Howes Gulch District

The Howes Gulch District is a copper, gold, and silver mine located in Larimer county, Colorado at an elevation of 6,161 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: Howes Gulch District
Secondary: Copper District
Secondary: Claims: Empire, MS 5721
Secondary: Eli 1-3, MS 13435
Secondary: Grand View, MS 13435
Secondary: Snow Drift, MS 13435
Secondary: Mona, MS 13435
Secondary: Pilo T, MS 13452
Secondary: Columbia, MS 13452
Secondary: Copper Blossom, MS 13452
Secondary: Unpate Nted Claims: Little Empire
Secondary: Copper Boy 1-2
Secondary: Copper King
Secondary: Bonita
Secondary: Savannah
Secondary: Elk
Secondary: London
Secondary: Maria
Secondary: Merry Christmas
Secondary: Moose

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver

Location

State: Colorado
County: Larimer
District: Howes Gulch (Copper) 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: District
Operation Category: Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1873
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: Front Range Uplift, Cheyenne Basin

Type: L
Description: Thompson Anticline, Nw- And East-West-Trending Faults

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Fe Sulfide Oxidation

Rocks

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

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: EMPIRE ORE YIELDED 9.6% CU, 0.5 OZ/TON AG, 0.1 OZ/TON ($2/TON) AU

Materials

Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Pyrite

Comments

Comment (Development): SPORADIC ACTIVITY IN DISTRICT SINCE ABOUT 1873, BUT VERY LITTLE O RE PRODUCED. EMPIRE AND OTHER CLAIMS PATENTED 1889-1900.

Comment (Deposit): INTERLAYERED METASEDIMENTARY ROCKS TREND GENERALLY EAST-WEST TO W NW-ESE. FE OXIDES SEEN AT SURFACE BUT SULFIDES PRESENT AT DEPTH; ORE S TREAKS 4 TO 18 INCHES THICK. VEINS DESCRIBED AS LYING VERTICALLY IN VA RIABLY BANDED OR SHEETED GNEISS, WITH MINERALIZATION GREATEST WHERE ST RUCTURES ARE THINNEST.

Comment (Workings): EMPIRE CLAIM HAS 75-FT VERTICAL SHAFT WITH ADIT LEVEL INTERSECTIN G AT 35 FT, OTHER SHAFT OF UNKNOWN DEPTH. COPPER KING CLAIM HAS 50-FT VERTICAL SHAFT AND SEVERAL OPEN CUTS; OTHER CROSS-CUT TUNNELS ON CLAIM S

Comment (Location): IN EMPIRE GULCH AREA TWO MILES WEST OF NORTH END OF HORSETOOTH RES ERVOIR. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR EMPIRE CLAIM IN N2 S2NW. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1980

References

Reference (Deposit): LEE, H.A., 1899, REPORT ON COPPER DISTRICT, LARIMER COUNTY, COLORAD O: COLORADO BUREAU OF MINES MINE MGR. REPT., 1901, P. 231

Reference (Deposit): COLTON, R.B., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE BOULDER-FORT COLLINS-GREELE Y AREA, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-855-G.

Colorado Mining Photos

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