Cotopaxi Prospect

The Cotopaxi Prospect is a copper mine located in Fremont county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,661 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: Cotopaxi Prospect
Secondary: Sand Gulch Prospect.

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Zinc

Location

State: Colorado
County: Fremont
District: Cotopaxi District

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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

Type: Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Underground
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: Stratabound Precambrian sulfide, Colorado and Wyoming

Orebody

Form: LENSES

Structure

Type: R
Description: Thirtynine Mile Volcanic Field, Wet Mountains

Type: L
Description: Cotopaxi Fault

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CU (0.02-0.82%), AG (0.2-0.5 OZ/TON), ZN (0.01-0.02%)

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Hornblende
Gangue: Microcline

Comments

Comment (Workings): ONE INCLINED SHAFT 73 FT DEEP, BEARING N72W. AT BOTTOM OF SHAFT DRIFT BEARS S60E FOR 53 FT, THEN S18E FOR 27 FT TO SPLIT; RIGHT SPLIT IS 42 FT LONG, LEFT IS 71 FT LONG

Comment (Location): 3.4 MILES NNE OF COTOPAXI, EAST OF BERNARD CREEK, SOUTH OF RED GULCH ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

References

Reference (Deposit): VANDERWILT, J.W., 1947, MINERAL RESOURCES OF COLORADO: COLORADO MINERAL RESOURCES BOARD, P. 83-85.

Reference (Deposit): TAYLOR, R.B., SCOTT, G.R., WOBUS, R.A., EPIS, R.C., 1975, RECONNAISSANCE GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE COTOPAXI 15-MINUTE QUADRANGLE, FREMONT AND CUSTER COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-900, 1:62,500

Reference (Deposit): LINDGREN, WALDEMAR, 1907, NOTES ON COPPER DEPOSITS IN CHAFFEE, FREMONT, AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS BULLETIN 340, P. 157-174.

Reference (Deposit): HEINRICH, E.W., 1981, PRECAMBRIAN TUNGSTEN AND COPPER-ZINC SKARN DEPOSITS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL COLORADO: CGS RESOURCE SERIES 21, P. 30, 83-88

Reference (Deposit): 5) HARRER, C.M. AND TESCH, W.J., JR., 1959, RECONNAISSANCE OF IRON OCCURRENCES IN COLORADO: USBM INFORMATION CIRCULAR 7918, 82 P.

Reference (Deposit): COKER, R.J., 1982, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE ARKANSAS CANYON PLANNING UNIT WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE FORMER GRAPE CREEK WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS AND THE MCINTYRE HILLS WILDERNESS STUDY AREA: US BLM MINERAL REPORT, P. 68-70

Colorado Mining Photos

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