The Defender Mine is a silver mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,041 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: 8,041 Feet (2,451 Meters)
Commodity: Silver
Lat, Long: 38.15444, -105.45139
Map: View on Google Maps
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Defender Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Defender Mine
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Zinc
Secondary: Gold
Location
State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Silver Cliff
Land Status
Land ownership: Federal
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
Not available
Production
Year: 1953
Time Period: 1936-1951
Mined: 5500.000 mt
Material type: ore
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Underground
Discovery Year: 1882
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Epithermal veins
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: Silver Cliff Volcanic Center, Wet Mtns, Wet Mtn. Valley
Type: L
Description: West-Trending, Vertical Or Steeply Dipping To North Ring Fault
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Weak Argillization
Rocks
Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene
Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: PB, ZN ORE GRADE AVERAGES 10%
Materials
Ore: Smithsonite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1870-1895
Comment (Location): 0.5 MILE SE OF BEN WEST HILL ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)
References
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, 1896, GEOLOGY OF SILVER CLIFF AND THE ROSITA HILLS, COLORADO: USGS 17TH ANN. REPORT, PT 2, P. 263-403.
Reference (Deposit): SIEMS, P.L., 1967, VOLCANIC AND ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE ROSITA HILLS AND SILVER CLIFF DISTRICTS, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL MINES, D. SC. THESIS, T 1042, 222 P.
Reference (Deposit): SHARP, W.M., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SILVER CLIFF AND ROSITA VOLCANIC CENTERS, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAPS I-1081.
Reference (Deposit): FIELDMAN, D.W. AND CROWLEY, F.P., 1980, SILVER DEPOSITS IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE SILVER CLIFF CALDERA, IN SILVER CLIFF VOLCANIC CENTER AND TALLAHASSEE CREEK URANIUM DEPOSITS: DENVER REGIONAL EXPLORATION GEOLOGISTS GUIDEBOOK, P. 1-14.
Colorado Mining Photos
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