Rock of Ages Mine

The Rock of Ages Mine is a copper, silver, lead, and gold mine located in Dolores county, Colorado at an elevation of 12,861 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: Rock of Ages Mine
Secondary: Patented Claims: Rock of Ages, MS 19205a
Secondary: Rock of Ages No. 2, MS 19205a
Secondary: Peak View, MS 19205a
Secondary: Rock of Ages Mill Site, MS 19205b

Commodity

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

Location

State: Colorado
County: Dolores
District: Mount Wilson District

Land Status

Land ownership: National Wilderness
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. , Lizard Head Wilderness

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Ed Hotz and Ed Netherton
Info Year: 1964

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic replacement

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Paradox Basin, San Miguel Mtns

Type: L
Description: Wilson Peak Stock

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: FIRE ASSAY OF VEIN MATERIAL CONTAINED 0.04 OZ/TON AU, 0.54 OZ/TON AG, 0.52% CU, 0.26% PB, 0.10% ZN

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): PLSS location for duplicate, deleted record 10288521 was 41N, 10W, sec. 5, N2N2N2, but this area is unsurveyed and PLSS is not shown on topos.

Comment (Location): CLAIMS STRADDLE COUNTY LINE ON DIVIDE BETWEEN NAVAJO BASIN AND SILVER PICK BASIN 0.5 MILE SW OF WILSON PEAK. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR MAIN TUNNEL ON DOLORES COUNTY SIDE OF RIDGE. as labeled on pl. 1 of Bull 1227.

Comment (Development): CLAIMS SURVEYED IN 1911 AND PATENTED IN 1914 BY CHARLES F. PAINTER, BUT MINE REPORTEDLY PRODUCED ORE AT LEAST IN LATE 1890s.

Comment (Deposit): ON NORTH SIDE OF WILSON PEAK STOCK, NUMEROUS FISSURES TRENDING N 60 TO 80 E DIP STEEPLY NW AND SE, AND CUT PORPHYRITIC ADAMELLITE NEAR CONTACT WITH GRANODIORITE. SOME FISSURES CONTAIN DISCONTINUOUS VEINS 0.5 TO 2 INCHES WIDE AND COMPOSED OF QUARTZ, PYRITE, AND SULFIDES.

Comment (Workings): ONE TUNNEL DRIVEN GENERALLY NORTH, EXACT EXTENT UNKNOWN; WORKINGS CONSISTED OF AT LEAST 700 FT OF CROSSCUTS AND DRIFTS.

References

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 19205A&B

Reference (Deposit): BROMFIELD, C.S., 1967, GEOLOGY OF THE MOUNT WILSON QUADRANGLE, WESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1227, p. 93, pl. 1.

Reference (Deposit): CBM Annual Report, 1964

Reference (Deposit): BROMFIELD, C.S., AND OTHERS, 1972, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE WILSON MOUNTAINS PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1353-A, P. 50-51.

Colorado Mining Photos

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