Happy Thought Mine

The Happy Thought Mine is a gold, lead, zinc, and silver mine located in Mineral county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,449 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: Happy Thought Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Mineral

Elevation: 10,449 Feet (3,185 Meters)

Commodity: Gold, Lead, Zinc, Silver

Lat, Long: 37.88972, -106.93972

Map: View on Google Maps

Satelite View

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Satelite image of the Happy Thought Mine

Happy Thought Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Happy Thought Mine


Commodity

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


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: Minerals Engineering Co. (Meco)
Home Office: Grand Junction, Co.
Years: 1981 -


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1892
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: Creede Graben; Amethyst Fault Zone


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Chloritization; Fe And Mn Oxides, Cu Carbonate; Sericitization


Rocks

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

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


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 325.9 TONS PB CONC. ASSAYED 52% PB, 6 OZ/TON AG, 1 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: 426.4 TONS PB CONC. ASSAYED 65% PB, 6.9 OZ/TON AG, 1.1 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: 1615.4 TONS ZN CONC. ASSAYED 28% ZN, 10% PB, 5 OZ/TON AG, 0.3 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: 405.07 TONS ZN CONC. ASSAYED 25 TO 31% ZN, 7 TO 11% PB, 2 TO 3 OZ/TON AG, 0.32 TO 0.52 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: ORE FROM STOPE 20 FT ABOVE TUNNEL (LEVEL 12) 400 FT NORTH OF SHAFT REPORTEDLY CARRIED 10 OZ/TON AG, 8% PB, $2/TON AU. ASSAYS OF CONCENTRATES: 877.1 TONS ZN CONC. ASSAYED 37% ZN, 8.10% PB, 4.5 OZ/TON AG, 0.4 OZ/TON AU
Analytical Data: 49.4 TONS SLIMES ASSAYED 21.7% PB, 4.6 OZ/TON AG, 0.48 OZ/TON AU.
Analytical Data: 517.2 TONS PB CONC. ASSAYED 68% PB, 5.5 OZ/TON AG, 1.3 OZ/TON AU


Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Silver
Ore: Gold
Ore: Anglesite
Gangue: Amethyst
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Hematite


Comments

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 ABOVE W. WILLOW CR. MIDWAY BETW. AMETHYST AND PARK REGENT MINE ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Development): IN 1894, UNITED MINES CO. EXTENDED THE 250-FT SHAFT TO 800 FT WITH DRIFTS AT 500, 600, AND 700 LEVELS. IN 1895, SHAFT EXTENDED TO 878 FT, LEVEL 8 DRIVEN, LEVEL 7 DRIVEN 654 FT SOUTH TO CONNECT WITH AMETHYST 5. IN 1896, BIG KANAWHA LEASING CO. EXTENDED SHAFT TO 1163 FT AND RAN LEVELS 9, 10, 11.

Comment (Deposit): ATTITUDE IS FOR PRINCIPAL AMETHYST VEIN. ORE HIGHLY OXIDIZED TO 700 FT. NEARLY COMPLETE OXIDATION NOTED ON LEVEL 9. ON 10 LEVEL AND BELOW, SOME OXIDATION APPARENT IN CLOSELY SPACED STRINGERS. ON LEVEL 8, SULFIDE ORE IS CUT BY STRINGERS OF AURIFEROUS FE-MN OXIDES, CU CARBONATES, CERUSSITE.

Comment (Workings): ONE SHAFT 1400 FT LONG ON INCLINE (1182 FT VERT. DIST), WITH 11 LEVELS TURNED APPROX. AT 100-FT INTERVALS. NELSON-WOOSTER-HUMPHREYS TUNNEL PASSES THRU BOTTOM OF MINE AT LEVEL 12.

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: EARLY 1890S


References

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

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


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.