The El Plomo Mine is a copper and zinc mine located in Fremont county, Colorado at an elevation of 6,601 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: 6,601 Feet (2,012 Meters)
Commodity: Copper, Zinc
Lat, Long: 38.38889, -105.34361
Map: View on Google Maps
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.
El Plomo Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: El Plomo Mine
Commodity
Primary: Copper
Primary: Zinc
Secondary: Iron
Secondary: Silver
Location
State: Colorado
County: Fremont
District: Grape Creek Area
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: Underground
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
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: Stratabound Precambrian sulfide, Colorado and Wyoming
Orebody
Form: LENSES
Structure
Type: R
Description: Northern Wet Mountains, Canon City Embayment, Thirtynine Mile Volcanic Field
Type: L
Description: Grape Creek Fault, Ilse Fault, Horseshoe Fault
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Altered Biotite Gneisses; Kaolinization
Rocks
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: 0.74 TO 0.96% CU, 0.71 TO 8.7% ZN, 0.6 TO 0.8 OZ/TON AG
Materials
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Chalcanthite
Ore: Limonite
Unknown: Pyrite
Comments
Comment (Location): 7 MILES SW OF CANON CITY ON TEMPLE CANYON ROAD, THEN UPSTREAM ON GRAPE CREEK 2.5 MILES TO MINE; PATENTED CLAIM SURROUNDED BY BLM LAND; SOUTH SLOPE OF HORSESHOE MOUNTAIN ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)
Comment (Reserve-Resource): COKER, 1982
Comment (Development): BLM GEOLOGISTS NOTE THAT MORE EVIDENCE OF SULFIDE MINERALIZATION WAS FOUND IN THE DRAINAGE BELOW EL PLOMO MINE AND HORSESHOE MINE THAN IN EITHER WORKING
Comment (Deposit): THE DRAINAGE UP TO THE DEPOSIT IS "FILLED WITH CHALCOPYRITE RICH FLOAT AND SOME MASSIVE SULFIDES IN PLACE"; THERE IS A PROMINENT GOSSAN ZONE INTO WHICH WORKINGS ARE DRIVEN
Comment (Workings): 2 ADITS, 1 SHAFT (NOW CAVED)
Comment (Geology): THE SULFIDE ZONE IS RELATIVELY CONTINUOUS FROM EL PLOMO MINE TO JENNINGS GULCH; THE PROMINENT GOSSAN ZONE STRIKES NNE, DIPPING SE.
References
Reference (Deposit): COKER, R. J., 1982, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE ARKANSAS CANYON PLANNING UNIT WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE FORMER GRAPE CREEK WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS AND THE MCINTYRE HILLS WILDERNESS STUDY AREA: US BLM MINERAL REPORT, P. 21-24
Reference (Deposit): TAYLOR, R. B., SCOTT, G. R., WOBUS, R. A., AND EPIS, R. C., 1975, RECONNAISSANCE GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE ROYAL GORGE QUADRANGLE, FREMONT AND CUSTER COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-869, 1: 62,500.
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
