The Sphalerite Mine is a zinc, lead, and copper mine located in Pitkin county, Colorado at an elevation of 11,201 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: 11,201 Feet (3,414 Meters)
Commodity: Zinc, Lead, Copper
Lat, Long: 39.03194, -106.61472
Map: View on Google Maps
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Sphalerite Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Sphalerite Mine
Commodity
Primary: Zinc
Primary: Lead
Primary: Copper
Location
State: Colorado
County: Pitkin
District: Lincoln (Lincoln Gulch, Ruby) 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
Not available
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Deposit Type: Vein
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: Sawatch Uplift, Central Colorado Trough, Arkansas Valley Graben, Twin Lakes Batholith
Type: L
Description: Grizzly Peak Cauldron, Mt Elbert Volcanotectonic Depression, Lincoln Gulch Stock, Sawmill Plug
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Quartz-Sericite-Pyrite, Quartz-Sericite, Argillic
Rocks
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Oligocene
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite
Comments
Comment (Location): ALONG LINCOLN GULCH 5.2 MILES SSW FROM INDEPENDENCE TOWNSITE AND 0.8 MILE NW OF RUBY TOWNSITE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1977)
Comment (Deposit): QUARTZ LATITE DIKES RADIATE FROM POST-BLOCK FAULT ACIDIC PLUG THAT INTRUDES SATELLITE DIORITE STOCK OF TWIN LAKES BATHOLITH ON TRACE OF LINCOLN GULCH FAULT. SAWMILL PLUG IS ONE OF SEVERAL INTRUSIONS ON ARCUATE ZONE EXTENDING FROM PINE-BOWMAN CREEK DIVIDE TO WEST RED MTN. AND MAY POSSIBLY CONNECT WITH RING DIKE AT DEPTH. PLUG COMPOSED OF BANDED FELSITE PORPHYRY CENTER GRADING INTO PYROCLASTIC CORE CUT BY SEVERAL VUGGY RHYOLITE DIKES. CONTACTS OF PLUG AND DIORITE GENERALLY MARKED BY GLASSY PORPHYRY AND BY 50-FT-WIDE BRECCIA ON NE EDGE. ALTERATION CONSISTS OF QUARTZ-SERICITE-PYRITE CORE ENCLOSED IN QUARTZ-SERICITE ZONE ENCLOSED IN ARGILLIC ZONE. PLUG BELIEVED TO POSTDATE CAULDRON DEVELOPMENT AND WAS LOCALIZED ON NNW-TRENDING BLOCK FAULT BECAUSE 1) IT IS MORE ACIDIC THAN EARLIER MAFIC INTRUSIONS; AND 2) LACK OF OFFSET ON LINCOLN GULCH FAULT.
Comment (Workings): ONE TUNNEL OF UNKNOWN EXTENT
Comment (Commodity): SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSES DETECTED TRACES OF SB, W, MO, AND AG, V, CO
References
Reference (Deposit): CRUSON, M.G., 1973, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE GRIZZLY PEAK CAULDRON COMPLEX, SAWATCH RANGE, COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES PH.D. THESIS T-1538.
Reference (Deposit): HOWELL, J.V., 1919, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE TWIN LAKES DISTRICT OF COLORADO: CGS BULL. 17, 106 P.
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