Copper Prince Mine

The Copper Prince Mine is a copper mine located in Fremont county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,442 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: Copper Prince Mine
Secondary: Dirty Gulch

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Vanadium

Location

State: Colorado
County: Fremont
District: Red Gulch District

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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: Underground
Year First Production: 1907
Year Last Production: 1907
Discovery Year: 1875
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: Sediment-hosted Cu
Model Name: Sediment-hosted Cu

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: L
Description: The Cotopaxi Fault is runs north-south along the east side of the valley of Red Gulch, placing Pennsylvanian sedimentary rock in contact with Proterozoic rocks and lower Paleozoic rocks.

Type: R
Description: Thirtynine Mile Volcanic Field, Cotopaxi Fault

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidized To Reddish, Yellowish, Or Red-Brown Color

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Malachite
Ore: Silver
Ore: Chalcocite
Gangue: Barite

Comments

Comment (Commodity): OXIDIZED COPPER ORE AND CHALCOCITE FOUND ASSOCIATED WITH COALY MATERIAL

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: LATE 1800'S

Comment (Development): ACTIVE EXPLORATION BEGAN 1907

Comment (Geology): DEPOSITS COMPARED TO RED BED" COPPER DEPOSITS OF NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA"

Comment (Geology): Oxidized copper minerals and chalcocite occurs in conglomerate and coaly shale layers. Coal represents fossil wood.

Comment (Location): ACCURACY ONLY TO ABOUT 0.5 MILE ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Location): Lindgren (1908) states that the Copper Prince property is "a short distance northwest of Copperfield", which is an abandoned mining settlement.

Comment (Production): LINDGREN (1908) STATES THAT TWO CARS OF HIGH GRADE ORE AND SEVERAL CARS OF LOW GRADE ORE WERE SHIPPED IN 1907. THAT PRODUCTION WAS PRINCIPALLY FROM THE RED GULCH AND COPPER PRINCE MINES.

Comment (Workings): SHAFT

References

Reference (Deposit): LINDGREN, WALDEMAR, 1908, NOTES ON COPPER DEPOSITS IN CHAFFEE, FREMONT, AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS BULLETIN 340, P. 170-174.

Reference (Deposit): BUTLER, J.R., 1954, GEOLOGY OF AN AREA NORTH OF COTOPAXI, FREMONT COUNTY, COLORADO: M. S. THESIS, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, P. 47-48.

Reference (Deposit): SCOTT, G.R., 1975, HISTORIC TRAIL MAPS OF THE PUEBLO 1 DEGREE X 2 DEGREES QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-930, 1:250,000

Reference (Deposit): TAYLOR, R.B., SCOTT, G.R., WOBUS, R.A., EPIS, R.C., 1975, RECONNAISSANCE GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE COTOPAXI 15-MINUTE QUADRANGLE, FREMONT AND CUSTER COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-900, 1:62,500.

Colorado Mining Photos

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