The Waterfall Mine is a copper, silver, and gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,299 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: 10,299 Feet (3,139 Meters)
Commodity: Copper, Silver, Gold
Lat, Long: 37.60889, -107.68333
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.
Waterfall Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Waterfall Mine
Secondary: Bluff-Waterfall Mine
Commodity
Primary: Copper
Primary: Silver
Primary: 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
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
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: Granite
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: 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: 1460.000000+-70.000000
Dating Method: K-Ar
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: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene
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: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene
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: 1466.000000+-27.000000
Dating Method: Rb-Sr
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: 10.100000+-1.100000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Gold
Ore: Silver
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). CROSS AND OTHERS' (1905) MAP SHOWS LOCATION APPROX 0.7 MILE UP UNNAMED TRIBUTARY OF NEEDLE CREEK NORTH OF MOUNTAIN VIEW CREST, 4.5 MILES WNW OF COLUMBINE PASS. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Deposit): CROSS AND OTHERS (1905) DESCRIBE DEPOSIT AT WATERFALL MINE AS MODIFIED-TYPE VEIN IN WHICH MINERALIZATION FORMED BY REPLACEMENT IN CLOSELY SPACED QUARTZ VEINLETS IN SHEETED ZONE IN METAMORPHICS. INTERSECTING ZONES CAN FORM STOCKWORK-TYPE DEPOSIT. SHEETED ZONE USUALLY CUTS ACROSS FOLIATION AND COMMONLY BRANCHES IN HANGING WALL. NATIVE AU AND AG REPORTED FROM UPPER OXIDIZED ZONE.
References
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS FOLIO 131.
Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1969, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1261-F, P. 30-32, 55-67.
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.
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