Tippecanoe Mine

The Tippecanoe Mine is a silver and gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 11,319 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: Tippecanoe Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Tippecanoe, MS 1346
Secondary: Monitor, MS 2084
Secondary: Laura A., MS 2551a
Secondary: Laura A. Mill Site, MS 2551b
Secondary: Cora G., MS 4873
Secondary: Old Cumberland Basin Mine

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Antimony

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

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Underground
Year First Production: 1882
Year Last Production: 1918
Discovery Year: 1882
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 Permian

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

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: Pyrargyrite
Ore: Proustite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Barite

Comments

Comment (Workings): CORA G., LAURA A., AND MONITOR TUNNELS ARE PROBABLY CROSSCUTS DRIVEN SE TO VEIN AND ON ORDER OF 100 TO 400 FT IN LENGTH. TIPPECANOE TUNNEL PROBABLY A DRIFT TUNNEL DRIVEN ESE ALONG VEIN; OPEN CUTS AND PITS.

Comment (Development): FOUR CLAIMS SURVEYED ALONG SAME VEIN FROM 1882-1888.

Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCK CONSISTS OF CUTLER FM RED BEDS INTRUDED BY DIORITE-MONZONITE PORPHYRY SILLS AND TRAVERSED BY VUGGY QUARTZ-BARITE VEIN TRENDING ENE-WSW, DIPPING STEEPLY NORTH BUT WITH NW-TRENDING BRANCH ON WHICH TIPPECANOE MINE IS DEVELOPED.

Comment (Location): CLAIMS EXTEND ACROSS SE PART OF CUMBERLAND BASIN AT HEAD OF LA PLATA RIVER, 4.3 MILES NE OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE (UNSURVEYED SECTION). Location from PP-219, pl. 2 and MLA 2-92, fig. 39, p. 111.

Comment (Commodity): ORE MINERALS NOT OBSERVED BUT THOUGHT TO BE RUBY SILVER; MAY POSSIBLY INCLUDE OTHER AG SULFOSALTS

Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. NO PRODUCTION IN 1902-1916 AND 1919-1943, AND APPARENTLY NONE AFTER 1943; PRODUCTION UNKNOWN FOR OTHER YEARS PRIOR TO 1902. PRODUCTION CITED IS FOR INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS AS LISTED. ESTIMATED AU FIGURES CALCULATED FROM AVERAGE PRICE OF $20.65/OZ. ESTIMATED AG FIGURES CALCULATED FROM REPORTED AVERAGE AG PRICES AS LISTED FOR EACH YEAR. AG FIGURE FOR 1887 (MONITOR) CALCULATED FROM DOLLAR VALUE LEFT AFTER SUBTRACTING VALUE OF REPORTED 143 LB PB (AT AVERAGE PRICE OF $0.045/LB) FROM TOTAL COMBINED VALUE OF AG AND PB. REPORTED VALUES OF AG AND AU FOR 1882 (TIPPECANOE) NOT REPORTED SEPARATELY.

References

Reference (Production): ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949, P. 169 (AS COMPILED FROM REPTS. OF DIRECTOR OF MINT AND USBM)

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 1346, 2084, 2551A&B, 4873

Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219, P. 73-74, 169.

Reference (Deposit): Neubert and others, 1992, Mineral Appraisal of the San Juan National Forest, Colorado: USBM MLA 2-92, p. 111, fig. 39; p. 127; p. 128, fig. 50.

Colorado Mining Photos

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