Sonoita Mine

The Sonoita Mine, not visited in this work, is a mile northeast of the Palmetto Mine, on open ground at an elevation about 4,400 feet. It was located in 1879 by William Keegan and partners and worked until 1888. It is said to be on a north-south quartz vein in quartz monzonite. Hand-sorted ore from it is reported to have averaged about 25% in copper, $100 in gold, and 100 ounces of silver to the ton. The ore, according to Mr. Stockton, consisted mainly of copper glance, galena, and 'petaque,' or dark ruby silver ².

Ownership

Keegan, Sonoita Copper Co., Evans⁵

Location

31.45444,-110.79167¹⁰

23S 15E SE¼ 3⁵

Mineral Products

Cu, Ag, Au-, Pb-, Mn-⁵

Ref. 10

Geology

Intersections of faults and fractures containing spotty pyrite, chalcocite, galena, and ruby silver in a gague of quartz, psilomelane and gouge. Strong oxidation but weak alteration of Precambian metamorphic and Jurassic granitic intrusive wall rocks⁵.

Type of Operation

Shaft operations. Sporadic mining in the 1880's and from 1916 through 1918. Produced some 500 tons of ore averaging about 8% Cu, 11 oz. Ag/T and minor Au and Pb⁵.

References

1. Mineral Appraisal of Coronado National Forest, Part 12, Santa Rita Mountains Unit, MLA11-94 (1994). SR 591-609
   http://repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/nid1813/usbm_mla_011-94.pdf
2. Mining in the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains of Arizona, U.S. Department of Interior, 1915. Republished 2014 by Kerby Jackson.
3. Mike Bertram, 11/21/23
4. USGS Mineral Resources Data System - possibly using NAD72 (https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/map-commodity.html#home)
5. Index of Mining Properties in Santa Cruz County by Stanton B. Keith, bulletin 1991, Arizona Geological Survey, 1975
6. Geology of the Three R Mine, Palmetto Mining District, Santa Cruz County, Arizona by Paul Handverger, MS thesis 1963, University of Arizona
7. https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/show-mrds.php?dep_id=10046338
8. https://azdeq.gov/Three-R-Mine
9. https://tucson.com/news/local/three-r-mine-contributed-to-arizonas-rep-for-copper-production/article_2a25e1e1-7280-5fd5-be97-a40732a39b1b.html
10. mindat.org