West Mancos River Placers

The West Mancos River Placers is a gold mine located in Montezuma county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,180 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: West Mancos River Placers
Secondary: Golconda, Kebler, Senator, Cabezon, Spartacus, Red Cloud, Bed Rock,
Secondary: And Vulcan Placers
Secondary: Patented Claims
Secondary: Golconda Placer, MS 8203
Secondary: Kebler Placer, MS 8203
Secondary: Senator Placer, MS 8563
Secondary: Cabezon Placer, MS 8563
Secondary: Spartacus Placer, MS 8563
Secondary: Red Cloud Placer, MS 8564
Secondary: Bed Rockplacer, MS 8564
Secondary: Vulcan Placer, MS 8564

Commodity

Primary: Gold

Location

State: Colorado
County: Montezuma
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: Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
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

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

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

Type: L
Description: La Plata Dome

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Deposit): PLACER AU DERIVED FROM ERODED PORTIONS OF EXPOSED VEINS IN HEADWATERS OF RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. PLACERS IN AREA GENERALLY WERE OF LOW GRADE BECAUSE (1) MUCH PRIMARY AU IS TELLURIDE, RELATIVELY LIGHT, EASILY BROKEN DOWN INTO FINE PARTICLES. (2) CHEMICAL WEATHERING PRODUCES "MUSTARD" AU THAT CAN BE CARRIED GREATER DISTANCES, (3) ERRATIC CONCENTRATIONS IN SMALL POCKETS IN WIDE VALLEYS SCOURED BY GLACIATION.

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ALONG WEST MANCOS RIVER FROM POINT BELOW OWEN BASIN AT HEADWATERS OF SOUTH FORK WESTWARD THROUGH GOLCONDA SITE AND SOUTHWARD TO POINT ABOUT 2 MILES ABOVE MIDDLE MANCOS RIVER CONFLUENCE. CLAIMS ALSO COVER PORTION OF NORTH FORK OF WEST MANCOS RIVER. DEPOSITS ALSO EXTEND ONTO LA PLATA QUAD. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR CONFLUENCE OF NORTH AND SOUTH FORKS OF WEST MANCOS RIVER (NE SEC. 23, T37N, R12W). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974

Comment (Deposit): PLACERS ARE INCLUDED IN CALIFORNIA DISTRICT BUT BLM CLAIM RECORDS ASSIGN DISTRICT NAME "MANCOS" TO MS 8563 AND 8564. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

References

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

Reference (Deposit): PARKER, B.H., JR., 1974, GOLD PLACERS OF COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES QUART., V. 69, NO. 4, P. 194-197.

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1899, DESCRIPTION OF THE LA PLATA QUADRANGLE: USGS FOLIO 60.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 8203, 8563, 8564

Colorado Mining Photos

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