Creede Formation

The Creede Formation is a silver mine located in Mineral county, Colorado at an elevation of 10,200 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: Creede Formation
Secondary: Bachelor Mountain

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Tertiary: Manganese
Tertiary: Barium-Barite

Location

State: Colorado
County: Mineral
District: Solomon

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.

Holdings

Type: Located Claim
Type: Patented

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Minerals Engineering Co.
Company ID: 502905
Percent: 50.00
Home Office: 950 17th, Denver, Co 80202
Info Year: 1981

Owner Name: Homestake Mining Co.
Company ID: 502905
Percent: 50.00
Home Office: 650 Calif. St, San Francisco, Ca 94108

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1973
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Unknown: Calcite
Unknown: Manganite
Unknown: Pyrolusite
Unknown: Quartz
Unknown: Silver
Unknown: Barite
Unknown: Acanthite

Comments

Comment (Geology): THE CREEDE FM CONSISTS OF SEVERAL DISTINCT FACIES, EACH OF WHICH SHOWS MANY LOCAL VARIATIONS. THIN-BEDDED TUFFACEOUS LAKE DEPOSITS, LARGELY SHALE AND SANDSTONE WITH SOME TUFF BEDS, CONSTITUTE THE PREDOMINATE FACIES. THESE ROCKS INTERTONGUE MARGINALLY WITH FLUVIATILE SANDSTONE AND CONGLOMERATE BEDS. VOLCANIC BRECCIAS, TRAVERTINE AND CALCAREOUS TUFA, AND BENTONITE BEDS ALSO PRESENT. THE OREBODY IN THE CREEDE FM IS A SILVER REPLACEMENT OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL IN FLUVIAL DEBRIS. THE MATERIAL IS VERY POORLY SORTED, BOULDERS TO 2 METERS, AND FOLLOWS OLD CHANNELS ON BACHELOR MOUNTAIN. THE GRADE RANGES FROM 68-617 PPM SILVER AT THICKNESSES FROM 4.8-8.0 METERS. (GENTRY, SEPTEMBER 1976).

Comment (Deposit): NOTE: DATA TO COMPLETE FILE NOT PRESENTLY OBTAINABLE HOWEVER THE EVALUATOR FEELS THAT MINERALS ENGINEERING AND HOMESTAKE MINING WILL BE RELEASING MORE INFORMATION ON THE DEPOSIT BY THE END OF 1981.

Comment (Geology): NATIVE SILVER OCCURS WITH MANGANGSE MINERALS

Comment (Exploration): A TOTAL OF 73 ROTARY AND CORE HOLES HAVE BEEN DRILLED ON THE PROPERTY (AS OF JAN 1981).

Comment (Reserve-Resource): R1=M1C1. ESTIMATED THAT 30% OF PROVEN + PROBABLE RESERVES ARE CLAS- SIFIED AS PROVEN. MINERALIZED AREA WAS DIVIDED INTO NORTH, CENTRAL, & SOUTH BLOCKS. ONLY CENTRAL BLOCK WAS USED IN THE MINING AND ECONOMIC ANALYSES BECAUSE OF INCOMPLETE DATA FOR THE OTHER AREAS. AFTER MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE GEOLOGIC RESERVES FOR MINING RECOVERY AND DILUTION, THE PROVEN AND PROBABLE MINABLE RESERVES WERE CALCULATED TO BE 3,348 MILLION SHORT TONS AT A GRADE OF 6.39 OZ/SHT SILVER (1980 SEC FORM 10-K P 4.)

References

Reference (Geology): STEVEN, T. A., AND J. C. RATTE, GEOLOGY AND STRUCTURAL CONTROL OF ORE DEPOSITION IN THE CREEDE DISTRICT SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS COLORADO, USGS PROF. PAPER 487, 1965, 90 PP.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): MINERALS ENGINEERING SEC FORM 10-K REPORT, DEC 31, 1980, P 4

Reference (Workings): MINERALS ENGINEERING SEC FORM 10-K REPORT, DEC 31, 1980,P 4

Reference (Geology): GENTRY DON W. MINERALS ENGINEERING COMPANY IN LEAD AND ZINC DEPOSITS IN COLORADO AND WYOMING,. USBM GRANT GO264005, SEPTEMBER 1976. 9 PP.

Colorado Mining Photos

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