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Arizona Gold Locations - Prospecting + Panning

GOLD LOCATIONS IN ARIZONA;

Prospecting + Panning in Arizona State

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APACHE COUNTY, ARIZONA



In the Painted Desert, a region embracing a large geographic area of the Triassic Chenille Formation in which microscopic particles of gold are disseminated throughout the residual clays.






COCHISE COUNTY, ARIZONA



 



Cochise County is third among Arizona's gold producing counties in quantity of gold produced. This county produced approximately 3 million ounces of gold between 1879 and now, more than half came as a by product of the Bisbee copper ores and only 1000 ounces of placer gold are included in the total.



In the Bisbee (Warren) district you will find the Copper Queen, Calumet, and Denn copper mines which all had a by product of gold. Go to the southeast 4 miles, in the upper part of Gold Gulch and you will find many small placer deposits.



Dos Cabezas district, 18 miles southeast of Wilcox in the Dos Cabezas mountains, had many copper, lead, silver mines with a by product of gold. In the vicinity you will find the Dos Cabezas placers, 1901 to present, all area arroyos and gulches, benches and terraces produce placer gold in flat, ragged, rather coarse shapes. Go to the northwest 1.5 miles and you will find the Le Roy Property which was a lode gold mine with lead and silver. If you go north 2.5 miles you will find the Dives (Bear Cave) Mine, site of 50 ton flotation mill built in 1934 which was a rich lode gold producer. Go east of the Dives, the Gold Ridge (Casey) Mine which was also a rich lode gold producer. Go northeast 2.75 miles, the Gold Prince (Murphy) Mine was also an area lode gold mine. At north foot of the Dos Cabezas mountains, the Teviston placers, including all area gulches you can nugget gold which is often very coarse.



In the Gleeson area, which is all privately owned, the Gleeson placers can be found. These are dry wash placers with fine gold to medium size nuggets. In the gulch west of the Copper Belle Mine, you will find placers worked in 1930s with very coarse gold.



Near Hereford, southwest 12 miles and about 3 mile north of Mexico, in Ash Canyon in southeast part of the Huachuca mountains, the Huachuca placers can be found along canyon bottom for 3 miles.



Near Manzoro, south .75 miles, at northeast foot of the Dragoon mountains, the Golden Rule (Old Terrible) Mine, which was rich lode gold mine.



East and West of Pearce Hill, area gravel deposits known as the Pearce placers were very rich as well.



In the Tombstone district in the Tombstone Hills, primarily silver mines that produced 271,000 ounces of by product gold between 1877 and 1932, south .5 miles, erratically distributed oxidized lead and silver deposits, locally rich placer and free milling gold.



In the Turquoise district, 14 miles east of Tombstone, on east side of the Dragoon mountains 18 miles north of Bisbee, there are numerous mines with gold finely distributed in slope gravels, this are had a total production, between 1908-55, of 70,000 ounces.






COCONINO COUNTY, ARIZONA



In the Painted Desert, a region embracing a large geographic area of the Triassic Chenille Formation in which microscopic particles of gold are disseminated throughout the residual clays.






GILA COUNTY, ARIZONA



 



Eighth among Arizona's gold producing counties, Gila County produced over 250,000 ounces of gold through 1959, about two thirds of it as a by product of copper mining.



In the Banner district, in extreme south corner of the county at southeast end of the Dripping Springs mountains, there was a total production of 26,000 ounces. The Christmas Mine was a major producer of lode gold in this county.



In the Globe district up Pinal Creek from town, there were many rich placers. Also along Lost Gulch and Pinto Creek there were rich placers. Go north in the Apache Mountains, and west in small gulches draining into Richmond Basin, there are placer deposits reported.



In the Miami district, there are area copper mines, such as, Miami Inspiration, Castle Dome, Copper Cities, and Cactus mines which all had a by product of gold. In the area gulches peripheral to the Castle Dome Mine and, northeast, the Golden Eagle Mine, there you will find some placer gravels.



Near Payson , area mines to the south by southeast, south and southwest, at varying distances, there are many mines such as, the Gowan, Single Standard, Golden Wonder, Ox Bow, Silver Butte, Zulu, and Bishop's Knoll, all quartz mines with free gold also with local concentrations of copper minerals carrying free gold.






GRAHAM COUNTY, ARIZONA



Near Ashurst , southwest on the Klondyke road, in broad pass between the Santa Teresa and Pinaleno mountains, the Clark district which is 19 mile from railroad at Cork siding there are many area prospects on quartz outcrops that contain free gold. You can also find the Chance claims, small production of lode gold was done here.



Near Safford, east 14 miles on U. S. 70 and 7 miles north on a dirt road to Bonita Creek, area upstream from mouth along the Gila River, the Gila River placers which have the richest deposits within the inside bends of the rivers, because these are well formed placers, all stream, bench, and terrace gravels, placers contain flake to wire gold. On north side of the Gila River, between Bonita and Spring creeks, numerous placers such as, the Neel, Smith Boyls, Hammond, Serna, and Colvin. Go to the northeast, in southwest part of the Gila mountains, the Lone Star district, you will find the San Juan and Lone Star mines. In mountains to the north of the Roper, West, Wickersham, Merrill, and other mines, there is gold in quartz veins.






GREENLEE COUNTY, ARIZONA



 



Near Clifton there are many area mines that produced gold and copper. If you go above town, along the San Francisco River, Quaternary bench gravels contain placer gold. Also, along the lower part of the river as far as mouth of Eagle Creek there is placer gold. Go out of Clifton, 12 mile, the Smuggler claims had extensive sluicing for placer gold. Also between town and the Old Rock House, along Chase Creek, in creek bed, there is also placer gold.



Go west of Duncan 12 miles and you will find the Ash Peak district, this was a silver location with a by product of gold production. It had a total production of about 12,000 ounces.



Go east of Metcalf by 2 miles, near Copper King Mountain, you will find the Copper King Mine which contain rich lode gold deposits. Go to the northeast of the Copper King, vein outcrops of granite following porphyry dikes you can find gold by panning.



Near Morenci, area of large scale copper mines with by product of gold production totaling around 250,000 ounces, between 1873-1959. If you go east by southeast 1 mile, the Hormeyer Mine was rich copper mine with a by product of gold. If you go west 3 miles, in Gold Gulch, there are some very rich placers. If you go southwest 4.5 miles, in Gold Gulch , you will find the Lakeman Mine lode gold mine.



Near Oroville the area gravels were once hydraulicked for its placer gold.






MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA



As the fifth largest gold producing county in Arizona, Maricopa County produced 428,000 ounces of gold, primarily from the Vulture Mine, with 3,000 ounces attributed to small placer deposits.



South of Aguila by 15 miles, in northwest part of the Big Horn mountains, you will find the El Tigre Mine which consist of 12 claims that produced lode gold.



Cave Creek district, is located 25 to 55 miles north of Phoenix. If you go south 1 mile from Cave Creek you will find the Mormon Girl Mine which was a minor lode gold mine. If you go southwest 2.5 miles, you will find the Copper Top Mine lode gold mine. At the Cave Creek and New River turnoff which is southwest of Cave Creek by 4 miles, both sides of road you will find panning gold. If you go west 2.4 miles for Cave Creek, to a north trending road, you go along this rd 1.5 miles, area around the old Go John Mine you will find gold by panning. If you go north a few miles, on slope east of the main watercourse, the Phoenix and Maricopa mines, were the site of 100 stamp mill and cyanide plant which produced lode gold, about 17,000 ounces produced, 1890-1959, gold associated with molybdenum and vanadium. If you go north 13 miles, there is a dirt road to the west, here you will find the Rackensack Mine and south to another old mine which produced lode gold. Other area mines: the Mex Hill, Lucky Gus, A. B. Bell, Dallas-Ft. Worth, and Gold Reef all produced lode gold.



South of Phoenix by 9 miles, in north part of the Salt River mountains, the Max Delta Mine lode gold can be found. If you go out 18 miles in north foothills of the Phoenix mountains, the Winifred district, the lack White Mine produced lode gold. If you go northwest 45 miles, along San Domingo Wash for 6 to 7 miles, you will find the San Domingo placers. Along Old Woman Gulch, a south tributary, large placers operation with large, coarse gold nuggets. In all area arroyos and gulches, in black sand deposits placer gold can be found. In the lower country gravels, often in black sands, placers contain finely distributed gold.



In the Wickenburg area of entire region shows scores of old mine dumps, which occasionally yield large gold nuggets due to carelessness of early miners. Southeast 7 mile from Wickenburg, in the sands and gravels of entire length of the Hassayampa River there are notably abundant placers for several mile below mouth of San Domingo Wash. The Hassayampa placers, were very productive 1934-49. Southwest 14 mile and 9 mile west of the Hassayampa River, at south margin of the Vulture mountains, you will find the Vulture Mine, which was the largest producer of gold in the county (366,000 ounces of gold), 1863-1959, site of big mills and 100 ton cyanide plant which was used to leach old dump tailings in 1934. In pediment of Red Top Basin northwest of the Vulture Mine, area of about 3 square miles, the Vulture placers which continue down Vulture Wash for 2 mile southwest of the mine, many dry wash workings, pits, etc. for there placer gold content. West 18 miles and 2.5 miles south of U.S. 60, you will find the Sunrise Mine lode gold mine. Northeast, a large mining area extending into Yavapai county produced some lode gold.



Red Picacho Placers



Located in the San Domingo District on the South flank of the Wickenburg Mountains, northeast of the Hassayampa River, Townships 6S and 7S and Range 4W. You can find it on the USGS Maps of Wickenburg and Red Picacho 7.5-minute quadrangles. The placers are found in San Domingo Wash, most of its tributaries and near by washes. Much gold has also been found on hill tops and slopes.



This district has produced the most placer gold in Maricopa County. Today this area is still producing a lot of good gold both metal detecting and dry washing.Small nuggets are fairly common with some up to 1 ounce found with metal detectors.






MOHAVE COUNTY, ARIZONA



Ranking second among Arizona's gold producing counties, Mohave County produced 2,461,000 ounces of lode and placer gold through 1959, with about 50 per cent coming from the San Francisco district at Oatman.



At Alamo Crossing of the Bill William?s River about 40 miles north of U.S. 60 at Wendon, in Yuma County there are many regional old mines, such as, the Little Kimball, which is located 5 miles back of the crossing with its Jim Rogers Mill now abandoned at the crossing. North of that 16 mile, at ghost camp of Rawhide straddling the "Owl Hoot" outlaw trail and temporary stopover where desperadoes could dig raw gold from adjacent Rawhide Butte you will find free milling gold.



Chloride is located about 60 miles northwest of Kingman in east part of the White Hills, the Gold Basin district: This area has many mines which produced lode gold. If you go west 9 miles, you will find the Pilgrim Mine which produced lode gold. If you go northwest by 25 miles, you will find the Mockingbird Mine and on east side of the Black mountains, 30 miles from town, you will find the Gold Bug Mine which lode gold. In the Cerbat mountains, the Cerbat Mountains district produced gold, lead, silver, zinc. If you go east 1.5 miles from Chloride, near middle of west slope of mountains, you will find the Pay Roll Mine, and if you go west 1.5 miles, on the pediment, you will find the Tintic Mine. If you go east 2.5 miles, you will find the Rainbow Mine, and if you go east 3.5 mile, you will find the Samoa Mine which was the most active and constant producer through 1908 for lode gold and silver in the county.



East of Hackberry by 9 miles, in north part of the Cottonwood Cliffs plateau, you will find the Walkover Mine. If you go north 25 miles, in foothills of the Grand Wash Cliffs, in the Music Mountain district, there are many productive mines such as the Ellen Jane, Mary E, and Southwick all produced lode gold.



In the Hoover Dam, area downstream from mouth of the Grand Canyon, river bars, benches, and terraces produce placer gold which is finely disseminated in the gravels.



Southwest of Kingman by 3 miles and .5 miles northeast of McConnico, on property of the old bimetal Mine, in area draws and gullies, you will find the Lewis Placer which produced very coarse placer gold. If you go southeast 6 miles, in the Maynard district, you will find the Lookout Placer, along bed of a shallow gulch, and hillside gravels contain coarse wire gold. If you go south in the Lost Basin Range, the Lost Basin district, had numerous mines that produced lode gold. If you go northwest 15-18 miles on U.S. 93, you will find the Wallapai district, near center of the Cerbat mountains, including the old camps of Cerbat, Chloride, Mineral Park, and Stockton, very many old lead silver zinc mines that from 1904-56 produced 125,063 ounces of by product go. If you go 10 to 25 miles west and northwest from Chloride, the Weaver district in north part of the Black mountains, divided into 3 sections: (a) on west slope, the Virginia camp; (b) on east slope, the camps of Mockingbird, Pyramid, and Pilgrim; (c) a few mile north of Pilgrim, the Gold Bug camp, tot. prod., 1900-59, of 63,200 ounces of lode and byproduct gold. If you go northwest 56 miles, at north end of Red Lake place, a 9 mile by dirt road branching north from U.S. 93, in township 28 and 29 north range 17 and 18 west, you will find the Gold Basin placers, rather extensively worked by dry wash equipment. If you go northwest 72 mile via U.S. 93, in township 29, 30 north range 17 west and 8 mile from the Colorado River, you will find the King Tut placers which is in an area 8 mile long.



North Oatman, in the San Francisco district, including the Vivian, Gold Road, and Boundary Cone localities in an area about 10 mile long by 7 mile wide on west slopes of south part of the Black mountains, with Union Pass sometimes included, discovered in 1864, had a total production through 1931 of 2,045,400 ounces of lode gold. In the area, you will find the Tom Reed Property ,extremely rich, including the Pasadena, Aztec Center, and Big Slim-Aztec mines all which were rich lode gold mines. Beneath town, the Tip Top ore body can be found. 1.5 miles northeast of the Tom Reed, the Gold Road Mine, discovered in 1900, very rich lode gold. There are very many other rich lode mines, e.g., the Gold Dust, Ben Harrison, Leland, Midnight, Sunnyside, Iowa, Lazy Boy, etc.. The Moss Vein reputedly produced $240,000 from a pit of 10 cu. ft.. North 1 mile, at Goldroad, in Katherine, rich mines produced lode gold. If you go southwest .5 mile, you will find the Pioneer Mine. If you go Northwest 5 miles or 6 mile downstream from U.S. 66 in valley of Silver Creek, there are many placers. If you go northwest 7 miles and 2 miles north of Silver Creek, you will find the Moss Mine, which was probably the first mine discovered in this district. I you go North by Northwest 12 miles, extending from Union Pass northwest in the Black mountains, summit of route 68 to Bullhead city, west to the Colorado River, in the Union Pass or Katherine district, Go 2 miles east of the Colorado River, in section 5, of township 21 north and range 20 west, you will find the Katherine Mine, discovered in 1900 and was a very rich producer 85 per cent lode gold, 15 per cent silver. If you go 4 miles east of the Gold Standard mill, you will find the Roadside Mine which produced lode gold and silver. If you go 3.5 miles southwest of the Roadside, in section 20, you will find the Arabian Mine which produced lode gold, with twice as much silver. Other rich area lode mines are the Tyro, Sheeptail-Boulevard, Frisco, Black Dyke Group, Pyramid, and Golden Cycle all of which produced gold and silver.



If you go 6.75 miles southeast of Chloride you will find Mineral, In the area you will find the Tyler Mine which produced lode gold, with silver and lead. If you go southeast 1.25 miles, near west foot of the Cerbat Range, there were numerous area mines that produced lode gold and silver. The Golden Gem, Flores, Cerbat, and Oro Plata mines are lode gold, lead, silver, zinc mines.



In Pierce Ferry, which is accessible from U.S. 93 north of turnoff to Chloride, go south 8 mile from the Colorado River, in township 28 and 29 north range 17 and 18 west you will find many placer deposits. If you go south 9 miles, in same township and range, there are some more placers reported.



Southeast 18 miles of Topock, in southwest part of the county, in foothills of the Chemehuevis or Mohave mountains, the Chemehuevis placers can be found. At southwest foot of the mountains, in area of the Red Hills, the Mexican or Spanish diggings were the most productive placer gold diggings in the area. On the northeast side of the mountains, in Printer’s and Dutch gulches, also rich placers can be found. Southeast, in the Mohave mountains, area placer and lode gold mines are also very rich. Southeast 55 miles, you will find the Best Bet (Kempf) Mine which produced lode gold. A few miles north of the Best Bet, the Gold Wing Mine, with other area prospects had some rich lode gold. On the opposite side of mountains, you will find the Dutch Flat Mine which was a rich lode gold mine.



Colorado River



Along the Colorado River downstream from mouth of the Grand Canyon in all river bars, you will find placer gold. In all elevated bars and benches formed by tributary streams, there are also many placers. At Willow Beach ,65 mile northwest of Kingman north to near Hoover Dam Highway, an ancient river bar near outer bow of the Colorado River ,250 acres, you will find the Sandy Harris Placer. Also; 2.5 miles north of Pyramid Rock, Colorado River benches contain placer gold.



Mohave Wash



Standard wash east to mojave wash southwest to Bill Willams National Wildlife area many claims sites and 1 active mine maybe about 22 miles into the park area.



Wright Creek



In northeast part of the Cottonwood Cliffs, in upper reaches and tributaries of Wright Creek, there are many small placer areas.






NAVAJO COUNTY, ARIZONA



In the Painted Desert, a region embracing a large geographic area of the Triassic Chenille Formation in which microscopic particles of gold are disseminated throughout the residual clays.






PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA



Pima County ranks seventh among Arizona's gold producing counties.



Ajo was a major copper center with enormous open pit mine, which produced 990,000 ounces of by product gold, from 1924-59. The New Cornelia Mine, was and open pit, spectacular. If you go south 30 miles via branch from old Sonoita road and about 6 miles west of Dripping Springs in the Puerto Blanco mountains, you will find the Golden Bell Mine.



Arivaca is located in the area of the Las Guijas mountains. The Las Guijas placers, are very productive, they are located along Arivaca Creek, in large channel along southwest slope of mountains and along Las Guijas Creek, along the northeast slope ,much smaller and drier, placers worked intermittently to the present day. In regional pediment slopes, mesas, and watercourse beds, you will find placers, mostly drywash type, In pediment at north foot of mountains, from pediment itself, and from the area arroyos and gulches, there were large scale placers operated in 1933.



West of Continental by 6 miles, along upper course of Amargosa Arroyo, there are numerous dry wash placers. In all tributaries, watercourse beds and banks, dry placers. If you look in sections. 20, 21, 28, and 29, of township 18 south and range 12 east, in thin soil and hillside detritus there is placer gold associated with magnetic sand.



South of Covered Wells by 6 mile, you will find the Morgan Mine which produced lode gold.



In the Greaterville district, 34 air mile southeast of Tucson, producer of 4,140 ounces, from 1903 to 1959. Located in an area of about 8 square miles on the lower slope of the Santa Rita mountains, all watercourses, benches, etc. contain placer gold. The productive gulches of Boston, Kentucky, Harshaw, Sucker, Graham, Louisiana, Hughes, and Ophir (below its jct. with Hughes Gulch) are very placer gold producers. In the upper parts of Los Pozos and Colorado gulches, Chisapa Gulch, on a road from town to Enzenberg camp, and Empire Gulch (below its junction. with Chispa Gulch)there is abundant placer gold. In Hughes Gulch, area lead silver mines produce lode gold.



In Quijotoa which is a Pima village about 70 mile west of Tucson north on Rte. 86, in area of the Quijotoa mountains,15 mile long by 5 mile wide encompassing about 100 square miles, you will find the Quijotoa placers. Many regional unmined and poorly prospected quartz outcrops and hematitic brecciated zones produce lode gold and some exposures have provided spectacular specimens. If you go 3 miles south of Pozo Blanco and 1 mile west of the foot of the Quijotoa mountains, several area placer diggings, with rich coarse gold. If you go 6 miles north of the mountains, area of several ghost mining camps from 1880s boom, there were numerous placer operations.



Southwest of Redington, on the north slope of Alder Canyon in the Santa Catalina mountains, from near USFS south boundary to within a few mile of the San Pedro River, there are placers that produce coarse, flat, ragged gold.



South of Robles, which is located 25 miles west of Tucson north on route 86, if you go southwest, in the Baboquivari mountains, you will find the Gold Bullion Mine lode mine. If you go 5-6 mile southeast of Baboquivari Peak, at east foot of mountains, in benches and bars along a large eastward trending wash, you will find the Baboquivari placers.



In Sells which is located in the South Comobabi mountains on the Papago Indian Reservation, at south base of the mountains and 4 mile west of Hwy. 86, the Akron Mine which consisted of 20 claims and was a large lode gold producer. If you go northwest 1.5 miles from the mine, the Corona Group produced minor lode gold deposits. In other area mines include the Hawkview, Faro Bank Group (4 mile north of town), and minor prospects for lode gold. Southeast 21 miles, on west side of the Baboquivari mountains, the Allison (Chance) Mine, was a major district producer from 1898 to mid-1930s for lode gold.



Southwest of Tucson 30 miles, at Papago, along Ash Creek, the Sunshine-Sunrise Group of claims in Pescola Canyon, had some rich placers. If you go south by southeast; 30 miles, at northwest base of the Santa Rita mountains, in area of Madera Canyon, the Old Baldy placers, which were richest below the road forks in deposits trenched 40-50 feet, rather extensively worked.






PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA



Pinal County ranks sixth among Arizona's gold producing counties, with 893,350 ounces of lode and placer gold mined between 1858 and 1959.



Apache Junction, northeast on Highway 88, the Apache Trail, to the Goldfields district between the Superstition and Goldfield mountains, 36 mile east of Phoenix in Maricopa County, you will find the Young Mine, which was a deep shaft lode gold mine.



32 miles out of Casa Grande on the highway to Covered Wells, then 1 mile on a branch road to the west foot of the Slate mountains, the Mammon Mine and mill site you can find free gold erratically distributed.



In Mammoth, in southeast part of county, on east flank of the Black Hills; total production of 403,000 gold ounces, about 40,000 came as by product of the San Manuel copper ores. You will find the Mammoth Mine which was a lode gold primarily, with molybdenum. Also the San Manuel Mine, primarily copper with a by product of gold. If you go southeast 3 mile, in section 26, in township 8 south and range 16 east, you will find the Collins Property and the Mohawk Mine, both close to the Mammoth, they produced lode gold, with lead, copper, zinc.



South of Oracle by 4 to 10 miles, near northwest base of the Santa Catalina mountains, you will find the Canada del Oro placers, which was the most famous gold producer in the county: There are many old pits, trenches, and tunnels which produce placer gold. In area arroyos and gulches, especially on north side of main watercourse, many placers worked in 1930s.



In Ray, in northeast part of county about 17 mile south of Miami, between the Dripping Springs Range to the east and the Tortilla Range to the west, you will find the Mineral Creek district and the Ray Consolidated Copper Company Mine that had a by product gold with a total production of around 35,250 ounces.



In Superior, at east edge of town, between Queen creek and the Magma Mine, the Lake Superior and Arizona Mine all had a by product of gold. The Magma Mine by product of gold from silver. If you go south of Queen Creek a short distance, the Queen Creek Mine was the south extension of the Superior and Arizona vein all had minor lode gold production. To the southeast 4 mile, the Belmont lode gold mine.






SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, ARIZONA



In Harshaw, which is located 10 miles south of Patagonia, between Sonoita creek on northwest and Alum Canyon on southwest, there elluvial and alluvial placers about 1 mile square that produce gold, native lead.



North of Nogales by 6 miles, in Guebabi Canyon, along stream, the Nogales placers, were well worked in early 1900s.



In the Oro Blanco and Rusy area, you will find the Oro Blanco placers, which were very rich especially in Oro Blanco and Viejo gulches. On area hillsides, bench and terrace gravels placer gold, silver can be found. Near mouth of Warsaw creek there were some rich placer deposits. About 2.4 miles north of Mexico were some very productive placers in Alamo Gulch.



South of Patagonia by 9 miles and 6 miles north of Mexico, on east slopes of the Patagonia mountains, you will find the Patagonia placers, these placers were very productive. Along Mowry Wash and tributaries, in Quaternary gravels are also productive placers. Along the main wash at east border of Quajolote Flat ,.5 miles north of the Mowry Mine are also some productive placers. 1.5 miles southeast of the Mowry Mine, in two north side parallel tributary gulches, intermittently worked by Mexicans to the present; and downstream from the old Mowry smelter, in Quajolote Wash, gravel deposits, all produce placer gold. The gold is coarse angular, nuggets to 2 ounces. Go Southwest 6 miles and 2.5 mile northwest of the Three R Mine, in 320 acres of Quaternary gravels, the Palmetto placers, were worked by sluice and dragline in 1927.



In the Ruby area it has been productive since Spanish times with total production of 100,200 ounces of lode and placer gold. Go west 2 miles and west of the road. to Warsaw to the Old Glory Mine which was a major lode gold producer. Go north to the Margarita Mine which was a minor lode gold producer. Go to the northwest 2.75 miles, on the west side of the Arivaca road, you will find the Austerlitz Mine which was a major lode gold producer. If you go to the southwest 4 miles by rough road, the Tres Amigos, Dos Amigos, and Oro Blanco mines all produced free gold in the medium fine to coarse variety.



Southwest of Salero by 2.25 miles and 1 mile south of Mt. Allen at southwest base of the Grosvenor Hills, you will find the Tyndall placers which are very rich.



North of Washington, about 17 mile east of Nogales south via graded dirt road and northwest 3 miles to the Four Metals Mine, and 2 mile west to the Proto Mine there is lode gold traces in base metal ores.






YAVAPAI COUNTY, ARIZONA



In central Arizona, Yavapai County ranks first among the gold producing counties, having produced over 3,500,000 ounces of lode gold and over 300,000 ounces of placer gold.



In the Bagdad area which is located 42 mile west of Prescott, there are many area mines in southwest part of the Eureka district. This area had a total production of around 60,000 ounces., 1887-1951, mainly from production at the Hillside Mine which was a major lode gold mine in the area.



In the Black Canyon City district, in the southeast part of county, located between east foothills of the Bradshaw mountains and the Aqua Fria River, there was a total production of around 50,000 ounces of gold. There are many area mines, especially the Howard mine, and 1 mile below there were some productive placers gold deposits. In all regional watercourse and slope wash gravels in this district you can find placer gold. Along Black Canyon at several places, in gravel deposits, placer gold is reported. Near Turkey, there are some small placers worked annually. Between mouth of Arrastra creek and Cleator and in American and Mexican gulches, there were some productive placers. For 20 miles along Humbug, French, and Cow creeks, you will find the famous Humbug placers. In the upper gravels to 20 feet deep in the Humbug placers you can find flake and flour gold at or near bedrock you can find some very coarse gold.



At Bumblebee, which is north of Black Canyon City, you will find the Bumblebee and Bland Hill mines which were productive lode gold mine. South of Bumblebee you will find the Nigger Brown, Blanchiana, and Gillespie mines which were also major lode gold mines. If you go south 3 miles, a gravel bar in Black Canyon Creek, is said to have produced very rich placer ground. If you go east of Bumblebee by 4 miles, on west bank of Aqua Fria Canyon, you will find the Richinbar Mine which produced lode gold and silver.



In the south part of the county at Castle Hot Springs, near upper Castle Creek, you will find the Castle Creek district. The major mines in this district are the Golden Aster, Swallow, Whipsaw, Jones, and Copperopolis, all of which produced lode gold. In the Wickenburg mountains 1 mile north of the Castle Hot Springs road and 10 miles east of Morristown, you will find the Golden Slipper lode gold mine.



North of Cherry 1.5 miles, you will find the Bunker Mine, the Federal and the Leghorn mines, which were all intermittently worked for there lode gold content. If you go West by Northwest of Cherry by 2 miles, you will fin the Gold Bullion Mine which was a lode gold mine with minor copper production. If you go southwest of cherry by 2 miles, you will find the Logan Mine which produced some lode gold.



Near Cleator, west on road. along old railroad grade, in area of several square miles north of Crown King and east of Towers Mountain, you will be in the Pine Grove district, site of the Crown King Group of mines, which were very rich, site of 300 ton flotation mill operated in 1934 for lode gold, silver and minor copper, zinc. Northeast of the Crown King, the Philadelphia Mine and the Nelson Mine (Just east) which were also major lode gold and silver mines. If you go north of Cleator by 2 miles, you will find the Fairview Tunnel at an elevation of 7,200 feet, this is said to be an extension of the Nelson Mine vein, produced a large quantify of lode gold. There are also many other lode gold mines in this area, around 200 or more. South of the Pine Grove district, on the Humbug side of the divide, the Tiger district, on south slopes of Wasson Peak, you will find the Oro Belle and Gray Eagle mines and mill, they were principal producers from 1907-1909 of lode gold, silver, and copper.



East of Congress by a little more than 2 miles, to old mining camp of Stanton, there are many area mines that produce lode gold. The LDMA has there patented property in this area. If you go northwest of Congress by 3 miles, in southeast part of the Date Creek mountains, you will find the Congress Mine which had a total production between 1887-1959, of around 400,000 ounces of lode gold. .5 miles west the Congress Extension produced major lode gold. In northwest several mile, at southwest margin of the Date Creek mountains, the Martinez district, numerous old mines produced lode gold. If you go southeast 4.5 miles, you will find the old camp of Octave, just above camp and on flat topped mountain above adjoining Stanton, the Weaver-Rich Hill district, area mines and placers you can find huge nuggets in surface debris of Rich Hill. Along southwest front of the Weaver mountains, lode mines produced 100’s of thousands of ounces of gold.



At Constellation, which is 15 miles northeast of Wickenburg, you will find the Gold Bar Mine which was a major lode gold producer. Other area mines of the Black Rock district produced some rich lode gold deposits as well. About 4.5 miles north of Wickenburg, the Oro Grande Mine, was a major producer of lode gold. If you go east 7 miles from Constellation, near the head of Amazon Gulch, or 16 miles northeast of Wickenburg, you will find the Groom Mine and 30-ton ball mill. This was a major lode gold producer. Northwest of the Groom Mine, is the Arizona Copper Belt Mining Company Mine, which produced lode gold and copper.



At Cordes, which is north of Phoenix , at Poland Junction, west past power station, take left or lower dirt road, and in stream gravels along road you can find placer gold. If you go southwest of Cordes, to south foothills of the Bradshaw mountains, which is about 45 mile north by northwest of Phoenix, you will find the Tiptop Mine (and district), which was a producer of about 10,000 ounces lode gold, 1875-1959.



Out of Denvey by 16 miles, in south part of the Black Hills on headwaters of Cherry Creek, the Cherry Creek district at east foot of the Black Hills, you will find the Monarch Mine (and several others nearby) that were major lode gold mines. South of the Monarch, the Etta, Gold Ring, and Conger mines also produced some lode gold.



North of Hillside Station by 8.5 miles and about .75 miles of the Santa Maria River, you will find the Mammoth Mine which produced some lode gold deposits. About 13 miles from Hillside Station and 3.5 miles west of the Bagdad Highway, in sections 4 and 9 of township 13N and range 8W, you will find the Crosby Mine which was a major lode gold producer. If you go northwest of Hillside Station by 18 miles, you will find the Eureka placers along Burro Creek, principal producers were in all area gulches, bench gravels you can find placer gold. If you take the Bagdad highway from Hillside Station for about 20 miles, take a road west 1 mile, you will see the Cowboy Mine which produced lode gold, with lead. Out the Kingman on highway 28 miles, then 4.5 mile south to the south part of Grayback Mountain, is the location of Southern Cross Mine, it consisted of shallow workings for lode gold, minor copper. 32 miles from Hillside Station in a deep canyon on east side of Boulder Creel, in sections 16 and 21 of township 12N and range 9W, is the location of the Hillside Mine, this mine has 2 miles of underground of tunnels.



In Jerome, in the Verde district, on east slope of the Black Hills just west of the Verde River, mammoth copper district abandoned around 1950), had a total production of by product gold through 1959 of 1,571,000 ounces.



If you go south by southeast of Kirkland by 9 miles, in Placerita, French, and Cherry gulches, many productive placers that were extensively worked in 1930s can be found. Also at Blind Indian Creek and Mill Creek drainage’s placer gold can be found.



In Peeples Valley to the west along Model Creek, there were some productive placers.



In Poland, at north foot of Big Bug Mesa, accessible from the Black Canyon highway, you can find the Poland-Walker Tunnel, look on dumps for gold. .25 mile west of tunnel and mesa from rd. branching northeast from the Senator highway, about 1/8 mile south of the Hassayampa bridge, is the location of the Money Metals Mine was a productive lode gold mine. West 1 mile and about .5 mile north of Big Bug Creek, the Hennetta Mine and mill produced lode gold, with silver, lead, copper. On the south of mesa, in area of Turkey Creek is The Turkey Creek district which was a noted early day producer of gold and silver. 1 mile north of Pine Flat, the Cumberland Mine and mill was a noted producer. All area watercourse and slope wash gravels of area contain placer gold.



Prescott Arizona was originally settled by placer miners, becoming territorial capital in 1864. In the Columbia district, all area creeks produce placer gold. South along upper reaches and main course of Granite Creek is the location of the Granite Creek placers, which was discovered in the 1860s, South to headwaters of the Hassayampa River, along entire course of river to county line 2 mile north of Wickenburg there are many lode mines and placers along all regional watercourse beds, benches, terraces, and hillsides. If you go east of Prescott by 4 miles and just south of the Dewey road, is the location of the Bullwhacker Mine which produced high grade, coarse gold nuggets. If you go south of Prescott by approximately 5 miles in New England Gulch, which is a tributary of Granite Creek), rich early placers existed here. In all regional creek and watercourse beds, benches, and slope-wash gravels you can find placer gold. If you go south 5 miles, area of upper Groom Creek, the Groom Creek district, you can find many mines, e.g., Midnight Test, Empire, King-Kelly-Monte Cristo, Victor, and Home Run that produced rich lode gold deposits. If you go south 6 miles, on west slope of the Bradshaw mountains, the Hassayampa-Groom district, along the Hassayampa River, many placers that produced thousands of ounce of gold.



At Rock Springs which is 46 miles north of PHOENIX, at Mile Post 246 turnoff to the Maggle Mine and find some rich placer ground.






YUMA COUNTY, ARIZONA



Yuma County ranks fourth among Arizona's gold producing counties. Nine districts produced 771,000 ounces of gold, while many other areas produced less than 10,000 ounces each.



In the Tank mountains all regional watercourse and bench gravels contain placer gold. At east foot of mountains, the Puzzles, Golden Harp, Ramey, and Regal mines and prospects, all worked by worked by dry wash methods, they are said to contain rather coarse placer gold.



In Bouse there are many old mines and I have been told that in dark red rhyolite, plainly visible fine gold flakes (almost impossible to mine successfully). If you go northwest 5 miles from Bouse, you will find the Old Maid Mine, intermittently operated for lode gold. If you go 1 mile farther northwest, in low, narrow north part of the Plomosa mountains, you will find the location of the Dutchman Mine, which was a lode gold (visible flakes in copper stained shale). If you go north 28 miles, in area of the Bill William's River, the Planet district, 2 mile south of river, the Planet Lease was a lode gold mine.



In the Castle Dome district, 31 road miles northeast of Dove in southcentral part of the county in south part of the Castle Dome mountains 20-25 mile north of Wellton, they had a total production,1863-1959, of 9,500-10,000 ounces of placer and lode gold. There are many area old mines for both placer and lode. The Big Eye Mine was a major producer of lode gold. In the east and south of the Big Eye, very many gravel deposits contain placer gold.



At Cibola, which is due south of Blythe, California, on east side of Colorado River, reached 2.5 miles south of Quartzite via U.S. 95, turn west on dirt road to this almost totally abandoned camp, in the area mine dumps you can find gold.



In the Dome district 20 miles east by northeast of Yuma, discovered in 1858, had a total production through 1959 of 24,765 ounces of gold, mostly prior to 1865 from area 2 mile long by .24 X .75 mile wide. Altogether, this region embraces about 5,000 square. mile between U.S. 60, 70 and U.S. 80, east of the Colorado River to the Maricopa county line, with hundreds of old mines and prospects worked primarily for gold. If you go west 1.5 miles from Dome, in Monitor Gulch and all tributary gulches and terraces, rich placers can be found. In south and central parts of township 7, 8 south and range 18, 19, and 20 west in canyons around Muggins Peak and at base of Long Mountain are also some rich placers. If you go out 10 miles from Dome by rough road to Burro Canyon ,trending south from Muggins Peak, there were some rich early placers that still produce gold. East of Dome, in the Muggins mountains, in south and central parts of township 8, 9 south and range 8, 9, and 10 west there are many dry placer gravel deposits.



In the Kofa district about 27 air miles southeast of Quartzite, reached via U.S. 95 and an east trending dirt road, you will find the King of Arizona and North Star mines, which had a total production, between 1896-1941, of 237,000 ounces of lode gold. In the same area, the Kofa Queen Mine, was also a big producer. North of the King of Arizona, in a gulch draining west from the north part of detached hills, all area outwash gravel deposits in debris to 70 feet thick over a 60 acre parcel contain placer gold.



In Laguna, just north of the Gila River and east of the Colorado River in south end of the Laguna mountains in range 21 and 22 west total district production to 1959 of 10,500 ounces of gold. At the Laguna Dam, area at east end about 10 mile northeast of Yuma, as well as the Las Flores area, and the McPhaul area, many local placers have proven to be rich. All along Colorado River, in potholes and tributary gulches colors and nuggets can be found. North of the Gila River and the Gila mountains, in range 21 and 22 west embracing the south, southeast, and southwest portions of the Laguna or San Pablo mountains, also many placer deposits can be found.



Northeast of Parker by 5 miles, is the site of the Rio Vista North Side Mine (12 claims) for lode gold, North of Parker you will find the Capilano Mine, shallow shaft and open cuts which produced rich lode gold, with copper. If you go northeast 5-8 miles, you will find the Cienega district, total production, 1870-1959, exceeding 10,000 ounces from numerous mines, all of which were lode gold and copper. If you go northeast 7 miles, you will find the Lion Hill Mine and 25 ton amalgamation mill, and 1 mile northeast, the Billy Mack Mine, good producer of lode gold.



In Quartzite on top of highest peak visible from town to the east, a one man mine produced some lode gold. If you go southeast 5 miles, the Plomosa district, includes east and west. margins of the La Posa Plain and covering 7,500 acres, the Plomosa placers, these gravels were worked extensively to depths of 70 feet, these are dry wash placers. In the area of the Dome Rock mountains there are 3 locations worth mentioning: (a) La Cholla, in area 4-5 miles long south of bordering the east foot of mountains, abundant placer sands at bedrock level; (b) Middle Camp, at east foot of mountains, just north of the Oro Fino Placers, an area 4-5 mile E-W and 1 mile N-S, rich seams of gravel at bedrock rich placer gold can be found; (c) Oro Fino, at east foot of mountains, the Oro Fino placers, rich placers as well. If you go west of Quartzite by 8 miles, the La Paz district, the Goodman Mine can be found it produced free milling gold. If you go west 9 miles and 6 mile east of the Colorado River, along west side of the Dome mountains, extensive placers and several lode mines with a total production between 1862-1934, of about 100,000 gold ounces from dry wash placers and 4,000 ounces of lode gold from area veins. All regional gulches and tributaries draining west slopes of mountains contain dry placer gravels. At Goodman Arroyo and Arroyo La Paz especially rich placers can be found. In Ferrar Gulch, most productive placers in district; out 22 miles from Quartzite, at west base of the Dome Rock mountains, in township 2N and range 21W the Trigo placers. All area arroyo bottom gravels, and in ancient bar and channel gravels contain placer gold in coarse, flat grains. If you go south on U.S. 95 to Stone Cabin, turn east into southwest margin of the Kofa mountains, the Kofa district can be found. This is also a rich area.



Southeast of Salome by 5 miles, at north base of the Harquahala mountains, the Hercules Mine, productive 1909-34 for lode gold. If you go south 8 miles, in Harquahala gulch, gravel deposits worked 1886-87 for its placer gold. If you go south 10 miles, the Ellsworth district in the Little Harquahala mountains had a total production through 1959, of about 134,000 ounces of lode and placer gold. At Harquahala, which is a ghost town, there were many area great mines: the Harquahala Bonanza, Extension, Summit Lode, Narrow Gauge, and Grand View mines; the Golden Eagle and subsidiary shafts all for lode gold. If you go south 11 miles, at south base of the Harquahala mountains, is the location of the Socorro Mine and mill. Take road branching east from the Salome-Hassayampa road for 5 mile, near south base of the Harquahala mountains, the Hidden Treasure Mine can be found it had fine to course nugget gold. If you go 8 miles farther along road, toward Aguila, on the plain south of the Harquahala mountains, the Alaskan Mine, discovered in 1920 for its lode gold content. If you head southeast, along rd. across desert to Tonopah, there are very many regional old mine dumps with gold showings. The area of the Tank mountains is also rich in placer gold.



Near Vicksburg, northeast 30 miles, to Alamo Spring, which is accessible by 13 mile dirt road branching west from the Sheep Tanks road at east entrance of New Water Pass, is the location of the Alamo Region: Within 1 mile of south of the margin of the Little Horn mountains and .25 miles south of the southeast corner. township 1N range 15W is the location of the Sheep Tanks Mine (and district) and 100-ton cyanide mill, active 1909-34 for its lode gold. Nearby, the Resolution and Black Eagle Claims all contain lode gold. If you go 5 miles east of Sheep Tank and just north of road to Palomas, the Davis Prospect, shallow cuts made 1931-32 for lode gold.



In Wellton go south 6 miles, to the Wellton Hills district, such mines as the Double Eagle, Poorman, Draghi, Donaldson, Wanamaker, Welltonia, Northern, and Shirley May are contained in this district.



If you go southeast of Wenden by 5 miles, at north base of the Harquahala mountains, the San Marcose Mine, was a high-grade lode gold mine.



East of Yuma by 16 miles on 1-8 (U.S. 80), take dirt road south to west base of the Gila mountains, the La Fortuna district contains many outcrops of gold bearing quartz. Also you will find the Fortuna Mine, major producer, intermittently worked for lode gold. Also there are many area prospects, cuts, and drifts that have gold showings. 3 miles north of the Fortuna, on crest of the Gila mountains, rough terrain, gold bearing quartz outcrops, some traceable for 1 mile, very little prospected for lode and free milling gold. If you go northeast on U.S. 95 to McPhaul bridge, .8 mile north take branch road 3.2 miles to southeast margin of the Laguna mountains, the Las Flores district, numerous area mines, including the Traeger, Golden Queen, and Pandino claim all for lode gold. Go to area of the Castle Dome mountains, old camp of Thumb Butte, then 10 mile east across mountains to east side, the Big Eye Mine produced lode gold.


GOLD

Gold was first discovered by the Spaniards in the Pot Hole area, near Yuma Arizona. The first mining operations began in the Quijotoa Mountains as early as 1774. Seventy years later, the gold rush spawned massive gold discoveries in Yavapai, Mohave, and Yuma counties. Since then, gold has been discovered almost everywhere in the state.

Placer Deposits

A placer deposit is a concentration of a natural material that has accumulated in unconsolidated sediments of a stream bed, beach, or residual deposit. Gold derived by weathering or other process from lode deposits is likely to accumulate in placer deposits because of its weight and resistance to corrosion. In addition, its characteristically sun-yellow color makes it easily and quickly recognizable even in very small quantities.

The gold pan or miner's pan is a shallow sheet-iron vessel with sloping sides and flat bottom used to wash gold-bearing gravel or other material containing heavy minerals. The process of washing material in a pan, referred to as "panning," is the simplest, most commonly used, and least expensive method for a prospector to separate gold from the silt, sand, and gravel of the stream deposits. It is a tedious, back-breaking job and only with practice does one become proficient in the operation. Thankfully, technology finally caught up with our gold fever and brought us metal detectors!

You can always ask for permission to hunt on any private property, but there are also several places you can pan and metal detect in public access areas. As always, please respect other's claims.

The following Public Access Areas are controlled by the BLM (Click Here) or the National Forest Service (Click here). Contact the designated authority for more information including maps and regulations.

Lynx Creek (Prescott Nat'l Forest): Follow Highway 69 east from Prescott to Walker Road. Follow Walker Road South to the Lynx Lake / Creek Rec Area. Cabins available or you can camp. Pick/shovel excavations may only be done in conjunction with gold panning and metal detecting and must be made below the high water mark of the stream channel. You cannot use gold screws or any other mechanical device. All excavations must be filled in before leaving the area. La Posa (BLM): This huge area is located just south of Quartzite. Long term camping is available. Metal detectors and several other prospecting methods are allowed. GEMS

Arizona is one of five States that has commercial production of gem garnets. Arizona's gem garnet is red pyrope from two locations in the extreme northern portion of Apache County on the Navajo Indian Reservation. One location is at Garnet Ridge which is about 8 km west of the town of Mexican Water, and the other location is in Buell Park on the Arizona and New Mexico border, about 16 km north of Fort Defiance. Faceted stones cut from materials from these locations average 1/2 to 1-1/2 carats in size, but stones as large as 5 carats are known from these locations. Additionally, fine-quality andradite specimens, some suitable for cutting, are available from an area near Stanley in Graham Co.

Arizona is well known for its petrified wood because of the Petrified Forest National Park, and petrified wood ranks third in value of commercially produced gemstones. It is generally accepted that the Park contains the most colorful examples of silicified logs in the world.

Petrified wood occurs in every county in the State, but the commercial production is essentially from privately owned lands in Navajo and Apache Counties near the Petrified Forest. Federal regulations restrict collecting petrified wood on public lands to 250 pounds plus one piece per person per year, none of which is supposed to be sold commercially. The regulation essentially eliminates production from federal lands. Pieces as small as 1/4-inch to sections of logs 5 feet in diameter are recovered from the surface of the ground or with minimum excavations for use in the lapidary trade.

Arizona petrified wood has the broadest range of applications of any gem material produced in the State. The material is suitable for tumble polishing for use in baroque jewelry or for cutting into cabochons for jewelry and display. Freeform and calibrated slabs are polished for pen and pencil set bases and bases of other items, and polished slabs are used for clock faces. Additionally, large blocks, limb sections, and geometric shapes are used as bookends and decorator pieces. Objects of art, principally carvings, are produced, and furniture such as coffee and end tables are made from the petrified wood.

Arizona is the only State currently to have commercial production of fire agate. Fire agate is a form of chalcedony which contains inclusion of iron oxides that result in a play of colors much like that of precious opal. Eleven operations in Arizona report either commercial production of fire agate or dig-for-fee production. The material is produced in Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Mohave, and Yuma Counties.

Fire agate is cut into freeform and calibrated cabochons for use in the manufacture of silver and gold jewelry. The material is popular in the southwest and with hobbyist lapidaries throughout the United States. Fire agate also has been used and is currently used in Indian style jewelry.

Large, fine-quality brownish to yellow colored stones have been cut from scheelite crystals from a deposit in the Hualapai Mountains in Mohave County. Some of the finest-quality, bright red facet grade wulfenite in the world comes from the Red Cloud Mine in Yuma County.

Small to medium-sized pieces of light brown bytownite from Arizona and New Mexico can be faceted into 0.5- to 2-carat, eye-clean stones.

Two commercial mining operations in Arizona produce blue precious opal. The body color is a light or pale blue with strong play of color in red, blue, green, and orange. The two operations sell most of its material as finished stones at the Tucson Gem and Mineral show and other local gem shows.

Currently, the United States is the basic suppler of peridot to the world gemstone industry. Deposits in Arizona are the major source of U.S. peridot. Faceted Arizona peridot is highly prized locally, but also enjoys widespread popularity for the manufacture of birthstone and other jewelry. The bright green, yellow-green to olive-green peridot is used both as a faceted and tumbled gem. The faceted stones are used in rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and as accent stones. The tumbled gems can be set in baroque jewelry, drilled and strung as beads, used in mosaics, and in the manufacture of gem trees.

Peridot Mesa, located on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation east of Globe in Gila County, is the most productive locality for peridot in the world. A second Arizona location from which peridot is recovered is Buell Park Apache County, Arizona, about 16 kilometers north of Fort Defiance. However, it is estimated that 80% to 95% of the world's production of peridot comes from the San Carlos Reservation.

The peridot occurs as individual grains and aggregates of grains in a basalt which is about 3 to 35 meters thick that forms the top and sides of Peridot Mesa. The material is recovered after it has weathered out of the basalt, in the gullies and canyons which lead down the sides of the Mesa or it is recovered in place in the basalt. The latter method of recovery requires drilling and blasting. The peridot grains that are commercially recovered are typically 6 to 13 millimeters in size. Therefore, the faceted stones produced from this material are generally about 1 carat in size; 2 to 3 carat stones are not uncommon, but stones, particularly flawless ones, 5 carats and over are unusual. Stones as large as 15 and 22 carats have been cut from San Carlos peridot.

On the Reservation, peridot can be mined only by individual Native Americans or by individual families of Native Americans from the San Carlos Reservation. In the past, the miners have not marketed the peridot directly to the gemstone industry. They marketed the material in random size lots, from as small as a coffee can full to as much as a 55-gallon barrel full, to local brokers or mineral dealers. These local brokers/dealers may or may not sort and grade the material, but they do tend to market to the industry in uniform size lots. Currently, some of the large volume miners are marketing the material directly to the industry and are also contracting for cutting services and are marketing cut stones.

In Arizona turquoise ranks first in terms of value of production and is also the best known of its gem materials. As stated earlier, nearly all important deposits of turquoise are located near copper occurrences or in copper deposits in arid desert regions of the world. Thus, the world famous turquoise deposits associated with certain of the large Arizona copper deposits are to be expected. Turquoise is or has been mined from a number of these copper mines as a byproduct, usually by outside contractors.

The financial and operating terms of the collecting contracts vary from mine to mine. Some of the operations are little more than the efforts of individual commercial collectors. Some are essentially full-scale mining operations that are simultaneous with, but separate from, the regular mining operations; and still others operate on an on-call basis as turquoise is uncovered by the regular copper mining operation. Regardless of the size or the sophistication of the initial mining or recovery operation, the actual turquoise is recovered by careful extraction using hand methods.

COINS, JEWELRY, & RELICS

Arizona offers many incredible opportunities. If this is your interest, here's a few ideas to get you started:

Schools and College Campuses Parks / Playgrounds / Picnic Areas Foundations, Wells, and Cellar Holes of Old Churches or Houses Downtown Construction Sites Swimming Holes and Beaches Camp Grounds, Boyscout Camps, WPA Camps, and Mining Camps Sports Facilities Ghost Towns Rodeo Arenas, Riding Stables, and Race Tracks Old Fair and Carnival Locations Old Town Dumpsites LOST TREASURE

As in other areas of the US, there are several tales of lost treasure in Arizona concerning caches buried for safety. In many of these stories, people either died or forgot where they buried the stash. Contributing factors include:

1. Federal laws making possession of gold illegal in the early 1900s

2. Distrust of banks during the Great Depression.

Bars of gold remain hidden in the San Francisco Mountains in Coconino County. If stamped with the markings of territorial assayers they would be very valuable. Hashknife Charley's missing 38 gold bars, near Sononita, Santa Cruz County may have assayers' stamps on them, but no one will know until they are found. Bandits' loot from a train robbery secreted near Bisbee Junction has never been found. These excerpts are a sampling from American Coin Treasures and Hoards

Some info courtesy of www.treasurefish.com


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Where to Find Gold In The United States
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