The Puzzle Mine is a gold and silver mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 11,181 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: 11,181 Feet (3,408 Meters)
Commodity: Gold, Silver
Lat, Long: 37.40556, -108.02583
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.
Puzzle Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Puzzle Mine
Secondary: Unpatented Claims: Puzzle Nos. 4-9
Secondary: Jennie Lind
Commodity
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Tellurium
Tertiary: Antimony
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
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1902
Year Last Production: 1930
Discovery Year: 1880
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: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCKS CONSIST OF SW-DIPPING CUTLER FM RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE PORPHYRY SILLS AND DIKES. VEIN FOLLOWS 1- TO 8-FT-WIDE FRACTURE ZONE AND TRENDS N 75 E, 70 NW. WALL ROCKS ARE FRACTURES FOR 10 FT ON EACH SIDE OF VEIN.
Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED BY 300-FT ADIT AND SEVERAL OPEN CUTS; OTHER INACCESSIBLE WORKINGS.
Comment (Production): PROBABLE PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR YEARS PRIOR TO 1902. NO PRODUCTION REPORTED FOR 1902-1908, 1910-1912, 1914-1916, 1918, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1926-1929, AND AFTER 1930.
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON SADDLE BETWEEN SOUTH-PROJECTING RIDGE FROM LEWIS MTN AND NE-PROJECTING RIDGE FROM BAKER PEAK IN UPPER LIGHTNER CREEK VALLEY, 2.1 MILES NE OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
References
Reference (Production): ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949, P. 160 (AS COMPILED FROM USGS AND USBM RECORDS)
Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS. AND ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.
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, 160-161.
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
