California Mine

The California Mine is a silver and lead mine located in Dolores county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,400 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: California Mine
Secondary: Unpatented Claims: California
Secondary: Green Mountain
Secondary: Nevada
Secondary: Burlesque Queen
Secondary: P.B. King

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Tertiary: Copper

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: Baer Brothers
Home Office: Rico, Co.
Years: 1965 -

Owner Name: Williams Partnership
Home Office: Naturita, Co.
Years: 1965 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1885
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: Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Copper
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON NORTH SIDE OF IRON DRAW BELOW TOP OF SE PROJECTION OF DARLING RIDGE 0.5 MILE WEST OF AZTEC MINE. (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ELEV AND LAT-LONG ARE FROM RICO TOPO MAP (1960 BASE). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Deposit): MIDDLE HERMOSA FM ROCKS CUT BY DIKE OF MONZONITE PRESUMABLY FROM STOCK TO SOUTH. SEVERAL STRONG FISSURES RELATED TO NELLIE BLY FAULT TREND FROM N 70 W TO S 85 W AND CONTAIN GOUGE, WITH SOME QUARTZ, AND OCCASIONAL GALENA, PYRITE BLANKETS REPLACE CALCAREOUS SHALE IN UPPER TUNNEL. NATIVE CU NOTED IN SANDSTONE IN LOWER TUNNEL.

Comment (Workings): LOWER TUNNEL DRIVEN 600 FT. UPPER TUNNEL DRIVEN 270 FT GENERALLY NORTH, WITH 200-FT WEST 200-FT WEST CROSSCUT AT 50 FT FROM PORTAL. FOUR RAISES 25, 30, 40, AND 70 FT HIGH; 4-FT WINZE IN CROSSCUT.

References

Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F.L., 1901, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS 22D ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 368.

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

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): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPT.

Colorado Mining Photos

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