Blue Jay Mine / Good Friday - Pima County

 

Where: Pima County

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Mining District: Helvetia/Rosemont District

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Travel Conditions: Dirt road requires high clearance and best traveled with 4WD

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Operation Dates:  1881 to 1939

 

History:  Total workings consist of 3000 feet (914.4 Meters).  A report states that there are "Four tunnels, several shafts, drifts, cross cuts, stopes, and winzes that make up the 3000 feet.  The mine produced about 2300 tons of ore averaging about 21 oz/t of Silver, 1 oz/t gold , and minor amounts of lead.

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What you will see today:  Today there is a small shed that looks to be used as an office and a covered area with a processing table.  There is a small chute to bring ore to processing area from main tunnel.  This chute was powered at one time and seems to be some sort of rotating separator screen at the bottom.  There are several workings around the peak where tunnels have been made.  One shaft near the bottom of the chute is fenced off.  Tossing a rock into the shaft revealed that water was not to far away from the surface.  This could be the reason for all the tunnels being located at higher elevation than the working area.

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Comments:  This is an underground mine with warning signs to keep out and stay safe.

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Minerals Mined: Primary - Silver; Secondary - Gold and Lead; Copper

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People: Taggert, Drunzer, Bob Knox

 

Acknowledgement:  mrdata.usgs.gov; mindat.org; Mineral Appraisal of Coronado National Forest, Part 12