Joe Wheeler Mine

The Joe Wheeler Mine is a silver, lead, and copper mine located in Saguache county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,732 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

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Site Name

Primary: Joe Wheeler Mine
Secondary: Claim: Golden Wave

Commodity

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

Location

State: Colorado
County: Saguache
District: Bonanza (Kerber Creek) 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.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Joe Wheeler Mining And Milling Co.
Years: 1928 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1917
Year Last Production: 1928
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

Not available

Orebody

Form: LENTICULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Sawatch Range, San Juan Volcanic Field, Rio Grande Rift

Type: L
Description: Bonanza Caldera

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Early Barren Stage Of Alteration By Fumarolic Or Acid-Hot Spring Activity Resulted In Intense Silicification, Wallrock Replacement By Jasper And Alteration Products Hematite, Diaspore, Alunite, Barite, Zunyite, Rutile, And Kaolin Minerals. Later Mineralizing Stage By Alkaline Or Neutral Solutions Deposited Ore And Gangue And Caused Micaceous Alteration (Sericite And Chlorite) And Calcite, Quartz, And Pyrite.

Rocks

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

Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 23-TON ORE SHIPMENT ASSAYED 8.4% PB, 5.7% ZN. A 16.4-TON ORE SHIPMENT ASSAYED 6.9 OZ/TON AG, 11.7% PB, 9.7% ZN, 11.4% S, 55.9% INSOL.

Materials

Ore: Bornite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Covellite
Ore: Stromeyerite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Deposit): JOE WHEELER VEIN (ATTITUDE ABOVE) LIES IN 6- TO 8-FT-WIDE FAULT ZONE. ORE IS FOUND IN TWO LENSES-A 1- TO 4-FT-WIDE ZONE ON EAST WALL CONTAINING QUARTZ-BARITE GANGUE WITH CHALCOPYRITE, BORNITE, ARSENOPYRITE, AND SOME PYRITE, SPHALERITE, GALENA, AND 1- TO 2-FT-WIDE ZONE ON WEST WALL CONTAINING HIGHER AMOUNT OF GALENA. ZONES SEPARATED BY HORSE OF ALTERED ROCK AND LOW-GRADE VEIN MATTER. VEIN IS TRUNCATED BY SPHALERITE-GALENA-BEARING FAULT TRENDING N10 TO 20E. AT END OF TUNNEL FISSURE MAY SPLIT TO FORM ARCUATE BOUNDARIES OF GRABEN OF BONANZA TUFF. WEST BOUNDARY ZONE UP TO 200 FT WIDE ON SURFACE HIGHER UP HILLSIDE. PROSPECTS HERE SUGGEST THAT PB CONTENT DECREASES WITH DEPTH.

Comment (Location): S-T-R, LAT-LONG, AND ELEV. TAKEN FROM BURBANK'S (1932) PLATE 1 (SCALE 1:12000). MINE OR CLAIM LIES ON UNNAMED TRIBUTARY OF ALDER CREEK ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Production): ORE SHIPMENTS MADE IN 1917, 1919, 1926, 1927, AND 1928 TOTALLED 138 TONS, WHICH YIELDED 0.35 OZ AU, 1210 OZ AG, 39,653 LB PB, 840 LB CU, AND UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF ZN.

Comment (Workings): TUNNEL DRIVEN AT N12W FOR 100 FT, THENCE N59W FOR 190 FT, THENCE IRREGULARLY N12 TO 20W FOR 380 FT. SEVERAL OTHER TUNNELS AND SHAFTS OF UNKNOWN EXTENT.

References

Reference (Deposit): PATTON, H.B., 1916, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE BONANZA DISTRICT, SAGUACHE COUNTY, COLORADO: COLORADO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 9, 136 P.

Reference (Deposit): BURBANK, W.S., 1932, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE BONANZA MINING DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 169, 166 P.

Colorado Mining Photos

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