Iron Mine

The Iron Mine is a silver and copper mine located in Dolores county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,400 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

Name: Iron Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Dolores

Elevation: 9,400 Feet (2,865 Meters)

Commodity: Silver, Copper

Lat, Long: 37.70056, -108.01417

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 Iron Mine

Iron Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Iron Mine
Secondary: Patented Claim: Iron Mine
Secondary: Ms 8758


Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Copper
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: 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: H. Obendorfer And Matt Jacobson
Home Office: Rico, Co.
Years: 1920 -

Owner Name: John Doyle Mining And Milling Co.
Home Office: Rico, Co.
Years: 1920 -


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1920
Discovery Year: 1882
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 replacement


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, Paradox Basin

Type: L
Description: Rico Dome, Nellie Bly Fault, Unnamed Fault


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

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

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

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

Name: Latite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: STOPED ORE CONTAINED 40 TO 70 OZ/TON AG, 2 TO 3% CU. 30% FE


Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz


Comments

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). NORTH OF SILVER CREEK ON SE SIDE OF SW PROJECTION OF TELESCOPE MTN. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FROM MCKNIGHT, 1974, PL. 1 (1930 BASE). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR YEARS PRIOR TO 1920. NO REPORTED PRODUCTION AFTER 1920.

Comment (Deposit): MIDDLE AND UPPER HERMOSA FM LIMESTONES, SANDSTONES, AND SHALES TREND NW-SE, DIP 25 TO 30 NE, AND ARE INTRUDED BY HORNBLENDE LATITE PORPHYRY SILL. IRON VEIN TRENDS N 16 W, 60 TO 85 NE, AND CONSISTS OF 4 TO 10 INCHES OF BANDED QUARTZ ON HANGING WALL FOLLOWED BY DISTURBED QUARTZ AND COUNTRY ROCK, WITH PINKISH MANGANIFEROUS (?) CALCITE AS GANGUE. PRACTICALLY NO ORE FOUND WHERE FAULT TRAVERSES SANDSTONE AND SHALE. LIMESTONE REPLACED OVER 100-FT LENGTH AND 6- TO 12-FT WIDTH WHERE VEIN CUTS MIDDLE HERMOSA FM. ORE ALSO EXTENDS INTO LIMESTONE FOR SOME DISTANCE FROM VEIN ALONG FISSURES DIPPING 40 SW AND COMING TO MAIN VEIN FROM NE. PRESENCE OF EAST-WEST-TRENDING NELLIE BLY FAULT SUGGESTED BY CHANGE IN DIP OF BEDDING AND THIN VEIN OF CRUSHED BANDED QUARTZ. LOWER TUNNEL WORKED DOWNDIP EXTENSION OF LIMESTONE REPLACEMENT ORE, BUT NELLIE BLY FAULT MAY TRUNCATE MINERALIZED BEDS AT DEPTH.

Comment (Workings): UPPER TUNNEL ABANDONED, EXTENT UNKNOWN; MIDDLE TUNNEL DRIVEN N 16 W ALONG VEIN FOR 953 FT; LOWER TUNNEL DRIVEN PRESUMABLY ALONG VEIN AT N 16 W FOR 675 FT, CONNECTED BY 140-FT WINZE FROM MIDDLE TUNNEL.


References

Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F.L., 1901, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS 22D ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 383-385.

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): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND RANSOME, F.L., 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE RICO QUADRANGLE: USGS FOLIO 130.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 8758

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


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.