Aztec Mine

The Aztec Mine is a silver and lead mine located in Dolores county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,541 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

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Site Name

Primary: Aztec Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Aztec, MS 367a
Secondary: Aztec Mill Site, MS 367b

Commodity

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

Location

State: Colorado
County: Dolores
District: Pioneer (Rico) 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

Owner Name: George E. Hicks
Home Office: Rico, Co.
Years: 1951 -

Owner Name: E. A. Edwards
Home Office: Rico, Co.
Years: 1951 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1879
Year Last Production: 1895
Discovery Year: 1875
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Colorado Plateaus
Physiographic Section: Canyon Lands

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic replacement

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, Paradox Basin

Type: L
Description: Rico Dome, Nellie Bly Fault

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Pennsylvanian

Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pennsylvanian

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 1895 ORE SHIPMENT OF 24 ST CONTAINED 17 OZ/TON AG, 11% PB, AND 0.1 TO 0.14 OZ/TON AU

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1870S

Comment (Deposit): AZTEC LODE TRENDS N 70 W, 80 TO 85 NE ALONG NELLIE BLY FAULT. MINERALIZATION APPEARS TO BE METASOMATIC REPLACEMENT OF CALCAREOUS SHALE BANDS. ON FOOTWALL, PYRITIZED BRECCIATED SHALE AND SHALY LIMESTONE GRADE INTO UNDISTURBED LOWER HERMOSA FM COUNTRY ROCK. ON HANGING WALL, BRECCIA AT LEAST 5 FT THICK CONSISTS OF QUARTZ-AND ORE-CEMENTED SHALE FRAGMENTS. CDM INF. REPT. CITES AS DEPOSIT AS REPLACEMENT IN LIMESTONE.

Comment (Workings): CDM INF. REPT. DESCRIBES WORKINGS AS FOUR CROSSCUT TUNNELS: NO. 1 (UPPER), 75 FT LONG; NO. 2, 150 FT LONG; NO. 3, 300 FT LONG; NO. 4 (LOWER, MAIN), 500 FT LONG, ALL DRIVEN GENERALLY WEST OR WNW.

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). CLAIM LIES IN AZTEC GULCH 0.58 MILE FROM DOLORES RIVER (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FROM MCKNIGHT, 1974, PL. 1 (1930 BASE). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Development): AZTEC WAS ONE OF FIRST MINES OPENED IN DISTRICT AND PRODUCED INTERMITTENTLY FROM 1879 TO AT LEAST 1895.

References

Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F.L., 1901, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS 22D ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 364-365.

Reference (Deposit): MCKNIGHT, E.T., 1974, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 723, P.92.

Reference (Deposit): PRATT, W.P., AND OTHERS, 1969, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE RICO QUADRANGLE, DOLORES AND MONTEZUMA COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-797.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 367A&B

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS.

Colorado Mining Photos

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