LOCATION

The Belmont Mountains span 25 miles from Aguila to Tonopah. They are a lower elevation mountain range located in the Sonoran Desert about 50 miles west of Phoenix. The highest peak is Sugarloaf Mountain at 3,418 feet. Hummingbird Springs Wilderness is located within the range and it adjoins the Big Horn Mountains. The Belmont Mountains are home to Arizona's native desert Big Horn Sheep. Main access is off of Aguila Rd, from either Hwy 60 or I-10. This range is known for rock hounding and typical desert activities as well as tours of the historic Vulture Mine.

MINERALIZATION

The southeast portion is made up of granite and is barren of commercial ore. At the pass which is a continuation of the Vulture Mine road is a contact with schist. The Tonopah-Belmont and the Morning Star mines are located at this pass area at the schist-granite contact. Further northwest the mineralization is associated with dacite, andesite and basalt with small windows of schist. Some of the mines along this northwest trend are the Black Pearl, Scott and the U.S. Mine with numerous small prospects, shafts and tunnels. Above the Black Pearl mine rhyolite caps the basalt and has a rusty reddish appearance from oxidized pyrite.

HISTORY

The gold mining history in the Belmont Mountains began in 1862 when Henry Wickenburg discovered Vulture Mine. From 1862 to 1942 the mine produced 340,000 ounces of gold and 260,000 ounces of silver. The rich production funded the small town of Wickenburg. To this day Vulture Mine and the home of Henry Wickenburg are well preserved. The Belmont Mine is another famous mine of the range. It runs over 500 feet deep with workings at 100, 250, 400 and 500 feet. It was open the same time span as the Vulture Mine, however today it is closed due to safety reasons. The Tonopah-Belmont and the US Mine were the largest producers to date.