Bushwhacker Mine

The Bushwhacker Mine is a silver, lead, and zinc mine located in Pitkin county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,049 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

Name: Bushwhacker Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Pitkin

Elevation: 9,049 Feet (2,758 Meters)

Commodity: Silver, Lead, Zinc

Lat, Long: 39.19778, -106.80028

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the Bushwhacker Mine

Bushwhacker Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Bushwhacker Mine
Secondary: Claims: Bushwhacker
Secondary: Alpine


Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Secondary: Copper


Location

State: Colorado
County: Pitkin
District: Aspen (Roaring Fork) 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

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 Uplift, Central Colorado Trough, Piceance Basin, White River Uplift, Elk Uplift

Type: L
Description: Silver Fault, Clark Fault, Smuggler Fault, Della Fault


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Barite


Comments

Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED BY SHAFT WITH AT LEAST SEVEN AND POSSIBLY UP TO 12 LEVELS. COWENHOVEN TUNNEL INTERSECTS WORKINGS AT DEPTH OF APPROX. 1140 FT.

Comment (Location): IN SMUGGLER MOUNTAIN AREA 0.5 MILE NE OF SMUGGLER MINE. ELEV AND LAT-LONG FROM BRYANT (1972) ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1980)

Comment (Commodity): ORE MINERALS PARTLY BASED ON OCCURRENCES IN DELLA S. MINE

Comment (Deposit): CONTACT FAULT IS CUT OUT BY SILVER FAULT SO THAT LATTER DISPLACES BELDEN SHALE AGAINST REDCLIFF (DOLOMITE) MBR OF LEADVILLE LIMESTONE. OFFSETTING THE SILVER FAULT AT THE LATER SMUGGLER (UPPER) AND DELLA (LOWER) CROSS-FAULTS, STRIKING APPROX. EAST-WEST AND DIPPING 30 SOUTH. STILL LATER CLARK FAULT TRENDS NE-SW, DIPS STEEPLY NW, AND DOWNDROPS THE SMUGGLER AND DELLA FAULTS TO WEST. MAIN ORE BODIES FOUND 1) ALONG SILVER FAULT AT AND ABOVE ITS INTERSECTION WITH SMUGGLER FAULT AND NEAR THEIR INTERSECTION WITH CLARK FAULT IN CLARK FOOTWALL, AND 2) IN CLARK FAULT HANGING WALL ALONG SILVER FAULT AT AND BELOW INTERSECTIONS WITH SMUGGLER AND DELLA FAULTS AND WITH DEEPER EAST-WEST-TRENDING CROSS-FAULTS. SOME ORE ALSO NOTED IN SHORTER CHANNELS WITH NW TREND AT NEAR RIGHT ANGLES TO MAJOR SHOOTS.


References

Reference (Deposit): BRYANT, BRUCE, 1972, MAP SHOWING MINES, PROSPECTS, AND AREAS OF SIGNIFICANT SILVER, LEAD, AND ZINC PRODUCTION IN THE ASPEN QUADRANGLE, PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-785-D

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 6642

Reference (Deposit): SPURR, J.E., 1898, GEOLOGY OF THE ASPEN DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS MON. 31, P. 193-194

Reference (Deposit): BRYANT, BRUCE, 1971, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE ASPEN QUADRANGLE, PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-933.


Colorado Mining Photos

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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