Narrow Gauge Mine

The Narrow Gauge Mine is a gold and silver mine located in Rio Grande county, Colorado at an elevation of 11,677 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: Narrow Gauge Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Rio Grande

Elevation: 11,677 Feet (3,559 Meters)

Commodity: Gold, Silver

Lat, Long: 37.42417, -106.59500

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 Narrow Gauge Mine

Narrow Gauge Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Narrow Gauge Mine
Secondary: Narrow Gage shaft


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: Underground


Ownership

Owner Name: General Minerals Corp.
Info Year: 1983


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
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: 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

Not available


Comments

Comment (Deposit): MINE IS DEVELOPED MOSTLY ON HIDDEN VEIN ZONE AND TO LESSER EXTENT ON COPPER HILL-ESMOND VEIN ZONE. HIDDEN VEIN ZONE IS NARROW, OBSCURED, HIGHLY SILICIFIED AND MINERALIZED ZONE TRENDING N 40 TO 60 W AND CONTAINING CONTINUOUS TABULAR MASS OF VUGGY QUARTZ ROCK IN QUARTZ-ALUNITE ZONE FLANKED BY HIGHLY ARGILLIZED ROCK. ON VEIN TREND TO SE ARE SEVERAL SMALL PIPELIKE MASSES OF HIGHLY SILICIFIED ROCK LIKEWISE SURROUNDED BY ARGILLIZED ENVELOPES AND PROBABLY MARKING LOCAL UPWARD PROJECTIONS OF MORE CONTINUOUS VEIN ZONE AT DEPTH. ON NARROW GAUGE AND 104 SUBLEVEL, VEIN ZONE CONSISTS OF MANY IRREGULAR, DISCONTINUOUS, AND OVERLAPPING MASSES. ENTIRE ZONE DIPS ABOUT 85 SW.

Comment (Workings): MAIN CROSSCUT TUNNEL DRIVEN S 55 W FOR 1050 FT THROUGH COPPER HILL-ESMOND VEIN ZONE TO HIDDEN VEIN ZONE. 50-FT DRIFT DRIVEN SOUTH ON OUNCE VEIN AT 300 FT FROM PORTAL. 690-FT DRIFT DRIVEN NW-SE AT 590 FT FROM PORTAL. 600-FT MAIN DRIFT ON COPPER HILL-ESMOND VEIN DRIVEN NW AT 710 FT FROM PORTAL AND 180-FT DRIFT DRIVEN SE AT 870 FT FROM PORTAL. 680-FT DRIFT DRIVEN AT END OF TUNNEL ON HIDDEN VEIN WITH 220-FT CROSSCUT TO BLACK WONDER (EXTENSION) VEIN DRIVEN AT 70 FT SE OF MAIN CROSSCUT. 520-FT SUBLEVEL DRIFT 104 FT BELOW MAIN DRIFT. 120-FT MCAFEE WINZE SUNK FROM 104 SUBLEVEL. OTHER UNDETERMINED RAISES AND WINZES BETWEEN 104 SUBLEVEL AND NARROW GAUGE LEVEL AND BETWEEN NARROW GAUGE AND COPPER HILL LEVELS. MAJOR STOPES ABOVE NARROW GAUGE LEVEL AND ABOVE 104 SUBLEVEL.

Comment (Location): ON NE SIDE OF SOUTH MTN 540 FT NE OF COPPER HILL MINE. PORTAL ELEV FROM STEVEN AND RATTE (1960, PL. 4). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Deposit): Conflicting land status. One record says NF, the other says Private.


References

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): STEVEN, T.A., AND RATTE, J.C., 1960, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE SUMMITVILLE DISTRICT, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 343, pl. 3.

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


Colorado Mining Photos

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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