Arizona Barite
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Azbarite
N 33° 32.450 W 111° 38.650
12S E 440193 N 3711431
An abandoned shaft and strip mine which extracted barite ore. Located on Coon Bluff in the Salt River Recreation Area northeast of Mesa, AZ. AKA; Granite Reef, Macco, Chrisman Barite, Mesa Barite Claims.
Waymark Code: WMQ5KN
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 12/24/2015
Views: 4
The mine is located in a geologically interesting area bounded on the north by the Salt River, on the west by Granite Reef Dam, on the east by Bulldog Canyon and on the south by the Usery Mtns. There is visible mineralization in the general area, basalt intrusions, the barite mine, assorted other diggings and a very long extensive quartz vein.
Barite is a heavy mineral that is used in well drilling 'mud'. The barite in this abandoned mine runs in veins along some NNW by SSE fault lines. Some of the barite is part of aggregate filling large fissures and some are pure veins filling small fissures. There are detailed descriptions in the reference sites.
The mine was completely shut down in the 1950's after production slowed down in the later 1940's. The mine operated for approximately 24 years. There is still a 10' footwall that is visible to the north of Bush Hwy. The main shaft reached as deep as 320' before eventually flooding. The shafts and pits were blasted and the area contour bladed as of 1982.
Location: T2N R7E Sec 4 SW in the Granite Reef Dam - 7.5 Min quad
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Citation: Arizona Barite Maricopa394. 2011-01-0167, ADMMR mining collection, Arizona Geological Survey.