Keystone Mine

The Keystone Mine is a silver mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,989 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: Keystone Mine
Secondary: Unpatented Claims 1964: R & C Lode, C & R Nos. 3, 4, 5,
Secondary: Golden Cycle
Secondary: Unpatented Claims 1946: Venus, Virginia of the Maxine Elliot Group,
Secondary: Annabel Lode, Fraction Claim

Commodity

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

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Silver Cliff

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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

Owner Name: Falkenberg, William
Home Office: Westcliffe, Co.
Years: 1964 -

Owner Name: H. D. And Howard Rusler
Home Office: Box 554, Rt. 1, Pueblo, Co.
Years: 1964 -

Production

Year: 1946
Mined: 1050.000 mt
Material type: ore

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Underground
Year First Production: 1880
Year Last Production: 1964
Discovery Year: 1895
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

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Silver Cliff Volcanic Center, Wet Mtns, Wet Mtn Valley

Type: L
Description: On Outermost West-Trending Ring Fault With Almost Vertical Dip

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Ferruginous Zone; Oxidation

Rocks

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AG 3.05-8.5 OZ/TON, PB 6.0-13.7%, ZN 5.44%, .0175 OZ/TON, CU 0.221%

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Fluorite

Comments

Comment (Location): SOUTH OF UNNAMED TRIBUTARY TO DE WEESE RES. (GRAPE CR.) ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Development): OPERATED 1880-1885, THEN AGAIN DURING 1943-1946 AND IN 1964

Comment (Workings): TWO LEVELS; SHAFT 4 FT X 8 FT SUNK AT 70 DEG ANGLE; DRIFTS, STOPES, WINZES; 1161 TONS SHIPPED IN 1946

Comment (Geology): THE GNEISS IS ALTERED WITH LOCALLY PURE PYRITE ORE IN VEINS; PYRITE ALSO DISSEMINATED THROUGHOUT GNEISS

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 (Deposit): EMMONS, S.F., 1896, THE MINES OF CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS 17TH ANN. REPORT, PT 2, P. 405-472.

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

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIVISION OF MINES INSPECTION RECORDS

Colorado Mining Photos

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