Apache Mine

The Apache Mine is a silver and gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,579 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: Apache Mine
Secondary: Patented Claim: Apache, MS 19158
Secondary: Iron Valley, MS 19158

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Copper
Tertiary: Zinc

Location

State: Colorado
County: La Plata
District: Needle Mountain (Tacoma, Florida, Vallecito) District

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
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.
Administrative Organization: San Juan N. F.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
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

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, San Juan Basin, San Juan Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: Needle Mtns Uplift, Chicago Basin Stock, Eolus Batholith, Trimble Stock

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1460.000000+-70.000000
Dating Method: K-Ar
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-27.000000
Dating Method: Rb-Sr
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 10.100000+-1.100000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-20.000000
Dating Method: U-Pb (zircon)
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Granite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1460.000000+-70.000000
Dating Method: K-Ar
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Granite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Granite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-27.000000
Dating Method: Rb-Sr
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Granite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-20.000000
Dating Method: U-Pb (zircon)
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Granite
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 10.100000+-1.100000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-20.000000
Dating Method: U-Pb (zircon)
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 10.100000+-1.100000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1460.000000+-70.000000
Dating Method: K-Ar
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-27.000000
Dating Method: Rb-Sr
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 10.100000+-1.100000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1460.000000+-70.000000
Dating Method: K-Ar
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-27.000000
Dating Method: Rb-Sr
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 10.100000+-1.100000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age in Years: 1466.000000+-20.000000
Dating Method: U-Pb (zircon)
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Precambrian

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age in Years: 9.000000+-0.900000
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Miocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CHEMICAL ANALYSIS CONTAINED 0.10 PPM AU, 2200 PPM CU, 2000 PPM PB, 680 PPM ZN, GT 100 PPM SB.
Analytical Data: CHIP SAMPLE FROM BACK OF TUNNEL AT SOUTH DRIFT CONTAINED 1.68 OZ/TON AG, 0.15% CU, 0.66% PB, 0.65% ZN. SEMIQUANTITATIVE SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF SULFIDE-BEARING QUARTZ VEIN SAMPLE CONTAINED 1000 PPM TI, 100 PPM MN, 30 PPM AG, 200 PPM AS, 200 PPM BA. 50 PPM BI, LT 20 PPM CD, LT 5 PPM CR, 1000 PPM CU, 150 PPM MO, 500 PPM PB, 300 PPM SB, LT 10 PPM SN, LT 100 PPM SR, 15 PPM V, LT 50 PPM W, 1000 PPM ZN
Analytical Data: STEVEN AND OTHERS' (1969) ASSAY OF 4-FT CHIP SAMPLE FROM BACK OF DRIFT AT WINZE CONTAINED 1.40 OZ/TON AG, 0.32% PB

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Fluorite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). IN UPPER VALLECITO BASIN 0.3 MILE NE OF COLUMBINE LAKE AND 0.45 MILE NE OF COLUMBINE PASS. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974

Comment (Deposit): QUARTZ VEIN TRENDS APPROX NORTH-SOUTH OR SLIGHTLY NNW, DIPS STEEPLY EAST OR ENE, AND LIES ON NNW-SSE-TRENDING REGIONAL RECTANGULAR FRACTURE SYSTEN.

Comment (Workings): 550-FT DRIFT DRIVEN ALONG NORTH-SOUTH-TRENDING VEIN; 30-FT WINZE SUNK AT 425 FT FROM PORTAL. TWO OVERHAND STOPES APPROX 10 TO 15 FT LONG AND 20 TO 30 FT HIGH AT POINTS 100 AND 400 FT FROM PORTAL.

References

Reference (Deposit): SCHMITT, L.J., AND RAYMOND, W.H., 1977, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS DISTRICT, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1434, 40 P.

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1969, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1261-F, P. 30-32, 55-67, 103, 162-163.

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS FOLIO 131.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 19158

Colorado Mining Photos

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