Sacaton/ Cactus - Pinal County
News: Sacaton Mine has changed its name to the Cactus Mine with new ownership by Elim Mining Incorporated. There are plans to reopen the mine. See links below.
Elim Mining Web Page: https://cactusmine.com/cactus-mine/
https://goldencorridorliving.com/new-ownership-new-name-cactus-mine-to-reopen/
Where: Pinal County outside Casa Grande
Mining District: Casa Grande District
Travel Conditions: The road to the Sacaton mine is paved and can be easily accessed to the front gate off the Maricopa Casa Grande Highway.
Operation Dates: Discovered in 1961 and operated from 1974 to April 1984 when it was permanently closed.
History: This location is also known as Asarco (American Smelting And Refining Co.) and Casa Grande Mine. It is stated on the Western Mining History web site that the ore has been exhausted at this location. The mine consisted of both an open pit known as the West Ore Body and an underground shaft known as the East Ore Body. The West ore body open pit is 3000 feet in diameter and 980 feet in depth. The East ore body consists of a shaft that is 1800 feet deep. The shaft included more than 500 feet of drifting.
In the 1960’s geologists discovered an ore deposit comprised of sulfides, along with oxides near Casa Grande. This discovery prompted ASARCO to perform exploratory drilling at the site which identified the West Ore body near the surface and the East Ore body at a deeper location. This lead to the stripping of 40 million tons of overburden from the open pit in 1972 at a cost of $36 million. The estimated reserves at this location were estimated at 48 million tons including copper ore at a grade of 0.95 to 1.5% percent copper and secondary minerals of gold, silver, molybdenum, lead and zinc.
At the time of operation, the mine employed 400 people. Southern Pacific Railroad supported a 2.71-mile spur track to service the Sacaton mine. Ore was shipped by rail to the smelter in El Paso operated by Asarco.
The ore was depleted in 1984 and the mine was closed.
What you will see today: The facility is gated and not accessible other than what you can see from the gate.
Comments: There is not much to see at this location due to it be fenced and gated. There are several interesting photos on the internet of this location.
Minerals Mined: Copper and Molybdenum.
Acknowledgement: Western Mining History, William Ascarza, Arizona Geological Survey, Google Earth