The Pickens Cut is a gold and silver mine located in Rio Grande county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,201 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: 12,201 Feet (3,719 Meters)
Commodity: Gold, Silver
Lat, Long: 37.42472, -106.60000
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.
Pickens Cut MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Pickens Cut
Secondary: Claim: Little Annie
Secondary: Ms 63
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
Year First Production: 1926
Year Last Production: 1931
Discovery Year: 1926
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 quartz-alunite Au
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
Not available
Comments
Comment (Workings): OPEN CUT; APPARENTLY STOPED TO LEVEL OF WINCHESTER TUNNEL (ELEV 11833)
Comment (Development): PICKENS HAD SEEN OUTCROPS OF RICH ORE IN RUTS OF WAGON ROAD MANY YEARS EARLIER BUT SPENT 20 YEARS OBTAINING LEASE ON PROPERTY WITHOUT ATTRACTING ATTENTION TO HIS DISCOVERY. FROM 1926-1931, PICKENS AND WILEY PRODUCED 864 TONS OF HAND-SORTED RICH AU ORE VALUED AT OVER $500000.
Comment (Deposit): OPEN CUT DEVELOPED IN SMALL IRREGULAR PIPE OR REPLACEMENT VEIN IN VUGGY QUARTZ ROCK OF QUARTZ-ALUNITE ZONE SURROUNDED BY HIGHLY ARGILLIZED QUARTZ LATITE. ORE SHOOT APPARENTLY CONTROLLED BY TWO INTERSECTING FRACTURE SYSTEMS TRENDING N25W, 85 NE, AND N60E, 75 SE. DESPITE LIMITED LATERAL EXTENT. STOPES EXTEND TO DEPTH OF WINCHESTER TUNNEL.
Comment (Location): ON NORTH NOSE OF SOUTH MTN 200 FT NNW OF ESMOND MINE. ELEV FROM STEVEN AND RATTE (1960; PL. 3). ; 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): 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 63
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
