Whale Mine

The Whale Mine is a copper and silver mine located in Saguache county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,919 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: Whale Mine

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Uranium
Secondary: Zinc

Location

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

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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
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

Not available

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: Andesite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

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

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: OXIDIZED ORE ASSAYED 100 TO 140 OZ/TON AG, 8 TO 12% CU, AND A LITTLE AU. RECORDED RADIATION OF 0.06 TO 20 MR/HR WITH BACKGROUND OF 0.03 TO 0.06 MR/HR.

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pitchblende
Ore: Galena

Comments

Comment (Production): OZ AND LB OF METALS ESTIMATED FROM DOLLAR VALUES BY USING $20/OZ AU, $1.29/OZ AG, $87/ST PB, $240/ST CU NO INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION RECORD FOR 1889.

Comment (Development): MINE INACTIVE SINCE 1890S BUT WAS REOPENED IN 1955 IN SEARCH FOR URANIUM.

Comment (Deposit): WHALE VEIN TRENDS N10E, DIP NEARLY VERTICAL. ORE CHANGES FROM PB-AG IN UPPER WORKINGS TO CU-AG IN LOWER WORKINGS.

Comment (Location): S-T-R, LAT-LONG, AND ELEV. TAKEN FROM BURBANK'S (1932) PLATE 1 (SCALE 1:12000). MINE OR CLAIM LIES ON SOUTH SIDE OF RAWLEY GULCH ACROSS VALLEY FROM RAWLEY MINE ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1976

Comment (Workings): TWO INACCESSIBLE TUNNELS HEADING SE AND ESE APPROX. 300 TO 430 FT TO VEIN. SHAFT 100-FT DEEP WITH 80 FT OF DRIFT

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.

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., COLLINS, D.B., AND HORNBAKER, A.L., 1978, CGS BULL. 40, P. 396.

Reference (Production): BURBANK (1932) AS COMPILED FROM U.S. MINT RECORDS

Colorado Mining Photos

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