Childs-Aldwinkle Mine

Past Producer in Pinal county in Arizona, United States with commodities Copper, Molybdenum, Silver, Gold, Lead, Zinc, Arsenic, Antimony, Bismuth
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Alteration
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Ore body information
  13. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Mining district
  16. Mineral rights holdings
  17. Land status
  18. Ownership information
  19. Production statistics
  20. Reserves and resources
  21. Workings at the site
  22. Links to other databases
  23. Bibliographic references
  24. General comments
  25. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10039463
MRDS ID M050120
Record type Deposit
Current site name Childs-Aldwinkle Mine
Alternate or previous names Copper Creek, Old Reliable, Copper Prince, Chilos and Altwilkle, American Eagle, Mammoth, Holly, White Bear, Railroad, Keel, Globe

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -110.48235, 32.75316 (WGS84)
Elevation 1265
Relative position 3.5 MI N OF SOMBRERO BUTTE, JUST N OF COPPER CREEK AND 11 MI E OF MAMMOTH.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Pinal(county)

Arizona(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Oak Grove Canyon(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Mammoth(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Tucson(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Lower San Pedro(hydrologic unit)

San Pedro-Willcox(hydrologic accounting unit)

Middle Gila(hydrologic subregion)

Lower Colorado(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Arizona Pinal

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Gila and Salt River 008S 018E 11, 10 W OF CENTER Arizona

Comments on the location information

  • Info From Land.St :1979

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Molybdenum Primary
Silver Secondary
Gold Secondary
Lead Tertiary
Zinc Critical Tertiary
Arsenic Critical Tertiary
Antimony Critical Tertiary
Bismuth Critical Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Molybdenite Nearly Constant At 1-2%. Cu Content Increased From 1% At Surface To 6-8% At 800 Ft Then Decreased To 2% At Bottom Of Mine. Bornite, Tennantite Important At Depth. Molybdenite Confined To Open Spaces. Bulk Of Chalcopyrite Is Interstitial To Breccia Fragments. Au, Ag, As, Sb, And Bi Were From Treatment Of The Copper Conc.
  • Chalcopyrite Is Only Hypogene Mineral. Pyrite Filmed By Chalcocite ; Cu Sulfates On Walls Of Underground Workings. A Flat-Lying Lens 200 Ft Below Surface Yielded Several Thousand Tons Of Almost Pure Chalcopy Rite.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bornite Ore
Chalcocite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Copper Ore
Covellite Ore
Cuprite Ore
Enargite Ore
Ferrimolybdite Ore
Galena Ore
Gold Ore
Malachite Ore
Molybdenite Ore
Silver Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Tennantite Ore
Wulfenite Ore
Atacamite Ore
Chalcanthite Ore
Chrysocolla Ore
Olivenite Ore
Tetrahedrite Ore
Apatite Gangue
Biotite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Chlorite Gangue
Gypsum Gangue
Orthoclase Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Specularite Gangue
Barite Gangue
Jarosite Gangue
Rutile Gangue
Sericite Gangue
Tourmaline Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Sericite, Chlorite, Tourmaline, Silicification, Oxidation To Iron Oxides In Outcrop

Analytical data

Result MO GRADE 0.4-0.75%, CU GRADE 3-4%. SEE MOLY FILE RECORD FOR MORE ANALYSES.
Result Cu Average 2.71% (Range 2.13-4.06%). Conc assayed 17.81% Cu, 17.26% Fe, 20.52% S and 42.10% insolubles. Mixed Oxide-Sulfide Ore from 100 level assayed 3.65% Cu. Sulfide ore from 100 level assayed 1.20% Cu. Ore in raise from 100 level to surface averaged 0.86% Cu (Range 0.22-2.17%)

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
    Rock unit name Copper Creek Granodiorite, A Porphyritic Biotite Granodiorite
    Rock description Copper Creek Granodiorite, A Porphyritic Biotite Granodiorite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pliocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Cretaceous
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Pyroclastic Rock > Tuff
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Latite

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Tertiary Block Faulting Trending Nnw
Type of structure Local
Structure description Breccia Pipe In Strong E-W Vertical Faults And Fractures With N60e And N70w Strikes

Ore body information

  • General form FUNNEL SHAPED, DOWNWARD TAPERING, ELLIPTICAL PIPE
    Dip VERTICAL
    Length 82.3M
    Width 45.72M
    Depth to top 0M
    Depth to bottom 243.84M
  • General form Pipe
    Dip 35 Inward
    Length 182.88M
    Width 91.44M
  • Name Old Reliable
    General form Breccia Fill, Pipe
    Thickness 145M
    Length 152M
    Width 152M
    Area 10HA
    Depth to top 0M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Breccia Pipes At Fault And Fracture Intersections

Comments on the geologic information

  • Molybdenite, The Latest Sulfide, Is Later Than Many Gangue Minerals. Breccia Pipe May Have A Zoned Sulfide Mineralogy
  • Breccia Pipe Contains Angular To Subangular Blocks Of Volcanic Rocks Ranging From Several Inches To 4 Feet. Biotite Latite Porphyry Intrudes Breccia. Contact Of Breccia And Wallrock Is Irregular, Steeply Di Pping And Fractured. Pipe Divides Into 4 Smaller Pipes On Upper Level
  • Copper Prince Breccia Pipe Produced Only In 1937 Although Prospected In 1907-1909. Breccia Fragments Range From A Few To Several Feet, Many Have Unde Rgone Only Slight Displacement From Original Position. On Adit Level Pipe Is Elliptical In Plan 280 X 150 Ft
  • The Copper Creek area can be viewed as several deposits - Old Reliable and Holly zones breccia fill deposit, the American Eagle and Keel zones porphyry deposit, which are beneath the Mammoth breccia deposit.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1883
Discoverer Located In 1905 By Aldwinkle, Grubstaked By Childs. Old Reliable discovered 1861-1865.
Year of first production 1890
Milling method Leach-Solvent-Extract-Electrowin

Mining district

District name Bunker Hill District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Patented
Type of mineral rights Private Lease

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Calumet and Ariz Mining Co
    Home office Arizona
    Year 1909
  • Type Operator
    Owner Copper States Mining Co.
    First year 1919
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Arizona Molybdenum Corp.
    First year 1933
  • Type Operator
    Owner Siskon Corp.
    Year 2009
    First year 1956
  • Type Operator
    Owner Newmont Exploration
    Home office Arizona
    Year 1970
    First year 1966
  • Type Owner
    Owner Magme Copper Co
    Home office Arizona
    First year 1988
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner AMT Inetrnational Mining Corp.
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1997
    First year 1996
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Redhawk Resources Inc.
    Interest 100
    Home office Vancouver, Canada
    Year 2009
    First year 2005
  • Type Owner
    Owner Rancher's Exploration and Development Co.
    First year 1976

Comments on the ownership information

  • 5-97:Drilling And Grade Modeling Are Continuing On The Property And The Cu Resource Is 3 Billion Lbs. Grade Ranges From .8 To 1%. Amt Will Complete A Feasibility Study By 2-98 To Earn A 50% Undivided Working Interest From Bhp. Amt Is Earning A 51% Working Interest From Phelps Dodge By Spending $3.5 Mill On Exploration Over A 4 Year Period. Currently, Amt Controls 1800 Acres And Has The Right To Earn-In To An Additional 2200 Acres In Separate Agreements With Bhp And Phelps Dodge. As Of 1996, Amt International Mining Corp. Seems To Own The Project, But This Has Not Been Confirmed. Amt Controls 1800 Acres & Has Right To Earn-In On An Additional 2200 Acres In Separate Agreements With Bhp & Phelps Dodge As Of May, 1997.

Production statistics

  • Year 1938
    Period 1933-1938
    Ore mined 329000mt
  • Year 1996
    Period pre-1996
    Material Old Reliable Zone
    Ore mined 5307.03mt
  • Year 2009
    Material Production estimate based on expected mill feed rate 3.6 million stpy (10,000 stpd). 2010 NI 43-101 report, p. 53.
    Ore mined 3300000mt
    Accuracy Estimate

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 2009
    Demonstrated 24797000mt ore
    Remarks NI 43-101, 12/Mar/2010, p. 49.
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum 0.02 wt-pct Molybdenum Primary 2009
    Copper 1.05 wt-pct Copper Primary 2009
  • Type In-situ
    Name American Eagle Zone
    Estimate year 2005
    Total resources 73488000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.76 wt-pct Copper Primary 2005
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1971
    Total resources 1814000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Copper Cu 0.74 wt-pct Copper Primary 1971
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 2009
    Inferred 144439000mt ore
    Remarks NI 43-101, 12/Mar/2010, p. 49.
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum 0.013 wt-pct Molybdenum Primary 2009
    Copper 0.747 wt-pct Copper Primary 2009

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • American Eagle Reserves Stated In A Dec. 1996 Press Release Are 76.6 Million Tons Of 0.8 Percent Copper (Drill Indicated)

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface/Underground
    Length 853.44M
    Overall depth 313.94M

Comments on the workings information

  • 2 Adits, 5 Levels Below Haulage Level. Most Workings Now Inaccessible. 2 Compartment Winze. 2 Large Glory Holes On Surface

Comments on development

  • Two Ore Bodies Developed, The Alamo And South Ore Bodies
  • Mine Operated Intermittently Between 1908-1919. Previously Owned By Ranchers Exploration And Development Co. (1976). Mining From 1973-1981 Was In-Situ Leaching.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Simons, 1964, USGS Prof Paper 461

  • Production

    Greeley, 1976, P. 27; Simons, 1964; Abm File Data; Sawyer And Others, 1992.

  • Ownership

    The Mining Record, "Copper Reserves Expanded At Arizona Properties", Vol. 108, #8, 2/19/97, P1.

  • Geology

    Anderson, E.D., Atkinson, W.W., Iriondo, A. and Marsh, T., 2003, Geology and geochemistry of the Mammoth breccia pipe, Copper Creek mining district, southeastern Arizona; Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, vol.35, no.6, p. 232.

  • Reserve-Resource

    Redhawk Reports Results of Copper Creek Project Scoping Study. Accessed 21-JUL-2009. http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Redhawk-Resources-Inc-TSX-VENTURE-RDK-955485.html

  • Deposit

    Denton, 1947, USBM Ri 4006

  • General

    Redhawk Resources, Copper Creek Project, company website. Accessed 20-JUL-2009
    http://www.redhawkresources.com/new/CopperCreek.asp?ReportID=285524

  • Geology

    Keane, J.M, et al, 2009, REDHAWK COPPER, INC. COPPER CREEK PROJECT Scoping Study: National Instruments Technical Report NI 43-101, Document No. Q400-02-028.01, 12 March 2010, 287 pages.
    http://sedar.com/CheckCode.do;jsessionid=00000AHsN77F3EwtlW7vP8vna-n:-1

  • Deposit

    Kuhn, 1938, Abm Bull 145, P. 127-130

  • General

    GEOLOGY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE MAMMOTH BRECCIA PIPE, COPPER CREEK MINING DISTRICT, SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA. ANDERSON, Eric D., US Geol Survey. Accessed 21-JUL-2009. http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2003AM/finalprogram/abstract_65525.htm

  • Deposit

    Kuhn, 1941, Pipe deposits of the Copper Creek area, Arizona: Econ Geol V 36, No 5, P. 512-538
    http://econgeol.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/reprint/36/5/512.pdf

  • Deposit

    Guthrie and Moore, 1978, Az Geol Soc Digest, V. 11, P. 25-31

  • Deposit

    Mining World, 1962, Dmbd Makes Success Of 60-Ton A Day Copper-Moly Operation In Arizona.

  • Other Database

    Cimri

  • Deposit

    Weed, 1913, Mining and Eng. World, V. 38, P. 375-378.

  • Deposit

    Phillips, K.A., 1987, Arizona Industrial Minerals: Arizona Department Of Mines And Mineral Resources Mineral Report 4, 185 P.

  • Production

    Abm File Data; Denton, 1947

  • Deposit

    Peirce, H.W., 1990, Arizona Geological Survey Industrial Minerals Card File.

  • Deposit

    Sawyer, M.B., Gurmendi, A.C., Daley, M.R., And Howell, S.B., 1992, Principal Deposits Of Strategic And Critical Minerals In Arizona: United States Bureau Of Mines Special Publication, 334 P.

  • Deposit

    Amt International Mining Corp. Press Release From Newsmine, 1-16-97.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit South Ore Body 220 X 100 Ft, Alamo Ore Body 270 X 150 Ft. Pipes Probably Join At 700 Ft And Pinch Out At 800 Ft.
Deposit 5-97:Drilling And Grade Modeling Are Continuing On The Property And The Cu Resource Is 3 Billion Lbs. Grade Ranges From .8 To 1%. Amt Will Complete A Feasibility Study By 2-98 To Earn A 50% Undivided Working Interest From Bhp. Amt Is Earning A 51% Working Interest From Phelps Dodge By Spending $3.5 Mill On Exploration Over A 4 Year Period. Currently, Amt Controls 1800 Acres And Has The Right To Earn-In To An Additional 2200 Acres In Separate Agreements With Bhp And Phelps Dodge.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-APR-83 Peterson, Jocelyn A. U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 04-NOV-83 ADMR U.S. Bureau of Mines
Updater 01-DEC-92 Orris, Greta J. U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 01-JUN-93 Mkny/Md U.S. Bureau of Mines
Updater 20-JUL-09 Anderson, Claire U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 28-MAY-97 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

External references

Authoritative Arizona resources

These are landing pages for further research — the state agencies don't currently expose per-mine deep links.