Lost Mine

The Lost Mine is a gold mine located in La Plata county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,160 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: Lost Mine
Secondary: Unpatented Claim: Lost

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver

Location

State: Colorado
County: La Plata
District: California (La Plata) 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.
Administrative Organization: San Juan N. F.

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
Year First Production: 1931
Year Last Production: 1933
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Colorado Plateaus
Physiographic Section: Navajo Section

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: San Juan Uplift

Type: L
Description: La Plata Dome

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Triassic

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Triassic

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleocene

Name: Shale
Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: NO. 6, 0.48 OZ/TON AU AND 0.1 OZ/TON AG (SELECTED ORE).
Analytical Data: NO. 5, 0.34 OZ/TON AU AND 0.1 OZ/TON AG (4-INCH STREAK IN SEAM IN LOWER WORKINGS)
Analytical Data: NO. 4, 2.27 OZ/TON AU AND 0.3 OZ/TON AG (RED CLAY FROM FACE)
Analytical Data: NO. 3, 0.30 OZ/TON AU AND 0.1 OZ/TON AG (FROM LEFT SIDE OF FACE NEXT TO HANGING WALL, AVG. 20 INCHES)
Analytical Data: NO. 2, 0.13 OZ/TON AU AND 0 AG (FROM MIDDLE OF FACE, AVG. 20 INCHES)
Analytical Data: ASSAYS REPORTED BY ALLER (1932): FROM MAIN WORKING FACE: NO. 1, 0.38 OZ/TON AU AND 0.4 OZ/TON AG (FROM RIGHT SIDE OF FACE, AVG. 20 INCHES)

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON NE SIDE OF FALLS CREEK JUST SOUTH OF SMITH CREEK CONFLUENCE. LOST AND MASON MINES ARE ON SE PERIPHERY OF DISTRICT. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR C W2 SW 07. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974

Comment (Deposit): COUNTRY ROCKS CONSIST OF DOLORED FM RED BEDS CUT BY PORPHYRY DIKE AND POSSIBLE FAULT TRENDING NW-SE.

Comment (Workings): PRINCIPAL WORKINGS ARE OPEN CUT FROM WHOSE FACE ADIT DRIVEN PROBABLY NE OR EAST; SMALL SURFACE CUTS AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER TUNNEL.

References

Reference (Deposit): ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219, P. 73-76, 138.

Reference (Production): ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949, P. 138 (AS REPORTED IN USBM RECORDS)

Reference (Deposit): ALLER, F.D., 1932, REPORT ON A GROUP OF MINING CLAIMS IN THE CALIFORNIA MINING DISTRICT, LA PLATA CO., COLORADO, WITH A LETTER FROM FRANK W. LOTT AND L.G. INGERSALL: COLORADO STATE PLANNING COMM. UNPUB REPT., 4 P.

Colorado Mining Photos

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