Apex Tunnel

The Apex Tunnel is a antimony mine located in Conejos county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,649 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: Apex Tunnel
Secondary: Watrous Claims

Commodity

Primary: Antimony

Location

State: Colorado
County: Conejos
District: Decatur West (Stunner) District

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
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: Occurrence
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
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

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: Platoro Caldera, Summitville Caldera, Alamosa River Stock, Cornwall Fault

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Stibnite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Deposit): QUARTZ VEIN TRENDS ABOUT N 35 W ALONG LOWER REACH OF ACME GULCH IN SUMMITVILLE ANDESITE ALONG SOUTH MARGIN OF SUMMITVILLE CALDERA AGAINST CORNWALL RING FAULT THAT TRUNCATES CORNWALL RESURGENT BLOCK WITHIN PLATORO CALDERA TO SOUTH. TUNNEL DRIVEN INTO HILLSIDE TO INTERSECT VEIN. OTHER MINERALIZATION NOT REPORTED, BUT STIBNITE CRYSTALS SUPPOSEDLY WERE REMOVED.

Comment (Workings): 150-FT TUNNEL DRIVEN GENERALLY SOUTH OF SE

Comment (Location): EXACT LOCATION UNCERTAIN BUT ESTIMATED FROM PATTON'S DESCRIPTION TO BE SOUTH OF ALAMOSA RIVER NEAR MOUTH OF ACME GULCH, 3.25 MILES ENE OF LOOKOUT MTN. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

References

Reference (Deposit): PATTON, H.B., 1917, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PLATORO-SUMMITVILLE MINING DISTRICT, COLORADO: CGS BULL. 13.

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE PLATORO CALDERA AREA, SOUTHEASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-828.

Colorado Mining Photos

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