Maricopa County

Black Pearl Mine

Located deep in the northern Belmont Mountains, this small operation was after manganese ore.

The Black Pearl is a group of small prospects located in a remote stretch of the northern Belmont Mountains. This article is referring to the Black Pearl located in Maricopa County -- for the larger Black Pearl tungsten mine located near Bagdad, visit our other page. While the area was never heavily worked, the combination of three separate prospects -- the Black Pearl, Iron Gap, and Black Vulture -- make it worth talking about.

Work in the surrounding area began in the early 1940s. The Scott Mine ( ¾ of a mile to the east) and the Lost Spaniard Mine (3 miles to the east) were producing lead, silver, and zinc ore at this time. With the development of these mines, better roads were built into the area. The mild to moderate success of this area continued on and off for the next few decades. It is likely the other prospects in the area talked about below were discovered and investigated during this same time.

The remains of a small building or cabin remain at the Black Pearl.

By 1966, mining claims around the Black Pearl were established by J.R. Cropper. Manganese was the primary commodity, which was found in the volcanic rocks of the Belmonts. The mine was worked intermittently up until the early 1980s when it appeared to be abandoned. The Black Pearl contained at least two small workings. A vertical shaft (since filled in with timbers) and a larger horizontal adit (since collapsed & fenced) make up the workings. By far the most interesting remnants at the Black Pearl include the cement foundation and walls of a small cabin or work area. While mostly collapsed today, it shows that someone lived and worked the small operation for some time. The property is marked by two old gate posts, which conveniently are inscribed with the name of the mine. Other remnants are strewn about the property. 

The Iron Gap Prospect is located less than half a mile southwest of the Black Pearl on the ridgeline. Shallow workings completed by the 1940s showed signs of gold, silver, and lead. It was later prospected for copper, however no major production records exist for this mine, and only minor workings can be found today.

One of the two main adits left today at the Black Pearl.

The Black Vulture Prospect is the third and final operation in the area. These workings sit half a mile to the southeast of the Black Pearl. This was another manganese prospects that was made up of 14 patented claims. While it was likely worked in conjunction with the Black Pearl, no production records exist for the mine. The Black Vulture has no substantial remains. The Scott Mine (located just to the north) appears to be still active and worked as a one-man operation. 

This area on the northern most edges of the Belmont Mountains never proved to be much of a success. The area was explored via drilling in the mid-1980s after the closure of the Black Pearl, but nothing ever came of it. The Scott Mine & Lost Spaniard Mine could be considered slightly successful, but fall far short of the other major mines in the vicinity.  Nevertheless, a trip to the Black Pearl and surrounding mines offer an interesting view of a small scale operation in a remote location. The Black Pearl has the most to look at. To reach the Black Pearl, follow Belmont Mountain Trail, or take Vulture Mine Road south from the end of the pavement. Just south of the Belmont Pit, stay west for about six miles, past the Lost Spaniard & Scott Mines. The road deteriorates before ending a mile away from the Hummingbird Springs Wilderness Area. High-clearance is recommended, and consider 4-wheel drive if exploring the numerous other mining roads in the area.

 
 
 

Sources:

  1. Arizona Department of Mining & Mineral Resources. "Iron Gap / Scott Mine File" - 1999-01-0150.pdf. Tucson, AZ: Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS). PDF. http://docs.azgs.az.gov/SpecColl/1999-01/1999-01-0150.pdf

  2. Arizona Department of Mining & Mineral Resources. "Scott Mine File" - ScottleadmineMaricopa90b.pdf. Tucson, AZ: Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS). PDF. http://docs.azgs.az.gov/OnlineAccessMineFiles/S-Z/ScottleadmineMaricopa90b.pdf

  3. "Black Pearl (MRDS #10137375)." Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS). United States Geological Survey (USGS). Web. 14 Sept. 2020. <https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/show-mrds.php?dep_id=10137375>. 

  4. "Black Pearl Mine (Black Glory 1-14 Claims), Vulture District, Vulture Mts, Maricopa Co., Arizona, USA." Mindat.org. Hudson Institute of Mineralogy. Web. 14 Sept. 2020. <https://www.mindat.org/loc-26934.html>. 

  5. "Iron Gap Prospect (MRDS #10027564)." Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS). United States Geological Survey (USGS). Web. 14 Sept. 2020. <https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/show-mrds.php?dep_id=10027564>. 

  6. "Black Vulture Prospect (MRDS #10027549)." Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS). United States Geological Survey (USGS). Web. 14 Sept. 2020. <https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/show-mrds.php?dep_id=10027549>.