The Bonnie Girl Mine is a gold and silver mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,699 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: 10,699 Feet (3,261 Meters)
Commodity: Gold, Silver
Lat, Long: 37.39944, -108.03917
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.
Bonnie Girl Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Bonnie Girl Mine
Secondary: Baker Contact
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Tertiary: Copper
Location
State: Colorado
County: La Plata
District: California (La Plata) 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: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1895
Year Last Production: 1919
Discovery Year: 1895
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Colorado Plateaus
Physiographic Section: Navajo Section
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Polymetallic veins
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, Four Corners Platform
Type: L
Description: La Plata Dome
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation Of Pyrite To Limonite
Rocks
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Magnetite
Comments
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). NE OF TIRBIRCIO CREEK ON WEST SLOPE OF BAKER PEAK, 1.35 MILES ENE OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCK CONSISTS OF METAMORPHOSED CUTLER FM RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE PORPHYRY SILLS AND DIKES AND CUT BY ENE-WSW-TRENDING VEIN. NO STRONG VEINS WERE SEEN IN MINE WORKINGS BUT RATHER MANY ZONES AND LENSES OF BRECCIATED AND ALTERED ROCK BEARING PYRITE AND QUARTZ. GOLD PRODUCED BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN FROM OXIDIZED ZONE NEAR SURFACE.
Comment (Workings): MAIN WORKING IS SMALL HILLSIDE OPEN CUT; SEVERAL EXPLORATORY ADITS TOTALING 700 FT; 225-FT ADIT DRIVEN N 80 E SITUATED JUST EAST OF OPEN CUT; LOWER TUNNEL DRIVEN N 32 E FOR 125 FT WITH GENERALLY EASTWARD BRANCH 140 FT DRIVEN AT 45 FT FROM PORTAL: REMNANTS OF AERIAL TRAM THAT CONNECTED MINE TO GOLD KING MILL.
Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. PRODUCTION PRIOR TO 1902 UNKNOWN BUT CONSIDERED SMALL. NO PRODUCTION FOR OTHER YEARS EXCEPT THOSE SHOWN.
Comment (Development): DEPOSIT DISCOVERED 1895 OR EARLIER AND PERHAPS PRODUCED SMALL AMOUNT OF ORE TO 1902. RECORDED INTERMITTENT PRODUCTION IN 1906, 1908, AND 1919. ABOUT 1904, 50-STAMP MILL BUILT AT MOUTH OF TIRBIRCIO CREEK AND WAS CONNECTED TO MINE VIA AERIAL TRAM. MILL OPERATED ONLY A FEW YEARS, BUT RUMOR SAYS IT PRODUCED LARGE QUANTITY OF AMALGAM, BUT US MINT FOUND IT TO CONTAIN CU RATHER THAN AU. MILL LATER REMODELED AS GOLD KING MILL.
References
Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219, P. 67-68, 96-97
Reference (Production): ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949 (AS COMPILED FROM USGS AND USBM RECORDS)
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
