Cascade Mine

The Cascade Mine is a silver mine located in Clear Creek county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,000 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

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.

Site Name

Primary: Cascade Mine
Secondary: Hall Tunnel
Secondary: Albert Hall Tunnel
Secondary: Chloride
Secondary: R. E. Lee
Secondary: Tolland County Tunnel

Commodity

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

Location

State: Colorado
County: Clear Creek
District: Freeland-Lamartine 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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: 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

Type: L
Description: brecciated and gouge-filled fissures

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: silicified

Rocks

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

Name: Granitoid
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Proterozoic

Name: Schist
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Proterozoic

Name: Gneiss
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Proterozoic

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Silver
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrargyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Commodity): Silver is the main commodity by value.

Comment (Geology): Ore occurs in sulfide veins filling fissures; major veins include the Chloride-R. E. Lee and North that trend NE and dip steeply NW.

Comment (Location): Cascade Mine, SW/4 SW/4 sec.1, T 4 S, R 74 W, about 6 miles WSW of Idaho Springs.

Comment (Production): The mine produced 18,000 tons of silver ore, including 11,000 tons that averaged 35 oz/ton silver between 1962 and 1964, that contained 525,000 oz. silver plus minor lead, zinc, gold, and copper.

Comment (Production): Mine develops ground on the R. E. Lee-Chloride vein at the west end of the Lamartine vein system.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Report dated 1979 recommends targets for exploration. (Sunshine files)

References

Reference (Deposit): REF:CBM ANNUAL REPORT 1968 OWN/OP:WHITE ROCK AGGREGATE & MIN

Reference (Deposit): Sunshine Mining Co. Colorado exploration files, unpublished data, Colorado Geological Survey.

Colorado Mining Photos

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