The Happy Thought Mine is a gold, lead, zinc, and silver mine located in Mineral county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,449 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: 10,449 Feet (3,185 Meters)
Commodity: Gold, Lead, Zinc, Silver
Lat, Long: 37.88972, -106.93972
Map: View on Google Maps
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Happy Thought Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Happy Thought Mine
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Tertiary: Manganese
Location
State: Colorado
County: Mineral
District: Creede District
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.
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Owner Name: Minerals Engineering Co. (Meco)
Home Office: Grand Junction, Co.
Years: 1981 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1892
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
Not available
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: San Juan Volcanic Field; La Garita, Creede, And Bachelor Calderas
Type: L
Description: Creede Graben; Amethyst Fault Zone
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Chloritization; Fe And Mn Oxides, Cu Carbonate; Sericitization
Rocks
Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Oligocene
Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: 325.9 TONS PB CONC. ASSAYED 52% PB, 6 OZ/TON AG, 1 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: 426.4 TONS PB CONC. ASSAYED 65% PB, 6.9 OZ/TON AG, 1.1 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: 1615.4 TONS ZN CONC. ASSAYED 28% ZN, 10% PB, 5 OZ/TON AG, 0.3 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: 405.07 TONS ZN CONC. ASSAYED 25 TO 31% ZN, 7 TO 11% PB, 2 TO 3 OZ/TON AG, 0.32 TO 0.52 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: ORE FROM STOPE 20 FT ABOVE TUNNEL (LEVEL 12) 400 FT NORTH OF SHAFT REPORTEDLY CARRIED 10 OZ/TON AG, 8% PB, $2/TON AU. ASSAYS OF CONCENTRATES: 877.1 TONS ZN CONC. ASSAYED 37% ZN, 8.10% PB, 4.5 OZ/TON AG, 0.4 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: 49.4 TONS SLIMES ASSAYED 21.7% PB, 4.6 OZ/TON AG, 0.48 OZ/TON AU.
Analytical Data: 517.2 TONS PB CONC. ASSAYED 68% PB, 5.5 OZ/TON AG, 1.3 OZ/TON AU
Materials
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Silver
Ore: Gold
Ore: Anglesite
Gangue: Amethyst
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Hematite
Comments
Comment (Location): S-T-R, LAT-LONG, AND ELEV DETERMINED FROM EMMONS AND LARSEN'S (1923) TOPO MAP (1:24,000). MINE OR CLAIM LIES ABOVE W. WILLOW CR. MIDWAY BETW. AMETHYST AND PARK REGENT MINE ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)
Comment (Development): IN 1894, UNITED MINES CO. EXTENDED THE 250-FT SHAFT TO 800 FT WITH DRIFTS AT 500, 600, AND 700 LEVELS. IN 1895, SHAFT EXTENDED TO 878 FT, LEVEL 8 DRIVEN, LEVEL 7 DRIVEN 654 FT SOUTH TO CONNECT WITH AMETHYST 5. IN 1896, BIG KANAWHA LEASING CO. EXTENDED SHAFT TO 1163 FT AND RAN LEVELS 9, 10, 11.
Comment (Deposit): ATTITUDE IS FOR PRINCIPAL AMETHYST VEIN. ORE HIGHLY OXIDIZED TO 700 FT. NEARLY COMPLETE OXIDATION NOTED ON LEVEL 9. ON 10 LEVEL AND BELOW, SOME OXIDATION APPARENT IN CLOSELY SPACED STRINGERS. ON LEVEL 8, SULFIDE ORE IS CUT BY STRINGERS OF AURIFEROUS FE-MN OXIDES, CU CARBONATES, CERUSSITE.
Comment (Workings): ONE SHAFT 1400 FT LONG ON INCLINE (1182 FT VERT. DIST), WITH 11 LEVELS TURNED APPROX. AT 100-FT INTERVALS. NELSON-WOOSTER-HUMPHREYS TUNNEL PASSES THRU BOTTOM OF MINE AT LEVEL 12.
Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: EARLY 1890S
References
Reference (Deposit): EMMONS, W.H., AND LARSEN, E.S. 1923, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE CREEDE DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 718, 198 P.
Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND RATTE, J.C., 1965, GEOLOGY AND STRUCTURAL CONTROL OF ORE DEPOSITION IN THE CREEDE DISTRICT, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 487, 90 P.
Reference (Deposit): LINDEMANN, J.W., AND OTHERS, EDS., 1981, FIELD TRIP NOTES, CREEDE MINING DISTRICT, SAN JUAN VOLCANIC PROVINCE, COLORADO: DENVER REGIONAL EXPLORATION GEOLOGISTS SOC. GUIDEBOOK
Colorado Mining Photos
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