Posey Mine, Red Canyon Mining District, San Juan County, Utah, USAi

Regional Level Types
Posey Mine	Mine (Inactive)
Red Canyon Mining District	Mining District
San Juan County	County
Utah	State
USA	Country

Location: The Posey Mine is a former U-Cu occurrence/mine located in sec. 29, T37S, R15E, SLM. It sits on a bench of the southern canyon wall of Red Canyon, near Wingate Mesa, about 11 miles (ca. 18 km) from Halls Crossing Road, along Red Canyon Road (5.45 miles (ca. 9 km) SE from the Chocolate Drop), on Bureau of Land Management-administered land (located claim).

History: In 1943 J. Wiley Redd and Preston Redd of Blanding, Utah, discovered the deposit and staked 15 claims on a bench formed of the Shinarump member of the Chinle formation. The claims were owned by the Red Canyon Mines Partnership in 1954.

Ore Deposit: Mineralization is a replacement deposit hosted in rocks of the Shinarump member of the Chinle formation (Late Triassic mudstone, sandstone, conglomerate). The orebody is tabular/blanket, strikes N05W and dips 02W at a thickness of 1.83 meters, a width of 27.43 meters and a length of 91.44 meters, and with a depth-to-top of 46 meters (sic) and a depth-to-bottom of 12.19 meters (sic). The primary mode of origin is not stated. Primary ore control was channel fill (carbonized plant remains) and lithology. The degree of wall rock alteration is unknown and consists of bleaching in mudstone. The ore mainly consisted of secondary uranium minerals deposited in beds and fracture surfaces. The ore was originally a uraninite-sulphide deposit that has been heavily oxidized. The secondary uranium minerals consist of phosphuranylite, phurcalite, metatorbernite, meta-autunite, cuprosklodowskite, and becquerelite. Many secondary copper minerals are also present, they formed as oxidation products of the sulfide minerals, such as bornite and covellite. The secondary copper minerals include brochantite, malachite, antlerite, azurite, carbonatecyanotrichite, and chalcocite. Jarosite also occurs and is usually associated with carbonized wood. The secondary minerals occur as disseminations in the sandstone, on fracture surfaces, and as replacements or coatings on wooden fragments. Minerals of the host rock include quartz, feldspar grains, clay (likely present as kaolinite and/or halloysite), calcite, gypsum, and iron and manganese oxides.

Workings: Workings include surface and underground openings with a total length of 274.32 meters, an overall depth of 12.19 meters, an overall length of 36.58 meters and an overall width of 18.29 meters. The ore deposits were opened up by two adits, which are nearly parallel, and are connected by stoped out areas, and crosscuts. The workings are rather small, and the deepest point from either portal is only about 300 feet (ca. 91 m), and the widest they reach is about 150 feet (ca. 46 m). There was also a small open pit and a strip mining operation that began in 1951 at the mine.

Production: The first uranium ore produced by the Posey Mine was shipped out early in 1950. Later shipments were also made regularly in 1951 and 1952, they discontinued in early 1953, then resumed later that year. Lower grade uranium ore was produced by the open cut in 1954 and continued for some time after.

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:	10079023

Mindat Articles

Richard Gunter Catalogue Phurcalite by Richard Gunter

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References