Helvetia, Arizona
| Helvetia, Arizona | |
|---|---|
| Ghost town | |
 | |
  Helvetia, Arizona | |
| Coordinates: 31°51′28″N 110°47′19″W / 31.85778°N 110.78861°WCoordinates: 31°51′28″N 110°47′19″W / 31.85778°N 110.78861°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Pima |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Abandoned | 1921 |
| Elevation[1] | 4,324 ft (1,318 m) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 0 |
| Time zone | MST (no DST) (UTC-7) |
| Post Office opened | December 12, 1899 |
| Post Office closed | December 31, 1921 |
Helvetia is a ghost town in Pima County in the U.S. state of Arizona. The town was settled in 1891 in what was then the Arizona Territory.
The Rosemont project is a large porphyry copper deposit nearby, which may be developed into a mine as early as 2013.
History
Helvetia was founded in 1891 for the settlement of workers from the surrounding copper mines. At its peak the city had 300 inhabitants, of which most were Mexicans. In 1911, the mines closed, due to low commodity prices. The post office, which had opened on December 12, 1899, closed on December 31, 1921, marking the end of the town.[2]
Today
There is not much left of Helvetia to see, simply a pair of foundation walls rising above a floor, as well as traces from the cemetery. In the vicinity there are slag heaps and shafts from the mines.
Geography
Helvetia is located at the foot of the Santa Rita Mountains, north of Madera Canyon, at 31°51′28″N 110°47′17″W / 31.85778°N 110.78806°W.[1]
Geology and ore deposits
There is an extensive area of porphyry copper mineralization between Helvetia and Rosemont, Arizona. Four centers of potentially economic copper mineralization are known. The best-delineated deposit is the Rosemont,[3] which has a geological ore reserve of around 550 million tons at about 0.45% copper, with significant molybdenum and silver credits. Rosemont is presently (2010) owned by Augusta Resources. Augusta hopes to put the Rosemont into production as early as 2011. The Rosemont Copper plan is to create a 21st-century mine in Southern Arizona. Rosemont’s plan will set new higher standards for environmental protection by using new technologies for water conservation and tailings storage. In addition Rosemont Copper will produce more than 2,900 jobs annually for the state of Arizona and will create more than $19 billion in economic activity.[4]
Rosemont Copper’s plan is currently being reviewed by numerous local, state, and federal authorities and will only be issued permits to operate once all environmental protections are in place.
There is significant local opposition to constructing the mine, including concerns about losing the multiple historic and pre-historic sites that are in the area, culture, and natural habitation.[5][6]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Helvetia
- ↑ Sherman, James E.; Barbara H. Sherman (1969). "Helvetia". Ghost Towns of Arizona (First ed.). University of Oklahoma Press. p. 78. ISBN 0-8061-0843-6.
- ↑ Helvetia Area Porphyry Systems by Sal Anzalone, Arizona Geological Society Digest 20, 1995
- ↑ Augusta Resources, Rosemont Project
- ↑ "Rosemont mine faces mounting opposition", Green Valley News, June 12, 2009
- ↑ "Rosemont mine benefits are small, short-term, negatives lasting, costly" op-ed, Arizona Daily Star, March 9, 2010
External links
Media related to Helvetia, Arizona at Wikimedia Commons
- Photos and information at ghosttowns.com
- Helvetia mining district
- Rosemont Copper Co.
- Helvetia graveyard photo
- Helvetia history and photos
- "A Clash Over Mining and Water", NY Times article on Rosemont Copper and its opposition, published March 21, 2012.
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- This article incorporates information from the German Wikipedia.