The Mastadon Mine is a silver mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,589 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: 8,589 Feet (2,618 Meters)
Commodity: Silver
Lat, Long: 37.62028, -107.68389
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.
Mastadon Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Mastadon Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Golden Cross No. 1, MS 14152
Secondary: Golden Needle, MS 14152
Secondary: Air Line, MS 14152
Secondary: Golden Slipper No. 1, MS 14152
Secondary: Golden Slipper No. 2, MS 14152
Secondary: Patented Claims: Golden Cross No. 1, MS 14152a
Secondary: Golden Needle, MS 14152a
Secondary: Air Line, MS 14152a
Secondary: Golden Slipper No. 1, MS 14152a
Secondary: Golden Slipper No. 2, MS 14152a
Secondary: Golden Cross Mill Site, MS 14152b
Secondary: Green River, MS 15230
Secondary: Grand View, MS 15230
Secondary: Tip Top, MS 15230
Secondary: American, MS 15231
Secondary: Sideline, MS 15231
Secondary: Washington, MS 15231
Secondary: Crown, MS 15231
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Gold
Location
State: Colorado
County: La Plata
District: Needle Mountain (Tacoma, Florida, Vallecito) District
Land Status
Land ownership: National Forest
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.
Administrative Organization: San Juan N. F.
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 Year: 1900
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 Uplift, San Juan Basin, San Juan Volcanic Field
Type: L
Description: Needle Mtns Uplift, Eolus Batholith, Chicago Basin Stock, Trimble Stock
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 10.100000+-1.100000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-27.000000
Dating Method: Rb-Sr
Age Young: Precambrian
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-20.000000
Dating Method: U-Pb (zircon)
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Precambrian
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1460.000000+-70.000000
Dating Method: K-Ar
Age Young: Precambrian
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 10.100000+-1.100000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-27.000000
Dating Method: Rb-Sr
Age Young: Precambrian
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 10.100000+-1.100000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-20.000000
Dating Method: U-Pb (zircon)
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Precambrian
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1460.000000+-70.000000
Dating Method: K-Ar
Age Young: Precambrian
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: SCOTT'S (1983) FIRE ASSAYS OF SAMPLES FROM SHAFT, PROSPECTS, AND THREE TUNNELS: 0.3 OZ/TON AG FROM SHAFT DUMP, 0.3 OZ/TON AG FROM DUMP OF LOWER PROSPECT PIT, 0.2 TO 0.4 OZ/TON AG FROM CHIP SAMPLES OF VEIN MATERIAL IN LOWER TUNNEL, 0.2 TO 0.4 OZ/TON AG FROM CHIP SAMPLES OF GOLDEN CROSS VEIN IN MIDDLE TUNNEL, 0.5 OZ/TON AG FROM CHIP SAMPLES FROM GOLDEN SLIPPER VEIN SECOND TUNNEL, 0.2 TO 0.3 OZ/TON AG FROM CHIP SAMPLES OF GOLDEN CROSS VEIN IN UPPER TUNNEL, 0.3 TO 0.4 OZ/TON AG FROM CHIP SAMPLES OF GOLDEN SLIPPER VEIN IN UPPER TUNNEL, DUMP SAMPLE FROM UPPER TUNNEL CONTAINED 0.3 OZ/TON AG, 0.026 OZ/TON AU.
Materials
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Chlorite
Comments
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ALONG LOWER NEEDLE CREEK AND UNNAMED TRIBUTARY APPROX ONE MILE SE OF CONFLUENCE WITH ANIMAS RIVER. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR LOWER ADIT ON NEEDLE CREEK. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Workings): SURFACE PROSPECTS; LOWER TUNNEL (ELEV 8590) DRIVEN GENERALLY S 40 W FOR 260 FT TO CAVED AREA. MIDDLE ADIT (ELEV 8760) LOCATED 550 FT SW OF LOWER ADIT AND IS DRIVEN GENERALLY S 22 E FOR 160 FT, THENCE S 5 E FOR 250 FT TO FACE, AT WHICH 25 FT OF DRIFT DEVELOPED AT WNW TO ESE; AT 225 FT FROM PORTAL, 140-FT NE DRIFT AND 130-FT SW DRIFT DRIVEN ON VEIN. UPPER ADIT (ELEV 9040) LOCATED 1100 FT SW OF LOWER PORTAL IS DRIVEN S 5 E FOR 120 FT TO FACE (VEIN), AT WHICH 50-FT WSW AND 85-FT ENE DRIFTS DRIVEN. ONE SHAFT OF UNKNOWN DEPTH LIES 250 FT WSW OF LOWER PORTAL.
Comment (Deposit): MINE DEVELOPED ON TWO PRINCIPAL VEINS. GOLDEN CROSS VEIN TRENDS N 69 E, 86 NW IN UPPER TUNNEL AND IRREGULARLY N 45 TO 70 E, 65 NW AND 81 TO 85 SE IN PRINCIPAL DRIFT OF MIDDLE TUNNEL. GOLDEN SLIPPER VEIN TRENDS N 75 E, VERTICAL IN PRINCIPAL DRIFT OF UPPER TUNNEL. LIMONITE-STAINED CLAY GOUGE CONTAINS PYRITE, CALCITE, AND CHLORITE.
References
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 14152, 15230, 15231
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS FOLIO 131.
Reference (Deposit): SCHMITT, L.J., AND RAYMOND, W.H., 1977, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS DISTRICT, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1434, 40 P.
Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1969, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1261-F.
Reference (Deposit): SCOTT, D.C., 1983, MINERAL INVESTIGATION OF THE WEST NEEDLE WILDERNESS STUDY AREA AND THE BLM WEST NEEDLE CONTIGUOUS WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, LA PLATA AND SAN JUAN COUNTIES, COLORADO: USBM MLA 35-83, P. 6, 26-35
Colorado Mining Photos
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