THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF ARIZONA 
107 
 
County. Arivaca Mining Corp. operated the Glove mine near Tucson, and Donald
C. Gilbert operated the Royal mine near Patagonia. Yavapai County, with three
operators, led the State with output of 4,393 tons, representing 92 percent
of the production. The remaining 8 percent came from 11 operations in Cochise,
Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties. 
 
 Mercury.—A small quantity of mercury was produced from five mines
in the Mazatzal Mountains in Gila and Maricopa Counties. Reflecting a lower
demand for the commodity in world and domestic markets, production and value
of mine shipments declined. The availability of supplies from the GSA stockpile
tended to set a market ceiling at a level of $500 to $510 per 76-pound flask,
limiting output from high-cost properties. 
 Mercury content of the ore mined ranged from 0.05 to 0.17 percent, with
96 percent of the ore furnaced and the balance retorted. The Pine Mountain
mine, Maricopa County, operated by United Nuclear Corp. was the largest producer,
followed in descending order by the National mine, Maricopa County, owned
by Big Sam Mines, Inc.; Sunflower mine, Maricopa County, operated by Posey
Mining Co.; and the Cypress mine, Gila County, owned by Gordon K. ' Grimes
and operated by Cane Springs Milling & Mining Co. Gale Smith recovered
a small quantity of mercury from dump material at the Ord mine in Gila County.
Buyers of mercury, in order of quantity purchased, were Phi!ipp Bros. and
Chemical Manufacturing Co. 
 
 Molybdenuin.—The molybdenum shortage that occurred in 1964—66
ended early in 1967. Supply and demand were in reasonable balance in the
first half of the year, as consumers built inventories in anticipation of
strikes. Augmented by U.S. stockpile releases, these large inventories carried
most consumers through the yearend, unaffected by strikes in the copper industry
and at molybdenum conversion plants. 
 Output of molybdenite concentrate (MoSs) at byproduct recovery plants in
the State declined 7 percent because of the strike. Six of the State's 11
conversion plants were closed. With the strike in effect, mines in Arizona
accounted for 11 
percent of the total U.S. molybdenum shipments. 
 More than 56.3 million tons of crude ore from 10 properties, containing
from 0.002 to 0.053 percent M0S2, were processed to recover 1.2 million tons
of copper concentrates. Recovered from these concentrates were 8,645 short
tons of molybdenite concentrate, whose molybdenum content ranged from 46.1
percent to 55.8 percent, averaging 53.8 percent for the 4,650 tons produced.
Shipments were 8,633 tons of concentrate with content of 4,630 tons molybdenum
valued at $15.4 million. 
 Exports of concentrates containing 791 tons of molybdenum, represented 17
percent of the total shipments. Stocks on hand December 31, 1967, were 173
tons, compared with 161 tons at the end of 1966. The average price received
for molybdenum in concentrate form was $1.66 per pound, compared with $1.75
per pound in 
1966. 
 Begun by Pima Mining Co. in mid-1966, a molybdenum-production program was
completed during the year with the installation of additional equipment to
process approximately 450 tons of low-grade concentrate annually into a marketable
product. 
 
 Silver.—The increased industrial demand, and the sharp rise in the
price resulting from the curtailment of sales by the Government, prompted
considerable interest in silver-bearing properties. Exploration and development
activities were reported in several areas of the State, notably in the Tombstone
area where in less than 4 months 400 new locations were filed. Escapule Mining
Association continued work at the Santa Anna mine. Piedras del Sol Mining
Co. reported that it had completed a crosscut to a silverbearing vein at
the Side Wheel mine on Military Hills 2 miles from Tombstone; at the last
report the company was drifting on the vein. W. W. Grace and Associates exercised
an option to purchase the Old Chance mine, adjoining Escapule's Santa Anna
mine. In Mohave County, the old McCracken mine, a silver-lead-zinc property
near Yucca, was reopened by the Canadian firm of Magnum Consolidated Mining
Co., Ltd. Underground exploration was continued at the Silver Crown mine,
a silver-lead development of Arizona-Michigan Mining Co. in Yavapai County.