Wellington Mine

The Wellington Mine is a lead and zinc mine located in Summit county, Colorado.

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: Wellington Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Summit

Elevation:

Commodity: Lead, Zinc

Lat, Long: 39.48361, -106.01472

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 Wellington Mine

Wellington Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Wellington Mine
Secondary: Wellington Tunnel
Secondary: Liberty Tunnel
Secondary: Siam Tunnel
Secondary: Extenuate Tunnel (X-10-U-8 Tunnel)
Secondary: Abundance Tunnel
Secondary: Oro Shaft
Secondary: Mill Tunnel
Secondary: New Tunnel
Secondary: Old Oro Tunnel


Commodity

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


Location

State: Colorado
County: Summit
District: Breckenridge District


Land Status

Not available


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Not available


Ownership

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N


Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains


Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Not available


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Porphyry
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Tertiary

Name: Black Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Cretaceous

Name: Mixed Clastic/Carbonate Rock
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Cretaceous

Name: Black Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Cretaceous

Name: Orthoquartzite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Cretaceous

Name: Wacke
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Jurassic


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Siderite


Comments

Comment (Geology): Steeply-dipping veins in tension fractures, trending NE over a 3000 ft overall strike length. Production to about 900 ft below the surface. Most production from "Main Vein" and "Great Northern Vein." Veins generally strike N35-40E and dip 70-85 NW. Vein widths vary from a fraction of an inch to 14 ft. Most stopes are from 4 to 10 ft wide. Little gangue compared to sulfide material in veins.

Comment (Location): Mine is on the north side of French Gulch, about 1-1/2 miles east of Breckenridge, in SE/4 sec.32, T 6 S, R 77 W; workings extend at least 1/2 mile to NE into sec.33.

Comment (Production): The most productive mine in the district, total output from 1887 to 1928 is about 6,500 oz. of gold, 750,000 oz. silver, 40,700,000 lb. lead, and 164,600,000 lb. zinc. (USGS PP 223)

Comment (Production): The mine has produced about $35,000,000 from 1887 to 1964; lead accounts for about 60% of the value, zinc about 25%, silver about 10%, and gold about 5%. The mine was closed from 1929 to 1948; reopened and produced 49,000 tons ore from 1950 to 1958, and 17,600 tons in 1963. A small amount of cadmium was produced during the most recent operations. (Sunshine files)

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Total possible ore: 480,000 tons estimated in 1964 (file data).

Comment (Workings): Workings on 8 levels include many adits, shafts, and drifts and crosscuts that aggregate more than 12 miles in 1930.


References

Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F.L., 1911, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE BRECKENRIDGE DISTRICT, COLORADO: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 75, P. 112, 126.

Reference (Deposit): CONSV. DIV. COMP. DATE, 8,65

Reference (Deposit): WILSON, ANNA B., AND LAROCK, EDWARD J., 1991, ASCII DATABASE FOR PRINCIPAL LODE MINES AND MINERALIZED AREAS IN SOUTHERN SUMMIT COUNTY, COLORADO, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE REPORT 91-0027A AND B, 22 P. AND ONE DISKETTE.

Reference (Deposit): WILSON, ANNA B., AND LAROCK, EDWARD J., IN PRESS, MINERALIZED AREAS AND PRINCIPAL LODE MINES IN SOUTHERN SUMMIT COUNTY, COLORADO, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MISCELLANEOUS FIELD STUDIES MAP MF-2163, SCALE 1:50,000.

Reference (Deposit): Sunshine Mining Co. Colorado exploration files, unpublished data, Colorado Geological Survey.

Reference (Deposit): COLO DIV OF MINES A SUMMARY OF MINERAL ACTIVITIES IN COLO

Reference (Deposit): MESA MET-NONMET MINE FILE REF OWNER-OP- I AM ENTERPRISES

Reference (Deposit): Lovering, T. S., 1934, Geology and ore deposits of the Breckenridge mining district, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 176, 64 p.

Reference (Deposit): DMEA RECORDS 4986; OME 6112

Reference (Deposit): LOVERING, T.S., AND GODDARD, E.N., 1950, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE FRONT RANGE, COLORADO: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 223, P. 116-122.


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.