Overview

The Copper Ledge Claim is an 20.66 acre unpatented Lode Claim located in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Featuring an open cut style of mining and two shafts partially collapsed with tailings piles.

Drift portal is air slacked at the surface.

The upper open cut is a 150 feet long cat dozer cut.

The Copper Ledge Lode Claim was developed by a 4 small independent miners local to the area in approximately 1952 and was worked sporadically till the 1960's.
 
There is one steel tank with a 4' diameter and 20' long converted for use as an ore chute below the west adit.

Additionally, the open cut style of surface workings bode well for prospectors not interested in going underground.  Small surface operations are significantly cheaper and easier to develop for small scale miners.  The main shaft was sunk directly over the ore body with an approximate depth of 35' 

The rock unit housing the entire vein on the surface consists of a diorite of diabase dike.  Chalcopyrite, bornite, Malachite, Azurite, Chalcocite or convolute are the copper minerals present at the quartz fissure.  The minerals listed above have impregnated the host rock walls to as much as 2' in places.
 
Copper values ranged from 5% to 11.95% per ton on the surface and surface vein structure. Several ounces of silver per ton were historically reported within the shaft and up to 1/2 ounce per ton gold


Geological Structures & Trends 

 The ore body on the Copper Ledge Claim shows excellent surface expression within the open cut ledge.  
 

Diorite porphyry to diorite genius in the vein area.  Granite and grey schist cut by diabase sills and dikes.  Mineral associations of malachite and chalcocite.

 

The ore minerals occur in fractures.  Country rock is somewhat bleached and altered at the veins with abundant limonite present.  Veins trend with joint pattern.  The general area consists of precambrian granite capped by schist brands and intruded by diorite, andesite and diabase in the form of the above mentioned sills and dikes.  The surrounding hill is capped by metamorphosed limestone.  Maximum exposure of the No.4 vein is 350 feet that Varys from 3.5 to 6.5 feet wide.  Most of the mineralization occurs along the contact of granite and andesite while the other vein runs closely within the schist

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Mineralization occurs along two types of veins, the first being a copper oxide and sulfide impregnated quartz vein.

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The vein structure shows excellent structure and strength of the structures housing the mineralization.

 

A small amount of vein material was hand cobbled and shipped.

The local geology underneath of the Copper Ledge claim consists of an underlayment of pre-cambrian granite which is intruded by two dikes of tertiary age.  The first dike being a very fine grained andesite while the second is a very porphyritic diorite or diabase.
 
A report written in 1957 concluded the claim has a good possibility of high grade copper ore near the surface and there is quality strength of the structures housing the mineralization.

While the main vein structure has a length of  1,436' on a compass heading of 77.63˚, the general trend of the main vein is NE/SW.  Additionally, two secondary vein structures were traced on the claim both running approximately 330' - 350' in traceable length and on a compass heading of 3.50˚ trending N/S.  

Where the secondary veins meet the main vein structure excellent mineralization was noted within the old works and on the surface via small gossans and previously mined ore.  The claim is primarily carrying copra with additional enrichment of gold and silver.
 
Ore Reserves
Ore broken and available for shipping from vein #1 is estimated at 40 tons of 5% to 6% copper.  Estimated ore in place on vein #1 is 60 tons of probable 5.0% copper.  

This estimate is based on the limited development of the vein and has been calculated by assuming that the vein extends 6 feet beyond the present north and south faces exposed in the pit with a depth of 30 feet and a vein width of 3 feet.  

Strength of the surface exposure indicates the vein may assume a considerable strike length in each direction from the present faces of the pit.
 
Geological considerations indicated the vein could assume considerable depth.  If the strike length and depth assumptions hold true, there is an excellent chance of inferring several thousand tons of copper ore in the 5% to 6% per ton range.
 
The ore contains considerable silica at 59.2% SIO2


Commodities  
Gold

Importance
Primary

Copper

Importance
Primary

Ore Body
Early Proterzoic Granitic Rocks 

 

Access

Pickup Truck/ATV accessible via dirt BLM road system.  The claim is just a short distance west from the main N Horseshoe Dam RD.  From the main RD there is an unnamed dirt spur trail of less than 1/2 mile in length that leads directly to the claim.  High clearance 4WD or an ATV is recommended.

 

From Phoenix the claim is approximately 40 minutes North/Northeast with a well established road system leading to the entrance of the spur trail.

Camping

Camping is allowed on the claim for up to 14 continuous days.  Additionally, the Mesquite Recreation area is located just the the East of N Horseshoe Dam RD and across from the spur trail entrance.  The recreation area is open year round with 12 camping spots along the verde river.  Vault toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables are provided.

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What Is Included In The Purchase

1. Quit Claim Deed

2. Google Earth Map

3. Waterproof 24X36 hardcopy 1:24,000 Map

4. Corner & Discovery Point GPS Coordinates

5. 2 Hours of Free Complimentary Consulting

6. Certificate of Location Copy