The Lost Peralta Mining District has been called “the greatest mystery of the western United States”, and it’s location has been found as shown within this site, by geology, history, and cartography. The District is surprisingly “out in the open” and outside of the Superstition Wilderness Area. It has escaped discovery by modern-day explorationists armed with sophisticated gear and methods, mainly because they chose not to conduct greenfield exploration near the Superstition mountains.
Because of it’s expected legendary richness, the Molly Marie Prospect has the potential to deliver more profit than a very large gold mine with a very low production rate. Today’s almost unfathomable price of gold ($4,350 per ounce) makes security the most difficult task regarding mining!
- The deposit can be micro-mined by both underground and surface methods with a small production rate per day, say 100 tpd.
- The mines will be very shallow, accessed by declines that are driven by small ug equipment.
- The ore will be shipped off-site for processing.
- A state highway runs nearby.
- Two power lines cross the Prospect.
Quartz Orebody No. 1
The Quartz Breccia orebody No. 1 (Introduction page) was extensively mined by the Spanish and Mexicans by shallow pits that were filled back in. The “Seismic Work” page shows the seismic results that confirm that there were several pits in the Quartz orebody(s). Several more suspect pits have not been seismically tested. The pit locations are bordered by low grade quartz breccias and/or black chlorite alteration. The exact location of the largest pit is given with surveyed accuracy with the Peralta Trail map (that resides in the Superstition museum). A claim was staked over the site of the pit before any geology or seismic data was known! It is possible to have almost instant cash flow by digging out one or more of the pits with a surface excavator to mine the top 20 feet or so of the orebody(s). Then, fill the pit back in with cemented backfill (using the old backfill that was removed) and switch to underground methods. Like the Mormon Stope at the nearby Mammoth Mine, the ore should also run hundreds of ounces to the ton. Digging out the pit(s) is what the Peralta’s were trying to tell you to do…………
Below is a tomogram of the largest pit verified by Seismic means.
Quartz Orebody No. 2
Portions of the Quartz Breccia Orebody No. 2 (Intro page) were mined via a shallow underground mine that was drained by an extensive tunnel system. This quartz orebody, that outcrops on the surface, is significantly larger than even that mined at the Sleeper Mine in NV. In the photo below it is shown that the highest grade ore (red) was targeted that was located on a major fault structure. The bearing of all major structures on the Molly Marie Prospect is N20W. A survey was conducted from the portal to the end of the tunnels to the SW and it is projected that the tunnels are 65 feet below the surface if a .25% grade is given to the tunnels. At the Mormon Stope, the grade continued to a depth of 400 feet.
Assays
In early 2024 it was discovered (yes, that late) that the area of Quartz Breccia Orebody #2 was mis-mapped as “dacite”. A flurry of sampling and assaying was done, and the Quartz Breccia #2 that assayed commonly .03 opt, and up to .04 opt gold (zoom in on map below). A satellite Quartz Breccia in the map below assayed as high as .07 opt Au! Silicified basalt was then also assayed and assays of up to .05 Au, and silver up to 1.86 opt have been obtained from the basalt. Considering the large amount of salt (chlorides) on the prospect that dissolve gold, the assays are damning evidence for what lies below. Like Goldfield, a supergene enrichment zone of bonanza gold lies at the water table and below, and that is what the Peralta’s were seeking.
Below is a photo of the power lines crossing the Molly Marie Prospect
If it were not for the Mexican American war, this Peralta mining district would have already been mined out. There was much hatred for the Americans after the area containing five States was taken from Mexico, and the crown jewel (the Peralta Mines) was hidden, and hidden well.
Additionally, because of the stigma surrounding the Lost Dutchman Mine, modern day exploration geologists avoided the area of the Molly Marie Prospect area. This great deposit would have been found easily with the instruments that have been available for decades.
There is a great amount of information about the property that has not been included within; only a few of the history and geology pages are “turned on”. Please contact me for further details about the history and geology(alteration, exhalites).
Sincerely,
Dan Welch
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