Independence Mine

The Independence Mine is a copper mine located in Chaffee county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,481 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: Independence Mine

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Gold
Tertiary: Molybdenum
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Iron

Location

State: Colorado
County: Chaffee
District: Turret 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

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
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

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Southern Mosquito Range, Arkansas Valley Graben

Type: L
Description: Fault Trends N 35 W, Dips 45 Ne; Pleasant Valley Syncline

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Gahnite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Cordierite
Gangue: Biotite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Actinolite

Comments

Comment (Workings): SHAFTS, PIT 20 FT ACROSS; FROM SIZE OF DUMPS, UNDERGROUND WORKINGS MUST HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVE; TUNNEL

Comment (Location): ABOUT 0.5 MILE WNW OF TURRET ALONG CAT GULCH ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Production): A "CONSIDERABLE TONNAGE" OF COPPER ORE, LOW IN AU, AG WAS SOLD IN 1907 FOR A FLUX IN A MATTE CONCENTRATOR

Comment (Deposit): "RICHER" STREAK OF ORE 5-FT WIDE

References

Reference (Deposit): BOARDMAN, S.J., 1971, PRECAMBRIAN GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE SALIDA AREA, CHAFFEE COUNTY, COLORADO: PH.D. THESIS, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, 131 P.

Reference (Deposit): HEINRICH, E.W., 1981, PRECAMBRIAN TUNGSTEN AND COPPER-ZINC SKARN DEPOSITS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL COLORADO: CGS RESOURCE SERIES 21, P. 99-100

Reference (Deposit): BOARDMAN, S.J., 1976, GEOLOGY OF THE PRECAMBRIAN METAMORPHIC ROCKS OF THE SALIDA AREA, CHAFFEE COUNTY, COLORADO: THE MOUNTAIN GEOLOGIST, V. 13, NO. 3, P. 89-100.

Reference (Deposit): LINDGREN, WALDEMAR, 1908, NOTES ON COPPER DEPOSITS IN CHAFFEE, FREMONT, AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS BULLETIN 340, P. 157-174 & &

Reference (Deposit): SCOTT, G.R., TAYLOR, R.B., EPIS, R.C., WOBUS, R.A., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE PUEBLO 1 DEG X 2 DEG QUADRANGLE, SOUTH-CENTRAL COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1022, 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): BHUTTA, M.A., 1954, GEOLOGY OF THE SALIDA AREA, CHAFFEE AND FREMONT COUNTIES, COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES PHD THESIS, 173 P.

Colorado Mining Photos

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