Mine Report

Treasure Vault Mine


Mining District and Mines

Tyndall District -Agua Caliente Canyon1

A former underground Cu-Zn-Ag-Pb mine located in the upper part of Agua Caliente Canyon at an elevation of about 6,650 feet, on National Forest land. It was discovered in 1899 and is owned by the Santa Rita Mining Co., of Tucson (1970).2


Reference [6]


Location

SE¼ SE¼ sec. 10, T20S, R14E2

31° 42' 4'' North , 110° 53' 28'' West
31.70111,-110.891112


Mineral Products

Ag, Au, Pb, Zn 5


Geology

Mineralization involves a fault fissure which strikes N.75ºE. and stands about vertical in altered porphyritic diorite which is intruded by granite porphyry on the SE. The diorite is fine-grained and consists of andesine, hornblende, and orthoclase, with a little quartz, biotite, and magnetite. Next to the fault it contains phenocrysts of hornblende ¾ of an inch in maximum length.

The fissure filling consists principally of about 4 feet of hard sheared and altered diorite and quartz. It is separated from the walls by a thin selvage. The ore contains sulphides with quartz and some calcite. It occurs principally as pockets or stringers in the selvage and is only sparingly disseminated in the main filling. Some of it is reported to average 18% Cu and 100 oz. Ag/T and $20 Au/T (period values).1


Type of Operation and Production

Workings include a shaft and 2 tunnels separated by 80 feet vertically. The tunnels are driven eastward in a ridge that separates the head forks of Agua Caliente Canyon. The lower tunnel is 135 feet long, and from it a 30 foot long crosscut has been driven to the south. The shaft is 100 feet deep and is located 100 feet above the upper tunnel, which is 80 feet long and caved.5

Photos


Mineralization2


Upper Tunnel2


References

  1. Index of Mining Properties in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, by Staton B. Keith, Bulletin 191, Arizona Geological Survey, 1975. No entry
  2. Mindat.org - small amount of data
  3. MRDS records: 31.44904, -110.78538
  4. Mineral Appraisal of Coronado National Forest, Part 7 - Patagonia Mountains - Canelo Hills Unit by Mark Chatman, 1994, No entry
  5. Arizona Department of Mines report: http://docs.azgs.az.gov/OnlineAccessMineFiles/A-B/BilliedSantacruz65.pdf
  6. The Mineral Deposits of the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains by Frank C. Schrader, 1914