Southern Boy Mine

The Southern Boy Mine is a silver and gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,101 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: Southern Boy Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Southern Boy, MS 6435
Secondary: Southern Girl, MS 6436
Secondary: Bushby, MS 12392
Secondary: Texas Queen, MS 15688
Secondary: Northern Boy, MS 15688
Secondary: Alvia, MS 15688
Secondary: Unpatented Claim: General Miles

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Tellurium

Location

State: Colorado
County: La Plata
District: California (La Plata) 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: Claude D. Park
Home Office: Durango, Co.
Years: 1975 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1924
Discovery Year: 1891
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: Navajo Section

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift, Four Corners Platform

Type: L
Description: La Plata Dome

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Triassic

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Triassic

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sylvanite
Ore: Gold
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Ankerite

Comments

Comment (Production): PRODUCTION, IF ANY, BEFORE 1901 UNKNOWN. ESTIMATED ORE TONNAGE AND GRADE FOR 1922 FROM CDM ANN. OPERATOR REPT. ESTIMATED CUMULATIVE TOTALS FOR AU AND AG INCLUDE ESTIMATED 22.4 OZ AU AND 135 OZ AG CALCULATED FROM REPORTED TONNAGE AND ORE GRADE FOR 1922.

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ALONG AND SOUTH OF BURNT TIMBER CREEK NEAR CONFLUENCE WITH LA PLATA RIVER, 2.05 MILES SSW OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974

Comment (Development): LITTLE PRODUCTION, IF ANY, IN EARLY YEARS, BUT RICH SYLVANITE ORE WAS KNOWN TO OCCUR NEAR SURFACE. INTERMITTENT PRODUCTION FROM 1901-1924. SOME EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT WORK AS LATE AS 1971-1975.

Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCKS OF CONSISTS PERMIAN AND TRIASSIC RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE PORPHYRY DIKES. VEIN TRENDS N 0 TO 11 W, DIPS STEEPLY EAST AND CONSISTS OF 1- TO 3-FT SILICIFIED FRACTURE ZONE WITH QUARTZ, BARITE, ANKERITE, AND SULFIDES. NEAR-SURFACE WEATHERED MATERIAL REPORTEDLY YIELDED FREE AU.

Comment (Workings): MAIN TUNNEL IS 65-FT CROSSCUT DRIVEN EAST. 500 FT BELOW TUNNEL IS 700-FT CROSSCUT DRIVEN N 79 E WITH 40-FT DRIFT DRIVEN N 10 E FROM FACE.THREE SHAFTS 20, 30, AND 40 FT DEEP. OPEN CUTS AND TRENCHES.

References

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 6435, 6436, 12392, 15688

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

Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219, P. 73-76, 168

Reference (Production): ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949, P. 168 (AS COMPILED FROM USBM RECORDS); COLORADO DIV. MINES ANN. OPERATOR REPTS.

Colorado Mining Photos

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