Wells and Egan Placer

The Wells and Egan Placer is a gold mine located in San Miguel county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,300 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: Wells and Egan Placer
Secondary: Patented Claim: Wells and Egan Placer
Secondary: Ms 961

Commodity

Primary: Gold

Location

State: Colorado
County: San Miguel
District: Lower San Miguel 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

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
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: Canyon Lands

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Paradox Basin, Uncompahgre Uplift, San Juan Volcanic Field, San Miguel Mtns

Type: L
Description: Placerville Anticline

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Holocene

Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: WILFLEY (1919) REPORTED FIVE PANS YIELDING 6 TO 140 COLORS/PAN

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Location): MINE LIES ON SOUTH SIDE OF SAN MIGUEL RIVER ABOUT ONE MILE BELOW CONFLUENCE WITH LEOPARD CREEK. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR DRIFT MINE ADIT IN SW SW NE SEC. 33. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Deposit): PLACER MINE DEVELOPED ON TWO SMALL TERRACE GRAVEL REMNANTS LYING ABOUT 80 TO 100 FT ABOVE PRESENT RIVER LEVEL.

Comment (Workings): MINE DEVELOPED BY PRINCIPAL DRIFT TUNNEL DRIVEN ABOUT N 85 W WITH SEVERAL BRANCHES; SEVERAL EXPLORATORY CUTS AND SHORT TUNNELS. WILFLEY (1919) REPORTED THAT TUNNEL UP TO 10 FT HIGH STOOD WELL UNTIMBERED.

References

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 961

Reference (Deposit): PARKER, B.H., JR., 1974, GOLD PLACERS OF COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES QUART., V. 69, NO. 4, P. 172-184.

Reference (Deposit): BUSH, A.L., AND OTHERS, 1959, AREAL GEOLOGY OF THE PLACERVILLE QUADRANGLE, SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS BULL.

Reference (Deposit): WILFLEY, C.R., 1919, UNPUB. ENG. REPT. (LETTER): 5 P.

Colorado Mining Photos

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