Bob Tail Mine

The Bob Tail Mine is a gold and silver mine located in Rio Grande county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,024 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

Name: Bob Tail Mine

State:  Colorado

County:  Rio Grande

Elevation: 12,024 Feet (3,665 Meters)

Commodity: Gold, Silver

Lat, Long: 37.42333, -106.59944

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.


Satelite image of the Bob Tail Mine

Bob Tail Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Bob Tail Mine
Secondary: Claim: Bob Tail
Secondary: Ms 325


Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper


Location

State: Colorado
County: Rio Grande
District: Summit (Summitville) 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

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1870
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 Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: Platoro Caldera, Summitville Caldera, Summitville Fault, South Mountain Dome


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Quartz-Alunite Solfataric Alteration


Rocks

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

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


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Not available


Comments

Comment (Location): ON NE SIDE OF SOUTH MTN 120 FT SE OF ESMOND MINE. PORTAL ELEV FROM STEVEN AND RATTE (1960, PL. 4). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Deposit): MINE DEVELOPED NEAR NW END OF COPPER HILL-ESMOND VEIN ZONE, A LARGE MASS OF HIGHLY SILICIFIED ROCK IN QUARTZ-ALUNITE ZONE EXTENDING ACROSS MAIN MINERALIZED AREA FROM COPPER HILL KNOB TO ESMOND VEIN. MASS CONTAINS IRREGULARLY DISTRIBUTED COMPACT QUARTZ ZONES WITH VUGGY QUARTZ PIPELIKE ORE BODIES. LARGE SILICIFIED MASS CAPPING COPPER HILL KNOB APPARENTLY GIVES WAY AT DEPTH TO SERIES OF BRANCHING BODIES REFLECTING FORMER JOINT PATTERN TO MORE PIPELIKE MASSES WITH IRREGULAR BUT GENERALLY EQUIDIMENSIONAL HORIZONTAL CROSS-SECTIONS. LARGEST MASSES OF VUGGY QUARTZ ROCK OCCUR NEAR NW END OF VEIN ZONE NEAR ESMOND AND DEL NORTE MINES ANDPICKENS CUT. BOBTAIL MINE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN ELONGATE S W-TRENDING ZONE OF COMPACT AND VUGGY QUARTZ BRANCHING FROM MAIN VEIN ZONE. AREA OF ARGILLIC ALTERATION PRESENT WEST OF BRANCH VEIN AND INTERSECTION WITH MAIN VEIN ZONE.

Comment (Workings): CROSSCUT TUNNEL DRIVEN S 66 W FOR 80 FT, THEREAFTER BRANCHING AND CONNECTION WITH ESMOND WORKINGS BECOME UNCERTAIN.


References

Reference (Deposit): PATTON, H.B., 1917, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PLATORO-SUMMITVILLE MINING DISTRICT, COLORADO: CGS BULL. 13.

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND RATTE, J.C., 1960, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE SUMMITVILLE DISTRICT, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 343

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE PLATORO CALDERA AREA, SOUTHEASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-828.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 325


Colorado Mining Photos

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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