Red Gulch District

The Red Gulch District is a copper mine located in Fremont county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,199 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

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Site Name

Primary: Red Gulch District
Secondary: Red Gulch Mine
Secondary: Copper Prince Mine

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: District
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
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

Orebody

Not available

Structure

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

Type: L
Description: Nearby Fault Is Barren; North-Trending Faults East Of But Near Cotopaxi Fault

Alterations

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

Rocks

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pennsylvanian

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Ordovician

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 0.114 % V205 IN COAL SAMPLES

Materials

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

Comments

Comment (Development): ACTIVE EXPLORATION BEGAN 1907

Comment (Geology): Deposits in this small district were compared to "red bed" deposits in New Mexico and Arizona by Lindgren (1908). Copper occurs as chalcocite and copper oxides (mainly malachite) in mostly Pennsylvanian-age clastic rocks. The Cotopaxi Fault bounds the eastern margin of the block of Paleozoic sediments in this area. Proterozoic rocks are exposed east of the fault.

Comment (Geology): One known deposit, the Indian Springs Gulch prospect, is lumped into the Red Gulch district although it is in Proterozoic rocks.

Comment (Location): Approximately 9 MILES NORTH OF COTOPAXI ALONG RED GULCH"; ACCURACY ONLY TO ABOUT 0.5 MILE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)"

Comment (Location): This in an approximation of the center of the district. Not a mine location.

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

Comment (Workings): SHAFTS, INCLINES

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

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): 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.