Preliminary mineral resource assessment of selected industrial and collector minerals of the Prescott National Forest, Arizona

Abstract

Industrial minerals are now the most important group of commodities produced in the Prescott National Forest area. Metals were historically important in the area including a major mine at Jerome (just west of Cottonwood and Clarkdale) and a scattering of mines in the Verde Ranger District (RD) and the southern half of the Bradshaw RD (fig. 1). The three most important industrial minerals found in or adjacent to the Prescott National Forest include: Carbonate rocks used for fabrication of cement is a major product in the area. Production is underway to supply raw material to a cement plant near Clarkdale (fig. 1) which is one of the two cement plants in Arizona. Sandstone used for flagstone is a major product and found particularly in east Chino Valley Ranger District (fig. 1) and adjacent parts of the Kaibab National Forest to the north. Flagstone distribution is national and international. Aggregate produced from sand and gravel deposits usually found in valleys and valley margins is more likely to be outside of the Prescott National Forest. It is also produced from both unconsolidated basaltic cinders and consolidated basaltic flows that are more likely to be found on Forest Service land. Possible future increased aggregate production from crushed stone will likely impact Forest Service land.