# Ray mine

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> Source revision: 1349704024
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{{Short description|Copper mine in Arizona}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox mine
| name = Ray Copper Mine
| image = Mesa raymine.jpg
| width =
| caption = Teapot mesa, above Ray Mine
| pushpin_map = Arizona
| pushpin_label =Ray copper mine
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Arizona
| coordinates = {{coord|33|08|58|N|110|59|14|W|region:US|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| place = [Kearny](/source/Kearny%2C_Arizona)
| subdivision_type = County
| state/province = [Pinal County, Arizona](/source/Pinal_County%2C_Arizona)
| country = [United States](/source/United_States)
| owner = [Asarco](/source/Asarco)
| stock_exchange =
| stock_code =
| official website = [http://www.asarco.com/about-us/our-locations/ray-operations/ Ray mine website]
| acquisition year = 1999
| products = [Copper](/source/Copper), [sulfuric acid](/source/sulfuric_acid)
| financial year = 2016
| amount = 62.0 million lbs copper
| opening year = 1880
| closing year =
}}

The '''Ray mine''' is a large [copper mine](/source/mining) in [Pinal County, Arizona](/source/Pinal_County%2C_Arizona), near the town of [Kearny](/source/Kearny%2C_Arizona), in the [southwestern United States](/source/southwestern_United_States). [ASARCO](/source/ASARCO), a subsidiary of [Grupo México](/source/Grupo_M%C3%A9xico), currently owns the mine, which it acquired from [Kennecott Copper](/source/Kennecott_Utah_Copper) in 1986.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ray mining history |url=http://copperarea.com/pages/ray-mining-history |publisher=Copper Area News Publishers |date=2012-09-26 |access-date=2019-10-19}}</ref>

The Ray mine has one of the largest [copper](/source/copper) reserves in the United States, with [proven and probable reserves](/source/Mineral_resource_classification) of {{convert|835.7|e6t|}} of [ore](/source/ore) grading 1.73% copper, {{as of|2018|12|31|lc=on|df=US}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Annual Report 2016 |url=https://gmexico.com/site/images/documentos/en/anual_report2016.PDF |publisher=[Grupo México](/source/Grupo_M%C3%A9xico) |location=[Mexico City](/source/Mexico_City) |page=35 |access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Company History |url=https://asarco.com/about-us/company-history |publisher=[ASARCO](/source/ASARCO) |location=Mexico City |access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Ascarza|first=William |title=Mine Tales: Ray mining district has history of more than a century |url=https://tucson.com/news/local/mine-tales-ray-mining-district-has-history-of-more-than/article_5560fe20-f4c4-559f-8298-1c8be0b75c77.html |newspaper=[Arizona Daily Star](/source/Arizona_Daily_Star) |location=[Tucson, Arizona](/source/Tucson%2C_Arizona) |date=November 11, 2013 |access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref> Copper from the Ray mine goes to the [Hayden Smelter](/source/Hayden_Smelter).

Mineral Creek, a tributary of the [Gila River](/source/Gila_River), flows north to south through the Ray Mine property.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mineral Creek (Mineral Creek-Gila River) COA |url=https://awcs.azgfd.com/conservation-opportunity-areas/aquatic/mineral-creek-mineral-creek-gila-river |website=Arizona Game & Fish |access-date=27 March 2026}}</ref> It is dammed before reaching the mine pit at the north by a double-curvature concrete [arch dam](/source/arch_dam), Big Box Canyon Dam,<ref>{{cite web |title=RESTORATION PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE RELEASES FROM THE HAYDEN SMELTER AND RAY MINE FACILITIES |url=https://www.cerc.usgs.gov/orda_docs/DocHandler.ashx?task=get&ID=1500 |website=Columbia Environmental Research Center |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |access-date=27 March 2026}}</ref> which outlets into an underground tunnel that diverts the creek around the mine pit till it emerges into a concrete channel that connects it to the Gila River, immediately south of the Ray Mine complex. This project was privately built and is maintained by the operators of the mine.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sutter |first1=Jason |title=Memorandum: Review of Proposed Designated Use Changes to Mineral Creek |url=https://legacy.azdeq.gov/function/laws/download/proposal_mineral_creek.pdf |website=Arizona Department of Environmental Quality |access-date=27 March 2026}}</ref>

[[File:Copper-192630.jpg|thumb|Old specimen of [native copper](/source/native_copper) ({{cvt|2.2|×|2.2|×|1.2|cm|in}}) from Ray mine. Large "sail" at left is a [spinel](/source/spinel) [twin](/source/crystal_twinning).]]

==See also==
* [Ray, Arizona](/source/Ray%2C_Arizona)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat|position=left|Ray Mine}}
* {{official|https://www.asarco.com/about-us/ray-operations/}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePlYQGd-SAM Ray mine tour], at YouTube

Category:Copper mines in Arizona
Category:Geography of Pinal County, Arizona
Category:Open-pit mines

{{US-mine-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ray mine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_mine) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_mine?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.