Sphalerite Mine

The Sphalerite Mine is a zinc, lead, and copper mine located in Pitkin county, Colorado at an elevation of 11,201 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: Sphalerite Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Pitkin

Elevation: 11,201 Feet (3,414 Meters)

Commodity: Zinc, Lead, Copper

Lat, Long: 39.03194, -106.61472

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 Sphalerite Mine

Sphalerite Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Sphalerite Mine


Commodity

Primary: Zinc
Primary: Lead
Primary: Copper


Location

State: Colorado
County: Pitkin
District: Lincoln (Lincoln Gulch, Ruby) 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

Not available


Ownership

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
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

Not available


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Type: R
Description: Sawatch Uplift, Central Colorado Trough, Arkansas Valley Graben, Twin Lakes Batholith

Type: L
Description: Grizzly Peak Cauldron, Mt Elbert Volcanotectonic Depression, Lincoln Gulch Stock, Sawmill Plug


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Quartz-Sericite-Pyrite, Quartz-Sericite, Argillic


Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite


Comments

Comment (Location): ALONG LINCOLN GULCH 5.2 MILES SSW FROM INDEPENDENCE TOWNSITE AND 0.8 MILE NW OF RUBY TOWNSITE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1977)

Comment (Deposit): QUARTZ LATITE DIKES RADIATE FROM POST-BLOCK FAULT ACIDIC PLUG THAT INTRUDES SATELLITE DIORITE STOCK OF TWIN LAKES BATHOLITH ON TRACE OF LINCOLN GULCH FAULT. SAWMILL PLUG IS ONE OF SEVERAL INTRUSIONS ON ARCUATE ZONE EXTENDING FROM PINE-BOWMAN CREEK DIVIDE TO WEST RED MTN. AND MAY POSSIBLY CONNECT WITH RING DIKE AT DEPTH. PLUG COMPOSED OF BANDED FELSITE PORPHYRY CENTER GRADING INTO PYROCLASTIC CORE CUT BY SEVERAL VUGGY RHYOLITE DIKES. CONTACTS OF PLUG AND DIORITE GENERALLY MARKED BY GLASSY PORPHYRY AND BY 50-FT-WIDE BRECCIA ON NE EDGE. ALTERATION CONSISTS OF QUARTZ-SERICITE-PYRITE CORE ENCLOSED IN QUARTZ-SERICITE ZONE ENCLOSED IN ARGILLIC ZONE. PLUG BELIEVED TO POSTDATE CAULDRON DEVELOPMENT AND WAS LOCALIZED ON NNW-TRENDING BLOCK FAULT BECAUSE 1) IT IS MORE ACIDIC THAN EARLIER MAFIC INTRUSIONS; AND 2) LACK OF OFFSET ON LINCOLN GULCH FAULT.

Comment (Workings): ONE TUNNEL OF UNKNOWN EXTENT

Comment (Commodity): SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSES DETECTED TRACES OF SB, W, MO, AND AG, V, CO


References

Reference (Deposit): CRUSON, M.G., 1973, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE GRIZZLY PEAK CAULDRON COMPLEX, SAWATCH RANGE, COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES PH.D. THESIS T-1538.

Reference (Deposit): HOWELL, J.V., 1919, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE TWIN LAKES DISTRICT OF COLORADO: CGS BULL. 17, 106 P.


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.