The La Plata River Placers is a gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,921 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: 8,921 Feet (2,719 Meters)
Commodity: Gold
Lat, Long: 37.38167, -108.07611
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.
La Plata River Placers MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: La Plata River Placers
Secondary: Florence, Golden Rule, Durango, La Plata, and Deadwood Placers
Secondary: Patented Claims: Durango Placer, MS 8767
Secondary: La Plata Placer, MS 8767
Secondary: Golden Rule Placer, MS 8824
Secondary: Florence Placer, MS 8825
Secondary: Deadwood Placer, MS 16493
Commodity
Primary: Gold
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: Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1873
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
Not available
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, Four Corners Platform
Type: L
Description: La Plata Dome
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Holocene
Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Gold
Comments
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ALONG LA PLATA RIVER FROM LEWIS CREEK CONFLUENCE SOUTH THROUGH TOWNSITE OF LA PLATA TO MAYDAY: INCLUDES LOWER TIRBIRCIO CREEK. DEPOSITS EXTEND ONTO HESPERUS QUAD. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR APPROX CENTER OF LINE OF CLAIMS IN N2 SEC. 16, APPROX MIDWAY BETWEEN MADDEN CREEK AND ROOT CREEK CONFLUENCES. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Deposit): PLACER AU DERIVED FROM ERODED PORTIONS OF EXPOSED VEINS IN HEADWATERS OF LA PLATA RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES. PLACERS IN AREA GENERALLY WERE OF LOW GRADE BECAUSE (1) MUCH PRIMARY AU IS TELLURIDE, RELATIVELY LIGHT, EASILY BROKEN DOWN INTO FINE PARTICLES, (2) CHEMICAL WEATHERING PRODUCES "MUSTARD" AU THAT CAN BE CARRIED GREATER DISTANCES, (3) ERRATIC CONCENTRATIONS IN SMALL POCKETS IN WIDE VALLEYS SCOURED BY GLACIATION.
References
Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1899, DESCRIPTION OF THE LA PLATA QUADRANGLE: USGS FOLIO 60.
Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219, P. 76.
Reference (Deposit): PARKER, B.H., JR., 1974, GOLD PLACERS OF COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES QUART., V. 69, NO. 4, P. 194-197.
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 8767, 8824, 8825, 16493
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
