Texas Chief Mine

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

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: 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

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