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Little Hill Mine, Oracle, Oracle Mining District, Pinal County, Arizona, USAi
Regional Level Types
Little Hill MineMine
OracleCensus-designated Place
Oracle Mining DistrictMining District
Pinal CountyCounty
ArizonaState
USACountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
32° 35' 12'' North , 110° 49' 53'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
32.58667,-110.83139
GRN:
N22W67
Type:
Mine
Köppen climate type:
BSk : Cold semi-arid (steppe) climate
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Oracle3,686 (2011)6.3km
Saddle Brooke9,614 (2017)7.0km
Catalina7,569 (2011)12.3km
San Manuel3,551 (2011)18.8km
Mammoth1,487 (2017)23.4km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Old Pueblo Lapidary ClubTucson, Arizona42km
Tucson Gem and Mineral SocietyTucson, Arizona42km
Mindat Locality ID:
68645
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:68645:0
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A former surface and underground Cu-Mo-Pb-Ag-flagstone-silica mine located in the SW¼ sec. 5, T10S, R15E, (Oracle 15 minute topo map), about 4¼ miles WSW of Oracle and about 1¼ miles NE of the Biosphere II. Discovered 1885. First claims staked for Au & Ag in 1962-1965. The adjoining Del Oro claims were operated separately by McFarland and Hullinger Co. Now the Del Oro is owned and operated by Little Hill Mines. Canyon pit and Hilltop are both adjoining workings (1965), owned by Little Hills Mines.

Mineralization involves shearing parallel and subparallel to the Mogul fault zone, particularly near horsetails. Concentration process involved hydrothermal solutions and surface oxidation. Alteration is propyllitic and sericitic. Related structure is the WNW Mogul fault, dipping 40-60°S with left lateral displacement of 1500 feet or more.

Rock chip geochem showed a 250 ppm Cu anomaly surrounded by a U-shaped 6 ppm Mo anomaly.

Workings include a 1½ compartment shaft, a 51 degree incline 225 feet deep (1964). Several small pits since 1964.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


13 valid minerals.

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘChalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
ⓘCovellite2.CA.05aCuS
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘGalena2.CD.10PbS
ⓘMolybdenite2.EA.30MoS2
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘTenorite4.AB.10CuO
ⓘMagnetite4.BB.05Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘMuscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘvar. Sericite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘChrysocolla9.ED.20Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Hⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CCarbon
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Oⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ TenoriteCuO
Oⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Alⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Siⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SSulfur
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Sⓘ CovelliteCuS
Sⓘ GalenaPbS
Sⓘ MolybdeniteMoS2
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
KPotassium
Kⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
FeIron
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Feⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
CuCopper
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Cuⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Cuⓘ CovelliteCuS
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Cuⓘ TenoriteCuO
ZnZinc
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
MoMolybdenum
Moⓘ MolybdeniteMoS2
PbLead
Pbⓘ GalenaPbS

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:10037120

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent
North America PlateTectonic Plate
USA

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

MRDS database Dep. ID #10037120; MRDS ID #M030486; and Dep. ID #10186841, MAS ID #0040211075.
Evensen (1961) MS thesis, University of Arizona, 45 pp.
Jinks (1961) MS thesis, University of Arizona.
Durning, W.P. (1972) Geology and mineralization of Little Hill Mines area, northern Santa Catalina Mountains, Pinal County, Arizona: Tucson, University of Arizona, M.S. thesis, 91 p., 4 sheets, scale 1:6,000.
Durning and Davis (1978) Arizona Geological Society Digest, vol. 11: 81-89.
Niemuth, Nyal J., Phillips, Ken A. (1992, July) Copper Oxide Resources. Open-file Report 92-10. Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resourcesp.14 - Table 1
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