Cerro Colorado Mine (Heintzelman Mine; Silver Queen Mine), Cerro Colorado Mining District, Cerro Colorado Mountains, Pima County, Arizona, USAi
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
31° 39' 32'' North , 111° 16' 23'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Mine (Inactive) - last checked 2020
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Arivaca | 695 (2011) | 10.9km |
| Amado | 295 (2011) | 20.5km |
| Arivaca Junction | 1,090 (2011) | 21.4km |
| Tubac | 1,191 (2011) | 22.1km |
| Tumacacori-Carmen | 393 (2015) | 23.1km |
A former small underground Ag-Au-Pb-Zn-Cu-Hg mine located in the center of sec. 25, T.20S., R.10E. on 1 patented claim and 20 unpatented claims, about 10 miles North of Arivaca. Discovered by early Spanish explorers about 1750. Produced 1856-1937. Closed 1884 to 1901. Mill operating in 1964.
Owned at times, or in part, by the Sonora Exploration & Mining Co.; Consolidated Arizona Mine & Milling Co.; Cerro Colorado Mining & Milling Co.; Udall; the Cerro Cristo Mines Co.; Arivaca Milling & Mining Co., Steinfeld; Baker; and, Snyder. NOTE: Coordinates updated February, 2008, using Garmin hand held GPS unit (at the shaft collar) by Ronald Deblois.
Mineralization is irregular, lensing, drusy, quartz-fissure vein with spotty sulfides and secondary minerals with minor barite, calcite and much iron oxide. The wall rock is an andesite porphyry complex. Ruby silver occurred in the oxidized zone. The veins are cut off by contact of sediments with basal andesite.
Workings include shaft workings. Operated from the 1770's to about 1937, producing some 3,000 tons of ore averaging about 100 oz. Ag/T, 0.1 oz. Au/T and minor amounts of Pb & Cu.
The richest ore on record ran over 12,000 oz. Ag per ton, the average ore mined in 1859 was 770 oz/t, the average of all ore mined since then has been about 225 oz/t. No significant quantities of ore were found below 350 feet.
The main shaft is flooded to 50 feet, other shafts in the vicinity are flooded, caved, or lagged at surface. Some ground on the Cerro Colorado claim might be unstable because large stopes are known to exist not far below the surface.
Owned at times, or in part, by the Sonora Exploration & Mining Co.; Consolidated Arizona Mine & Milling Co.; Cerro Colorado Mining & Milling Co.; Udall; the Cerro Cristo Mines Co.; Arivaca Milling & Mining Co., Steinfeld; Baker; and, Snyder. NOTE: Coordinates updated February, 2008, using Garmin hand held GPS unit (at the shaft collar) by Ronald Deblois.
Mineralization is irregular, lensing, drusy, quartz-fissure vein with spotty sulfides and secondary minerals with minor barite, calcite and much iron oxide. The wall rock is an andesite porphyry complex. Ruby silver occurred in the oxidized zone. The veins are cut off by contact of sediments with basal andesite.
Workings include shaft workings. Operated from the 1770's to about 1937, producing some 3,000 tons of ore averaging about 100 oz. Ag/T, 0.1 oz. Au/T and minor amounts of Pb & Cu.
The richest ore on record ran over 12,000 oz. Ag per ton, the average ore mined in 1859 was 770 oz/t, the average of all ore mined since then has been about 225 oz/t. No significant quantities of ore were found below 350 feet.
The main shaft is flooded to 50 feet, other shafts in the vicinity are flooded, caved, or lagged at surface. Some ground on the Cerro Colorado claim might be unstable because large stopes are known to exist not far below the surface.
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
23 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Acanthite Formula: Ag2S |
| ⓘ Anglesite Formula: PbSO4 |
| ⓘ Atacamite Formula: Cu2(OH)3Cl |
| ⓘ Baryte Formula: BaSO4 Description: Minor presence. |
| ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 |
| ⓘ Cerussite Formula: PbCO3 |
| ⓘ Chalcocite Formula: Cu2S |
| ⓘ Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ Chlorargyrite Formula: AgCl References: |
| ⓘ 'Chlorite Group' |
| ⓘ Chrysocolla Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| ⓘ Cinnabar Formula: HgS Description: Traces. |
| ⓘ 'Freibergite Subgroup' Formula: (Ag6,[Ag6]4+)(Cu4 C2+2)Sb4S12S0-1 |
| ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS |
| ⓘ Iodargyrite Formula: AgI References: |
| ⓘ Muscovite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Native Silver Formula: Ag |
| ⓘ Polybasite Formula: [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 |
| ⓘ Pyromorphite Formula: Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 Description: Drusy. |
| ⓘ Siderite Formula: FeCO3 |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS |
| ⓘ Stephanite Formula: Ag5SbS4 |
| ⓘ Stromeyerite Formula: AgCuS |
| ⓘ 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup' Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S |
| ⓘ 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup var. Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite' Formula: Cu6[Cu4(Zn,Fe,Hg)2]Sb4S13 |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Silver | 1.AA.05 | Ag |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Chalcocite | 2.BA.05 | Cu2S |
| ⓘ | Acanthite | 2.BA.35 | Ag2S |
| ⓘ | Stromeyerite | 2.BA.40 | AgCuS |
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Cinnabar | 2.CD.15a | HgS |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | 'Freibergite Subgroup' | 2.GB.05 | (Ag6,[Ag6]4+)(Cu4 C2+2)Sb4S12S0-1 |
| ⓘ | 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup' | 2.GB.05 | Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S |
| ⓘ | 'var. Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite' | 2.GB.05 | Cu6[Cu4(Zn,Fe,Hg)2]Sb4S13 |
| ⓘ | Stephanite | 2.GB.10 | Ag5SbS4 |
| ⓘ | Polybasite | 2.GB.15 | [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
| ⓘ | Iodargyrite | 3.AA.10 | AgI |
| ⓘ | Chlorargyrite | 3.AA.15 | AgCl |
| ⓘ | Atacamite | 3.DA.10a | Cu2(OH)3Cl |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| ⓘ | Siderite | 5.AB.05 | FeCO3 |
| ⓘ | Cerussite | 5.AB.15 | PbCO3 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Anglesite | 7.AD.35 | PbSO4 |
| ⓘ | Baryte | 7.AD.35 | BaSO4 |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Pyromorphite | 8.BN.05 | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| 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 | |||
| ⓘ | 'Chlorite Group' | - | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Atacamite | Cu2(OH)3Cl |
| H | ⓘ Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| C | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| C | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Anglesite | PbSO4 |
| O | ⓘ Atacamite | Cu2(OH)3Cl |
| O | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| 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 | ⓘ Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Acanthite | Ag2S |
| S | ⓘ Anglesite | PbSO4 |
| S | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| S | ⓘ Cinnabar | HgS |
| S | ⓘ Freibergite Subgroup | (Ag6,[Ag6]4+)(Cu4 C22+)Sb4S12S0-1 |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Polybasite | [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| S | ⓘ Stephanite | Ag5SbS4 |
| S | ⓘ Stromeyerite | AgCuS |
| S | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
| S | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup var. Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite | Cu6[Cu4(Zn,Fe,Hg)2]Sb4S13 |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘ Atacamite | Cu2(OH)3Cl |
| Cl | ⓘ Chlorargyrite | AgCl |
| Cl | ⓘ Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Siderite | FeCO3 |
| Fe | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup var. Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite | Cu6[Cu4(Zn,Fe,Hg)2]Sb4S13 |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Atacamite | Cu2(OH)3Cl |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| Cu | ⓘ Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Cu | ⓘ Freibergite Subgroup | (Ag6,[Ag6]4+)(Cu4 C22+)Sb4S12S0-1 |
| Cu | ⓘ Polybasite | [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| Cu | ⓘ Stromeyerite | AgCuS |
| Cu | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
| Cu | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup var. Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite | Cu6[Cu4(Zn,Fe,Hg)2]Sb4S13 |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| Zn | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup var. Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite | Cu6[Cu4(Zn,Fe,Hg)2]Sb4S13 |
| Ag | Silver | |
| Ag | ⓘ Acanthite | Ag2S |
| Ag | ⓘ Chlorargyrite | AgCl |
| Ag | ⓘ Freibergite Subgroup | (Ag6,[Ag6]4+)(Cu4 C22+)Sb4S12S0-1 |
| Ag | ⓘ Iodargyrite | AgI |
| Ag | ⓘ Polybasite | [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| Ag | ⓘ Native Silver | Ag |
| Ag | ⓘ Stephanite | Ag5SbS4 |
| Ag | ⓘ Stromeyerite | AgCuS |
| Sb | Antimony | |
| Sb | ⓘ Freibergite Subgroup | (Ag6,[Ag6]4+)(Cu4 C22+)Sb4S12S0-1 |
| Sb | ⓘ Polybasite | [Ag6Sb2S7][Ag9CuS4] |
| Sb | ⓘ Stephanite | Ag5SbS4 |
| Sb | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S |
| Sb | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup var. Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite | Cu6[Cu4(Zn,Fe,Hg)2]Sb4S13 |
| I | Iodine | |
| I | ⓘ Iodargyrite | AgI |
| Ba | Barium | |
| Ba | ⓘ Baryte | BaSO4 |
| Hg | Mercury | |
| Hg | ⓘ Cinnabar | HgS |
| Hg | ⓘ Tetrahedrite Subgroup var. Mercury-bearing Tetrahedrite | Cu6[Cu4(Zn,Fe,Hg)2]Sb4S13 |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Anglesite | PbSO4 |
| Pb | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| Pb | ⓘ Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
Other Databases
| Link to USGS MRDS: | 10039562 |
|---|
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
- Sonoran DesertDesert
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Mojave DomainDomain
- Southern Basin and RangeWide Rift
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References
Hamilton, Patrick (1881) The Resources of Arizona - A Manual of Reliable Information Concerning the Territory. The Legislature of the Territory of Arizona. p.45
Cerro Colorado Mine, Cerro Colorado Mining District, Cerro Colorado Mountains, Pima County, Arizona, USA