Rico-Aspen Mine

The Rico-Aspen Mine is a zinc, silver, and lead mine located in Dolores county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,045 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: Rico-Aspen Mine
Secondary: Syndicate Tunnel
Secondary: Patented Claims: Telegraph, MS 780
Secondary: Syndicate, MS 2185a
Secondary: Star, MS 6199
Secondary: Silver Glance, MS 6201
Secondary: Silver Glance No. 2, MS 6201
Secondary: Snow Flake, MS 6216
Secondary: Vestal, MS 6252
Secondary: Aspen, MS 6512
Secondary: Last Chance, MS 6512
Secondary: Brittle Silver, MS 7458
Secondary: Selenide, MS 7458
Secondary: Silver Glance No. 4, MS 7976
Secondary: Stephanite, MS 7980

Commodity

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

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: Pelleyre Mining And Milling Co.
Home Office: Salt Lake City, Ut.
Years: 1939 -

Owner Name: G. S. Hicks
Home Office: Rico, Co.
Years: 1939 -

Production

Year: 1938
Description: Ap_Grade: ^4.5 Oz/Ton Ag, 20% Pb, 32% Zn, 1% Cu, 0.23 Oz/Ton Au
Year: 1930
Description: Ap_Grade: ^5.9 Oz/Ton Ag, 21.35% Pb, 32.2% Zn, 1.21% Cu, 0.2 Oz/Ton Au
Year: 1920
Description: Ap_Grade: ^5 Oz/Ton Ag, 20% Pb, 25% Zn
Year: 1939
Description: Ap_Grade: ^6.345 Oz/Ton Ag, 12.64% Pb, 41.26% Zn, 1.14% Cu, 0.459 Oz/Ton Au
Year: 1937
Description: Ap_Grade: ^5.5 Oz/Ton Ag, 20% Pb, 30% Zn, 1% Cu, 0.23 Oz/Ton Au
Year: 1921
Description: Ap_Grade: ^100 Oz/Ton Ag, 12% Pb, 15.8% Zn, 1.8% Cu, 0.6 Oz/Ton Au
Year: 1919
Description: Ap_Grade: ^100 Oz/Ton Ag, 10% Pb, 15% Zn, 0.75 Oz/Ton Au

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1939
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic replacement

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, Paradox Basin

Type: L
Description: Rico Dome

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: TETRAHEDRITE-TENNANTITE-BEARING SPHALERITE FROM SYNDICATE DUMP CONTAINED 5.0% AG AND 0.5% BI

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Argentite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Dolomite
Gangue: Siderite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED BY SILVER GLANCE, ASPEN, VESTAL, JUMBO, AND MONTEZUMA SHAFTS, AND BY SYNDICATE, STEPHANITE, AND SNOWFLAKE TUNNELS. SYNDICATE TUNNEL DRIVEN S 63 E FOR ABOUT 920 FT, THENCE S 73 E FOR AT LEAST 1750FT, WITH DRIFTS ON SYNDICATE VEIN AT 280 FT, MONTEZUMA-JUMBO VEIN AT 580 TO 700 FT, STAR VEIN AT 1430 FT, SELENIDE VEIN AT 1970 FT FROM PORTAL. STEPHANITE TUNNEL LOCATED 880 FT SW OF SYNDICATE AND DRIVEN N 54 E FOR 480 FT, THENCE BRANCHING TO CONNECT WITH SYNDICATE AND MONTEZUMA-JUMBO DRIFTS OFF SYNDICATE TUNNEL. SNOWFLAKE TUNNEL LOCATED 1400 FT SE OF SYNDICATE AND DRIVEN GENERALLY N 13 E FOR 990 FT. SILVER GLANCE SHAFT LOCATED ABOUT 1500 FT SE OF SYNDICATE; VESTAL SHAFT LOCATED 2580 FT ENE OF SYNDICATE; JUMBO SHAFT LOCATED 2020 FT NE OF SYNDICATE; MONTEZUMA SHAFT LOCATED 1750 FT NE OF SYNDICATE.

Comment (Deposit): WERE ALL OF PRIMARY RATHER THAN SECONDARY ORIGIN IN GALENA AND CHALCOPYRITE ORE.

Comment (Deposit): SW-DIPPING LOWER HERMOSA FM SANDSTONE, SHALE, AND LIMESTONE ARE INTRUDED BY HORNBLENDE LATITE PORPHYRY SILLS AND DIKES. FISSURE VEINS CONTAINED IN NE-TRENDING VERTICAL FAULTS AND ARE CUT BY NUMEROUS NW-TRENDING BARREN CROSS FAULTS. FISSURE VEINS SPLIT INTO STRINGERS UPWARD TOWARD ENTERPRISE CONTACT AND ARE TOPPED BY BLANKET REPLACEMENTS IN LIMESTONE AND IN DISSOLUTION BRECCIA FROM OVERLYING GYPSUM. OTHER BLANKETS FORM NEXT TO NE VERTICALS CUTTING SHALE. FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, PRINCIPAL NE VEINS ARE SYNDICATE (EQUIVALENT TO STEPHENS AND EUREKA TO NE), MONTEZUMA-JUMBO, STAR (JUMBO NO. 3?), AND SELENIDE. SELENIDE VEIN CONSISTS OF NUMEROUS SMALL QUARTZ STRINGERS ON GENERALLY PARALLEL COURSE OF N 55 E, DYING OUT BEFORE REACHING BASE OF GYPSUM. SOUTH OF SILVER GLANCE SHAFT AND DEADWOOD GULCH AND NEAR DEADWOOD FAULT, BLANKET GREW THINNER AND DIPPED STEEPLY SOUTH. AFTER EXAMINING RICH ORE SAMPLES FROM SILVER GLANCE SHAFT AREA, BASTIN (1922) CONCLUDED THAT PEARCEITE, ARGENTITE, AND TENNANTITE

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). MINE LIES AT SOUTH END OF NEWMAN HILL NORTH OF DEADWOOD GULCH, AND WORKINGS CONNECT WITH NEWMAN AND ENTERPRISE MINES (UNSURVEYED SECTIONS). RECORDS DO NOT CONFIRM THAT ALL PATENTED CLAIMS LISTED ABOVE HAD BEEN CONSOLIDATED BY OPERATOR, BUT THOSE LISTED OVERLIE MOST OF WORKINGS AS MAPPED BY RANSOME (1901). ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR PORTAL OF SYNDICATE TUNNEL JUST BEYOND WEST END OF TELEGRAPH CLAIM (NW NW SEC. 01) AND ARE FROM MCKNIGHT, 1974, PL.1 (1930 BASE). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR YEARS PRIOR TO 1919. NO PRODUCTION IN 1922-1929, 1931-1936, AND AFTER 1939.

Comment (Development): EARLY HISTORY UNKNOWN BUT DISCOVERY PROBABLY WAS RESULT OF HARRY IRVING'S DISCOVERY ON NEWMAN HILL IN 1879 AND SWICKHIMER'S GREAT DISCOVERY AT ENTERPRISE IN 1887. LATER OPERATORS INCLUDED SYNDICATE MINING ANDMILLING CO. 1919-1921 AND G.S. HICKS AND/OR HICKS BROTHERS 1930-1939.

References

Reference (Deposit): RANSOME, F.L., THE ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS 22D ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 335-340.

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

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS. AND ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 780, 2185A, 6199, 6201, 6216, 6252, 7458, 7459, 7976, 7980

Reference (Deposit): BASTIN, E.S., 1922, SILVER ENRICHMENT IN THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 735-D, P. 114-115.

Reference (Production): COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.

Reference (Deposit): MCKNIGHT, E.T., 1974, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 723, P. 73-75.

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

Colorado Mining Photos

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