Midwest Mine

The Midwest Mine is a silver and lead mine located in Mineral county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,249 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: Midwest Mine
Secondary: Gateway Mine

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Secondary: Zinc

Location

State: Colorado
County: Mineral
District: Creede 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

Owner Name: New Midwest Mining, Ltd.
Years: 1970 -

Owner Name: Gateway Access Corp.
Years: 1970 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1970
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; La Garita, Creede, And Bachelor Calderas

Type: L
Description: Isolated Fault Between Amethyst And Solomon-Holy Moses Fault Zones; Creede Graben

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Oligocene

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

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

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Not available

Comments

Comment (Deposit): COLO. DIV. MINES REPORTS AN OLD MIDWEST MINE ACTIVE IN 1923 ON MAMMOTH MTN. A 1950 INSP. REPORT SAYS GATEWAY MINE WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS MIDWEST BUT NOW LOCATED ON NELSON CR. 2 MILES ABOVE AMETHYST. POSSIBLY SHOULD BE CALLED NEW MIDWEST MINE. "OLD" MIDWEST REPORTED TO BE 2000 FT LONG. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Location): S-T-R, LAT-LONG, AND ELEV DETERMINED FROM EMMONS AND LARSEN'S (1923) TOPO MAP (1:24,000). MINE OR CLAIM LIES ON NELSON CR. 0.75 ABOVE W. WILLOW CR. CONFLUENCE ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Workings): AT LEAST 1750 FT OF TUNNEL, AT LEAST 1000 FT OF DRIFT ALONG VEIN

References

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND RATTE, J.C., 1965, GEOLOGY AND STRUCTURAL CONTROL OF ORE DEPOSITION IN THE CREEDE DISTRICT, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 487, 90 P.

Reference (Deposit): LINDEMANN, J.W., AND OTHERS, EDS., 1981, FIELD TRIP NOTES, CREEDE MINING DISTRICT, SAN JUAN VOLCANIC PROVINCE, COLORADO: DENVER REGIONAL EXPLORATION GEOLOGISTS SOC. GUIDEBOOK

Reference (Deposit): EMMONS, W.H., AND LARSEN, E.S. 1923, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE CREEDE DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 718, 198 P.

Colorado Mining Photos

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