The California Shaft is a silver mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,219 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: 9,219 Feet (2,810 Meters)
Commodity: Silver
Lat, Long: 38.11, -105.31944
Map: View on Google Maps
Satelite View
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California Shaft MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: California Shaft
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Location
State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Rosita Hills District
Land Status
Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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: Underground
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Underground
Year First Production: 1883
Discovery Year: 1883
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
Form: vein
Structure
Type: R
Description: Rosita Volcanic Center, Wet Mtns
Type: L
Description: California Fault Separates Trachyte And Gneiss
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Weak Argillization
Alteration Text: Weak Argillization
Rocks
Name: Trachyte
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Trachyte
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Barite
Comments
Comment (Geology): SHAFT PENETRATES GNEISS THEN FOLLOWS VEIN (FAULT) BETWEEN TRACHYTE AND GNEISS
Comment (Location): AT NORTH END OF GAME RIDGE, ABOUT 1-1/4 MILE NE OF ROSITA, IN THE NE/4 NE/4 SEC. 28, T 22 S, R 71 W; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)
Comment (Reserve-Resource): A 1981 report suggested that low-grade, bulk-tonnage silver deposits may occur in this area. (Sunshine files)
Comment (Workings): SHAFT FOLLOWED DIP
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 (Reserve-Resource): Sunshine Mining Co. Colorado exploration files, unpublished data, Colorado Geological Survey.
Reference (Deposit): Emmons, S.F., 1896, The mines of Custer County, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey 17th Annual Report, Pt. 2, pp. 405-472.
Reference (Deposit): SHARP, W.M., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SILVER CLIFF AND ROSITA VOLCANIC CENTERS, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1081.
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
