The Emerald Lake Mine is a gold and silver mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 11,319 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: 11,319 Feet (3,450 Meters)
Commodity: Gold, Silver
Lat, Long: 37.59278, -107.66833
Map: View on Google Maps
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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.
Emerald Lake Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Emerald Lake Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Emerald Lake Nos. 1-5, MS 14476a
Secondary: Emerald Lake Mill Site, MS 14476b
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Copper
Location
State: Colorado
County: La Plata
District: Needle Mountain (Tacoma, Florida, Vallecito) 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: Occurrence
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1901
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, San Juan Basin, San Juan Volcanic Field
Type: L
Description: Needle Mtns Uplift, Eolus Batholith, Chicago Basin Stock, Trimble Stock
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation Of Sulfide Minerals
Rocks
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Miocene
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: CHEMICAL ANALYSIS SHOWED LT 0.02 TO 1.4 PPM AU, 13 TO 19 PPM CU, LT 25 TO 48 PPM PB, LT 25 TO 44 PPM ZN, 4 TO 30 PPM SB.
Analytical Data: STEVEN AND OTHERS' (1969) ASSAYS OF TWO CHIP SAMPLES FROM FACE OF UPPER ADIT SHOWED 0.01 AND 0.02 OZ/TON AU, 0.72 AND 4.12 OZ/TON AG, TRACE TO 0.02% CU, 0.21% PB, TRACE ZN. DUMP AT MIDDLE TUNNEL ASSAYED 0.04 OZ/TON AU, 2.02 OZ/TON AG, 0.06% CU. DUMP AT LOWER TUNNEL ASSAYED 0.01 OZ/TON AU, 0.27 OZ/TON AG, 0.01% CU. SEMIQUANTITATIVE SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSES OF THREE SAMPLES OF PYRITE-BEARING VEIN MATERIAL SHOWED 150 TO 1000 PPM TI, 20 TO 300 PPM MN, 0.7 TO 20 PPM AG, LT 200 TO 2000 PPM AS, 150 TO 300 PPM BA, LT 10 PPM BI, LT 20 PPM CD, LT 5 TO 10 PPM CR, 7 TO 30 PPM CU, LT 5 TO 30 PPM MO, 10 TO 30 PPM PB, LT 100 TO 100 PPM SB, LT 10 PPM SN, LT 100 PPM SR, 15 TO 20 PPM V, LT 50 PPM W, LT 200 PPM ZN
Materials
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite
Comments
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). NE OF MOUNTAIN VIEW CREST ON NW SIDE OF EMERALD LAKE ONE MILE UP UNNAMED TRIBUTARY OF NEEDLE CREEK AND 3.65 MILES WSW OF COLUMBINE PASS. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Commodity): ORE MINERALS LISTED BASED ON LIST FOR DISTRICT. STEVEN AND OTHERS (1969) ALSO NOTED OXIDIZED SULFIDES. OCCURRENCE OF NATIVE ORES AND OTHER AG AND CU SULFIDES IS UNVERIFIED.
Comment (Workings): THREE CROSSCUT (?) TUNNELS 50, 300, AND 400 FT ABOVE LAKE AND CONTAINING ESTIMATED 300 TO 400 FT, 100 TO 125 FT, AND 50 TO 75 FT OF WORKINGS, RESPECTIVELY.
Comment (Deposit): QUARTZ VEIN TRENDS N 40 W, 70 SW AND CONTAINS SPARSE SULFIDES AND OXIDIZED SULFIDES. DEPOSIT COULD BE REPLACEMENT TYPE IN SHEETED ZONE WITHIN METAMORPHICS, AS DESCRIBED BY CROSS AND OTHERS (1905).
References
Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1969, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1261-F, P. 30-32, 55-67, 109, 166-167.
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS FOLIO 131.
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS 14476A&B
Reference (Deposit): SCHMITT, L.J., AND RAYMOND, W.H., 1977, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS DISTRICT, SOUTH-WESTERN COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1434, 40 P.
Colorado Mining Photos
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