Cerro Colorado Mountains

Landform in Pima County, Arizona

Cerro Colorado Mountains

Cerro Colorado Mountains

Cerro Colorado Mountains

Highest point
Peak| Colorado Peak
Elevation| 5,319 ft (1,621 m)[1]
Coordinates| 31°42′44″N 111°15′43″W﻿ / ﻿31.71222°N 111.26194°W﻿ / 31.71222; -111.26194
Dimensions
Length| 6.8 km (4.2 mi) NNW[2]
Width| 4.0 km (2.5 mi) NNE
Area| 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi)
Geography
Country| United States
State| Arizona
Region| Sonoran Desert
County| Pima County
Borders on| Sierrita Mountains and Las Guijas Mountains

The Cerro Colorado Mountains are a low mountain range in southern Pima County, Arizona, USA. The highest point of the range is Colorado Peak (5,319 feet (1,621 m)). The range consists of a NNW–SSE trending ridge with several shorter ridges extending off the main ridge to the ENE. The higher portions of the range cover an area of about 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi), with dimensions of 6.8 km (4.2 mi) by 4.0 km (2.5 mi).[1][2][3]

The foothills of the Sierrita Mountains lie about 7 mi (11 km) to the north with the Batamote Hills and Penitas Hills between to the north and northwest respectively. The Las Guijas Mountains lie 12 km (7.5 mi) to the southwest. The Sierra Colorado silver mining district lies in the hills between the Sierra Colorados and the Las Guijas ranges. Saucito Mountain at the north end of the Tumacacori Mountains of Santa Cruz County is about 11 km (6.8 mi) southeast. Arivaca Junction in the Santa Cruz River valley lies 17.5 km (10.9 mi) due east. The Santa Rita Mountains are across the Santa Cruz Valley to the east. The broad Altar Valley lies 15 km (9.3 mi) to the west with the Baboquivari Mountains beyond.[2]

Arivaca Road, which connects Arivaca Junction on the east with Arivaca to the southwest at the south end of the Las Guijas Mountains, runs through the valley on the southeast of the Cerro Colorados.[4]

## Cerro Colorado mine

[edit]

The Cerro Colorado Mine (Heintzelman Mine; Silver Queen Mine) was discovered around 1750 by Spanish explorers. The mine was in production from 1856 to 1884 and from 1901 to 1937. Early production was by the Sonora Exploration & Mining Company, which was then owned by Charles Poston and Samuel Colt.[5] Production was some 3,000 tons of ore which averaged about 100 ounces of silver per ton, 0.1 ounces of gold per ton and minor amounts of lead and copper.

The highest grade ore on record was over 12,000 ounces of silver per ton, with an average mined grade in 1859 of 770 oz/t; the average since that year is around 225 oz/t. Ore was mined above 350 feet of depth.[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Cerro Colorado, Ariz., 7.5 minute quadrangle, USGS, 1979
2. ^ a b c Sells, Arizona–Sonora, 30x60 minute topographic quadrangle, USGS, 1994
3. ^ Saucito Mountain, AZ, 7.5 minute quadrangle, USGS, 2004
4. ^ Arizona Atlas and Gazetteer, DeLorme, 4th ed. 2001, p. 72 ISBN 0-89933-325-7
5. ^ 2006, Samuel Colt: Arms, Art, and Invention, ISBN 978-0-300-11133-0, p. 81
6. ^ Cerro Colorado Mine data

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Mountains of Arizona

Black Hills
(Yavapai County)|

* Mingus Mountain

Black Mountains|

* Boundary Cone
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Bradshaw Mountains|

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Cerbat Mountains|

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Hualapai Mountains|

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Little Ajo Mountains|

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McDowell Mountains|

* East End
* McDowell Peak
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Mule Mountains|

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* Camelback Mountain
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Quinlan Mountains|

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San Francisco Peaks|

* Agassiz Peak
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San Francisco Volcanic Field|

* Black Bottom Crater
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Santa Catalina Mountains|

* Mount Bigelow
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* Pusch Ridge
* Thimble Peak

Santa Rita Mountains|

* Mount Hopkins
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Santa Teresa Mountains|

* Mount Turnbull

Sierra Ancha|

* Mistake Peak

Sierra Prieta|

* Granite Mountain

Superstition Mountains|

* Superstition Mountain
* Weavers Needle

Tank Mountains|

* Black Dome

Tucson Mountains|

* Sentinel Peak
* Tumamoc Hill

Whetstone Mountains|

* Apache Peak

White Mountains|

* Black Mesa (Navajo County)
* Escudilla Mountain
* Mount Baldy

Others|

* Agathla Peak
* Agua Caliente Mountains
* Agua Dulce Mountains
* Antelope Hill
* Aquarius Mountains
* Artillery Mountains
* Atascosa Mountains
* Aubrey Hills
* Baboquivari Peak
* Balakai Mesa
* Beaver Dam Mountains
* Belmont Mountains
* Bill Williams Mountain
* Bitsihuitsos Butte
* Black Hills (Greenlee County)
* Black Mesa (Apache-Navajo Counties)
* Black Mesa (Warm Springs)
* Black Mountain (Maricopa County)
* Black Mountain (Pima County)
* Blackjack Mountains
* Bryan Mountains
* Buckskin Mountain (Arizona-Utah)
* Buckskin Mountains (La Paz County)
* Bush Head
* Cabeza Prieta Mountains
* Canelo Hills
* Carrizo Mountains
* Cerro Colorado Mountains
* Chocolate Mountains
* Copper Mountains
* Coyote Mountains
* Date Creek Mountains
* Dome Rock Mountains
* Dos Cabezas Mountains
* Etoi Ki
* Excalibur
* Galiuro Mountains
* Gavilan Peak
* Gila Bend Mountains
* Gila Mountains (Graham County)
* Gila Mountains (Yuma County)
* Goldfield Mountains
* Grand Wash Cliffs
* Granite Mountains
* Granite Wash Mountains
* Growler Mountains
* Gu Achi Peak
* Guadalupe Mountains
* Harcuvar Mountains
* Harquahala Mountains
* House Mountain
* Hunts Mesa
* Isis Temple
* John the Baptist Mountains
* Juniper Mesa
* Kaibab Plateau
* Kofa Mountains
* Laguna Mountains
* Las Guijas Mountains
* Lime Mountain (Maricopa County}
* Little Harquahala Mountains
* Little Rincon Mountains
* Lukachukai Mountains
* Madrean Sky Islands
* Mescal Mountains
* Mineral Mountains
* Moccasin Mountains
* Mohave Mountains
* Mohawk Mountains
* Mount Trumbull
* Muggins Mountains
* Mustang Mountains
* Navajo Mountain
* The Needles
* New River Mountains
* New Water Mountains
* Newton Butte
* Painted Rock Mountains
* Pajarito Mountains
* Patagonia Mountains
* Peacock Mountains
* Picacho Peak
* Picketpost Mountain
* Pinnacle Peak
* Poachie Range
* Poston Butte
* Rawhide Mountains
* Sacaton Mountains
* San Luis Mountains
* Santa Maria Mountains
* Sevenmile Mountains
* Sierra San Antonio
* Sierra Estrella
* Sierra Madre Occidental
* Sierra Pinta
* Silver Bell Mountains
* Squaw Tits
* Sugarloaf Mountain
* Sunset Mountains
* Swisshelm Mountains
* Tempe Butte
* Temple Butte
* Tinajas Altas Mountains
* Tordillo Mountain
* Tortolita Mountains
* Trigo Mountains
* Tule Mountains
* Tumacacori Mountains
* Virgin Mountains
* Vulcan's Throne
* Vulture Mountains
* Waterman Mountains
* Weaver Mountains
* West Silver Bell Mountains
* White Tank Mountains
* Wickenburg Mountains

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