275. Mineralogy of the Grandview Breccia Pipe
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
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The Grandview Breccia Pip is located within the Grand Canyon about midway from the south rim to the river on the Grandview Trail. Known as the Granview Mine, the pipe was mined for copper from about 1890 to 1916. High grade copper ore was transported to the rim by burros on the Grandview Trail. The pipe also contains uranium and zinc, and small amounts of lead and cobalt.

The pipe was formed by the collapse of a large cave system in the Redwall limestone formation. Overlying formations subsequently collapsed into the cavern creating a cylindrical "pipe" of broken rock extending yp into the overlying formations. Mineral were deposited within the pipe by mechanisms that have yet to be fully understood.

The pipe hosts an unusual assemblage of sulfates, carbonates and arsenates. the pipe is the type locality for Grandviewite.

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