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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