The Ruby Mine is a silver and gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 11,201 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: 11,201 Feet (3,414 Meters)
Commodity: Silver, Gold
Lat, Long: 37.42778, -108.00528
Map: View on Google Maps
Satelite View
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Ruby Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Ruby Mine
Secondary: Patented Claim: Ruby
Secondary: Ms 1722
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Mercury
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: 1880
Year Last Production: 1898
Discovery Year: 1880
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, Lewis Mtn Diorite Stock
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Triassic
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Triassic
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Eocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: SHIPPING ORE REPORTEDLY CONTAINED 34 OZ/TON AU AND 20 OZ/TON AG
Materials
Ore: Mercury
Ore: Amalgam
Ore: Sylvanite
Ore: Gold
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Workings): LOWER TUNNEL DRIVEN GENERALLY N 55 W FOR 150 FT, THENCE S 73 W FOR 90 FT TO FACE; AT 170 FT FROM PORTAL, BRANCH TUNNEL DRIVEN N 50 W FOR 60 FT TO FACE AND INCLINED RAISE TO FACE OF UPPER TUNNEL. UPPER TUNNEL LOCATED 180 FT NW OF LOWER TUNNEL, DRIVEN N 62 W FOR 40 FT, THENCE NORTH 20 FT TO FACE AND INCLINED RAISE FROM LOWER TUNNEL.
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON EAST FLANK OF LEWIS MTN IN HEADWATERS OF RUBY GULCH, 3.75 MILES NE OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Development): MINE RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF DISTRICT'S RICHEST SYLVANITE DEPOSITS. WORKED INTERMITTENTLY FROM ABOUT 1880 TO 1898.
Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCKS CONSIST OF DOLORES AND CUTLER FM RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE PORPHYRY SILLS AND DIKES AND BY TONGUE OF DIORITE FROM LEWIS MTN STOCK. RUBY VEIN TRENDS EAST-WEST AND CONSISTS OF WEAK PYRITIZED FRACTURE ZONE WITH A LITTLE VEIN QUARTZ.
References
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 1722
Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219, P. 73-76, 162-163.
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
