The Eldorado Claim is a copper, lead, and zinc mine located in San Juan county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,320 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: 12,320 Feet (3,755 Meters)
Commodity: Copper, Lead, Zinc
Lat, Long: 37.73889, -107.56750
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.
Eldorado Claim MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Eldorado Claim
Secondary: Patented Claim: El Dorado
Secondary: Ms 16686
Commodity
Primary: Copper
Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Location
State: Colorado
County: San Juan
District: Beartown (Bear Creek) 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 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: Alkaline Au-Te (Au-Ag-Te veins)
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, San Juan Volcanic Field
Type: L
Description: San Juan Uplift, San Juan Caldera, Unnamed Faults
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene
Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: STEVEN AND OTHERS' (1969) CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF THREE SAMPLES FROM SIMILAR PYRITE-BEARING CHLORITIC SHEARED ZONES SHOWED 0.02 PPM AU, 610 TO 960 PPM CU, 25 TO 36 PPM PB, 40 TO 70 PPM ZN, LT 2 TO 16 PPM MO, 10 PPM AS, 1 PPM SB, 0.15 PPM HG, 5.6 PPM TE, 1.2 PPM AG.
Materials
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Limonite
Comments
Comment (Deposit): SITE LIES NE OF CONTACT BETWEEN OLDER METAMORPHICS OF IRVING FM AND YOUNGER QUARTZITES AND SLATES OF UNCOMPAHGRE FM. TUNNEL WAS DRIVEN TOINTERSECT FISSURE TRENDING S 46 E AND COMPOSED OF MICACEOUS CHLORITIC SCHIST. CROSS AND OTHERS (1905) NOTE THAT, IN CONTRAST TO OTHER MINES IN DISTRICT, ELDORADO SHOWED NO TETRAHEDRITE OR TELLURIDES. AU AND AG MAY BE CONTAINED IN SMALL AMOUNTS IN PYRITE AND/OR CHALCOPYRITE.
Comment (Workings): ONE TUNNEL OF UNKNOWN EXTENT DRIVEN GENERALLY SE
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON RIDGE WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ABOVE UNNAMED TRIBUTARIES OF ELK CREEK 3.45 MILES WNW OF BEARTOWN SITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1977
References
Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1969, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1261-F, P. 67-71, 89-90, 168-171.
Reference (Deposit): PROSSER, W.C., 1911, THE BEAR CREEK SYLVANITE CAMP, COLORADO: ENG. MINING JOUR., V. 91, P. 712.
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS FOLIO 131.
Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE DURANGO QUADRANGLE, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-764.
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 16686
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
