Durant Mine

The Durant Mine is a lead, zinc, and silver mine located in Pitkin county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,061 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: Durant Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Pitkin

Elevation: 8,061 Feet (2,457 Meters)

Commodity: Lead, Zinc, Silver

Lat, Long: 39.18278, -106.81639

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 Durant Mine

Durant Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Durant Mine
Secondary: Claims: Galena
Secondary: Pioneer
Secondary: Durant
Secondary: 1001
Secondary: Mose
Secondary: Millionaire
Secondary: Millionaire N. S.
Secondary: Connamara
Secondary: Steele
Secondary: Bay State
Secondary: Monongahela
Secondary: Silver Star
Secondary: Stillwell
Secondary: Dolly Dot
Secondary: Katie Fulton
Secondary: Little Maggie
Secondary: Banner
Secondary: San Jacinto
Secondary: Grand Turk
Secondary: Black Diamond
Secondary: Hard Money
Secondary: Authority
Secondary: Old Sol
Secondary: Brittle Silver
Secondary: Excelsior


Commodity

Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Limestone, General
Tertiary: Gold


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: Unknown


Ownership

Owner Name: Herron Family
Years: 1956 -


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, Contact Fault, Aspen Mountain Syncline, Aspen Fault, Tourtelotte Park Uplift


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Dolomitization


Rocks

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Mississippian

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

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


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Argentite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Smithsonite
Ore: Limestone


Comments

Comment (Location): ASPEN MTN AREA BETWEEN PIONEER AND VALLEJO GULCHES. ELEV AND LAT-LONG (FROM BRYANT, 1972) ARE FOR PORTAL OF LOWER DURANT TUNNEL. MINE WORKINGS EXTEND 3700 FT TO SW. PORTAL LOCATED ON CHANCE CLAIM (MS 1830) ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1980)

Comment (Workings): EXTENSIVE DRIFTING ALONG CONTACT, ASPEN, AND SUBORDINATE FAULTS, CONNECTING WITH ASPEN MINE AND OTHER OPERATIONS. LOWER DURANT TUNNEL (2700 FT LONG AND DRIVEN S 45W) DRIVEN TO PROVIDE DRAINAGE AND ORE TRANSPORT FOR DEEP MINES, CONNECTS WITH DURANT-ASPEN WORKINGS ABOUT 250 FT WEST OF ASPEN SHAFT. TWELVE LEVELS DEVELOPED AT 50- AND 100-FT INTERVALS FROM DEPTHS OF 400 TO 1200 FT.

Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD; NO GRADES REPORTED. SMALL AMOUNT OF LOW-GRADE LIMESTONE MINED FROM TUNNEL AND USED FOR FLUX AT LEADVILLE SMELTER

Comment (Deposit): DOLOMITE AND LIMESTONE BEDS ON EAST LIMB OF ASPEN MTN SYNCLINE STEEPEN TO HIGH-ANGLE WESTWARD DIP TO OVERTURNED (TO EAST), THENCE INTO GENTLE DIPS ON SYNCLINAL AXIS. ALONG PORTION OF STEEPEST DIP, NEAR-VERTICAL ASPEN FAULT TRUNCATES CONTACT AND SILVER FAULTS, WITH SILVER FAULT DISAPPEARING MUCH HIGHER ON THE FAULT PLANE. ORE FOUND MOSTLY IN CONTACT FAULT AND IN 70- TO 200-FT-WIDE ZONE BETWEEN CONTACT AND ASPEN FAULTS. ZONE IS COMPLICATED BY NUMEROUS SMALLER FAULTS AND FRACTURES AND MAJOR FAULT ABOVE AND SUBPARALLEL TO CONTACT FAULT. SPURR NOTED THAT ORE OCCURS IN FAULTS OF BOTH LARGE AND SMALL DISPLACEMENT. SOME ALONG CONTACT FAULT COULD REPRESENT REPLACEMENT IN PALEOKARST ZONE. SOME ORE EXPLORED IN SILVER FAULT IN HANGING WALL OF ASPEN FAULT.


References

Reference (Deposit): SPURR, J.E., 1898, GEOLOGY OF THE ASPEN DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS MON. 31, P. 153-155, PL. 40.

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

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): HEYL, A.V., 1964, OXIDIZED ZINC DEPOSITS OF THE UNITED STATES. PART 3--COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1135-C, P. 61 &&

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS (INCOMPLETE LIST) MS 1402, 1721, 1722, 1741, 1742, 3620, 3643, 3650, 3653, 3663, 3700, 3779, 4088, 4089, 4090, 4265, 4275, 4678, 5613, 6868

Reference (Production): HEYL (1964), AS COMPILED FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS RECORDS


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.