The Morning Star Mine is a gold, silver, and lead mine located in San Miguel county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,240 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: 10,240 Feet (3,121 Meters)
Commodity: Gold, Silver, Lead
Lat, Long: 37.86389, -107.94889
Map: View on Google Maps
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Morning Star Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Morning Star Mine
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Secondary: Copper
Tertiary: Zinc
Location
State: Colorado
County: San Miguel
District: Mount Wilson 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.
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Owner Name: Phillip Klingensmith
Home Office: Grand Junction, Co.
Years: 1972 -
Owner Name: Gold Leaf Mining Co.
Home Office: Grand Junction, Co.
Years: 1972 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1878
Year Last Production: 1952
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 replacement
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: Paradox Basin, San Miguel Mtns
Type: L
Description: Wilson Peak Stock, Ames Pluton
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pliocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: BROMFIELD AND OTHERS' (1972) FIRE ASSAY OF CHIP SAMPLE FROM VEIN IN SHORT BRANCH DRIFT CONTAINED 0.04 OZ/TON AU, 2.10 OZ/TON AG, 0.01% CU, 0.36% PB, AND 0.52% ZN
Analytical Data: CHEMICAL ANALYSES, 0.3 AND 1 PPM AU, 120 AND 190 PPM AG, 950 AND 1400 PPM CU, 15000 AND 18000 PPM PB, 6000 AND 13000 PPM ZN.
Analytical Data: SAMPLE FROM FACE OF VEIN CONTAINED 0.46 OZ/TON AU, 9.28 OZ/TON AG, 0.32% CU, 11.54% PB, AND 0.72% ZN. SEMIQUANTITATIVE SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSES OF TWO SAMPLES FROM CAVED ADIT CONTAINED 10% FE, 0.07% MG, 0.15% CA, 0.015 AND 0.03% TI, 300 AND GT 5000 PPM MN, 150 AND 300 PPM AG, 2000 AND 7000 PPM AS, 15 PPM B, 20 AND 150 PPM BA, LT 10 PPM BI, LT 20 AND 300 PPM CD, 5 AND 10 PPM CO, LT 5 PPM CR, 700 AND 1500 PPM CU, 15 PPM MO, 5 AND 15 PPM NI, 2000 AND 3000 PPM PB, 700 AND 3000 PPM SB, LT 10 AND 10 PPM SN, LT 100 PPM SR, 10 AND 30 PPM V, 1500 AND GT 10000 PPM ZN
Materials
Ore: Gold
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite
Comments
Comment (Workings): BROMFIELD AND OTHERS (1972) DESCRIBE WORKINGS AS FOUR TUNNELS: LOWEST (FOURTH), THIRD IS 125 FT HIGHER, SECOND IS 45 FT HIGHER, FIRST IS 65 FT HIGHER. CDM REPORTS CITE WORKINGS AS FIVE TUNNELS: 1700 FT LONG (PRESUMED LOWEST), 600 FT AND THREE TUNNELS EACH ABOUT 100 FT LONG. NEW TUNNEL BELOW NO. 3 BEING DRIVEN 150 FT TO VEIN WITH 450 FT OF DRIFT.
Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR YEARS PRIOR TO 1904, BUT TOTAL PRODUCTION CONSIDERED SMALL. NO PRODUCTION REPORTED FOR 1906, 1910-1911, 1915-1951, AND AFTER 1952.
Comment (Development): CDM REPORTS CITE CLAIM GROUP LOCATED IN 1878 AND PRODUCED TO 1903. MOST PRODUCTIVE PERIOD WAS 1904-1914. EXCEPT FOR SMALL PRODUCTION IN 1952, MINE INACTIVE, BUT WITH SOME EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN 1964-1971.
Comment (Deposit): MICROGRANOGABBRO AND GRANODIORITE LIE IN CONTACT WITH GRANODIORITE PORPHYRY OF AMES PLUTON ON NE EXTENSION OF WILSON PEAK STOCK. MORNING STAR VEIN OCCUPIES FISSURE TRENDING N 75 TO 90 W, AVERAGING ABOUT N 85 W, AND DIPPING 80 TO 90 NORTH. VEIN CUTS ALL THREE INTRUSIVE ROCKS, BUT WORKINGS CUT ONLY MICROGRANOGABBRO AND GRANODIORITE PORPHYRY. PARALLEL VEIN DIPPING 75 NORTH LIES 150 FT SOUTH OF MORNING STAR.
Comment (Location): UNPATENTED CLAIMS LIE ACROSS BILK CREEK AND EXTEND TO NORTH SLOPE OF SUNSHINE MTN 2 MILES ENE OF WILSON PEAK. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR LOWER PORTAL ON WEST SIDE OF BILK CREEK. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975
References
Reference (Production): BROMFIELD, 1967 (AS COMPILED FROM USBM RECORDS)
Reference (Deposit): BROMFIELD, C.S., 1967, GEOLOGY OF THE MOUNT WILSON QUADRANGLE, WESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1227, P. 88-89.
Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS.
Reference (Deposit): BROMFIELD, C.S., AND OTHERS, 1972, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE WILSON MOUNTAINS PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1353-A, P. 46-47, 66-67.
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