The Ruby King Mine is a silver and gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,902 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: 9,902 Feet (3,018 Meters)
Commodity: Silver, Gold
Lat, Long: 37.44611, -107.96944
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.
Ruby King Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Ruby King Mine
Secondary: Patented Claim: Ruby King
Secondary: Ms 1237
Commodity
Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Arsenic
Tertiary: Tellurium
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: 1882
Discovery Year: 1880
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral Not 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: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian
Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Proustite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Pyrargyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite
Comments
Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCK CONSISTS OF UNMETAMORPHOSED CUTLER FM RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE PORPHYRY SILLS AND TRAVERSED BY ENE-WSW-TRENDING QUARTZ-BARITE VEIN CONTAINING SPOTS AND STREAKS OF RUBY AG AND STAINED WITH CARBONATE. PRINCIPAL VEIN ON RUBY KING CLAIM TRENDS N 75 E AND BRANCHES AT EAST SHAFT INTO N 55 E-TRENDING VEIN THAT EXTENDS ONTO LUELLA CLAIM.
Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED BY TWO SHAFTS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH AND BY TWO DRIFT TUNNELS ON VEIN OF APPROX 150 AND 300 FT LENGTHS; TWO SHORT TUNNELS AND ONE SHAFT ON LUELLA CLAIM.
Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). IN HEADWATERS OF FLAGLER FORK OF JUNCTION CREEK EAST OF FASSBINDER GULCH, 6.1 MILES NE OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
Comment (Development): RUBY KING AND LUELLA MINES DISCOVERED ABOUT 1880. 8 TO 10 ST HIGH-GRADE RUBY AG "FLOAT" ORE SHIPPED FROM FASSBINDER GULCH BEFORE VEINS WERE DISCOVERED. MOST PRODUCTION REPORTED DURING 1880S. ACTIVITY RENEWED IN 1902 FOLLOWING DISCOVERY OF NEGLECTED MINE, BUT NO ORE WAS PRODUCED.
References
Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219 P. 73-74, 163, 173.
Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 1237
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
