Golden Shear Mine

The Golden Shear Mine is a gold and silver mine located in San Juan county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,799 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: Golden Shear Mine
Secondary: Patented Claim: Bonita
Secondary: Ms 11327

Commodity

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

Location

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

Land Status

Administrative Organization: San Juan N. F. (?)

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1893
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, Unnamed Fault

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: STEVEN AND OTHERS' (1969) SEMIQUANTITATIVE SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF SAMPLE FROM VEIN SHOWED 5000 PPM TI, 70 PPM MN, 0.7 PPM AG, LT 200 PPM AS, 500 PPM BA, LT 10 PPM BI, LT 20 PPM CD, LT 5 PPM CO, 300 PPM CR, 20 PPM CU, LT 5 PPM MO, 70 PPM NI, 300 PPM PB, LT 100 PPM SB, LT 10 PPM SN, 1000 PPM SR, 150 PPM V, LT 50 PPM W, LT 200 PPM ZN, 2 PPM FE. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS SHOWED 0.3 PPM AU, 18 PPM CU, 52 PPM PB, 140 PPM ZN, 16 PPM MO, LT 10 PPM AS, 2 PPM SB, 1 PPM HG, 6.3 PPM TE, 4.6 PPM AG.

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Sylvanite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Marcasite
Ore: Petzite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Calaverite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Hematite

Comments

Comment (Commodity): TELLURIDES, (EXCEPT SYLVANITE) CU-PB-ZN SULFIDES, AND OXIDIZED ORES LISTED ARE REPORTED GENERALLY FOR DISTRICT AND NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED AT THIS MINE. MINOR PRODUCTION OF CU AND PB LIKEWISE NOT VERIFIED.

Comment (Deposit): MINE DEVELOPED ON SMALL PYRITE-BEARING QUARTZ VEIN, TREND UNKNOWN BUT POSSIBLY NNE, IN EAST-WEST TRENDING QUARTZITE FAULT BLOCK WEST OF CENTRALLY CONCENTRATED PRODUCTIVE VEINS.

Comment (Workings): POSSIBLE SURFACE CUTS AND GENERALLY SOUTHWARD-HEADING TUNNEL OF UNKNOWN EXTENT

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON NORTH SIDE OF UNNAMED PEAK ON CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 1.75 MILES SW OF BEARTOWN SITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :41? 01 1977

References

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

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

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 11327

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

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.

Colorado Mining Photos

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