Humboldt Mine

The Humboldt Mine is a silver mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,081 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: Humboldt Mine
Secondary: Globe Shaft
Secondary: South Humboldt Claim
Secondary: West Virginia Claim
Secondary: Humboldt-Pocahontas vein

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Lead

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

Year: 1896
Time Period: 1874-1878
Mined: 1900.000 mt
Material type: ore

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
Year First Production: 1874
Discovery Year: 1874
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 vein, generic

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Rosita Volcanic Center, Wet Mtns

Type: L
Description: Rosita Fault

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Argillized

Rocks

Name: Trachyte
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

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

Name: Trachyte
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Miocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Stephanite
Ore: Silver
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Clay

Comments

Comment (Location): SW SLOPE OF POCAHONTAS HILL 1/2 MILE NE OF ROSITA, IN THE SW/4 SEC. 28, T 22 S, R 71 W; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Production): BETWEEN 1874-1896 HUMBOLDT-POCAHONTAS MINES PRODUCED MORE THAN $900,000.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): A 1981 report suggested that low-grade, bulk-tonnage silver deposits may occur along the Humboldt-Pocahontas vein. (Sunshine files)

Comment (Workings): AT LEAST 5 LEVELS; THIRD LEVEL GOES TO GLOBE SHAFT; HUMBOLDT SHAFT INCLINES AVERAGE 60 DEGREE ANGLE; POCAHONTAS MINE WORKED FROM HUMBOLDT AT TIMES

Comment (Development): PENNSYLVANIA REDUCTION WORKS BUILT AT ROSITA IN 1877 TO TREAT SILVER ORE FROM THIS AND VIRGINIA MINE

Comment (Geology): A fissure sulfide vein trends NW-SE and dips SW; traced for 4000 ft., it contained high-grade silver ore.

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): SHARP, W.N., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SILVER CLIFF AND ROSITA VOLCANIC CENTERS, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1081, 1:24,000.

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

Reference (Production): EMMONS, S.F., 1896

Reference (Reserve-Resource): 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.