The Democrat Hill deposit is a gold, aluminum, potassium, and silver mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,101 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
Elevation: 9,101 Feet (2,774 Meters)
Commodity: Gold, Aluminum, Potassium, Silver
Lat, Long: 38.10472, -105.36139
Map: View on Google Maps
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Democrat Hill deposit MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Democrat Hill deposit
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Primary: Aluminum
Primary: Potassium
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Zinc
Location
State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Rosita Hills District
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
Type: Surface/Underground
Ownership
Not available
Production
Year: 1886
Time Period: 1886
Mined: 180.000 mt
Material type: silver ore
Deposit
Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
Discovery Year: 1890
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: L
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Democrat Hill, Rosita Hills
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Epithermal quartz-alunite Au
Orebody
Form: LARGE CHIMNEY (VOLCANIC CONDUIT)
Structure
Not available
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Alunitization, Silicification, Kaolinization. Alteration Of Rhyolite To Alunite By Solfataric Action
Rocks
Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Pliocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: 2 ANALYSES ARE 16.6 % AND 32.3 % ALUNITe
Materials
Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Alunite
Ore: Diaspore
Ore: Kaolinite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Reserve-Resource): Estimated 800,000 tons alunite resource @ 16.6% alunite. (Thoenen, 1941)
Comment (Reserve-Resource): A 1981 report suggested that low-grade, bulk-tonnage silver deposits may occur in this area. (Sunshine files)
Comment (Reserve-Resource): GREATER PART OF RESERVE IS INFERRED
Comment (Reserve-Resource): ALUNITIZED BODY IS LOW-GRADE
Comment (Workings): OLD BEN EATON ( 500 FT ) AND DEMOCRAT ( 435 FT ) ADITS DRIVEN INTO S BASE OF DEMOCRAT HILL IN 1870'S FOR SILVER AND OTHER METALS, NOT ALUNITE. ALSO SEVERAL PROSPECT HOLES AND DRIFTS.
Comment (Commodity): PROJECT 9350 - 01393 ALUNITE RESOURCES
Comment (Development): ECON.COM: DEPOSIT IS LESS THAN 1 MI. FROM A ROAD AND THERE IS LITTLE OVERBURDEN. ALUNITE IS CLOSELY LOCKED WITH QUARTZ
Comment (Location): S CENTRAL PART OF ROSITA HILLS. S END OF DEMOCRAT RIDGE, ABOUT 1-1/2 MILE WNW OF ROSITA, IN THE E/2 SEC 30, T 22 S, R 71 W.
References
Reference (Deposit): 1883 GEOLMAP W. CROSS: PUB. REPTS.
Reference (Deposit): 1942 RECON L. S. GARDNER: UNPUB. REPT.
Reference (Deposit): 1878 DIREXPL UNKNOWN: PROSPECTING WORKS
Reference (Reserve-Resource): Sunshine Mining Co. Colorado exploration files, unpublished data, Colorado Geological Survey.
Reference (Analytical Data): THOENEN, J. R., 1941 , ALUNITE RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES: USBM REPT. INV. 3561 , P. 13.
Pages: p. 13.
Reference (Reserve-Resource): THOENEN, J. R., 1941 , ALUNITE RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES: USBM REPT. INV. 3561 , P. 13 - 14.
Pages: p. 13-14.
Reference (Deposit): THOENEN, J. R., 1941 , ALUNITE RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES: USBM REPT. INV. 3561 , P. 13 - 14.
Pages: p. 13-14.
Reference (Geology): SHARP, W.N., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SILVER CLIFF AND ROSITA VOLCANIC CENTERS, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1081, 1:24,000.
Reference (Deposit): GARDNER, L. S., 1943 , UNPUB. REPT. IN USGS FILE
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, C. W., 1912 , ALUNITE DEPOSITS OF ROSITA HILLS, COLORADO, USGS BULL. 511 , P. 38 - 41 .
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, C. W., 1891 , ON ALUNITE AND DIASPORE FROM THE ROSITA HILLS, COLORADO: AM. JOUR. SCI., 3RD SER., V. 41 , NO. 246 , P. 466 - 475 .
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, C. W., 1896 , GEOLOGY OF SILVER CLIFF AND THE ROSITA HILLS, COLORADO: USGS 17TH ANN. REPT., PT. 2 , P. 314 - 315 , 377 - 378 .
Colorado Mining Photos
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