Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: Occurs as minute, blue matted fibers or blades; fills fractures; pseudomorphic after grossular and diopside in some areas. Found in an ill defined structure that cuts tactites.

ⓘ 'Apatite'

Formula: Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)

Habit: Euhedral grains

Description: Occurs as remnant euhedral grains in metamorphosed diorite.

ⓘ 'Apophyllite Group'

Formula: A B4[Si8O22]X · 8H2O

ⓘ Azurite

Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2

References:

ⓘ Baryte

Formula: BaSO4

References:

ⓘ 'Biotite'

Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2

Description: Occurs as phenocrysts in quartz-mica diorite pophyry.

ⓘ Bornite

Formula: Cu5FeS4

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Brochantite

Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Brucite

Formula: Mg(OH)2

References:

ⓘ Calcite

Formula: CaCO3

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: Occurs in contact-metamorphosed diorite on 800 level.

ⓘ 'Chabazite'

Habit: Rhombic

Description: Occurs as crystals in vugs in hydrothermally altered andesite porphyry & chalky, pinkish-white material.

ⓘ Chalcanthite

Formula: CuSO4 · 5H2O

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Chalcocite

Formula: Cu2S

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Chalcopyrite

Formula: CuFeS2

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'

References:

ⓘ Chondrodite

Formula: Mg5(SiO4)2F2

References:

ⓘ Chrysocolla

Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: Moderately common supergene mineral associated with andradite-bearing skarns in the Naco Formation.

ⓘ Clinohedrite

Formula: CaZn(SiO4) · H2O

Habit: Needle-like prismatic; arranged in sprays

Colour: Pale lavender

Description: Occurs on fracture surfaces.

ⓘ Clintonite

Formula: CaAlMg2(SiAl3O10)(OH)2

Description: Occurs in contact-metamorphosed diorite at the North side, 800 level.

ⓘ Copper

Formula: Cu

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ 'Copper Pitch Ore'

ⓘ Covellite

Formula: CuS

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: Occurs as a replacement product of bornite with secondary chalcocite.

ⓘ Cubanite

Formula: CuFe2S3

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: As lamellae of probable exsolution origin in chalcopyrite, in the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite zone pof the lower Martin orebody.

ⓘ Cuprite

Formula: Cu2O

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Cuprite var. Chalcotrichite

Formula: Cu2O

ⓘ Devilline

Formula: CaCu4(SO4)2(OH)6 · 3H2O

ⓘ Diopside

Formula: CaMgSi2O6

Description: Common constituent of hornfels & skarn mineral with tremolite in lower part of Martin orebody.

ⓘ Dioptase

Formula: CuSiO3 · H2O

Localities:

Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Habit: Prismatic, individuals to hemispherical aggregates.

Colour: Emerald-green

Fluorescence: None

ⓘ Dolomite

Formula: CaMg(CO3)2

ⓘ Duftite

Formula: PbCu(AsO4)(OH)

Colour: Brilliant pea-green

Description: Occurs as crusts of micro-crystals hidden beneath drusy quartz on which diopside spherules are perched.

ⓘ Epidote

Formula: (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)

Description: Occurs as a gangue mineral.

References:

ⓘ Fluorapophyllite-(K)

Formula: KCa4(Si8O20)(F,OH) · 8H2O

Localities:

Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA ? (more information)

ⓘ Forsterite

Formula: Mg2SiO4

Description: Occurs as an important constituent of skarns formed in Martin Formation & Escabrosa Limestone; in contact-metamorphosed diorite at North side 800 level.

ⓘ Galena

Formula: PbS

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: Occurs in small amounts in orebodies replacing dolomite.

ⓘ Gilalite (TL)

Formula: Cu5Si6O17 · 7H2O

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Colour: Green to blue-green

Description: Occurs as abundant coatings or thick botryoidal crusts on fracture surfaces or embedded in the rock; replacing diopside; as micro green spheres.

ⓘ Goethite

Formula: α-Fe3+O(OH)

ⓘ Grossular

Formula: Ca3Al2(SiO4)3

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Gypsum

Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O

ⓘ Hedenbergite

Formula: CaFe2+Si2O6

References:

ⓘ Hematite

Formula: Fe2O3

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Hematite var. Specularite

Formula: Fe2O3

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Hemimorphite

Formula: Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O

Habit: thin rectangular plates (0.3 mm)

Colour: colorless

Description: associated with junitoite. EDS analysis Association Jean WYART- specimen Georges FAVREAU

ⓘ Hisingerite

Formula: Fe3+2(Si2O5)(OH)4 · 2H2O

Habit: inclusions in simple calcite rhombs

Colour: Brownish-red

Description: Cuprian Hisingerite inclusions in Calcite. One pocket find circa 1979. Identified by Sid Williams.

ⓘ Hydroxyapophyllite-(K)

Formula: KCa4(Si8O20)(OH,F) · 8H2O

ⓘ Junitoite (TL)

Formula: CaZn2Si2O7 · H2O

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Colour: Colourless

ⓘ Kinoite

Formula: Ca2Cu2(H2O)2[Si3O10]

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Colour: Electric blue

ⓘ Laumontite

Formula: CaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O

Description: Occurs in vugs and veinlets in diorite & replacing garnet in skarn.

ⓘ 'Limonite'

ⓘ Magnetite

Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Malachite

Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: A common supergene mineral in skarn developed in the Naco Formation.

ⓘ Mesolite

Formula: Na2Ca2Si9Al6O30 · 8H2O

Habit: Fine, hairlike.

Description: Occurs in hydrothermally altered andesite.

ⓘ Mixite

Formula: BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6 · 3H2O

Habit: Spherules

Colour: Peculiar yellow-green

Description: Spherules of delicate, twisted or matted fibers in cavities in gangue associated with fibrous malachite. Color here resembles creaseyite.

ⓘ Molybdenite

Formula: MoS2

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: Occurs mainly in the upper levels.

ⓘ Montmorillonite

Formula: (Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2 · nH2O

ⓘ Muscovite

Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2

ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite

Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2

References:

ⓘ Nitrocalcite

Formula: Ca(NO3)2 · 4H2O

ⓘ Orthoclase

Formula: K(AlSi3O8)

ⓘ Phlogopite

Formula: KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2

Description: Occurs associated with talc & tremolite adjacent to anhydrite-sulfide veinlets in diopside hornfels, forming most of footwall of the lower Martin orebody; also in skarn rocks & some of the hornfels.

ⓘ Pseudomalachite

Formula: Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4

ⓘ Pyrite

Formula: FeS2

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Pyrrhotite

Formula: Fe1-xS

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: Common in pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite zone of lower Martin orebody.

ⓘ Quartz

Formula: SiO2

Description: Occurs as phenocrysts in quartz-mica diorite porphyry.

References:

ⓘ Quartz var. Chalcedony

Formula: SiO2

✪ Rosasite

Formula: (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2

Description: Superb spherical Rosasite in forms to 8mm were found on Hemimorphite in a pocket over 2 feet long.

✪ Ruizite (TL)

Formula: Ca2Mn3+2[Si4O11(OH)2](OH)2 · 2H2O

Type Locality:

Habit: Spherules of radial, acicular crystals.

Colour: Orange

Description: Occurs in veinlets & on fracture surfaces in metamorphosed limestone that contains associated minerals.

ⓘ Sauconite

Formula: Na0.3Zn3((Si,Al)4O10)(OH)2 · 4H2O

ⓘ Scawtite

Formula: Ca7(Si3O9)2CO3 · 2H2O

Description: As tiny, euhedral prisms projecting into vugs in grossular-diopside tactites.

ⓘ Sepiolite

Formula: Mg4(Si6O15)(OH)2 · 6H2O

ⓘ 'Serpentine Subgroup'

Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4

Description: Occurs replacing dolomite and forsterite in the orebodies.

ⓘ Serpierite

Formula: Ca(Cu,Zn)4(SO4)2(OH)6 · 3H2O

ⓘ Silver

Formula: Ag

ⓘ 'Smectite Group'

Formula: A0.3D2-3[T4O10]Z2 · nH2O

Colour: Pink

Description: As rings around nuggets of unaltered sphalerite.

ⓘ Smithsonite

Formula: ZnCO3

ⓘ Sphalerite

Formula: ZnS

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Description: A moderately common sulfide mineral in skarn.

ⓘ Stilbite-Ca

Formula: NaCa4(Si27Al9)O72 · 28H2O

ⓘ 'Stilbite Subgroup'

Formula: M6-7[Al8-9Si27-28O72] · nH2O

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Habit: Prismatic

Colour: Light pink

Description: Most common zeolite in hydrothermally altered diorite; in veinlets with associated sulfides; locally replaces diorite pervasively; also radiating clusters of prismatic crystals lining vugs in diorite.

ⓘ Stringhamite

Formula: CaCu(SiO4) · H2O

Localities:

Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

Habit: Minute

Colour: Lavender (cornflower blue)

Description: In tactite ores with kinoite and fluorapophyllite; invariably forms only on fractures in retrogressively altered tactites formerly rich in wollastonite.

ⓘ Talc

Formula: Mg3Si4O10(OH)2

Description: Occurs associated with phlogopite & tremolite adjacent to anhydrite-sulfide veinlets in diopside hornfels.

ⓘ Tenorite

Formula: CuO

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Christmas open pit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Tobermorite

Formula: Ca4Si6O17(H2O)2 · (Ca · 3H2O)

Habit: Plates

Colour: Pearly-white

Description: Occurs as rare plates plastered on fracture surfaces in metalimestone.

ⓘ Tremolite

Formula: ◻Ca2Mg5(Si8O22)(OH)2

Description: Occurs associated with talc & phlogopite adjacent to anhydrite-sulfide veinlets in diopside hornfels; formed through contact metamorphism of dolomitic rocks.

ⓘ Valleriite

Formula: (Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6

Description: Rod-shaped grains in chalcopyrite in pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite outer ore zone of orebodies, replacing dolomite.

References:

Anthony, John Williams, Bideaux, Richard A., Bladh, Kenneth W., Nichols, Monte C. (1990) Handbook of Mineralogy Vol. 1 - Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, Arizona.

ⓘ Vesuvianite

Formula: Ca19Fe3+Al4(Al6Mg2)(◻4)◻[Si2O7]4[(SiO4)10]O(OH)9

Description: Occurs as fibrous masses showing anomalous birefringence & color zoning; moderately common in contact-metamorphosed diorite at North side, 800 level.

References:

ⓘ 'Wad'

ⓘ Whelanite

Formula: Cu2+2Ca6[Si6O17(OH)](CO3)(OH)3 · 2H2O

Habit: Prismatic

Colour: Turquoise-blue

Description: Moderately abundant as cleavable prisms to several cm long. The approved IMA new mineral proposal (IMA1977-006) specifies the Bawana mine as the type locality. The occurrence of the mineral at the Christmas mine is not mentioned in the proposal.

References:

Kampf, A. R., Mills, S. J., Merlino, S., Pasero, M., McDonald, A. M., Wray, W. B., Hindman, J. R. (2012) Whelanite, Cu2Ca6 Si6O17(OH)(OH)3(H2O)2, an (old) new mineral from the Bawana mine, Milford, Utah. American Mineralogist, 97 (11) 2007-2015 doi:10.2138/am.2012.4181

ⓘ Willemite

Formula: Zn2SiO4

ⓘ Wollastonite

Formula: Ca3(Si3O9)

Localities:

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA
Dripping Springs Mountains Garnet deposit, Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA

ⓘ Xonotlite

Formula: Ca6(Si6O17)(OH)2

Description: Occurs with an assemblage of retrograde metamorphic minerals including tobermorite, apachite & gilalite.

ⓘ Zoisite

Formula: (CaCa)(AlAlAl)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH)

References:

ⓘ Zoisite var. Thulite

Formula: {Ca2}{Al,Mn3+3}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH)

Christmas Mine, Christmas, Banner Mining District, Gila County, Arizona, USA (original) (raw)