Safford Copper Mine (Kennecott Safford; Lone Star Mine), Lone Star Mining District (Safford Mining District; Dos Pobres Mining District), Graham County, Arizona, USAi
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
32° 56' 48'' North , 109° 39' 15'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Köppen climate type:
An open-pit Cu-Mo+Au-Ag-Pb-Zn occurrence/deposit/mine located in the S½ sec. 27, T5S, R26E, G&SRM, 8 miles (13 km) N of Safford (Safford 15 minute topo map), on private property. Discovered in 1899. Produced during the period 1899 to 1939. The mine is owned and operated by Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold. The Safford Mine contains: Dos Pobres Mine- MRDS deposit ID 10096999; San Juan Mine - MRDS deposit ID 10027008; Lone Star - MRDS deposit ID 10209543. Associated deposits include: Sanchez Copper deposit - MRDS deposit ID 10026888 and the original Safford deposit - MRDS deposit ID 10027031.
Construction on the Safford Mine began in mid-2006. Production began December 26, 2007, with full production started in 2008. It is the first new large-scale copper mining project in Arizona in more than 30 years. In September of 2005, as part of the deal, Phelps Dodge (which was subsequently purchased by Freeport-McMoran) transferred 3,867 acres (15.65 km2) of "environmentally sensitive" land to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and purchased 16,297 acres (65.95 km2), located next to where the mine is located, from the BLM. The mine composes two porphyry copper deposits (the San Juan and Dos Pobres copper ore bodies) that have leachable oxide and secondary sulfide mineralization. Freeport-McMoran estimated that it would remove 205 to 240 million pounds of copper from the deposits annually between 2008 and 2011.
Mineralization is a polymetallic deposit (Mineral occurrence model information: Model code: 53; USGS model code: 17; Deposit model name: porphyry Cu; Mark3 model number: 4) and/or (model code 78; USGS model code 20c; deposit model name: Porphyry Cu-Au; Mark3 model number: 34), hosted in swarms of quartz diorite dikes, rhyolite, dacite and latite, and includes secondary Cu minerals. The ore body is 457.2 meters thick, 2,743.2 meters wide and 6,096 meters long, with a depth-to-bottom of 762 meters and a depth-to-top of 304.8 meters. Controls for ore emplacement include NE-trending shears intruded by dikes. Local alteration includes hydrothermal activity and oxidation in 4 hypogene alteration zones: 1) seritization & silicification in rhyolite, latite, quartz latite, 2) biotization in andesite, 3) chloritization, 4) propylitic alteration. The ore body is in zones 1 & 2. Supergene enrichment has taken place to average depth of 440 feet. Local rocks include Middle Miocene to Oligocene volcanic rocks. Associated rocks include Eocene quartz monzonite of the Lone Star pluton, and diorite.
Local geologic structures include the Lone Star shear zone 6,000 feet wide and 16,000 feet long, Striking N50-65E, with a steep to vertical dip; the NW-striking Butte Fault and the local San Juan Shear Zone.
Workings include surface and underground workings with a length of 914.4 meters and an overall depth of 245.06 meters. A development shaft was sunk in 1961 to a depth of 804 feet, with 1,500 feet of crosscutting, 1,500 feet of drifting plus surface and underground exploratory drilling.
Production statistics: Year: 2007: Cu @ 450 metric tons; year: 2008: 60,300 metric tons; year: 2009: 83,500 metric tons.
Analytical data results: chalcopyrite:pyrite = 2:1 in the primary ore zone. Pyrite is 0.2-1.0% of the ore body by volume.
Reserves and resources: type: in-situ (estimate year = 1974); total resources: 136,054,000 metric tons of ore. Cu at 0.7 weight percent.
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Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
24 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Alunite Formula: KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| ⓘ Antlerite Formula: Cu3(SO4)(OH)4 |
| ⓘ 'Biotite' Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| ⓘ Bornite Formula: Cu5FeS4 |
| ⓘ Brochantite Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| ⓘ Chalcanthite Formula: CuSO4 · 5H2O |
| ⓘ Chalcocite Formula: Cu2S |
| ⓘ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ 'Chlorite Group' |
| ⓘ Chrysocolla Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| ⓘ Covellite Formula: CuS |
| ⓘ Cuprite Formula: Cu2O |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS |
| ⓘ Goethite Formula: Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ Gold Formula: Au |
| ⓘ Hematite Formula: Fe2O3 |
| ⓘ Jarosite Formula: KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| ⓘ 'Limonite' |
| ⓘ Magnetite Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
| ⓘ Malachite Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Molybdenite Formula: MoS2 |
| ⓘ Muscovite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS |
| ⓘ Tenorite Formula: CuO |
| ⓘ 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup' Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S |
| ⓘ Turquoise Formula: CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Chalcocite | 2.BA.05 | Cu2S |
| ⓘ | Bornite | 2.BA.15 | Cu5FeS4 |
| ⓘ | Covellite | 2.CA.05a | CuS |
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Molybdenite | 2.EA.30 | MoS2 |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup' | 2.GB.05 | Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Goethite | 4.00. | Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ | Cuprite | 4.AA.10 | Cu2O |
| ⓘ | Tenorite | 4.AB.10 | CuO |
| ⓘ | Magnetite | 4.BB.05 | Fe2+Fe3+2O4 |
| ⓘ | Hematite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2O3 |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Malachite | 5.BA.10 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Antlerite | 7.BB.15 | Cu3(SO4)(OH)4 |
| ⓘ | Brochantite | 7.BB.25 | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| ⓘ | Alunite | 7.BC.10 | KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| ⓘ | Jarosite | 7.BC.10 | KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| ⓘ | Chalcanthite | 7.CB.20 | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Turquoise | 8.DD.15 | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Muscovite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | var. Sericite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Chrysocolla | 9.ED.20 | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Biotite' | - | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| ⓘ | 'Chlorite Group' | - | |
| ⓘ | 'Limonite' | - | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Alunite | KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| H | ⓘ Antlerite | Cu3(SO4)(OH)4 |
| H | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| H | ⓘ Brochantite | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| H | ⓘ Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
| H | ⓘ Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| H | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| H | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Alunite | KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| O | ⓘ Antlerite | Cu3(SO4)(OH)4 |
| O | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| O | ⓘ Brochantite | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| O | ⓘ Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
| O | ⓘ Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| O | ⓘ Cuprite | Cu2O |
| O | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| O | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| O | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
| O | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Tenorite | CuO |
| O | ⓘ Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Alunite | KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| Al | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Alunite | KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| S | ⓘ Antlerite | Cu3(SO4)(OH)4 |
| S | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| S | ⓘ Brochantite | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
| S | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| S | ⓘ Covellite | CuS |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| S | ⓘ Molybdenite | MoS2 |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| S | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Alunite | KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| K | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| K | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ti | Titanium | |
| Ti | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| Fe | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| Fe | ⓘ Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| Fe | ⓘ Magnetite | Fe2+Fe23+O4 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Antlerite | Cu3(SO4)(OH)4 |
| Cu | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| Cu | ⓘ Brochantite | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| Cu | ⓘ Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Cu | ⓘ Covellite | CuS |
| Cu | ⓘ Cuprite | Cu2O |
| Cu | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Cu | ⓘ Tenorite | CuO |
| Cu | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
| Cu | ⓘ Turquoise | CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| Mo | Molybdenum | |
| Mo | ⓘ Molybdenite | MoS2 |
| Sb | Antimony | |
| Sb | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
| Au | Gold | |
| Au | ⓘ Gold | Au |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
Other Databases
| Link to USGS MRDS: | 10027031 |
|---|
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
- Sonoran DesertDesert
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Mazatzal DomainDomain
- Southern Basin and RangeWide Rift
USA
- Gila MountainsMountain Range
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Safford Copper Mine, Lone Star Mining District, Graham County, Arizona, USA