The Monarch Mine is a gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,400 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: 10,400 Feet (3,170 Meters)
Commodity: Gold
Lat, Long: 37.3825, -108.06333
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.
Monarch Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Monarch Mine
Secondary: Tip Top Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Tip Top, MS 8870
Secondary: Chandler, MS 8870
Secondary: Lafe Pence, MS 8870
Secondary: Capitan, MS 8870
Secondary: Platora, MS 8870
Secondary: Unpatented Claims: Protection
Secondary: Eclipse
Secondary: Monitor
Secondary: Sunshine
Secondary: Jupiter
Secondary: Echo
Secondary: Lonesome
Secondary: Happy
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
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
Type: Underground
Ownership
Owner Name: Monarch Gold Mining Co.
Home Office: Hesperus, Co.
Years: 1934 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1933
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; Sericitization Of Feldspars
Rocks
Name: Syenite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Eocene
Name: Syenite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Not available
Comments
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ABOVE BURNT TIMBER CREEK ON SOUTH SIDE OF BRAGDON RIDGE, 1.2 MILES SOUTH OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. MINE MAY HAVE PRODUCED ORE IN UNKNOWN AMOUNTS IN 1890S.
Comment (Development): DEPOSIT DISCOVERED IN EARLY 1890S PROBABLY, AND ORIGINALLY CALLED TIP TOP MINE. MINE ACTIVE IN 1896 BUT FIRST PRODUCTION RECORDED IN 1932 AND 1933 WHEN MINE RENAMED TO MONARCH BY MONARCH GOLD MINING CO. LATER DEVELOPMENT WORK DONE IN 1934-1935 BUT MINE ABANDONED BY 1936.
Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCKS CONSIST OF CUTLER FM RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE PORPHYRY SILLS GRADING NORTHWARD INTO SYENITE. DEPOSIT LIES IN ZONE OF CRUSHED, ALTERED PORPHYRY WITH STEEPLY DIPPING SHEAR PLANES AND ABUNDANT DISSEMINATED PYRITE AND SERICITIZED FELDSPARS. VEIN TRENDS N 20 TO 40 E, DIPS 72 TO 90 NW, 3 TO 24 INCHES WIDE WITH IRREGULAR, ILL-DEFINED WALLS INDICATING REPLACEMENT RATHER THAN FISSURE FILLING.
Comment (Workings): LOWER CROSSCUT TUNNEL DRIVEN N 35 W FOR 263 FT TO FACE. UPPER CROSSCUT DRIVEN N 22 W FOR 65 FT TO VEIN: S 40 W DRIFT DRIVEN 73 FT, GENERALLY N 40 E DRIFT DRIVEN 230 FT WITH 30-FT RAISE TO SHORT NE DRIFT AT 70 FT FROM CROSSCUT.
Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1890's
References
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 8870
Reference (Production): ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949, P. 152 (AS COMPILED FROM USBM RECORDS)
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, 152-154.
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.
