The Iowa Chief Mine is a silver and lead mine located in Pitkin county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,259 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: 10,259 Feet (3,127 Meters)
Commodity: Silver, Lead
Lat, Long: 39.16194, -106.82361
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.
Iowa Chief Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Iowa Chief Mine
Secondary: Claim: Iowa Chief
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Location
State: Colorado
County: Pitkin
District: Aspen (Roaring Fork) 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
Type: Underground
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1882
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: Sawatch Uplift, Central Colorado Trough, Piceance Basin, White River Uplift, Elk Uplift
Type: L
Description: Silver Fault, Contact Fault, Aspen Mountain Syncline, Tourtellotte Park Uplift, Silver Bell Fault, Burro Fault
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Mississippian
Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Gangue: Barite
Comments
Comment (Location): IN UPPER ASPEN MTN AREA AT TOURTELLOTTE PARK ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1980)
Comment (Location): LAT LONG ARE CENTRAL FOR DISTRICT. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1954)
Comment (Development): MINES: BUTTE-ELK PARK EXTENSION, EUREKA
Comment (Geology): THE QUARZ MONZONITE HAS BEEN INTRUDED BY APLITE AND PEGMATITE. IRON-STAIN VUGS OCCUR.
Comment (Deposit): ALTHO ADJACENT TO CAMP BIRD MINE, IOWA CHIEF ORE OCCURRENCE CONTRASTS IN THAT IT IS FOUND ALONG SILVER FAULT INSTEAD OF CONTACT FAULT. MINERALIZED ZONE LIES IN FAULT BLOCK DISPLACED DOWNWARD AND BOUNDED BY NW-STRIKING, SW-DIPPING SILVER BELL FAULT ON NORTH AND BY EAST-WEST-STRIKING, NORTH-DIPPING BURRO FAULT ON SOUTH. ORE ALSO OCCURS IN MINOR SLIPS IN LIMESTONE PARALLEL TO AND BELOW SILVER FAULT.
Comment (Workings): 280-FT-DEEP SHAFT. DRIFTS ON AND BELOW SILVER FAULT. ON NORTH END, WORKINGS CONNECT WITH TWO TUNNELS FROM SURFACE AND WITH CAMP BIRD MINE WORKINGS TO NORTH. WESTERNMOST WORKINGS CONNECT WITH NORTH EDISON INCLINE.
References
Reference (Deposit): SPURR, J.E., 1898, GEOLOGY OF THE ASPEN DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS MON. 31, P. 173-174
Reference (Deposit): BRYANT, BRUCE, 1971, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE ASPEN QUADRANGLE, PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-933.
Reference (Deposit): BRYANT, BRUCE, 1972, MAP SHOWING MINES, PROSPECTS, AND AREAS OF SIGNIFICANT SILVER, LEAD, AND ZINC PRODUCTION IN THE ASPEN QUADRANGLE, PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-785-D
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 2246
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
