| Basis for focus area |
Rhyolite-hosted Sn; (uses Taylor Creek district boundary by McLemore, 2017). Includes an area of advanced argillic alteration with alunite and kaolinite. |
| Identified resources |
Historical production of tin. |
| Production |
137,763 lbs of 15 to 63% Sn produced 1937-1970s (Fries, 1940; Volin and others, 1947; Harvey, 1985; Maxwell and others, 1986). |
| Status |
Past mining; no current activity. |
| Estimated resources |
Unknown. |
| Geologic maps |
Richter and others (1986), scale 1:24,000; Lawrence and Richter (1986), scale 1:24,000; Richter (1978), scale 1:24,000; Duffield and others (1995), scale 1:50,000; Harrison and others (1993), scale 1:100,000. |
| Geophysical data |
Inadequate aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
Taylor Creek Rhyolite flow-domes are host to widely spaced, quite narrow vein deposits; Quaternary gravels host placers immediately adjacent and below vein deposits in bedrock. |
| Deposits |
Squaw Creek placer-lode deposit (MRDS dep_id: 10174384), Taylor Creek Placer-Lode (MRDS dep_id: 10246954), Apache Association Placer (MRDS dep_id: 10174957), Cherokee Association Placer (MRDS dep_id: 10174425), Hiawatha Lode and Placer (MRDS dep_id: 10198870), Indian Association Placer (MRDS dep_id: 10223518). |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
MRDS. |
| Geochemical evidence |
Cassiterite occurs in widely scattered stringers that cut rhyolite in altered zones. Cassiterite ranges from a few percent to nearly 90%, averaging between 20 to 30% (Fries, 1940). Nuggets of cassiterite are scattered throughout alluvium. The quantity of Sn that may be recovered by ordinary placer methods from the unconsolidated sand and gravel, older than the Recent alluvium, appears to be about 0.001 lbs to the yard (Fries, 1940). |
| Geophysical evidence |
The area is covered by 1000-foot grid aeromagnetics and aeroradiometric coverage that is unpublished. USGS can use the data but not share or publish it. |
| Evidence from other sources |
Unknown. |
| Comments |
Mines recovering cassiterite from lode claims in the Taylor Creek Rhyolite or from placers derived therefrom, have never operated economically. Grades are simply too low. However, particularly the placers would be relatively simple to start mining and might provide enough cassiterite to replace tin supply that was cut-off during a national emergency. A second area of cassiterite occurrence in placer deposits and in bedrock in rhyolite is documented in the Sierra Cuchillo Mountains only about 40 air miles east-southeast from Taylor Creek. These occurrences have drawn very little attention. They are documented in Harley (1934, p. 123-124). |
| Cover thickness and description |
Both the bedrock lodes and the derivative placers have zero cover up to a maximum thickness of perhaps 300 feet of cover across the focus area. |
| Authors |
Timothy S. Hayes, Lukas Zurcher, Virginia T. McLemore, Albert H. Hofstra, Joshua M. Rosera. |
| New data needs |
Detailed geologic and alteration mapping, stream sediment sampling. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
Published maps include Indian Peak East, Richter and others (1986); Indian Creek West, Lawrence and Richter (1986); and Spring Canyon, Richter (1978). Although these map have some descriptions of rock geochemistry, and descriptions of some of the prospect/mines containing cassiterite, alteration has not been mapped in detail. Taylor Peak is included in the Harrison (1990) Truth or Consequences sheet, but the area has not been mapped at 1:24,000 scale; thus all four of these quadrangles need additional detailed mapping. |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
High resolution, Rank 1 aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage. The area is covered by 1000-foot grid aeromagnetics and aeroradiometric coverage that is unpublished. USGS can use the data but not share or publish it. |
| Digital elevation data needs |
Lidar complete. |
