Pickens Cut

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

Name: Pickens Cut  

State:  Colorado

County:  Rio Grande

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.


Satelite image of the Pickens Cut

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

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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