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Saginaw Mine, Amole Mine group, Saginaw Hill, Amole Mining District, Tucson Mountains, Pima County, Arizona, USAi
Regional Level Types
Saginaw MineMine
Amole Mine groupGroup of Mines
Saginaw HillHill
Amole Mining DistrictMining District
Tucson MountainsMountain Range
Pima CountyCounty
ArizonaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
32° 8' 44'' North , 111° 4' 41'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
32.14556,-111.07833
GeoHash:
G#: 9t9nb7gjr
GRN:
N22W67
Type:
Mine
Köppen climate type:
BSh : Hot semi-arid (steppe) climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Valencia West9,355 (2011)3.7km
Drexel Heights27,749 (2011)4.7km
Tucson Estates12,192 (2011)4.8km
South Tucson5,715 (2017)12.0km
Summit5,372 (2011)14.8km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Old Pueblo Lapidary ClubTucson, Arizona17km
Tucson Gem and Mineral SocietyTucson, Arizona17km
Mindat Locality ID:
34545
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:34545:6
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A former small surface and underground Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag-Au-Mo mine located in the NE ¼ sec. 11 & NW sec. 12, T.15S., R.12E. Owned at times, or in part, by the Saginaw Mining Co.; and the Tucson Arizona Copper Co.

Mineralization is sparse, spotty, partly oxidized base metal sulfides along fissure zones in limestone lenses in silicified Cretaceous Amole Arkose. Ore control was quartz veins as siliceous replacements along fractures. Alteration included limonite, quartz, sericite, clay, pyrite, and garnetization-epidotization. Associated rock units include the Saginaw Hill Porphyry, latite. Weakly mineralized. Chalcopyrite & pyrite on the W side of the Saginaw property, copper oxides on the E side of the property (Papago Queen). Cerussite & galena on the S end of the property along rhyolite-limestone contact. The identified ore zone is 330 meters long.

Local structures include NE-trending fractures, brecciation. On the SE side of the fracture and extending 300 meters away is propylitized quartz monzonite. Local limonite and partly oxidized pyrite with minor copper silicates along the fracture zone.

Workings include shafts, pits, and minor underground workings. Worked prior to 1900 with a possible 100 tons of low-grade ore produced. production was sporadic. Production of smelter flux from 1956-1959.
Has been prospected for porphyry copper. Prospect workings concentrated along N60E trend but no good fracture zone is exposed.

FIELD OBSERVATIONS: This mine is now surrounded by the urban sprawl of Tucson and residents living around it have been active in complaining about the site as contaminated. A fence was placed around the workings and the adjacent areas with a slag pile and evidence of H2SO4 leaching of ore (yellow residues on rocks). The site is no longer accessible for collecting.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


5 valid minerals.

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘCuprite4.AA.10Cu2O
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘEpidote9.BG.05a(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
ⓘMuscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘvar. Sericite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Unclassified
ⓘ'Clay minerals'-
ⓘ'Limonite'-
ⓘ'Garnet Group'-X3Z2(SiO4)3

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Hⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CCarbon
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ CupriteCu2O
Oⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Oⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ Garnet GroupX3Z2(SiO4)3
AlAluminium
Alⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Alⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Siⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ Garnet GroupX3Z2(SiO4)3
SSulfur
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
KPotassium
Kⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
FeIron
Feⓘ Epidote(CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
CuCopper
Cuⓘ CupriteCu2O
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:10039675

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Mexico
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

Allen, M.A. (1920): 20.
Kinnison, J.E. (1958) Geology and ore deposits of the southern section of the Amole mining district, Tucson Mountains, Pima County, Arizona: Tucson, University of Arizona, M.S. thesis, 126 p.: 93, 102, 107.
Ashley, R.P. (1974), Field Examination (Saginaw Mine).
Keith, Stanton B. (1974), Arizona Bureau of Geology & Mineral Technology, Geological Survey Branch Bull. 189, Index of Mining Properties in Pima County, Arizona: 103 (Table 4).
Arizona Bureau of Mines file data
MRDS database Dep. ID file #10039675, MRDS ID #M050631; and, Dep. ID #10186493, MAS ID #0040190379.
Jenkins, O.P., and Wilson, E.D. (1920) A geological reconnaissance of the Tucson and Amole Mountains, with Notes on the southern section of the Amole mining district, by M.A. Allen: Arizona Bureau of Mines Bulletin no. 106, 29 p.: 6, Plate I.
Tenney, J.B. (1927-1929) History of Mining in Arizona (unpublished in two volumes), Special Collection, University of Arizona Library & Arizona Bureau of Mines Library.
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