Pocahontas Mine

The Pocahontas Mine is a silver mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,350 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: Pocahontas Mine
Secondary: South Leviathan, East Leviathan
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: 1893
Time Period: 1874-1878
Mined: 2300.000 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: Strongly Argillized

Rocks

Name: Andesite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

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

Comments

Comment (Deposit): THE ROSITA REDUCTION WORKS WERE BUILT TO TREAT ORES FROM THIS MINE ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

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

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

Comment (Workings): TWO SHAFTS, SEVERAL TUNNELS ON HANGING WALL SIDE; AT TIMES WORKED FROM HUMBOLDT MINE

Comment (Production): WITH HUMBOLDT PRODUCED OVER $900,000 BETWEEN 1874-1896

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

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

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

Colorado Mining Photos

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