Iron Mountain Mine

The Iron Mountain Mine is a silver and iron mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,160 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: Iron Mountain Mine
Secondary: Iron Mine
Secondary: Iron Hill Mine

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Iron
Tertiary: REE
Tertiary: Molybdenum
Tertiary: Copper

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Rosita Hills 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: Surface-Underground
Year First Production: 1880
Year Last Production: 1889
Discovery Year: 1879
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: Epithermal veins
Model Name: Porphyry Cu-Mo

Orebody

Form: DIKE

Structure

Type: R
Description: Rosita Volcanic Center, Wet Mtns

Type: L
Description: Several Small Faults, Ring Faults

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Weak Argillization, Hydrothermal Alteration With Silicification
Alteration Text: Weak Argillization, Hydrothermal Alteration With Silicification

Rocks

Name: Trachyandesite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Brochantite
Ore: Tennantite
Ore: Siderite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Powellite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Jarosite
Ore: Hematite
Ore: Goethite
Ore: Apatite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Ankerite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Phlogopite
Gangue: Diopside
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Chalcedony
Gangue: Actinolite
Gangue: Barite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): PEBBLE DIKE MINERALIZED WITH DISSEMINATED PYRITE, OXIDIZED TO MAGNETITE NEAR SURFACE

Comment (Location): SE SLOPE OF IRON MTN, ABOUT 2-1/4 MILES NW OF ROSITA, IN THE W/2 SEC. 19, T 22 S, R 71 W.; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Reserve-Resource): A 1981 report suggested that low-grade, bulk-tonnage copper-molybdenum deposits may occur in this area. (Sunshine files)

Comment (Workings): SHAFTS AND TUNNELS OF UNKNOWN DIMENSIONS; TUNNEL, SHAFT, TEST PIT, SMALL TRENCH; TUNNEL AND SHAFT REPORTEDLY CONNECTED

References

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, 1896, GEOLOGY OF SILVER CLIFF AND THE ROSITA HILLS, COLORADO: USGS 17TH ANN. REPORT, PT. 2, P. 263-403.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Sunshine Mining Co. Colorado exploration files, unpublished data, Colorado Geological Survey.

Reference (Deposit): KING, R.U., UNPUBLISHED DATA.

Reference (Deposit): HILDEBRAND, F.A. AND CONKLIN, N.M., 1974, A BRECCIA DIKE CONTAINING RARE-EARTH-BEARING APATITE, MOLYBDENITE, AND MAGNETITE AT IRON HILL, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V. 69, P. 508-515.

Reference (Deposit): SHARP, W.M., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SILVER CLIFF AND ROSITA VOLCANIC CENTERS, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1081.

Colorado Mining Photos

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