The Texas Chief Mine is a copper and silver mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,639 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: 9,639 Feet (2,938 Meters)
Commodity: Copper, Silver
Lat, Long: 37.36611, -108.02028
Map: View on Google Maps
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Texas Chief Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Texas Chief Mine
Secondary: Mountain Meadow Mine
Secondary: Texas Chief and Mountain Meadow Groups
Commodity
Primary: Copper
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Gold
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Antimony
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
Owner Name: Texas Chief Mining Co.
Home Office: Durango, Co.
Years: 1934 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1917
Year Last Production: 1928
Discovery Year: 1885
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: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Triassic
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Triassic
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: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrargyrite
Ore: Petzite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Siderite
Comments
Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1880S?
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ABOVE UNNAMED TRIBUTARY OF SOUTH FORK OF LIGHTNER CREEK ON EAST-PROJECTING SPUR OF PAINE RIDGE, 3.3 MILES SE OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Production): COMPLETE PRODUCTION RECORD
Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCKS CONSIST OF DOLORES AND CUTLER FM RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE PORPHYRY SILLS AND DIKES. TEN OR MORE DISCONTINUOUS VEINS STRIKE IN TWO PRINCIPAL DIRECTIONS: N 60 TO 70 W AND N 5 T015 E.
Comment (Workings): TEXAS CHIEF WORKINGS INCLUDE OPEN CUTS AND 500 FT OF TRENCHING, SHALLOW TUNNEL, AND 85-FT VERTICAL SHAFT. MOUNTAIN MEADOW GROUP WORKINGS INCLUDE 15-FT VERTICAL SHAFT, 75-FT DRIFT TUNNEL, 100-FT DRIFT TUNNEL, 150-FT DRIFT TUNNEL, 60-FT DRIFT TUNNEL, 85-FT INCLINED SHAFT.
References
Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219, P. 69-70, 168.
Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPT.
Reference (Production): ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949, P. 168 (AS COMPILED FROM USGS AND USBM RECORDS)
Colorado Mining Photos
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