Little May Mine

The Little May Mine is a gold and silver mine located in San Juan county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,119 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

Name: Little May Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  San Juan

Elevation: 12,119 Feet (3,694 Meters)

Commodity: Gold, Silver

Lat, Long: 37.71611, -107.53417

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.


Satelite image of the Little May Mine

Little May Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Little May Mine


Commodity

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


Location

State: Colorado
County: San Juan
District: Beartown (Bear Creek) 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: 1893
Discovery Year: 1892
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

Model Name: Alkaline Au-Te (Au-Ag-Te veins)


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, San Juan Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: San Juan Uplift, Unnamed Fault


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: STEVEN AND OTHERS' (1969) SEMIQUANTITATIVE SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSES OF PYRITE-BEARING SHEARED ZONE SHOWED 300 TO 1000 PPM TI, 30 TO 70 PPM MN, 1.5 TO 5 PPM AG, 700 PPM AS, 100 TO 300 PPM BA, LT 10 PPM BI, LT 20 PPM CD, LT 5 TO 7 PPM CO, LT 5 TO 5 PPM CR, 7 TO 30 PPM CU, LT 5 PPM MO, 20 TO 100 PPM NI, 15 TO 20 PPM PB, LT 100 PPM SB, LT 10 PPM SN, LT 100 TO 100 PPM SR, LT 10 TO 15 PPM V, LT 50 PPM W, LT 200 PPM ZN, 7 TO 15 PPM FE. CHEMICAL ANALYSES SHOWED LT 0.02 PPM AU, LT 10 PPM CU, LT 25 PPM PB, 28 TO 38 PPM ZN, 4 TO 8 PPM MO, 30 PPM AS, 8 PPM SB, 1.3 PPM HG, 0.3 PPM TE, LT 0.1 PPM AG.


Materials

Ore: Sylvanite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Marcasite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Petzite
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Calaverite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Hematite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz


Comments

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON WEST SIDE OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE IN HEADWATERS OF ELK CREEK 0.3 MILE NORTH OF ELDORADO LAKE AND 2.25 MILES WSW FROM BEARTOWN SITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1977

Comment (Deposit): MINE DEVELOPED ON WNW-TRENDING QUARTZ VEIN WEST OF CENTRALLY CONCENTRATED FISSURE ZONE AND WEST OF SMALLER CONCENTRATED ZONE ON CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AT SUMMIT AND GOLDEN SHEAR MINES. VEIN TREND IS AT APPROX RIGHT ANGLE TO PREDOMINANT NNE TREND IN REST OF DISTRICT TO EAST. VEIN LIES ALONG EAST-WEST-TRENDING FAULTS ENCLOSING NARROW BAND OF SLATE AND ARGILLITE BETWEEN QUARTZITE.

Comment (Workings): ONE TUNNEL OF UNKNOWN EXTENT HEADING GENERALLY EAST OR ESE.

Comment (Commodity): TELLURIDES, CU-PB-ZN SULFIDES, AND OXIDIZED ORES LISTED ARE REPORTED GENERALLY FOR DISTRICT AND NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED AT THIS MINE. MINOR PRODUCTION OF CU AND PB LIKEWISE NOT VERIFIED.


References

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1969, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1261-F, P. 67-71, 89-90, 168-171.

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE DURANGO QUADRANGLE, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-764.

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS FOLIO 131.

Reference (Deposit): PROSSER, W.C., 1911, THE BEAR CREEK SYLVANITE CAMP, COLORADO: ENG. MINING JOUR., V. 91, P. 712.


Colorado Mining Photos

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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