Vote for your favorite mineral in #MinCup26! - Sphalerite vs. Anorthite
Both zinc ore Sphalerite and calcium plagioclase feldspar Anorthite have perfect cleavage that will split cleanly if you hit them with a hammer, but only one can claim a larger split of your votes!
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Busterville Mine, Avra, Amole Mining District, Tucson Mountains, Pima County, Arizona, USAi
Regional Level Types
Busterville MineMine
Avra- not defined -
Amole Mining DistrictMining District
Tucson MountainsMountain Range
Pima CountyCounty
ArizonaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
32° 19' 41'' North , 111° 10' 51'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
32.32806,-111.18111
GeoHash:
G#: 9t8zyj0ks
GRN:
N22W67
Type:
Mine
Köppen climate type:
BSh : Hot semi-arid (steppe) climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Picture Rocks9,563 (2011)6.4km
Marana41,315 (2017)12.8km
Nelson259 (2011)14.0km
Flowing Wells16,419 (2011)16.5km
Casas Adobes66,795 (2011)17.5km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Old Pueblo Lapidary ClubTucson, Arizona27km
Tucson Gem and Mineral SocietyTucson, Arizona27km
Mindat Locality ID:
45005
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:45005:9
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A former small surface and underground Ag-Pb-Au-Zn-Cu mine located in sec. 01, T13S, R11E.

Mineralization is ore in veinlets in a shear zone. Alteration is argillitic; chalcopyrite gossan. The ore is 0.5 meters wide, strikes N38W and dips 50E. The dip of the shear zone appears to become shallower immediately below surface. Quartz veining with limonite, Cu silicates, malachite and some relict chalcopyrite. Also some Cu silicates on fractures. Quartz veins to several cm. Some late calcite veining. Andesite is fine-grained.

Workings include inclined shafts, 4 pits and a tunnel over 80 meters long.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


6 valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Bournonite
Formula: PbCuSbS3
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ 'Limonite'
ⓘ Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘ Pyrrhotite
Formula: Fe1-xS
Description: As blebs in sphalerite.
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
ⓘ 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'
Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘPyrrhotite2.CC.10Fe1-xS
ⓘBournonite2.GA.50PbCuSbS3
ⓘ'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'2.GB.05Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Unclassified
ⓘ'Limonite'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
CCarbon
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
SSulfur
Sⓘ BournonitePbCuSbS3
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
Sⓘ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
CaCalcium
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
FeIron
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
CuCopper
Cuⓘ BournonitePbCuSbS3
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Cuⓘ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
ZnZinc
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
SbAntimony
Sbⓘ BournonitePbCuSbS3
Sbⓘ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
PbLead
Pbⓘ BournonitePbCuSbS3

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:10039677

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

Galbraith, F.W. (1947), Minerals of Arizona, Arizona Bureau of Mines Bull. 153: 20, 27, 28.
Ashley, R.P. (1974), Field Examination (Busterville Mine).
Arizona Bureau of Mines file data
MRDS database Dep. ID file #10039677, MRDS ID #M050636; and, Dep. ID #10210497, MAS ID #0040190464.
Borland, G.C., Lee, Charles A. (1935) Geology and ore deposits of the Cuprite mining district. M.S. thesis, University of Arizona. 54pp.
Anthony, John W., Williams, Sidney A., Bideaux, Richard A., Grant, Raymond W. (1995) Mineralogy of Arizona (3rd ed.). University of Arizona Press.pages 143, 346, 392
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