Crater District

The Crater District is a silver, lead, and zinc mine located in Rio Grande county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,902 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: Crater District
Secondary: Claims: Shackman Mill Site, MS 9735
Secondary: Robert Burns, MS 9932
Secondary: East Boston, MS 10261a
Secondary: Shackman, MS 10261a
Secondary: Goodie Queen, MS 10261a
Secondary: West Field, MS 10261a
Secondary: Nantucket, MS 10261a
Secondary: Topeka, MS 10261a
Secondary: Elwood Mill Site, MS 10261b
Secondary: Chicago Placer, MS 14147
Secondary: Emma May, MS 14164
Secondary: Riverside No. 1, MS 20517
Secondary: June Bug Nos. 1-2, MS 20517
Secondary: Lady Bug Mine
Secondary: Treasure Comstock Group

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Molybdenum
Tertiary: Cadmium
Tertiary: Bismuth

Location

State: Colorado
County: Rio Grande
District: Crater 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

Owner Name: Aztec Industries (Lady Bug Mine
Home Office: Santa Fe, N.M.
Years: 1971 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: District
Operation Category: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1895
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, Elwood Creek Fault Zone, Crater Creek Stock, Quartz Creek Anticline

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Zoned Alteration Observed Includes 1) Outer Chloritic Zone Of Hydrothermal Alteration With Chlorites, Carbonates, Celadonite, Montmorillonite Clays, Silica Minerals, And Zeolites Enveloping 2) Propylitic Zone Of Albite, Calcite, Chlorite, And Epidote (Derived From Plagioclase And Ferromagnesian Minerals), Enveloping 3) Silicic Zone Of Quartz Veining And Replacement; 4) Phyllic Zone Of Pyritic Quartz-Sericite Rock. Inner Potassic And Pyrogenic Zones, If Present, Not Exposed.

Rocks

Name: Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Miocene

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: VALUES PRIMARILY IN AG AND PB FOR PROSPECTS AND SAMPLING SITES, WITH MINOR CU AND ZN, TRACE AU, SEVERAL OCCURRENCES OF BI, CD, SN, SR, AND ANOMALOUS MO. HIGHEST VALUES REPORTED AT LADY BUG MINE MAINLY AG AND ZN.

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Hematite

Comments

Comment (Development): LITTLE AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON DISTRICT. CLAIMS SURVEYED 1882-1901 AFTER PRINCIPAL DISCOVERIES AT SUMMITVILLE AND PLATORO. MOST CLAIMS LOCATED BY ELWOOD MINING AND SEPARATING CO. NO RECORD OF ANY PRODUCTION. MOST RECENT ACTIVITY INCLUDED SAMPLING AND EXTENSION OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS AT LADY BUG MINE BY AZTEC INDUSTRIES, AND MAPPING, GEOCHEMICAL SAMPLING AND AEROMAGNETIC SURVEY BY USGS/USBM FOR MINERAL EVALUATION OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREA.

Comment (Geology): GENERAL EVOLUTION OF PLATORO-SUMMITVILLE CALDERA (LIPMAN, 1975); (1) WIDESPREAD ANDESITIC-RHYODACITIC VOLCANISM AND VOLCANICLASTIC DEPOSITION FROM CLUSTER OF 6 TO 7 OLIGOCENE STRATOVOLCANOES; (2) ERUPTION OF LA JARA CANYON MBR OF TREASURE MTN TUFF QUARTZ LATITE (30-29 MY), INITIAL COLLAPSE OF PLATORO CALDERA, PONDING OF LATE LA JARA CANYON ASH FLOWS; (3) INITIAL ASYMMETRICAL RESURGENCE BOUNDED ON SE BY CALIFORNIA GULCH ARCUATE FAULT AND ON SW BY PLATORO FAULT ZONE HINGE LINE; (4) MOAT FILLING BY FISHER GULCH RHYODACITE AND LOWER SUMMITVILLE ANDESITE (29.8-29.1 MY) AND ASSOCIATED LAKE-DELTAIC SEDIMENTS; (5) ERUPTION OF OJITO CREEK MBR OF TREASURE MTN TUFF BEFORE MOAT FILLING COMPLETE, FOLLOWED BY INFERRED INITIAL COLLAPSE OF SUMMITVILLE CALDERA, BOUNDED ON SE BY CORNWALL FAULT RING FRACTURE TRUNCATING PLATORO RESURGENT BLOCK; (6) ERUPTION OF RA JADERO MBR OF TREASURE MTN TUFF FOLLOWED BY SECOND COLLAPSE OF SUMMITVILLE CALDERA, WITH RENEWED MOVEMENT AFTER ERUPTION OF UPPER SUMMITVILLE

Comment (Location): (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). IN CRATER LAKE AREA ALONG QUARTZ CREEK, BEAR CREEK, CRATER CREEK, AND ELWOOD CREEK (TRIBUTARIES TO EAST FORK SAN JUAN RIVER). CLAIMS LOCATED IN SECS. 30 AND 31, T37N, R3E, SEC. 36, T37N, R2E, AND SEC. 02, T36N, R2E. PROSPECTS AND SAMPLE SITES IN OTHER SECTIONS. SECTIONS PROJECTED INTO UNSURVEYED AREA. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR CRATER LAKE (W2 W2 SEC. 01, T36N, R2E). DEPOSITS ALSO EXTEND ONTO SUMMIT PEAK AND WOLF CREEK PASS SE QUADS. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Deposit): INDIVIDUAL RECORDS PREPARED FOR LADY BUG MINE (PRINCIPAL WORKINGS IN DISTRICT), ROBERT BURNS CLAIM, TREASURE COMSTOCK GROUP, TWO UNNAMED PROSPECTS, AND FOUR OCCURRENCES OF ANOMALOUS AG-PB-CU-MO. FOR OTHER DISTRICTS WITHIN PLATORO-SUMMITVILLE CALDERA COMPLEX, SEE RECORDS FOR SUMMIT (SUMMITVILLE), UTE (PLATORO), DECATUR WEST (STUNNER), DECATUR SOUTH (GILMORE), AND DECATUR NE (JASPER) DISTRICTS. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Geology): ANDESITE; (7) PROLONGED INTERMEDIATE-SILICIC POSTCOLLAPSE VOLCANISM (OLIGOCENE-MIOCENE) AROUND CALDERA MARGINS--(A) ALAMOSA RIVER MONZONITE STOCK (29.1 MY), (B) RHYODACITE OF PARK CREEK (27.8-26.7 MY), (C) GREEN RIDGE VOLCANICS (27.8-27.4 MY), (D) UPPER RHYODACITE OF PARK CREEK (LT 26.5 MY), (E) QUARTZ LATITE PORPHYRY DIKES (25.8 MY), (F) QUARTZ QUARTZ LATITE OF SOUTH MTN (22.8 MY), (G) RHYOLITE OF CROPSY MTN (20.2 MY); (8) ALAMOSA RIVER STOCK AND JASPER STOCK INTRUDED ALONG SOUTH AND EAST SUMMITVILLE CALDERA RING FRACTURES, CRATER CREEK STOCK PERIPHERAL ON WEST, CAT CREEK STOCK REMOTE TO EAST; (9) NW-TRENDING CALDERA-RELATED STRUCTURES RENEWED BY INFERRED GENERAL RESURGENCE OF COMPOSITE BATHOLITH BENEATH ENTIRE SE SAN JUAN CALDERA CLUSTER, MANIFESTED BY RIO GRANDE FAULT ZONE (GRABEN), PASS CREEK-ELWOOD CREEK FAULT ZONE, PLATORO FAULT ZONE, SUMMITVILLE FAULT; (10) N-TRENDING LATE CENOZOIC EXTENSIONAL BLOCK FAULTING RELATED TO GENERAL EASTWARD TILTING OF VOLCANIC FIELD TOWARD

Comment (Geology): DEVELOPING RIO GRANDE DEPRESSION IN SAN LUIS VALLEY.

Comment (Deposit): IN CONTRAST TO OTHER DISTRICTS IN PLATORO-SUMMITVILLE CALDERA COMPLES WHOSE MINERALIZATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH SHALLOW INTRUSIVE AND EXTRUSIVE ACTIVITY ALONG CALDERA MARGINS, CRATER DISTRICT MINERALIZATION APPEARS CONTROLLED BY POST-SUMMITVILLE-COLLAPSE STOCK LOCATED IN WEAK STRUCTURAL ZONE (PASS CREEK-ELWOOD CREEK FAULT ZONE) BEYOND CALDERA MARGIN AND INTRUDING THROUGH (1) CONEJOS FM VOLCANICLASTICS FROM PRE-CALDERA STRATOVOLCANOES AND (2) LA JARA CANYON MBR (TREASURE MTN TUFF) AND SUMMITVILLE ANDESITE FLOWS AND BRECCIAS THAT OVERTOPPED CALDERA MARGINS DURING POST-COLLAPSE CALDERA FILLING AND POST-RESURGENCE MOAT FILLING. FAULTS AND FRACTURES CUTTING PERMEABLE VOLCANICLASTICS PRESENTED FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR MINERALIZATION. LINDQUIST (1977) INTERPRETS VEIN AND DISSEMINATED DEPOSITS AND ZONED ALTERATION TO REPRESENT HALO MINERALIZATION ASSOCIATED WITH CUPOLA OVER PORPHYRY-TYPE CU OR CU-MO DEPOSIT. LATE-STAGE HYDROTHERMAL ACTIVITY RELATED TO INTRUSION OF CRATER CREEK AND NEARBY

Comment (Deposit): PLUTONS FRMED CHLORITIC, PROPYLITIC, AND PHYLLIC ALTERATION ZONES WITH DISSEMINATED PYRITE, CHALCOPYRITE, MOLYBDENITE, AND PYRRHOTITE. ALTERATION HALOES SIMILAR TO THOSE IN SUMMIT AND STUNNER DISTRICTS. METALS AT PRINCIPAL WORKINGS FOUND IN PYRITIC QUARTZ VEINS AND STRINGERS IN FAULTS AND FRACTURES.

Comment (Workings): SURFACE PROSPECT PITS, SHORT EXPLORATORY ADITS; MOST EXTENSIVE TUNNELING AT LADY BUG MINE

References

Reference (Deposit): LARSEN, E.S., JR., AND CROSS, WHITMAN, 1956, THE GRANODIORITES IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE SUMMITVILLE QUADRANGLE, IN GEOLOGY AND PETROLOGY OF THE SAN JUAN REGION, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 258, P. 106-108.

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1975, EVOLUTION OF THE PLATORO CALDERA COMPLEX AND RELATED VOLCANIC ROCKS, SOUTHESATERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 852.

Reference (Deposit): LINDQUIST, A.E., 1977, METALLIC AND COAL RESOURCES, IN MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE CHAMA-SOUTHERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, MINERAL, RIO GRANDE, ARCHULETA, AND CONEJOS COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS OPEN-FILE REPT. 77-309.

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

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS. (LADY BUG MINE)

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 9735, 9932, 10261A&B, 14164, 21517

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