The Iron Mine is a silver and copper mine located in Dolores county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,400 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: 9,400 Feet (2,865 Meters)
Commodity: Silver, Copper
Lat, Long: 37.70056, -108.01417
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.
Iron Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Iron Mine
Secondary: Patented Claim: Iron Mine
Secondary: Ms 8758
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Primary: Copper
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Zinc
Location
State: Colorado
County: Dolores
District: Pioneer (Rico) 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
Owner Name: H. Obendorfer And Matt Jacobson
Home Office: Rico, Co.
Years: 1920 -
Owner Name: John Doyle Mining And Milling Co.
Home Office: Rico, Co.
Years: 1920 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1920
Discovery Year: 1882
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 replacement
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, Paradox Basin
Type: L
Description: Rico Dome, Nellie Bly Fault, Unnamed Fault
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pennsylvanian
Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene
Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Pennsylvanian
Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: STOPED ORE CONTAINED 40 TO 70 OZ/TON AG, 2 TO 3% CU. 30% FE
Materials
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). NORTH OF SILVER CREEK ON SE SIDE OF SW PROJECTION OF TELESCOPE MTN. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FROM MCKNIGHT, 1974, PL. 1 (1930 BASE). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975
Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR YEARS PRIOR TO 1920. NO REPORTED PRODUCTION AFTER 1920.
Comment (Deposit): MIDDLE AND UPPER HERMOSA FM LIMESTONES, SANDSTONES, AND SHALES TREND NW-SE, DIP 25 TO 30 NE, AND ARE INTRUDED BY HORNBLENDE LATITE PORPHYRY SILL. IRON VEIN TRENDS N 16 W, 60 TO 85 NE, AND CONSISTS OF 4 TO 10 INCHES OF BANDED QUARTZ ON HANGING WALL FOLLOWED BY DISTURBED QUARTZ AND COUNTRY ROCK, WITH PINKISH MANGANIFEROUS (?) CALCITE AS GANGUE. PRACTICALLY NO ORE FOUND WHERE FAULT TRAVERSES SANDSTONE AND SHALE. LIMESTONE REPLACED OVER 100-FT LENGTH AND 6- TO 12-FT WIDTH WHERE VEIN CUTS MIDDLE HERMOSA FM. ORE ALSO EXTENDS INTO LIMESTONE FOR SOME DISTANCE FROM VEIN ALONG FISSURES DIPPING 40 SW AND COMING TO MAIN VEIN FROM NE. PRESENCE OF EAST-WEST-TRENDING NELLIE BLY FAULT SUGGESTED BY CHANGE IN DIP OF BEDDING AND THIN VEIN OF CRUSHED BANDED QUARTZ. LOWER TUNNEL WORKED DOWNDIP EXTENSION OF LIMESTONE REPLACEMENT ORE, BUT NELLIE BLY FAULT MAY TRUNCATE MINERALIZED BEDS AT DEPTH.
Comment (Workings): UPPER TUNNEL ABANDONED, EXTENT UNKNOWN; MIDDLE TUNNEL DRIVEN N 16 W ALONG VEIN FOR 953 FT; LOWER TUNNEL DRIVEN PRESUMABLY ALONG VEIN AT N 16 W FOR 675 FT, CONNECTED BY 140-FT WINZE FROM MIDDLE TUNNEL.
References
Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F.L., 1901, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS 22D ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 383-385.
Reference (Deposit): MCKNIGHT, E.T., 1974, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 723.
Reference (Deposit): PRATT, W.P., AND OTHERS, 1969, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE RICO QUADRANGLE, DOLORES AND MONTEZUMA COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-797.
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND RANSOME, F.L., 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE RICO QUADRANGLE: USGS FOLIO 130.
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 8758
Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPT.
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.