GREENLEE COUNTY, ARIZONA

By Tom Ashworth

Near Clifton there are many area mines that produced gold and copper. If you go above town, along the San Francisco River, Quaternary bench gravels contain placer gold. Also, along the lower part of the river as far as mouth of Eagle Creek there is placer gold. Go out of Clifton, 12 mile, the Smuggler claims had extensive sluicing for placer gold. Also between town and the Old Rock House, along Chase Creek, in creek bed, there is also placer gold.

Go west of Duncan 12 miles and you will find the Ash Peak district, this was a silver location with a by product of gold production. It had a total production of about 12,000 ounces.

Go east of Metcalf by 2 miles, near Copper King Mountain, you will find the Copper King Mine which contain rich lode gold deposits. Go to the northeast of the Copper King, vein outcrops of granite following porphyry dikes you can find gold by panning.

Near Morenci, area of large scale copper mines with by product of gold production totaling around 250,000 ounces, between 1873-1959. If you go east by southeast 1 mile, the Hormeyer Mine was rich copper mine with a by product of gold. If you go west 3 miles, in Gold Gulch, there are some very rich placers. If you go southwest 4.5 miles, in Gold Gulch , you will find the Lakeman Mine lode gold mine.

Near Oroville the area gravels were once hydraulicked for its placer gold.