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Contention Mine, Contention-Grand Central Mine group, Tombstone Mining District, Cochise County, Arizona, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Contention Mine | Mine |
| Contention-Grand Central Mine group | Group ofMines |
| Tombstone Mining District | Mining District |
| Cochise County | County |
| Arizona | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
31° North , 110° West (est.)
Estimate based on other nearby localities or region boundaries.
Margin of Error:
~1km
Type:
Köppen climate type:
A Ag-Au-Pb-Cu-Zn mine located in T.20S., R.22E. (Tombstone 15 minute topo map). Owned at times, or in part, by the Western Mining Co., Grand Central Mining Co., Tombstone Mill & Mining Co., Head Center Co., Head Center & Tranquility Co., Contention Mining Co., Tombstone Consolidated Mines Co., Bunker Hill Mines Co., and the Tombstone Development Co.
Mineralization is oxidized argentiferous and auriferous galena and minor copper and zinc ores in large, rich orebodies in faulted and fractured segments of a large dike, and in brecciated footwall zones of the dike. Ore was also found in replacements of Cretaceous Bisbee Group limestone beds where intersected by "northeast" fissures.
Workings included extensive shaft(s). One of the earliest and most productive mines of the district. Over $10,000,000 was produced prior to 1886 and several hundred thousand tons were produced from the 1880's to the early 1900's. There was some sporadic production up to 1929.
Select Mineral List Type
StandardDetailedGalleryStrunzChemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘChlorargyrite Formula:AgCl Description: Micro-crystals. |
| ⓘChrysocolla Formula:Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x< 1 |
| ⓘGalena Formula:PbS |
| ⓘGalena var. Silver-bearing Galena Formula:PbS with Ag |
| ⓘNative Gold Formula:Au |
| ⓘOpal Formula:SiO2 · nH2O References: |
| ⓘOpal var. Opal-AN Formula:SiO2 · nH2O References: |
| ⓘWulfenite Formula:Pb(MoO4) References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | var. Silver-bearing Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS with Ag |
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
| ⓘ | Chlorargyrite | 3.AA.15 | AgCl |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Opal var. Opal-AN | 4.DA.10 | SiO2 · nH2O |
| ⓘ | 4.DA.10 | SiO2 · nH2O | |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Wulfenite | 7.GA.05 | Pb(MoO4) |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Chrysocolla | 9.ED.20 | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘChrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x< 1 |
| H | ⓘOpal var.Opal-AN | SiO2 · nH2O |
| H | ⓘOpal | SiO2 · nH2O |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘChrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x< 1 |
| O | ⓘOpal var.Opal-AN | SiO2 · nH2O |
| O | ⓘOpal | SiO2 · nH2O |
| O | ⓘWulfenite | Pb(MoO4) |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘChrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x< 1 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘChrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x< 1 |
| Si | ⓘOpal var.Opal-AN | SiO2 · nH2O |
| Si | ⓘOpal | SiO2 · nH2O |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘGalena | PbS |
| S | ⓘGalena var.Silver-bearing Galena | PbS with Ag |
| Cl | Chlorine | |
| Cl | ⓘChlorargyrite | AgCl |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘChrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x< 1 |
| Mo | Molybdenum | |
| Mo | ⓘWulfenite | Pb(MoO4) |
| Ag | Silver | |
| Ag | ⓘChlorargyrite | AgCl |
| Ag | ⓘGalena var.Silver-bearing Galena | PbS with Ag |
| Au | Gold | |
| Au | ⓘNative Gold | Au |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘGalena | PbS |
| Pb | ⓘWulfenite | Pb(MoO4) |
| Pb | ⓘGalena var.Silver-bearing Galena | PbS with Ag |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
Mexico
- Sierra Madre OccidentalMountain Range
North AmericaContinent
- Sonoran DesertDesert
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Basin and Range BasinsBasin
- Mazatzal DomainDomain
- Pedregosa BasinBasin
- Southern Basin and RangeWide Rift
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References
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Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are© OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 byJolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844.doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy -Terms & Conditions -Contact Us / DMCA issues -Report a bug/vulnerabilityCurrent server date and time: February 20, 2026 03:37:48 Page updated: August 8, 2025 21:12:02
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are© OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 byJolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844.doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy -Terms & Conditions -Contact Us / DMCA issues -Report a bug/vulnerabilityCurrent server date and time: February 20, 2026 03:37:48 Page updated: August 8, 2025 21:12:02