Empire (Marquette Minerals)

The Empire (Marquette Minerals) is a gold mine located in Clear Creek county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,599 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: Empire (Marquette Minerals)
Secondary: Minnesota Mine (Crown Prince, Atlantic, Comet, Comet Extension)
Secondary: Grace Gold Mine

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Copper

Location

State: Colorado
County: Clear Creek
District: Empire 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: Marquette Minerals Inc.
Info Year: 1991

Owner Name: Clear Creek Resources Inc.
Info Year: 1991

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Plant Type: Leach
Operation Type: Surface
Mining Method: Open Pit
Milling Method: Hydrometallurgy Unspecified
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y

Physiography

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

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Sericite
Trace: Chalcopyrite
Trace: Galena

Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): NOT SURE OF EXACT TREATMENT METHOD(HEAP LEACH, MILLING ORE, FLOTATION, ETC.). EXPECTED START OF PRODUCTION IS SOMETIME IN 1989 AT AN ANNUAL LEVEL OF 60,000 OZ. AU. 1988 RESERVE=750,000 CONT. OZ. AU. PROPERTY NOT BEING ANALYZED FOR 1992 AU AVAILABILITY STUDY. PROPERTY DID NOT PRODUCE DURING 1989.

Comment (Workings): PROPOSED OPEN PIT, HEAP LEACH OPERATION

Comment (Development): NEVADA GOLDFIELDS CORPORATION AND ITS JOINT-VENTURE PARTNERS, MARQUETTE MINERALS, INC. AND CLEAR CREEK RESOURCES, INC., HAVE AGREED TO ENTER AN OPTION AGREEMENT WITH NORANDA EXPLORATION, INC. FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE EMPIRE PROJECT GOLD MINE. THE JOINT VENTURE WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EXPLORATION FOR GOLD MINERALIZATION ON THE 7,000-ACRE PROPERTY.

Comment (Geology): PYRITIC-GOLD FISSURE VEINS TRENDING NE, IN PRECAMBRIAN GRANITE ADJACENT TO TERTIARY STOCK.

Comment (Location): About 40 miles west of Denver and 1-1/2 miles NNW of Empire, NE/4 sec. 20 and NW/4 sec. 21, T 3 S, R 74 W.

Comment (Ownership): NEVADA GOLDFIELDS HAS DROPPED THEIR LEASE ON THIS PROPERTY, BUT RETAINS A 3% ROYALTY IF THE PROPERTY COMES INTO PRODUCTION IN THE FUTURE.

Comment (Production): From 1934 to 1943, the Minnesota mine was the principal producer in the district; total output is not known but estimated at about 90,000 oz. of gold.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): A 1998 report estimated 11.8 million tons of material grading 0.06 oz/ton gold (about 708,000 oz. gold). (USGS OFR 98-206).

References

Reference (Development): USBM MINERALS TODAY, JULY 1990, P. 30.

Reference (Deposit): REF:USGS CRIB

Reference (Deposit): Vanderwilt, J.W., 1947, Mineral resources of Colorado: State of Colorado Mineral Resources Board, 547 p.

Reference (Deposit): Lovering, T. S., and Goddard, E. N., 1950, Geology and ore deposits of the Front Range, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 223, 319 p.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Long, K. R., DeYoung, J. H., Jr., and Ludington, S. D., 1998, Database of significant deposits of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in the United States: Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-206, pt. B.

Colorado Mining Photos

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