Golden Fleece Mine

Site Name

Primary: Golden Fleece Mine
Secondary: Hotchkiss Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Golden Fleece, MS 1017
Secondary: Pallas, MS 7668
Secondary: Hinsdale, MS 7668
Secondary: Golden Fleece Extension, MS 8550
Secondary: Alpha, MS 8734
Secondary: Omega, MS 8734
Secondary: Enterprise, MS 8754
Secondary: Yellow Jacket, MS 8978
Secondary: Jason, MS 9118
Secondary: Denver, MS 9118
Secondary: Certified Check, MS 9364
Secondary: Fleece Basin, MS 9364
Secondary: Bank of Slumgullion, MS 9364
Secondary: Kearsage, MS 12178
Secondary: Colchis, MS 12234
Secondary: Gold Pot, MS 12450
Secondary: Gold Ram, MS 12450
Secondary: Greek, MS 12948
Secondary: Necessity, MS 12948
Secondary: Iron Clad, MS 13393
Secondary: Concord, MS 13393
Secondary: Newbern, MS 16720

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Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Primary: Copper
Primary: Lead
Secondary: Zinc
Tertiary: Tellurium
Tertiary: Uranium
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Bismuth
Tertiary: Manganese
Tertiary: Strontium
Tertiary: Phosphorus-Phosphates

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Location

State: Colorado
County: Hinsdale
District: Lake (Lake City) District

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Land Status

Land ownership: Private
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.

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Holdings

Not available

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Workings

Not available

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Ownership

Owner Name: Golden Fleece Mining Co.
Home Office: Lake City, Co.
Years: 1964 -

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Production

Year: 1963
Description: Ap_Grade: ^617.11 Oz/Ton Ag, 21.59 Oz/Ton Au, 0.5% Cu, 1.6% Pb, 0.55% Zn
Year: 1963
Description: Ap_Grade: ^46.89 Oz/Ton Ag, 0.943 Oz/Ton Au, 1.4% Cu, 0.2% Pb, 0.5% Zn

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Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1875
Year Last Production: 1963
Discovery Year: 1874
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

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Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains

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Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

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Orebody

Form: IRREGULAR

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Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Volcanic Field, San Juan Depression

Type: L
Description: San Juan-Uncompahgre Calderas, Lake City Caldera

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Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Surface Oxidation Of Fe Sulfides To Hematite And Limonite; Kaolinitization Of Feldspar In Tuff; Hypogene Alteration Of Argentiferous Cu Sulfide To Pyrargyrite, Covellite, And Bornite

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Rocks

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Miocene

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Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CLASS 4 (DUMP ORE), 0.40 OZ/TON AU, 15.0 OZ/TON AG. HIGH-GRADE ORE FROM MAIN LEVEL ASSAYED 1255 OZ/TON AG AND 125 OZ/TON AU. LARSEN AND SCHALLER'S (1911) ANALYSIS OF HINSDALITE: 31.75% PBO, 3.11% SRO, TRACE CAO, 26.47% AL2O3, 14.13% SO3, 14.50% P2O5, 10.25% H2O. MINERAL SAMPLE ANALYZED CONSISTED OF 82.56% 2PBO.3AL2O3.2SO3.P2O5.6H2O, AND 17.44% 2SRO.3AL2O3.2SO3.P2O5.6H2O (SVANBERGITE). COMPOSITION CITED BOTH AS (PB, SR) AL3(PO4) SO4) (OH)6 AND 2(PB, SR)0.3AL2O3.P2O5.2SO3.6H2O.
Analytical Data: CLASS 3, 2.0 OZ/TON AU, 53.0 OZ/TON AG
Analytical Data: CLASS 2, 6.11 OZ/TON AU, 238.0 OZ/TON AG
Analytical Data: CLASSES AND GRADES OF ORE: CLASS 1, 134.10 OZ/TON AU, 3077.0 OZ/TON AG

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Materials

Ore: Petzite
Ore: Hessite
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Covellite
Ore: Pitchblende
Ore: Galena
Ore: Altaite
Ore: Sylvanite
Ore: Krennerite
Gangue: Rhodochrosite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Hematite
Gangue: Quartz

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Comments

Comment (Location): MINE LIES IN GULCH ON HILLSIDE WEST OF NORTH END OF LAKE SAN CRISTOBAL, ADJOINING BLACK CROOK WORKINGS. SECTIONS LISTED INCLUDE THOSE COVERED BY CONSOLIDATION OF ADJACENT CLAIMS. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR PORTAL OF THIRD LEVEL TUNNEL, IN NE SE SE SEC. 16. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1977

Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR ALL PRIOR YEARS. MINERAL RESOURCES U.S. VOLUMES CITE PRODUCTION IN 1906, 1909, 1916 (FROM DUMP), AND 1917; PRODUCTION NOT REPORTED SEPARATELY BUT COMBINED WITH THAT OF OTHER LAKE DISTRICT MINES. CDM CITES 22 ST CONCENTRATES (AT GRADE OF 1400 OZ/TON AG AND 18 OZ/TON AU) PRODUCED IN 1919. FIGURES LISTED FOR 1963 REPRESENT TWO TRIAL SHIPMENTS.

Comment (Deposit): MINE LOCATED ON EAST RIM OF LAKE CITY CALDERA ON ENE-WSW-TRENDING RADIAL FAULT/FRACTURE IN SLACK'S (1980) BARITE/PRECIOUS METALS ASSEMBLAGE, INNER QUARTZ-SPHALERITE ZONE. CALDERA WALL TRUNCATES SEQUENCE OF UNCOMPAHGRE CALDERA MOAT-FILL ROCKS, CONSISTING OF HENSON MBR QUARTZ LATITE, VOLCANICLASTICS (TUFFACEOUS SANDSTONE AND SHALE), AND UNCOMPAHGRE PEAK QUARTZ LATITE. THIS AREA OF LAKE CITY CALDERA FILLED BY RED MOUNTAIN QUARTZ LATITE INTRUDED ALONG RING FRACTURE AND PARTLY OVERLAIN BY GRASSY MOUNTAIN QUARTZ LATITE. PRINCIPAL VEIN IS GOLDEN FLEECE, TRENDING GENERALLY N 85 E, 65 SE ON OUTCROP, LYING AT APPROX RIGHT ANGLES TO ILMA/BLACK CROOK CONCENTRIC VEIN DEVELOPED AT BLACK CROOK MINE JUST TO NORTH. VEIN IS 8- TO 10-WIDE IRREGULAR ZONE CONSISTING OF BROKEN COUNTRY ROCK WITH INTERSTICES FILLED WITH QUARTZ AND FRAGMENTS OF ALTERED SILICEOUS ROCK IMPREGNATED WITH ORE. IN UPPER LEVELS, VEIN LACKED DEFINITE WALLS AND GRADED OUTWARD INTO LESS BROKEN AND UNMINERALIZED ROCK. IN LOWER LEVELS,

Comment (Commodity): MINE HAS ONLY VERIFIED OCCURRENCE OF HINSDALITE (HYDRATED PB-SR PHOSPHATE).

Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED BY THREE UPPER CROSSCUT TUNNELS AND LOWER DEEP TUNNEL. LOWER TUNNEL DRIVEN S 66 W FOR 2130 FT, WITH DE CAMP CROSSCUT TO BLACK CROOK MINE DRIVEN NW AT 1950 FT FROM PORTAL. AT 2080 FT FROM PORTAL, BRANCH DRIVEN SW AND WSW FOR ABOUT 1570 FT ON FLEECE VEIN. FIRST LEVEL PORTAL, LOCATED 2520 FT S 69 W FROM LOWER PORTAL, DRIVEN GENERALLY S 70 W FOR 700 FT ALONG VEIN, WITH 740 FT ADDITIONAL TUNNEL. SECOND LEVEL PORTAL, LOCATED 2380 FT S 67 W FROM LOWER PORTAL, DRIVEN GENERALLY S 70 W FOR 2000 FT ON VEIN. THIRD LEVEL PORTAL, LOCATED 2130 FT S 70 W FROM LOWER PORTAL, DRIVEN S 45 W FOR 380 FT, THENCE GENERALLY S 70 W FOR 1120 FT ON VEIN. CDM REPORT DESCRIBES ADDITIONAL WORKINGS ON THIRD LEVEL: AT 500 FT FROM PORTAL, 25-FT WINZE AND 50-FT WINZE WITH 60-FT DRIFT FROM BOTTOM. AT LEAST TWO OTHER LOWER LEVELS AGGREGATE ABOUT 1300 FT. 250-FT SHAFT FROM SURFACE TO FIRST LEVEL; RAISES OR WINZES CONNECT FIRST AND SECOND LEVELS; 300-FT WINZE SUNK FROM THIRD LEVEL TO LOWER LEVELS. OLD MILL

Comment (Workings): BUILT IN 1899 BY STEARNS, ROGER & CO. AND WAS EQUIPPED WITH ROLLS FOR CRUSHING, HUNTINGTON MILLS FOR REGRINDING, WILFLEY TABLES FOR CONCENTRATION, AND CANVAS PLANT FOR SLIMES. TREATMENT OF 18000 ST ORE OF ABOUT 1:1 AU-AG AVERAGED 45 TO 60% EXTRACTION (12:1 RATIO) WITH CONCENTRATES CONTAINING 55 TO 60 OZ/TON AG, 1 TO 3 OZ/TON AU, AND 12 TO 18% PB.

Comment (Deposit): ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: (11) CHASE, E.E., 1898, REPORT ON THE GOLDEN FLEECE MINE: COLORADO STATE PLANNING COMM. UNPUB. REPT., 6P.; (12) HOLMES, W.I., )NO DATE), GOLDEN FLEECE MINE: COLORADO STATE PLANNING COMM. UNPUB. REPT., 1 P.; (13) IRVING, J.D., 1905, ORE DEPOSITS IN THE VICINITY OF LAKE CITY, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 260, P. 78-84; (14) RICKARD, T.A., 1903, ACROSS THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS: ENG. MINING JOUR., V. 76, P. 307-308; (15) RICKARD, T.A., 1904, REPORT ON THE GOLDEN FLEECE MINE: COLORADO STATE PLANNING COMM. UNPUB. REPT., 2 P. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Development): WHILE SURVEYING TOLL ROAD FROM SAGUACHE TO LAKE CITY IN 1874, ENOS F. HOTCHKISS FOUND CONSPICUOUS OUTCROP OF GOLDEN FLEECE VEIN AND LOCATED IT AS "HOTCHKISS" MINE. HIS ASSESSMENT WORK REVEALED NO ORE. AFTER HOTCHKISS ABANDONED CLAIM, IT WAS RELOCATED IN 1875 BY GEORGE WILSON AND CHRIS JOHNSON AS "GOLDEN FLEECE" MINE. THEY BEGAN NO. 1 TUNNEL BUT FOUND ONLY STRINGERS OF RICH ORE, AND WORK WAS ABANDONED. O.P. POSEY SHIPPED SMALL AMOUNT OF RICH ORE FROM OUTCROP ABOVE NO. 1 TUNNEL. BETWEEN 1876 AND 1878, JOHN J. CROOKE TOOK LEASE AND BOND AND EXTRACTED $30,000 WORTH OF ORE FROM OUTCROP. CHARLES DAVIS ALSO WORKED OUTCROP AND IN 1889 SUNK 30-FT SHAFT THAT STRUCK RICH ORE. LATE IN 1889, GEORGE W. PIERCE BOUGHT MINE, CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE EXPLORATION, EXTENDED NO. 2 TUNNEL UNTIL RICH ORE WAS FOUND. MINE PRODUCED $1.4 MILLION WORTH OF ORE UP TO 1904. CONCENTRATION MILL ERECTED IN 1899. ABOUT 1900 OR 1901, DEEP TUNNEL DRIVEN FROM NEAR SITE AT BASE OF HILL. MINE LATER PRODUCED INTERMITTENTLY IN

Comment (Development): 1906, 1909, 1916-1919. EXPLORATION IN 1963 BY C. N. MORITZ; EXPLORATION/DEVELOPMENT AND TRIAL ORE SHIPMENTS IN 1964 BY GOLDEN FLEECE MINING CO.

Comment (Deposit): VEIN WAS DISTINCT, NARROW FISSURE WITH DEFINITE WALLS, SPLITTING INTO SMALLER BRANCHES ALONG STRIKE. ORE CHARACTERIZED BY TELLURIDES AND SECONDARY PYRARGYRITE AND OCCURRED IN WEST-PITCHING SHOOT MEASURING ABOUT 750 FT ALONG LEVELS. INTERIOR OF SHOOT CONTAINED RICH TELLURIDE ORE. VEIN CONTAINS BANDS OF NEARLY PURE, COARSELY CRYSTALLINE HINSDALITE. BANDS BORDERED BY FINELY CRYSTALLINE AGGREGATES OF QUARTZ AND HINSDALITE IN WHICH WELL-FORMED CRYSTALS OF HINSDALITE ARE EMBEDDED. VEIN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT TO PREDATE COLLAPSE OF LAKE CITY CALDERA, BASED ON WESTWARD TERMINATION OF VEIN AND ALTERED ROCKS AT APPARENT EAST TOPOGRAPHIC WALL. SLACK (1980) RELOCATED TOPOGRAPHIC WALL AT BASE OF HIGHER STRATIGRAPHIC UNIT AND DEMONSTRATED THAT UPPER PART OF VEIN CUTS TOPOGRAPHIC WALL, THUS POSTDATING COLLAPSE.

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References

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS.

Reference (Production): COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATOR REPT.

Reference (Deposit): IRVUNG, J.D., AND BANCROFT, HOWLAND, 1911, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS NEAR LAKE CITY, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 478, P. 104-111.

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1976, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE LAKE CITY CALDERA AREA, WESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-962.

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., AND OTHERS, 1976, MULTIPLE AGES OF MID-TERTIARY MINERALIZATION AND ALTERATION IN THE WESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: ECON. GEOLOGY, V. 71, NO. 3, P. 571-588.

Reference (Deposit): SLACK, J.F., 1980, MULTISTAGE VEIN ORES OF THE LAKE CITY DISTRICT, WESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: ECON. GEOLOGY. V. 75, NO. 7, P. 963-991.

Reference (Deposit): MINING REPORTER, 1901, THE GOLDEN FLEECE MINE, LAKE CITY, HINSDALE COUNTY: MINING REPORTER, V. 44, P. 154-155.

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., AND OTHERS, 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 179.

Reference (Deposit): LARSEN, E.S., JR., AND SCHALLER, W.T., 1911, HINSDALITE, A NEW MINERAL: AM. JOUR. SCI., 4TH SER., V. 32, P. 251-255.

Reference (Deposit): SCHALLER, W.T., 1912, MINERALOGICAL NOTES, NO. 2: USGS BULL. 509, P. 66-69.

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS. AND ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.

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