. Started in 1909 and owned by J.G. Wetterhall.

Mineralization is varied: (1) Gold and silver with local, minor, lead and copper mineralization in irregular vein deposits along fault zones cutting Tertiary volcanics; (2) Irregular manganese oxides in stringers, pods, and overlapping lenses along shear zones in Tertiary volcanics; and, (3) Minor gold placers.

Workings are numerous prospects, but few producing mines, worked from about 1909 through 1950, producing some 17,411 tons of precious and base metal ores containing about 20,900 oz. of gold, 39,730 oz. of silver and one ton of copper. Some 250 long tons of low-grade manganese ore and a few ounces of placer gold were also produced.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

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

17 valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Anglesite
Formula: PbSO4
ⓘ Aragonite
Formula: CaCO3
Description: Part of black-banded calcite veins.
ⓘ Aurorite
Formula: Mn2+Mn4+3O7 · 3H2O
Description: Occurs in black calcite veins.
ⓘ Baryte
Formula: BaSO4
Description: Irregular, vein-like masses in places; crystalline, cutting earlier qartz.
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
Localities: Reported from at least 9 localities in this region.
ⓘ Calcite var. Manganese-bearing Calcite
Formula: (Ca,Mn)CO3
ⓘ Cerussite
Formula: PbCO3
ⓘ Chalcophanite
Formula: ZnMn4+3O7 · 3H2O
Habit: Tabular
ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
Description: Occurs in altered andesite wall rocks.
ⓘ Chrysocolla
Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Description: Veinlets and blebs.
ⓘ Galena
Formula: PbS
ⓘ Galena var. Silver-bearing Galena
Formula: PbS with Ag
ⓘ Groutite
Formula: Mn3+O(OH)
ⓘ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
Description: As fine specks.
ⓘ Hollandite
Formula: Ba(Mn4+6Mn3+2)O16
ⓘ 'K Feldspar'
Description: Occurs in a gold-quartz vein.
ⓘ 'K Feldspar var. Adularia'
Formula: KAlSi3O8
Description: Occurs in a gold-quartz vein.
ⓘ 'Limonite'
ⓘ Muscovite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Description: Occurs in altered diorite-porphyry tens of feet from the vein; very fine-grained.
ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Description: Occurs in altered andesite wall rocks.
ⓘ Native Gold
Formula: Au
ⓘ 'Psilomelane'
ⓘ Pyrolusite
Formula: Mn4+O2
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Colour: Pinkish-gray
Description: Dense-textured.
ⓘ Rhodochrosite
Formula: MnCO3
Colour: Brown
Description: As veins in black-banded calcite veins.

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘNative Gold1.AA.05Au
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘGalena2.CD.10PbS
ⓘvar. Silver-bearing Galena2.CD.10PbS with Ag
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘPyrolusite4.DB.05Mn4+O2
ⓘHollandite4.DK.05aBa(Mn4+6Mn3+2)O16
ⓘGroutite4.FD.10Mn3+O(OH)
ⓘAurorite4.FL.20Mn2+Mn4+3O7 · 3H2O
ⓘChalcophanite4.FL.20ZnMn4+3O7 · 3H2O
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
ⓘvar. Manganese-bearing Calcite5.AB.05(Ca,Mn)CO3
ⓘRhodochrosite5.AB.05MnCO3
ⓘAragonite5.AB.15CaCO3
ⓘCerussite5.AB.15PbCO3
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘAnglesite7.AD.35PbSO4
ⓘBaryte7.AD.35BaSO4
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘMuscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘvar. Sericite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘChrysocolla9.ED.20Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Unclassified
ⓘ'K Feldspar
var. Adularia'		-KAlSi3O8
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Limonite'-
ⓘ'Psilomelane'-
ⓘ'K Feldspar'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AuroriteMn2+Mn34+O7 · 3H2O
Hⓘ ChalcophaniteZnMn34+O7 · 3H2O
Hⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Hⓘ GroutiteMn3+O(OH)
Hⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CCarbon
Cⓘ AragoniteCaCO3
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ CerussitePbCO3
Cⓘ Calcite var. Manganese-bearing Calcite(Ca,Mn)CO3
Cⓘ RhodochrositeMnCO3
OOxygen
Oⓘ K Feldspar var. AdulariaKAlSi3O8
Oⓘ AnglesitePbSO4
Oⓘ AragoniteCaCO3
Oⓘ AuroriteMn2+Mn34+O7 · 3H2O
Oⓘ BaryteBaSO4
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ CerussitePbCO3
Oⓘ ChalcophaniteZnMn34+O7 · 3H2O
Oⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Oⓘ GroutiteMn3+O(OH)
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ HollanditeBa(Mn64+Mn23+)O16
Oⓘ Calcite var. Manganese-bearing Calcite(Ca,Mn)CO3
Oⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ PyrolusiteMn4+O2
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ RhodochrositeMnCO3
Oⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ K Feldspar var. AdulariaKAlSi3O8
Alⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Alⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ K Feldspar var. AdulariaKAlSi3O8
Siⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Siⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SSulfur
Sⓘ AnglesitePbSO4
Sⓘ BaryteBaSO4
Sⓘ GalenaPbS
Sⓘ Galena var. Silver-bearing GalenaPbS with Ag
KPotassium
Kⓘ K Feldspar var. AdulariaKAlSi3O8
Kⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ AragoniteCaCO3
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ Calcite var. Manganese-bearing Calcite(Ca,Mn)CO3
MnManganese
Mnⓘ AuroriteMn2+Mn34+O7 · 3H2O
Mnⓘ ChalcophaniteZnMn34+O7 · 3H2O
Mnⓘ GroutiteMn3+O(OH)
Mnⓘ HollanditeBa(Mn64+Mn23+)O16
Mnⓘ Calcite var. Manganese-bearing Calcite(Ca,Mn)CO3
Mnⓘ PyrolusiteMn4+O2
Mnⓘ RhodochrositeMnCO3
FeIron
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
CuCopper
Cuⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
ZnZinc
Znⓘ ChalcophaniteZnMn34+O7 · 3H2O
AgSilver
Agⓘ Galena var. Silver-bearing GalenaPbS with Ag
BaBarium
Baⓘ BaryteBaSO4
Baⓘ HollanditeBa(Mn64+Mn23+)O16
AuGold
Auⓘ Native GoldAu
PbLead
Pbⓘ AnglesitePbSO4
Pbⓘ CerussitePbCO3
Pbⓘ GalenaPbS
Pbⓘ Galena var. Silver-bearing GalenaPbS with Ag

Localities in this Region

USA
USA

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

(1933) Geology and Mineral Deposits of Southern Yuma County, Arizona. University of Arizona Bulletin 134. Arizona Bureau of Minespp.132-133
Wilson, E.D., Cunningham, J.B., and Butler, G.M. (1934), Arizona Lode Gold Mines and Gold Mining (revised 1967), Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 137: 143-147.
Cousins, N.B. (1972), Relationship of black calcite to gold and silver mineralization in the Sheep Tanks mining district, Yuma County, Arizona, Arizona State University M.S. thesis.
Keith, Stanton B. (1978) Index of Mining Properties in Yuma County, Arizona. University of Arizona Bulletin 192. Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology p.174 - Table 4
Anthony, John W., Williams, Sidney A., Bideaux, Richard A., Grant, Raymond W. (1995) Mineralogy of Arizona (3rd ed.). University of Arizona Press.
(n.d.) ADMMR Mines Database, Arizona Geological Survey.
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