Palmetto Mine

The Palmetto Mine is a silver and gold mine located in Hinsdale county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,221 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: Palmetto Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Palmetto, MS 233 Polar Star, MS 289
Secondary: Miner's Bank, MS 309
Secondary: Ruby Queen, MS 407a
Secondary: First National Bank, MS 408a
Secondary: Chimney Corner, MS 496
Secondary: F. X. Aubrey, MS 852
Secondary: Sarah Wood, MS 1036
Secondary: Superior, MS 1053
Secondary: George M. Tibbits, MS 1087
Secondary: Unpatented Claims: Pray Nos. 1-4

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Zinc

Location

State: Colorado
County: Hinsdale
District: Galena (Henson Creek) 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: Ralph Horton
Home Office: Denver, Co.
Years: 1969 -

Owner Name: Palmetto Mining Co.
Home Office: Lake City, Co.
Years: 1969 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1878
Year Last Production: 1891
Discovery Year: 1878
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, San Juan Depression

Type: L
Description: San Juan-Uncompahgre Calderas, Eureka Graben

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Argentite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): CLAIMS EXTEND UP PALMETTO GULCH SOUTH OF AMERICAN FLATS AND CROSS SAN JUAN COUNTY LINE AT POLAR STAR AND GEORGE TIBBITS CLAIMS EAST OF ENGINEER MTN. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR MAIN PALMETTO SHAFT ALONG NORTH BRANCH OF PALMETTO GULCH ABOUT 0.9 MILE ABOVE HENSON CREEK, IN E2 SW SEC. 18, T43N, R6W. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1977

Comment (Production): PROBABLE PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION MAY HAVE BEEN MADE BETWEEN 1882 AND 1891, BUT NO FIGURES ARE AVAILABLE.

Comment (Development): MINE ORIGINALLY WORKED FROM TUNNEL AND SMALL SHAFT. SEVERAL CARLOADS OF RICH AG-AU ORE WERE SHIPPED ABOUT 1878. AFTER HOUGH SOLD MINE, MAIN VERTICAL SHAFT SUNK. IN 1881, 15-STAMP CHLORINATION MILL BUILT ON HENSON CREEK TO HANDLE ORE; ORE WAS MILLED IN 1881 AND 1882, WITH LAST APPARENT PRODUCTION IN 1891.

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT LIES TOWARD NORTH SIDE OF SAN JUAN-UNCOMPAHGRE CALDERA IN INFILL SEQUENCE CONSISTING OF BURNS MEMBER QUARTZ LATITE, PORPHYRITIC ANDESITE, AND HENSON MEMBER SANDSTONE. EXTENSIONS OF POLAR STAR VEIN CUTS PROPERTY AND TRENDS GENERALLY N 23 TO 27 E, 75 NE. NEAR-SURFACE ORE WAS MAINLY ARGENTITE AND RUBY SILVER. DEEPER IN SHAFT, ORE WAS PYRITIC AND LOWER GRADE.

Comment (Workings): OLD SHAFT SUNK 400 TO 500 FT AND DEVELOPED ON FIVE LEVELS (KELLY, 1946). CDM REPORTS DESCRIBE WORKINGS AS 350-FT VERTICAL SHAFT WITH FIVE LEVELS 60 TO 80 FT TO VEIN. MAIN DRIFT DRIVEN 425 FT SW. 162-FT SHAFT INCLINED 70 DEG ON VEIN.

References

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1976, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE LAKE CITY CALDERA AREA, WESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO USGS MAP I-962.

Reference (Deposit): KELLEY, V.C., 1946, GEOLOGY, ORE DEPOSITS, AND MINES OF THE MINERAL POINT, POUGHKEEPSIE, AND UPPER UNCOMPAHGRE DISTRICTS, OURAY, SAN JUAN, HINSDALE COUNTIES, COLORADO: COLORADO SCI. SOC. PROC., V. 14, NO. 7, P. 454-456.

Reference (Deposit): LUEDKE, R.G., AND BURBANK, W.S., 1975, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE HANDIES PEAK QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS OPEN-FILE REPT. 75-432.

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

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 233, 289, 309, 407A, 408A, 496, 852, 1036, 1053, 1087

Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F.L., 1901, ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF THE SILVERTON QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 182, P. 190.

Reference (Production): KELLEY, 1946, P. 456.

Reference (Deposit): BURBANK, W.S., AND LUEDKE, R.G., 1969, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE EUREKA AND ADJOINING DISTRICTS, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 535, 73 P.

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE SILVERTON QUADRANGLE: USGS FOLIO 120, 34 P.

Colorado Mining Photos

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