Silver Chord Mine

The Silver Chord Mine is a silver, copper, and lead mine located in Hinsdale county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,541 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: Silver Chord Mine
Secondary: Patented Claim: Silver Chord
Secondary: Ms 1251

Commodity

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

Location

State: Colorado
County: Hinsdale
District: Galena (Henson Creek) District

Land Status

Land ownership: Private
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

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1882
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

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Volcanic Field, San Juan Depression

Type: L
Description: San Juan-Uncompahgre Calderas, Lake City Caldera, Eureka Graben

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Miocene

Name: Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): MINE LOCATED ON SW SLOPE OF EMPIRE MOUNTAIN EAST OF YELLOWSTONE GULCH AND 0.5 MILE NNW OF CAPITOL CITY SITE. CLAIM ADJOINS EXCELSIOR CLAIM ON NORTH. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR SHAFT NNW OF EXCELSIOR SHAFT (POSSIBLY MISLABELED AS CZARINA MINE ON TOPO MAP). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1977

Comment (Deposit): MINE LIES NW OF LAKE CITY CALDERA RIM IN UNCOMPAHGRE CALDERA INFILLE ROCKS CONSISTING OF EUREKA MEMBER RHYOLITE. NW OF MINE, SEQUENCE IS INTRUDED AND ALTERED BY MONZONITE PORPHYRY AND RHYOLITE PLUGS. VEIN LIES IN SLACK'S (1980) QUARTZ/BASE-METAL ASSEMBLAGE, INNER QUARTZ-CHALCOPYRITE ZONE.

Comment (Workings): 80-FT SHAFT (FLOODED) INCLINED 78 DEG SE ALONG VEIN

References

Reference (Deposit): SLACK, J.F., 1980, MULTISTAGE VEIN ORES OF THE LAKE CITY DISTRICT, WESTERN SAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: ECON. GEOLOGY, V. 75, NO. 7, P. 963-991.

Reference (Deposit): IRVING, J.D., AND BANCROFT, HOWLAND, 1911, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS NEAR LAKE CITY, COLORADO: USGS BULL, 478, P. 80.

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1976, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE LAKE CITY CALDERA AREA, WESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-962.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 1251

Colorado Mining Photos

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