Continental Mine

The Continental Mine is a silver and gold mine located in Saguache county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,239 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: Continental Mine
Secondary: Continental
Secondary: Iron Clad
Secondary: Minnehaha
Secondary: King
Secondary: Oro
Secondary: Summit

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold

Location

State: Colorado
County: Saguache
District: Domingo (Vulcan) 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: Patrick O'Fallon
Home Office: Gunnison, Co.
Years: 1932 -

Owner Name: Owen O'Fallon, C.E. Lyman, And B.M. Lyman
Home Office: Gunnison, Co.
Years: 1932 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1932
Discovery Year: 1901
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: Gunnison Uplift; San Juan Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: Gunnison Gold Belt

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 1932 ORE SHIPMENT ASSAYED 1.28 OZ/TON AU, 0.05 OZ/TON AG, 1.2% FE, 0.4%

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Commodity): MILS CITES PB AND ZINC OCCURRING BUT THESE ARE UNVERIFIED

Comment (Location): ON HILLSIDE 0.35 MILE WEST OF SOUTH BEAVER CREEK AND 0.7 MILE NW OF MIDLAND MINE. CLAIM GROUP EXTENDS INTO SECS. 2 AND 12 ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1976

Comment (Production): COLO. DIV. MINES RECORDS 46-TON ORE SHIPMENT IN 1932 ASSAYING 1.28 OZ/TON AU, 0.05 OZ/TON AG

Comment (Workings): APPROX. 400 FT SOUTH OF 85-FT-DEEP SHAFT ARE OLDER CROSS-CUT AND DRIFT TUNNELS EXTENDING ABOUT 150 FT TO NE. 100 FT NORTH OF SHAFT ARE 40-FT-LONG OPEN CUT AND 45-FT DRIFT ON VEIN THAT HAS PRODUCED ORE. OTHER OPEN CUTS AND SHORT TUNNELS TOTAL ABOUT 250 FT IN EXTENT

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT REPORTEDLY IS A FISSURE VEIN. GEOLOGIC MAP SHOWS NO FAULTS IN MINE AREA BUT A TUNNEL ENTRY DRIVEN NW ALONG CONTACT BETWEEN METABASALT UNIT AND LARGE GRANITIC DIKE ABOUT 400 TO 750 FT WIDE ON OUTCROP AND TRENDING N 50 W. GRANITE FOLIATION TRENDS N 37 W, 70 SW. METABASALT FOLIATION IN AREA TRENDS GENERALLY N 40 TO 60 W, 60 TO 80 SW. MINERALIZATION COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH BRECCIATION OR SLIPPAGE ALONG WALLS OF INTRUSION

References

Reference (Deposit): HEDLUND, D.C., AND OLSON, J.C., 1975, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE POWDERHORN QUADRANGLE, GUNNISON AND SAGUACHE COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-1178

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 12592 AND 13410

Reference (Deposit): COLO. DIV. MINES INSPECTORS REPT. 10/21/32

Reference (Deposit): OLSON, J.C., STEVEN, T.A., AND HEDLUND, D.C., 1975, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SPRING HILL CREEK QUADRANGLE, SAGUACHE COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP MF-713

Colorado Mining Photos

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