Gold Cliff Mine, Cave Creek, Maricopa County, Arizona, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Gold Cliff Mine | Mine |
| Cave Creek | Creek |
| Maricopa County | County |
| Arizona | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
33° 52' 59'' North , 111° 54' 46'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Cave Creek | 5,341 (2017) | 6.5km |
| Carefree | 3,610 (2017) | 6.8km |
| New River | 14,952 (2011) | 20.9km |
| Anthem | 21,700 (2011) | 21.7km |
| Rio Verde | 1,811 (2011) | 28.2km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Daisy Mountain Rock & Mineral Club | Anthem, Arizona | 22km |
| Black Canyon City Rock Club | Black Canyon City, Arizona | 30km |
| Mineralogical Society of Arizona | Paradise Valley, Arizona | 39km |
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Gold Cliff group of claims; Pocahontas Mine; Steele claims; Nata Mine; Golden Reef Mine; Diaz Mine; Cave Creek Tungsten Mine; Homestake claim; Lemon-Massex claim; Alexander claim; Cottonwood claim
A former surface and underground Ag-Au-W-Nb-Be-fluorspar-pyrite mine located in sec. 11, T.6N., R.4E., on 13 unpatented claims about 27 miles North of Phoenix and about 5 miles North of the Cave Creek P.O. Owned by the Gold Cliff Mining Co.; and, by the Pittsburgh Tungsten Co. (WWI era). Discovered 1910. Last production 1941.
Mineralization is quartz veins on the NE portion of the property (gold-bearing); 3 claims in the SW portion contain the principal tungsten deposits.
Slaty to sericitic, gray, Precambrian schist, which strikes NE-ward & dips NW-ward at moderate angles, is intruded by a granite stock that crops out over an East-West length of about 1 mile and a width of ¼ to ¾ of a mile. This granite has been extensively invaded and altered by pegmatite. The alteration consists largely of coarse sericite & quartz.
Two systems of fissures are prominent; one system, which strikes N.45ºE. and dips about 65º SE, is intersected by the other, which strikes N.25º to 30ºNE and dips about 60ºSE.
The N.45ºE. fissures show extensive sericitization and silicification, in places forming zones 30 feet wide. Their outcrops, relatively resistant to erosion, are easily traceable.
The N.25º to 30ºE. fissures generally contain thin veins of quartz up to 3 inches thick, together with iron oxide. Oxidized iron and copper minerals are locally abundant in the walls.
Tungsten deposits are known to occur in 6 of the N.45ºE. zones, of which four have been productive. The ore shoots, of which some as much as 2 or 3 feet wide, clearly seem to be related to the intersections of the fissures, as if the N.45ºE. zones were permeable structures mineralized by the N. 25º to 30ºE. fissures.
Workings include several open stopes, surface cuts & short adits.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
13 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 References: |
| ⓘ Cuprotungstite Formula: Cu2(WO4)(OH)2 References: |
| ⓘ Ferberite Formula: FeWO4 Description: Analysis gave 2.2% Nb-Ta oxide. References: |
| ⓘ Fluorite Formula: CaF2 References: |
| ⓘ Hematite Formula: Fe2O3 References: |
| ⓘ Malachite Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Molybdenite Formula: MoS2 References: |
| ⓘ Muscovite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 Description: Occurs as an alteration product in vein wall rocks. |
| ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 Description: Occurs as an alteration product in vein wall rocks. |
| ⓘ Native Gold Formula: Au |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 References: |
| ⓘ Pyrite var. Gold-bearing Pyrite Formula: FeS2 References: |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 References: |
| ⓘ Scheelite Formula: Ca(WO4) References: |
| ⓘ Tungstite Formula: WO3 · H2O References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ | Molybdenite | 2.EA.30 | MoS2 |
| ⓘ | Pyrite var. Gold-bearing Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 | |
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
| ⓘ | Fluorite | 3.AB.25 | CaF2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Hematite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2O3 |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | Ferberite | 4.DB.30 | FeWO4 |
| ⓘ | Tungstite | 4.FJ.10 | WO3 · H2O |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Malachite | 5.BA.10 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Scheelite | 7.GA.05 | Ca(WO4) |
| ⓘ | Cuprotungstite | 7.GB.15 | Cu2(WO4)(OH)2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Muscovite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | var. Sericite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
Other Databases
| Link to USGS MRDS: | 10027067 |
|---|
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
- Sonoran DesertDesert
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Great Plains DomainDomain
- Southern Basin and RangeWide Rift
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Gold Cliff Mine, Cave Creek, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA