The Bitteroot Mine is a silver mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,999 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: 7,999 Feet (2,438 Meters)
Commodity: Silver
Lat, Long: 37.61361, -107.74500
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.
Bitteroot Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Bitteroot Mine
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Location
State: Colorado
County: La Plata
District: Cascade 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 Last Production: 1925
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Polymetallic veins
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift
Type: L
Description: Needle Mtns Uplift
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Fe Oxidation
Rocks
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age in Years: 1460.000000+-70.000000
Dating Method: K-Ar
Age Young: Precambrian
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-27.000000
Dating Method: Rb-Sr
Age Young: Precambrian
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-27.000000
Dating Method: Rb-Sr
Age Young: Precambrian
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age in Years: 1460.000000+-70.000000
Dating Method: K-Ar
Age Young: Precambrian
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: CHIP SAMPLES OF LIMONITE-STAINED GOUGE AND PYRITE FROM FAULT CONTAINED 0.01 TO 0.2% CU
Materials
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Limonite
Comments
Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED BY THREE SHORT TUNNELS. LOWER (MAIN) TUNNEL DRIVEN N 40 W FOR 65 FT TO FACE. UPPER TUNNEL LOCATED 125 FT NW OF MAIN TUNNEL AND DRIVEN N 45 W FOR 20 FT. THIRD TUNNEL STILL HIGHER ON HILLSIDE LIES APPROX 430 FT NW OF MAIN ADIT, EXTENT UNKNOWN.
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON NORTH SIDE OF ANIMAS RIVER AT SE BASE OF WEST NEEDLE MTNS. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR LOWER PORTAL. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Development): SCOTT (1983) STATES THAT ANALYTICAL DATA DID NOT CONFIRM PRESENCE OF AG BUT THAT ODEL WILEY OF FARMINGTON, NM (IN 1982 PERS. COMM.), CITED PRODUCTION OF LOW-GRADE AG ORE IN 1920S FROM BITTEROOT AND SILVER STAR EXTENSION MINES.
Comment (Deposit): MINE DEVELOPED ON QUARTZ-PYRITE-CALCITE VEINS WITHIN FAULT ZONE CUTTING NE-TRENDING FOLIATION OF TWILIGHT GNEISS. IN TUNNEL, FAULT TRENDS N 40 TO 45 W, 67-68 NE.
References
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS QUADRANGLE, COLORADO; USGS FOLIO 131.
Reference (Deposit): SCOTT, D.C., 1983, MINERAL INVESTIGATION OF THE WEST NEEDLE WILDERNESS SUTDY AREA AND THE BLM WEST NEEDLE CONTIGUOUS WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, LA PLATA AND SAN JUAN COUNTIES, COLORADO: USBM MLA 35-83, P. 6-7, 36-39.
Reference (Deposit): BARKER, FRED, 1969,PRECAMBRIAN GEOLOGY OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO; USGS PROF. PAPER 644-A.
Colorado Mining Photos
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