Gold Bug Mine

The Gold Bug Mine is a gold and silver mine located in San Juan county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,119 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: Gold Bug Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  San Juan

Elevation: 12,119 Feet (3,694 Meters)

Commodity: Gold, Silver

Lat, Long: 37.71111, -107.52778

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 Gold Bug Mine

Gold Bug Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Gold Bug Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Gold Bug, MS 11619a
Secondary: Repeal, MS 11691a
Secondary: Gold Nugget, MS 11691a
Secondary: Gold Bug Mill Site, MS 11691b


Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Tellurium
Tertiary: Antimony


Location

State: Colorado
County: San Juan
District: Beartown (Bear Creek) District


Land Status

Administrative Organization: San Juan N. F. (?)


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Not available


Ownership

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1892
Discovery Year: 1892
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, Unnamed Fault, Unnamed Syncline


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CHEMICAL ANALYSES SHOWED 0.02 TO 0.1 PPM AU, 11 TO 36 PPM CU, LT 25 TO 40 PPM PB, LT 25 TO 210 PPM ZN, 30 TO 120 PPM MO, LT 10 TO 80 PPM AS, 2 TO 15 PPM SB, 0.05 TO 0.32 PPM HG, 2.4 TO 7.3 PPM TE, 1.2 TO 4 PPM AG.
Analytical Data: SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSES OF FOUR SAMPLES ALONG GOLD BUG AND ASSOCIATED EASTERN VEIN SHOWED 500 TO 2000 PPM TI, 50 TO 700 PPM MN, 0.7 TO 1.5 PPM AG, LT 200 TO 200 PPM BA, LT 10 PPM BI, LT 20 TO 50 PPM CD, LT 5 TO 5 PPM CO, 7 TO 20 PPM CR, 20 TO 30 PPM CU, LT 5 PPM MO, 5 TO 15 PPM NI, 20 TO 30 PPM PB, LT 100 PPM SB, LT 10 PPM SN, LT 100 PPM SR, 50 TO 70 PPM V, LT 50 PPM W, LT 200 TO 500 PPM ZN, 0.07 TO 0.2 PPM FE.
Analytical Data: CHEMICAL ANALYSES SHOWED 0.2 TO 11 PPM AU, 16 TO 56 PPM CU, LT 25 TO 150 PPM PB, 40 TO 460 PPM ZN, 8 TO 16 PPM MO, LT 10 TO 30 PPM AS, 3 TO GT 100 PPM SB, 0.07 TO 0.2 PPM HG, 1.5 TO 80 PPM TE, 1.6 TO 14.6 PPM AG.
Analytical Data: STEVEN AND OTHERS (1969) SEMIQUANTITATIVE SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSES OF FOUR SAMPLES ALONG REPEAL VEIN SHOWED 300 TO 2000 PPM TI, 150 TO 300 PPM MN, 0.7 TO 3 PPM AG, LT 200 TO 700 PPM AS, 70 TO 500 PPM BA, LT 10 PPM BI, LT 20 PPM CD, LT 5 TO 15 PPM CO, LT 5 TO 15 PPM CR, 30 TO 100 PPM CU, LT 5 TO 15 PPM MO, 10 TO 20 PPM NI, 15 TO 50 PPM PB, LT 100 TO 200 PPM SB, LT 10 PPM SN, LT 100 TO 100 PPM SR, 30 TO 70 PPM V, LT 50 PPM W, LT 200 TO 1500 PPM ZN, 0.1 TO 0.2 PPM FE.


Materials

Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Marcasite
Ore: Sylvanite
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Calaverite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Petzite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Gangue: Kaolinite
Gangue: Hematite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite


Comments

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON UPPER BEAR CREEK JUST WEST OF KITE LAKE 1.6 MILES SW FROM BEARTOWN SITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :41? 01 1977

Comment (Commodity): CU, PB, AND ZN SULFIDES AND OXIDIZED ORES LISTED ARE REPORTED ORES LISTED ARE REPORTED GENERALLY FOR DISTRICT AND NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED AT THIS MINE. MINOR PRODUCTION OF CU AND PB LIKEWISE NOT VERIFIED.

Comment (Deposit): MINE DEVELOPED ON THREE NNE-STRIKING, VERTICAL, PARALLEL QUARTZ VEINS IN SOUTH PART OF CENTRALLY CONCENTRATED ZONE OF PRODUCTIVE VEINS. FISSURES CUT DIAGONALLY ACROSS NE LIMB OF NW-PLUNGING SYNCLINE (AS IMPLIED BY CROSS AND OTHERS' MAP). WEST OR REPEAL VEIN IS 3 FT WIDE; GOLD BUG REACHES MAXIMUM 6 FT IN WIDTH, AVERAGING 1.5 FT.

Comment (Workings): SURFACE CUTS; ONE TUNNEL DRIVEN DUE WEST FOR 900 FT, INTERSECTING GOLD BUG VEIN AT 606 FT AND REPEAL VEIN AT 900 FT AT WHICH POINT 417-FT RAISE DRIVEN TO SURFACE. 60 FT OF DRIFT ON 100 LEVEL IN RAISE; 500 FT OF DRIFT ON 200 LEVEL. RAISE ON GOLD BUG VEIN. 30-FT SHAFT FROM SURFACE.


References

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS FOLIO 131.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 11691A & B

Reference (Deposit): PROSSER, W.C., 1911, THE BEAR CREEK SYLVANITE CAMP, COLORADO: ENG. MINING JOUR., V. 91, P. 712.

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INSP. REPTS., 1897, P, 248.

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.

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE DURANGO QUADRANGLE, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-764.


Colorado Mining Photos

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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