The Creole Mine is a copper-silver-gold, garnet-magnetite-actinolite skarn with some bismuth, lead and zinc. Located in 1879, the mine is developed by a broad decline approximately 350-feet deep and there are 3,600’ of underground workings.
Production records are scarce, but the mine was operated sporadically from 1879-1971, perhaps producing around 150,000 tons. In 1883 production grades of 100 oz/ton silver and 1.2 oz/ton gold were reported. In 1916, average assays of mined ore were 12% copper, 17 oz/ton silver, 0.048-0.242 oz/ton gold and 5% lead. In 1971 the average reported grade was 1.53% copper, 1.15% zinc, 0.13% bismuth, 2.1 oz/ton silver and 0.042 oz/ton gold.
From 1966-1972, 28 holes were drilled in the vicinity of the Creole Mine. The average depth was 242’. The deepest hole was 523’.
No assay data is available from these but logs of core and reverse circulation holes are described in a M. S. thesis by Corbett (1984). Nine of these holes drilled in the vicinity of the Creole Mine are described as intersecting skarn "ore".
Ground magnetics conducted by GCSM define a large magnetic anomaly that expands with depth (figure 1). The anomaly is at least 1200m long and extends to a depth of 500m or more.
Although several of the existing drill holes encountered significant mineralization these holes were clearly too shallow to have tested the large magnetic anomaly.
Projections of carbonate horizons within the magnetic anomaly show multiple limestones and dolomites that are prospective hosts for skarn mineralization. The Redwall Limestone is a major host of mineralization in Arizona.
The target can be tested by core holes drilled to approximately 500m (figure 1) but significant mineralization may be encountered much closer to the surface.
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