Eagle Pass Mine

The Eagle Pass Mine is a gold and silver mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 11,650 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

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.

Site Name

Primary: Eagle Pass Mine
Secondary: Patented Claim: Eagle Pass, MS 6124
Secondary: Unpatented Claims: Bodie
Secondary: Roosevelt

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Copper
Tertiary: Mercury
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Tellurium

Location

State: Colorado
County: La Plata
District: California (La Plata) 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

Owner Name: Eagle Pass Mining And Milling Co.
Home Office: Denver, Co.
Years: 1920 -

Production

Year: 1917
Material type: AG ACC
Description: Ap_Grade: ^0.5 Oz/Ton Au, 21 Oz/Ton Ag, 2% Zn

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1885
Year Last Production: 1922
Discovery Year: 1885
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Colorado Plateaus
Physiographic Section: Navajo Section

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, Four Corners Platform

Type: L
Description: La Plata Dome

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF VEIN MATTER FROM UPPER DUMP CONTAINED 0.72 OZ/TON AU AND 3.82 OZ/TON AG. ORE MINED IN 1919 ASSAYED 0.5 OZ/TON AU, 21 OZ/TON AG, 2% ZN.

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Galena
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Hessite
Ore: Coloradoite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1880S

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). AT HEAD OF LEWIS CREEK JUST BELOW WEST SIDE OF EAGLE PASS, 2.95 MILES NE OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974

Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR EARLY YEARS OF PRODUCTION PRIOR TO 1887. ORE TONNAGES NOT REPORTED FOR 1887 AND 1888. ORE GRADE FOR 1919 FROM CDM ANNUAL OPERATOR REPT. NO PRODUCTION REPORTED FOR 1889-1910, 1912, 1915-1916, 1918, 1920-1921, AND AFTER 1922.

Comment (Development): DEPOSIT DISCOVERED RELATIVELY EARLY IN DISTRICT'S HISTORY; MINE WORKED INTERMITTENTLY FROM 1887 TO 1922.

Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCK CONSISTS OF MODERATELY SILICIFIED CUTLER FM RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE PORPHYRY SILLS. EAGLE PASS VEIN STRIKES ENE, DIPS 57 TO 62 NW, AND CONSISTS OF A 10-FT FRACTURE ZONE CONTAINING QUARTZ AND BARITE. DUMP ORE SHOWS GREENISH (TELLURIDE-BEARING) QUARTZ FORMED BY REPLACEMENT OF BRECCIATED WALLROCKS AND CONTAINING SCATTERED TELLURIDES, GALENA, AND FREE AU. ORE SHOOT MAY HAVE BEEN LOCATED NEAR INTERSECTION OF EAGLE PASS AND GOOD HOPE VEINS. EAGLE PASS VEIN PROBABLY INTERSECTS JENNIE LIND VEIN BUT AREA HAS NOT BEEN EXPLORED.

Comment (Workings): ALL WORKINGS WERE INACCESSIBLE, BUT MAIN ADIT DRIVEN GENERALLY EASTWARD FOR ABOUT 200 FT.

References

Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219, P. 73-76, 117.

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPT.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 6124

Reference (Production): ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949, P. 117 (AS COMPILED FROM U.S MINE, USGS, AND USBM RECORDS); COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATOR REPT.

Colorado Mining Photos

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