1
25-059
Mining History in the Black Hawk Mining District,
Burro Mountains, Southwestern New Mexico
Virginia T. McLemore
NMBGMR, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
ABSTRACT
The Black Hawk district in New Mexico hosts an unusual
type of deposit: arsenide five-element veins. These deposits
are Ag-Co-Ni-Bi-As-bearing carbonate veins with local con-
centrations of U, Pb, Zn, Sb, and other elements. They are
high-grade silver deposits (1000s g/t Ag), but low tonnage
(1 Mt) and difficult to find. By 1881, claims were staked
and a town developed. It is estimated that $1,500,000
was produced in 1883–1893, when Ag prices dropped due
to the 1893 Ag panic. Solid Silver Mining Co. produced
$600,000 from the Black Hawk mine one car load con-
tained $28,000 worth of silver! The town of Black Hawk
grew to 125 population by November 1883. By the end
of 1893, the town was vacant nothing remains. The dis-
trict was idle until 1916, and the mines operated sporadi-
cally since because of lack of available capital, water issues,
and difficulty in finding ore shoots. The area is a favorite
for mineral collectors. Tungsten was found in the district
in 1935 in quartz veins associated with pegmatites. Metal
production from 1881–1960 is estimated as 3,000 lbs Cu,
1,000 oz Au, 1,286,000 oz Ag, and 4,000 lbs Pb. In addi-
tion, 10,542 short tons of 2.7–71% WO ore and 615 short
tons of fluorspar ore have been produced from the district.
INTRODUCTION
The Black Hawk district (also known as the Bullard Peak
district) is east of Bullard Peak in the Burro Mountains in
southwestern New Mexico (Figure 1) and is one of the few
localities of arsenide five-element vein deposits in the U.S.
Arsenide five-element vein deposits are mineralogically and
texturally complex, low- to moderate-temperature, hydro-
thermal, structurally-controlled Ag-Co-Ni-Bi-As bearing
carbonate vein systems with local minor to trace elements
such as U, Cu, Pb, Zn, Sb, Hg and others. There are many
subtypes or variations of this deposit type, since some ele-
ments do not occur at all localities. They also have been
called five element association, Ni-Co-native Ag ore type,
Bi-Co-Ni-As-U-Ag-formation, Ag-Co-Ni-As-Bi type, and
polymetallic veins. They contain high-grade silver (1000s
g/t Ag), but are low tonnage (1 Mt) and low in Au. The
more abundant elements, Ag, Bi, and As, are commonly
found as native elements, whereas Co and Ni are found as
arsenides and/or sulfides. Five-element districts are being
re-evaluated in many districts worldwide due to the signifi-
cant quantities of critical minerals that these deposits host,
especially Co and Ni, which are important components in
batteries.
PRODUCTION
Although production records are lost, it is estimated that
more than $1,000,000 was produced from the district
from1883 to 1893, when silver prices dropped due to the
silver panic of 1893. Solid Silver Mining Co. produced
$600,000 from the Black Hawk mine one car load con-
tained $28,000 worth of silver! An estimated $400,000
of high-grade silver was produced from the Alhambra,
$100,000 from the Rose, $40,000 from the Hobson, and
$10,000 from the Good Hope mines. Metal production
is in Table 1. In addition, 10,542 short tons of (2.7–71%
WO) tungsten ore (Richter and Lawrence, 1983 Dale
and McKinney, 1959) and 615 short tons of fluorspar ore
have been produced from the district (Williams, 1966
McAnulty, 1978).
EARLY HISTORY—1881–1893
In 1881, Cherokee Jim Bowman discovered rich silver float
in a wash. John Black and his partner, Sloan, located the
source of the float, near the Alhambra (formerly Blue Bell)
mine. By 1881, claims were staked and a town developed.
Solid Silver Mining Co., incorporated in 1882, owned
the Black Hawk, Little Rhody, Surprise, Silver Glance, Kent
County, Cornucopia Extension, ad Chicago mining claims
25-059
Mining History in the Black Hawk Mining District,
Burro Mountains, Southwestern New Mexico
Virginia T. McLemore
NMBGMR, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
ABSTRACT
The Black Hawk district in New Mexico hosts an unusual
type of deposit: arsenide five-element veins. These deposits
are Ag-Co-Ni-Bi-As-bearing carbonate veins with local con-
centrations of U, Pb, Zn, Sb, and other elements. They are
high-grade silver deposits (1000s g/t Ag), but low tonnage
(1 Mt) and difficult to find. By 1881, claims were staked
and a town developed. It is estimated that $1,500,000
was produced in 1883–1893, when Ag prices dropped due
to the 1893 Ag panic. Solid Silver Mining Co. produced
$600,000 from the Black Hawk mine one car load con-
tained $28,000 worth of silver! The town of Black Hawk
grew to 125 population by November 1883. By the end
of 1893, the town was vacant nothing remains. The dis-
trict was idle until 1916, and the mines operated sporadi-
cally since because of lack of available capital, water issues,
and difficulty in finding ore shoots. The area is a favorite
for mineral collectors. Tungsten was found in the district
in 1935 in quartz veins associated with pegmatites. Metal
production from 1881–1960 is estimated as 3,000 lbs Cu,
1,000 oz Au, 1,286,000 oz Ag, and 4,000 lbs Pb. In addi-
tion, 10,542 short tons of 2.7–71% WO ore and 615 short
tons of fluorspar ore have been produced from the district.
INTRODUCTION
The Black Hawk district (also known as the Bullard Peak
district) is east of Bullard Peak in the Burro Mountains in
southwestern New Mexico (Figure 1) and is one of the few
localities of arsenide five-element vein deposits in the U.S.
Arsenide five-element vein deposits are mineralogically and
texturally complex, low- to moderate-temperature, hydro-
thermal, structurally-controlled Ag-Co-Ni-Bi-As bearing
carbonate vein systems with local minor to trace elements
such as U, Cu, Pb, Zn, Sb, Hg and others. There are many
subtypes or variations of this deposit type, since some ele-
ments do not occur at all localities. They also have been
called five element association, Ni-Co-native Ag ore type,
Bi-Co-Ni-As-U-Ag-formation, Ag-Co-Ni-As-Bi type, and
polymetallic veins. They contain high-grade silver (1000s
g/t Ag), but are low tonnage (1 Mt) and low in Au. The
more abundant elements, Ag, Bi, and As, are commonly
found as native elements, whereas Co and Ni are found as
arsenides and/or sulfides. Five-element districts are being
re-evaluated in many districts worldwide due to the signifi-
cant quantities of critical minerals that these deposits host,
especially Co and Ni, which are important components in
batteries.
PRODUCTION
Although production records are lost, it is estimated that
more than $1,000,000 was produced from the district
from1883 to 1893, when silver prices dropped due to the
silver panic of 1893. Solid Silver Mining Co. produced
$600,000 from the Black Hawk mine one car load con-
tained $28,000 worth of silver! An estimated $400,000
of high-grade silver was produced from the Alhambra,
$100,000 from the Rose, $40,000 from the Hobson, and
$10,000 from the Good Hope mines. Metal production
is in Table 1. In addition, 10,542 short tons of (2.7–71%
WO) tungsten ore (Richter and Lawrence, 1983 Dale
and McKinney, 1959) and 615 short tons of fluorspar ore
have been produced from the district (Williams, 1966
McAnulty, 1978).
EARLY HISTORY—1881–1893
In 1881, Cherokee Jim Bowman discovered rich silver float
in a wash. John Black and his partner, Sloan, located the
source of the float, near the Alhambra (formerly Blue Bell)
mine. By 1881, claims were staked and a town developed.
Solid Silver Mining Co., incorporated in 1882, owned
the Black Hawk, Little Rhody, Surprise, Silver Glance, Kent
County, Cornucopia Extension, ad Chicago mining claims