Aztec Mine

The Aztec Mine is a gold and silver mine located in Rio Grande county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,175 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: Aztec Mine
Secondary: Fairview Mine
Secondary: Aztec No. 1
Secondary: Aztec No. 2
Secondary: Claim: Aztec, MS 621a

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper

Location

State: Colorado
County: Rio Grande
District: Summit (Summitville) 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: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1870
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: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: Platoro Caldera, Summitville Caldera, Summitville Fault, South Mountain Dome

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Quartz-Alunite Solfataric Alteration

Rocks

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Quartz Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Miocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Gangue: Barite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): AZTEC 1 AND 2 MINES DEVELOPED ON AZTEC AND TEWKSBURY VEINS. AZTEC VEIN IS OVAL PIPE OF HIGHLY SILICIFIED QUARTZ LATITE SURROUNDED BY ENVELOPED OF SOFT ARGILLIZED ALTERATION ZONE, OVER TOP OF SE EDGE OF PIPE. BETWEEN AZTEC 1 AND IOWA LEVELS, DEPOSIT IS CROSS-SHAPED WITH MAJOR TABULAR PROJECTIONS EXTENDING NW-SE ALONG PREDOMINATE VEIN TREND AND NE-SW ACROSS TREND, SUGGESTING LOCALIZATION AT INTERSECTION OF FRACTURES. BLACK WONDER VEIN AND TEWKSBURY VEIN MAY JOIN ON IOWA LEVEL BENEATH AZTEC 2 WORKINGS. AZTEC 2 DEPOSIT APPEARS TO BE IRREGULARLY ELONGATE PIPE OF VUGGY QUARTZ ROCK IN QUARTZ-ALUNITE ZONE AT NORTH END OF TEWKSBURY VEIN.

Comment (Workings): AZTEC 2 LEVEL CONSISTS OF APPROX 400 FT OF CROSSCUT TUNNEL AND DRIFT LEADING INTO MAJOR STOPE BETWEEN GOLCONDA 1 AND 2 LEVELS. AZTEC 1 WORKINGS CONSIST OF 250 FT OF CROSSCUT TUNNEL, 260-FT AZTEC SHAFT AND GLORY HOLE AND SEVERAL SHORT LEVELS FROM 90 TO 260 FT DEPTH TOTALLING APPROX 970 FT. WINZE CONNECTS AZTEC 1 WORKINGS TO IOWA LEVEL. AZTEC OR SWEDE WINZE SUNK BELOW IOWA LEVEL. AZTEC 1 EXTENSIVELY WORKED TO IOWA LEVEL AND LARGELY STOPED ABOVE 90-FT LEVEL.

Comment (Location): ON NE SLOPE OF SOUTH MTN 660 FT SW OF IOWA PORTAL. PORTAL NO. 1 ELEV FROM STEVEN AND RATTE (1960, PL. 4). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

References

Reference (Deposit): PATTON, H.B., 1917, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PLATORO-SUMMITVILLE MINING DISTRICT, COLORADO: CGS BULL. 13.

Reference (Deposit): HILLS, R.C., 1885, ORE DEPOSITS OF SUMMIT DISTRICT, RIO GRANDE COUNTY, COLORADO: COLORADO SCI. SOC. PROC., V. 1, P. 20-37.

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND RATTE, J.C., 1960, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE SUMMITVILLE DISTRICT, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 343

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE PLATORO CALDERA AREA, SOUTHEASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-828.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 621A

Colorado Mining Photos

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