The Aztec Mine is a gold and silver mine located in Rio Grande county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,175 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: 12,175 Feet (3,711 Meters)
Commodity: Gold, Silver
Lat, Long: 37.42, -106.59500
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.
Aztec Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Aztec Mine
Secondary: Fairview Mine
Secondary: Aztec No. 1
Secondary: Aztec No. 2
Secondary: Claim: Aztec, MS 621a
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Location
State: Colorado
County: Rio Grande
District: Summit (Summitville) 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 Year: 1870
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: Polymetallic veins
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: San Juan Volcanic Field
Type: L
Description: Platoro Caldera, Summitville Caldera, Summitville Fault, South Mountain Dome
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Quartz-Alunite Solfataric Alteration
Rocks
Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Miocene
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Gangue: Barite
Comments
Comment (Deposit): AZTEC 1 AND 2 MINES DEVELOPED ON AZTEC AND TEWKSBURY VEINS. AZTEC VEIN IS OVAL PIPE OF HIGHLY SILICIFIED QUARTZ LATITE SURROUNDED BY ENVELOPED OF SOFT ARGILLIZED ALTERATION ZONE, OVER TOP OF SE EDGE OF PIPE. BETWEEN AZTEC 1 AND IOWA LEVELS, DEPOSIT IS CROSS-SHAPED WITH MAJOR TABULAR PROJECTIONS EXTENDING NW-SE ALONG PREDOMINATE VEIN TREND AND NE-SW ACROSS TREND, SUGGESTING LOCALIZATION AT INTERSECTION OF FRACTURES. BLACK WONDER VEIN AND TEWKSBURY VEIN MAY JOIN ON IOWA LEVEL BENEATH AZTEC 2 WORKINGS. AZTEC 2 DEPOSIT APPEARS TO BE IRREGULARLY ELONGATE PIPE OF VUGGY QUARTZ ROCK IN QUARTZ-ALUNITE ZONE AT NORTH END OF TEWKSBURY VEIN.
Comment (Workings): AZTEC 2 LEVEL CONSISTS OF APPROX 400 FT OF CROSSCUT TUNNEL AND DRIFT LEADING INTO MAJOR STOPE BETWEEN GOLCONDA 1 AND 2 LEVELS. AZTEC 1 WORKINGS CONSIST OF 250 FT OF CROSSCUT TUNNEL, 260-FT AZTEC SHAFT AND GLORY HOLE AND SEVERAL SHORT LEVELS FROM 90 TO 260 FT DEPTH TOTALLING APPROX 970 FT. WINZE CONNECTS AZTEC 1 WORKINGS TO IOWA LEVEL. AZTEC OR SWEDE WINZE SUNK BELOW IOWA LEVEL. AZTEC 1 EXTENSIVELY WORKED TO IOWA LEVEL AND LARGELY STOPED ABOVE 90-FT LEVEL.
Comment (Location): ON NE SLOPE OF SOUTH MTN 660 FT SW OF IOWA PORTAL. PORTAL NO. 1 ELEV FROM STEVEN AND RATTE (1960, PL. 4). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975
References
Reference (Deposit): PATTON, H.B., 1917, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PLATORO-SUMMITVILLE MINING DISTRICT, COLORADO: CGS BULL. 13.
Reference (Deposit): HILLS, R.C., 1885, ORE DEPOSITS OF SUMMIT DISTRICT, RIO GRANDE COUNTY, COLORADO: COLORADO SCI. SOC. PROC., V. 1, P. 20-37.
Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND RATTE, J.C., 1960, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE SUMMITVILLE DISTRICT, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 343
Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE PLATORO CALDERA AREA, SOUTHEASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-828.
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 621A
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
