Snowstrom Mine

The Snowstrom Mine is a silver and gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 11,699 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

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.

Site Name

Primary: Snowstrom Mine
Secondary: Patented Claim: Martha
Secondary: Ms 1721

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Arsenic

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: 1878
Year Last Production: 1888
Discovery Year: 1878
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

Not available

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Proustite
Ore: Pyrargyrite
Ore: Gold
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCK CONSISTS OF CUTLER AND DOLORES FM RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE SILLS AND ONE LARGE DIKE AND TRAVERSED BY QUARTZ-BARITE VEIN TRENDING N 77 E AT ADIT OF THIRD LEVEL BUT CHANGING TO N 35 E, 75 NW, IN ARCUATE FASHION AND THOUGHT TO BE SW EXTENSION OF CUMBERLAND VEIN. ON RIDGE, VEIN IS 3-TO 5-FT-WIDE BLEACHED SHEAR ZONE CONSISTING OF QUARTZ AND LARGE IRREGULARLY BLADED BARITE. ON THIRD LEVEL. WEAK POORLY DEFINED VEIN ZONE TRAVERSES PORPHYRY DIKE WITH SOFT SHALE AND SANDSTONE WALLS.

Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED BY FOUR ADITS; UPPER TWO ADITS DRIVEN ON VEIN AND PROBABLY LESS THAN 100 FT LONG; THIRD TUNNEL DRIVEN 225 FT ON VEIN AND LOCATED 200 FT BELOW SECOND ADIT, WITH STOPING 50 TO 100 FT FROM PORTAL; FOURTH LEVEL (INACCESSIBLE) REPORTED TO BE 600 FT LONG, STARTING AS CROSSCUT; SEVERAL OPEN CUTS.

Comment (Production): PROBABLY ONLY VERY SMALL PRODUCTION FOR 1878-1883; NO PRODUCTION RECORDED FOR 1887 AND AFTER 1888.

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). AT SE END OF CUMBERLAND BASIN ON NORTH SLOPE OF SNOWSTROM PEAK, 4.1 MILES NE OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974

Comment (Commodity): ORE MINERALS NOT OBSERVED BUT THOUGHT TO BE RUBY AG; MAY INCLUDE OTHER AG SULFOSALTS

References

Reference (Production): ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949, P. 167 (AS COMPILED FROM PRIVATE ENGINEERING REPT. AND FROM REPT. OF DIRECTOR OF MINE)

Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219. P. 73-74, 167-168.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 1721

Colorado Mining Photos

Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.