Villa Grove Turquoise Mine

The Villa Grove Turquoise Mine is a gemstone mine located in Saguache county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,501 feet.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Villa Grove Turquoise Mine
Secondary: Villa Grove Mine
Secondary: Hall Turquoise Mine
Secondary: Turquoise Lode and Turquoise Blue Lode Claims

Commodity

Primary: Gemstone
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Molybdenum

Location

State: Colorado
County: Saguache
District: Bonanza (Kerber Creek)

Land Status

Land ownership: Private
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Musick And Musick
Years: 1975 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1975
Discovery Method: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Sawatch Range, San Juan Volcanic Field, Rio Grande Rift

Type: L
Description: Bonanza Caldera

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Argillization

Rocks

Name: Gabbro
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Gabbro
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Gabbro
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Gabbro
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 70, 4, 15, 45
Analytical Data: 75, 4, 20, 709 IN ADDITION, ANALYSIS 4 CONTAINED L.T. 0.2 PPM AG.
Analytical Data: 75, 4, 20, 95
Analytical Data: 65, 4, 25, 140
Analytical Data: 240, 6, 25, 50
Analytical Data: GABBRO CONTAINS 70 TO 85% PLAGIOCLASE, 3 TO 10% PYROXENE, TR TO 5% BIOTITE, 2 TO 5% MAGNETITE, 5 TO 7% QUARTZ, TR APATITE. FOLLOWING METAL ANALYSES WERE RUN ON ONE SAMPLE OF UNALTERED GABBRO, SLIGHTLY ALTERED ROCK FROM NE EDGE OF ALTERATION ZONE, HIGHLY ARGILLIZED ROCK IN ALTERATION ZONE, SLIGHTLY ALTERED ROCK FROM EAST EDGE OF ALTERATION ZONE, HIGHLY SERICITIZED ROCK 53 FT FROM SE EDGE OF ALTERATION ZONE, AND FRESH GABBRO FROM WESTERNMOST OCCURRENCE (SW/4 SEC. 27). EACH SET OF VALUES IS CONTENT OF CU, MO, AND FRESH GABBRO FROM WESTERNMOST OCCURRENCE (SW/4 SEC. 27). EACH SET OF VALUES IS CONTENT OF CU, MO, PB, AND ZN (ALL IN PPM): 30, 4, 20, 55

Materials

Ore: Turquoise
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Hematite

Comments

Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTUION RECORD, PRODUCTION UNKNOWN FOR YEARS BEFORE 1952 AND FOR 1953, 1956, 1961, 1962, 1965 - 69, 1973, NO PRODUCTION REPORTED FOR 1971 AND 1972 AND SINCE 1975.

Comment (Location): S-T-R, LAT-LONG, AND ELEV. TAKEN FROM BURBANK'S (1932) PLATE 1(SCALE 1:12000). MINE OR CLAIM LIES ON PETERSON CREEK 6.5 MILES NW OF VILLA GROVE ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Deposit): TURQUOISE OCCURS AS VEINS AND NODULES IN LARGE OVAL ZONE OF ARGILLIZATION IN TURQUESA GABBRO. THESE FISSURE FILLINGS LIE ABOVE WATER TABLE, BUT BELOW IT THE AMOUNT OF TURQUOISE DECREASES SHARPLY AND DISSEMINATED PYRITE AND CU SULFIDES APPEAR. THE CU IN THE TURQUOISE PROBABLY RESULTED FROM LEACHING OF THE DISSEMINATED SULFIDES.

Comment (Workings): LARGE OPEN CUT AND UNDERGROUND DRIFTS

References

Reference (Deposit): PATTON, H.B., 1916, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE BONANZA DISTRICT, SAGUACHE COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 169, 166 P.

Reference (Deposit): MAYHEW, J.D., 1969, GEOLOGY OF THE EASTERN PART OF THE BONANZA VOLCANIC FIELD, SAGUACHE COUNTY, COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL FO MINES M.S. THESIS T-1226.

Reference (Production): COLO DIV MINES ANN, OPERATOR REPTS

Colorado Mining Photos

Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.