Midnight Mine

The Midnight Mine is a silver, lead, and zinc mine located in Pitkin county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,600 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: Midnight Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Pitkin

Elevation: 10,600 Feet (3,231 Meters)

Commodity: Silver, Lead, Zinc

Lat, Long: 39.13222, -106.82194

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 Midnight Mine

Midnight Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Midnight Mine
Secondary: See Attachment


Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Tertiary: Copper
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: Underground


Ownership

Owner Name: Midnight Mining Co.
Home Office: Aspen, Co.
Years: 1951 -


Production

Year: 1947
Description: Ap_Grade: ^9.03 Oz/Ton Ag, 2.03% Pb (Milling Ore)
Year: 1945
Description: Ap_Grade: ^15.9 Oz/Ton Ag, 2.78% Pb, 2.15% Zn (Milling Ore)
Year: 1949
Description: Ap_Grade: ^9.42 Oz/Ton Ag, 1.68% Pb, 3.53% Zn (Milling Ore)
Year: 1943
Description: Ap_Grade: ^30.5 Oz/Ton Ag, 3% Pb, 5% Zn (Milling Ore)
Year: 1941
Description: Ap_Grade: ^360 Oz/Ton Ag, 53% Pb, 50% Zn
Year: 1941
Description: Ap_Grade: ^20 Oz/Ton Ag, 4% Pb, 5% Zn (Milling Ore)
Year: 1950
Description: Ap_Grade: ^40.4 Oz/Ton Ag, 2.17% Pb (Crude Ore)
Year: 1948
Description: Ap_Grade: ^9.57 Oz/Ton Ag, 1.32% Pb, 1.91% Zn (Milling Ore)
Year: 1946
Description: Ap_Grade: ^10.9 Oz/Ton Ag, 2.58% Pb, 2.15% Zn (Milling Ore)
Year: 1944
Description: Ap_Grade: ^15.1 Oz/Ton Ag, 3.7% Pb, 4.5% Zn (Milling Ore)
Year: 1942
Description: Ap_Grade: ^25 Oz/Ton Ag, 2.5% Pb, 5% Zn, Trace Cu (Crude And Milling Ore)


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1951
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: Castle Creek Fault Zone, Annie Fault, Winnie Fault, Hope Fault


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

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

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene

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


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: (SEE LAST PAGE)


Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Chert


Comments

Comment (Location): IN ANNIE BASIN NE OF LITTLE ANNIE TUNNEL. ELEV AND LAT-LONG ARE FOR MIDNIGHT SHAFT ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1980)

Comment (Deposit): (SEE LAST PAGE)

Comment (Deposit): (SEE ATTACHMENT) ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. NO PRODUCTION REPORTED IN 1916-17, 1920-23. NO RECORDS FOR 1918-19. LAST YEAR OF PRODUCTION IS 1951. CONCENTRATES NOT RECORDED IN 1942-50.


References

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

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): KNOPF, ADOLPH, 1926, RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ASPEN DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 785, P. 1-28

Reference (Deposit): WILLOUGHBY, F. D., 1937, ROUGH SKETCH OF WORKINGS, MIDNIGHT MINING CO.: UNPUB. MAP

Reference (Production): COLO. DIV. MINES ANN. OPERATOR REPTS.


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.