Eldorado Claim

The Eldorado Claim is a copper, lead, and zinc mine located in San Juan county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,320 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: Eldorado Claim  

State:  Colorado

County:  San Juan

Elevation: 12,320 Feet (3,755 Meters)

Commodity: Copper, Lead, Zinc

Lat, Long: 37.73889, -107.56750

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 Eldorado Claim

Eldorado Claim MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Eldorado Claim
Secondary: Patented Claim: El Dorado
Secondary: Ms 16686


Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc


Location

State: Colorado
County: San Juan
District: Beartown (Bear Creek) 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

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

Model Name: Alkaline Au-Te (Au-Ag-Te veins)


Orebody

Not available


Structure

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

Type: L
Description: San Juan Uplift, San Juan Caldera, Unnamed Faults


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

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

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

Name: Rhyodacite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: STEVEN AND OTHERS' (1969) CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF THREE SAMPLES FROM SIMILAR PYRITE-BEARING CHLORITIC SHEARED ZONES SHOWED 0.02 PPM AU, 610 TO 960 PPM CU, 25 TO 36 PPM PB, 40 TO 70 PPM ZN, LT 2 TO 16 PPM MO, 10 PPM AS, 1 PPM SB, 0.15 PPM HG, 5.6 PPM TE, 1.2 PPM AG.


Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Limonite


Comments

Comment (Deposit): SITE LIES NE OF CONTACT BETWEEN OLDER METAMORPHICS OF IRVING FM AND YOUNGER QUARTZITES AND SLATES OF UNCOMPAHGRE FM. TUNNEL WAS DRIVEN TOINTERSECT FISSURE TRENDING S 46 E AND COMPOSED OF MICACEOUS CHLORITIC SCHIST. CROSS AND OTHERS (1905) NOTE THAT, IN CONTRAST TO OTHER MINES IN DISTRICT, ELDORADO SHOWED NO TETRAHEDRITE OR TELLURIDES. AU AND AG MAY BE CONTAINED IN SMALL AMOUNTS IN PYRITE AND/OR CHALCOPYRITE.

Comment (Workings): ONE TUNNEL OF UNKNOWN EXTENT DRIVEN GENERALLY SE

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON RIDGE WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ABOVE UNNAMED TRIBUTARIES OF ELK CREEK 3.45 MILES WNW OF BEARTOWN SITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1977


References

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1969, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1261-F, P. 67-71, 89-90, 168-171.

Reference (Deposit): PROSSER, W.C., 1911, THE BEAR CREEK SYLVANITE CAMP, COLORADO: ENG. MINING JOUR., V. 91, P. 712.

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

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE DURANGO QUADRANGLE, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-764.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 16686


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.