Magnet Prospect

The Magnet Prospect is a iron mine located in Dolores county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,679 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: Magnet Prospect

Commodity

Primary: Iron
Tertiary: Gold
Tertiary: Silver
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

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Replacement
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1875
Year Last Production: 1900
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

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation Of Cu Sulfide To Carbonate

Rocks

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

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: BEST ORE CONTAINED 65% FE, 0.5 OZ/TON AG, 0.1 OZ/TON AU

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Magnetite
Gangue: Malachite

Comments

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON NORTH SIDE OF DARLING RIDGE APPROX 0.6 MILE SW OF PUZZLE MINE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Development): SMALL AMOUNTS OF MAGNETITE WERE MINED FOR SMELTER FLUX AT DURANGO, BUT OPERATION WAS NOT PROFITABLE DUE TO LOW ALLOWABLE COST FOR FE AT SMELTER AND HIGH TRANSPORATATION COSTS FROM MINE.

Comment (Deposit): LIMESTONE BEDS STRIKE NW AND DIP 45 NE, BUT DEPOSIT IS LIKELY IN LANDSLIDE AND NOT IN PLACE. LIMESTONE FORMING HANGING WALL IS CHERTY, BUT ORE LIES IN SOFT, WHITE, GRANULAR LIMESTONE PENETRATED BY STREAKS OF MAGNETITE AND MALACHITE (OXIDIZED ORE).

References

Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F.L., 1901, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS 22D ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 356.

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND RANSOME, F.L., 1909, DESCRIPTION OF THE RICO QUADRANGLE: USGS FOLIO 130, P. 15.

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): HARRER, C.M., AND TESCH, W.J., JR., 1959, RECONNAISSANCE OF IRON OCCURRENCES IN COLORADO: USBM IC-7918, P. 27.

Colorado Mining Photos

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