Copper Rivet Mine

The Copper Rivet Mine is a copper and silver mine located in Mesa county, Colorado at an elevation of 6,299 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

Name: Copper Rivet Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Mesa

Elevation: 6,299 Feet (1,920 Meters)

Commodity: Copper, Silver

Lat, Long: 38.53389, -108.97611

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the Copper Rivet Mine

Copper Rivet Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Copper Rivet Mine


Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Silver
Tertiary: Chromium


Location

State: Colorado
County: Mesa
District: Sinbad District


Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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.


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Not available


Ownership

Not available


Production

Year: 1942
Description: Ap_Grade: ^9 % Cu, 4 Oz/Ton Ag


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1925
Year Last Production: 1942
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: Paradox Basin Fold And Fault Belt

Type: L
Description: Sinbad Valley Anticline, Sinbad Valley Graben, Salt Creek Graben


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Not available


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: SAMPLES FROM UPPER ADIT CONTAINED GENERALLY 0.29 TO 2.78% CU WITH HIGH OF 10.24% CU, AND LESS THAN 0.20% CR0203


Materials

Ore: Bornite
Gangue: Calcite


Comments

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT ASSOCIATED WITH FAULT AT WEST END OF AND ON NW SIDE OF SALT CREEK GRABEN, WHICH TRENDS NE AT RIGHT ANGLE TO SINBAD VALLEY GRABEN. PRINCIPAL FAULT TRENDS N 40 E, DIPS NEARLY VERTICAL. BEST ORE DEVELOPED IN LOWER WINGATE SANDSTONE JUST ABOVE CONTACT WITH UNDERLYING CHINLE FM. ORE CONSISTS PRIMARILY OF CHALCOPYRITE AND LUZONITE, LARGELY OXIDIZED. SMALL MASSES OF CHALCOCITE CARRY DISSEMINATED CHALCOPYRITE AND BORNITE. OCCURRENCE OF AG UNCERTAIN BUT LIKELY IS SIMILAR TO OTHER CU-AG DEPOSITS IN REGION, PROBABLY WITHIN CU SULFIDE.

Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED BY THREE ADITS. LOWER ADIT DRIVEN GENERALLY N 35 W FOR 225 FT, THENCE GENERALLY N 20 E FOR 280 FT. UPPER ADIT LOCATED 275 FT NW OF LOWER, DRIVEN GENERALLY N 40 E FOR 425 FT; NEAR FACE IS 125-FT RAISE FROM LOWER LEVEL. EXTENT OF THIRD ADIT UNKNOWN.

Comment (Production): PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. EXACT FIGURES UNKNOWN FOR EARLY YEARS, BUT PRODUCTION IS CONSIDERED TO BE SMALL.

Comment (Development): MINE PRODUCED SMALL AMOUNT OF HIGH-GRADE CU-AG ORE ABOUT TIME OF PYRAMID GROUP ACTIVITY (1909-1916). LAST REPORTED PRODUCTION WAS IN 1942.

Comment (Location): MINE SITUATED ON CLIFF NW OF SALT CREEK AT POINT WHERE CREEK LEAVES SINBAD VALLEY. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975


References

Reference (Deposit): HOLMES, R.V., AND HARRER, C.M., 1952, INVESTIGATION OF THE COLORADO COPPER CO. PROPERTIES, MESA AND MONTROSE COUNTIES, COLORADO: USBM RI-4869.

Reference (Deposit): SCHWOCHOW, S.D., 1978, MINERAL RESOURCES SURVEY OF MESA COUNTY, A MODEL STUDY: CGS RESOURCE SER. 2, P. 14-16.

Reference (Deposit): SHOEMAKER, E.M., 1955, GEOLOGY OF THE JUANITA ARCH QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-81.

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPT.

Reference (Deposit): VANDERWILT, J.W., 1947, MINERAL RESOURCES OF COLORADO: COLORADO STATE MINERAL RESOURCE BD., P. 141-142.

Reference (Production): HOLMES AND HARRER, 1952; VANDERWILT, 1947, P. 142.

Reference (Deposit): FISCHER, R.P., 1936, PECULIAR HYDROTHERMAL COPPER-BEARING VEINS OF THE NORTHEASTERN COLORADO PLATEAU: ECON. GEOLOGY, V. 31, NO. 6, P. 593.


Colorado Mining Photos

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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