Sunnyside Tunnel

The Sunnyside Tunnel is a gold and silver mine located in Costilla county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,220 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

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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: Sunnyside Tunnel

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Copper

Location

State: Colorado
County: Costilla
District: Grayback (Russell) 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

Owner Name: Trinchera (Estate)
Years: 1910 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
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: Sierra Blanca Massif, Ft. Garland Embayment

Type: L
Description: Vega Cr. Anticline, Wagon Mesa Fault

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Iron Oxides And Copper Staining

Rocks

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: $22 AU/TON, $14.25 AG/TON, PB UNDET.

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Pyrite

Comments

Comment (Commodity): ONLY REPORTED OCCURRENCE OF PB IN DISTRICT

Comment (Geology): GEOL.DESC: NARROW VEINS WITH LOW-GRADE GOLD MINERALIZATION-LOW-GRADE PLACER DEPOSITS ACCOUNT FOR GOLD PRODUCED SINCE 1939

Comment (Workings): TWO TUNNELS CONNECTED BY WINZE. ADIT DRIVEN 125 FT AT S40E, DEFLECTED SOUTHWEST BY 80-FT DRIFT.

Comment (Location): ALTHOUGH DISTRICT ACTUALLY IS IN UNSURVEYED PRIVATE LAND GRANT, SECTIONS REPORTED ARE BASED ON PATTON AND OTHERS' (1910) MAP RATHER THAN PROJECTIONS FROM ADJACENT QUADS. LAT-LONG AND ELEVATIONS DETERMINED FROM JOPO QUAD. MINE OR CLAIM LIES 1300 FT NNW OF SUMMIT OF GRAYBACK MTN. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1975)

References

Reference (Deposit): PATTON, H.B., AND OTHERS, 1910, GEOLOGY OF THE GRAYBACK MINING DISTRICT, COSTILLA COUNTY, COLORADO: CGS BULL. 2

Colorado Mining Photos

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