Surprise Venture Surface Mine (Big Red)
Posted by: 
Azbarite
N 33° 31.466 W 111° 38.850
12S E 439873 N 3709616
This is the site of an abandoned surface mine listed as Surprise Venture with the Arizona Geological Survey. It is located south of Bush Hwy in the Salt River Recreation Area. AKA Big Red Mining Co.
Waymark Code: WMQ5T9
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 12/25/2015
Views: 4
According to a 1962 Arizona Dept. of Mines and Mineral Resources (ADMMR) report (see link below), the owners were extracting granitic rock that contained specks of hematite and scheelite (see possible sample in attached photo of map. The sample was picked up along the haul road near the mine.). Scheelite is a tungsten ore and tungsten was the primary commodity of interest. There's some discussion in the owner docs of gold and silver being trace elements in the ore but I get the feeling that it may be exaggerated for any potential investors. The original claims were filed as Surprise Venture in the 1970's but the land was withdrawn from mineral exploration due to plans for Orme Dam. The original claim consisted of a single shaft in T2NR7E Section 17 that was being mined as early as 1962. The plans for Orme Dam were subsequently dropped and claims were refiled as Big Red Mining Co. in the early 1980's. The new proposal included a mill site (separate waypoint to the west) and plans to strip mine the ore instead of using a shaft mine. As of 1985, the only production consisted of a trial run and the sites caretaker was proposing further improvements to get the shutdown facility back in operation. Much later in 1994, there was a response from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to a proposal for processing facility improvements. There doesn't seem to be any further documentation beyond 1994. As far as I can tell, the owners and operators have been part-timers.
There is an exposed highwall and several spoil piles in the area.
The are some confusing points regarding the shaft mine. It's location is shown near the haul road but I haven't been able to see any signs of it. To further confuse the issue, the documents in the reference list coordinates that don't match the mine map. However, the coordinates provided in the reference do match an exposed shaft located several thousand feet to the NE (33deg 31' 28"N, 111deg 38' 51"W, separate waypoint).
To locate mine from Mesa Arizona, drive north on Power Rd. to Salt River Recreation Area. Power Rd. turns into Bush Hwy. in the recreation area. Driving east on Bush Hwy., park on the south side of the road at a turnout approximately 1,000 feet from the intersection with Phon D. Sutton Rd. Cross the stock fence and follow GPS coordinates overland south to GPS coordinates. The mine is located approximately 700' south of the "Wild Horse" bike trail along a wide sandy wash.
Reference:
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visit link)