Chance Mining Co

The Chance Mining Co is a lead, silver, and zinc mine located in Mineral county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,199 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: Chance Mining Co
Secondary: Emperius Mine
Secondary: Creede Mines
Secondary: Commodore Mining Co.
Secondary: Last Chance and Pittsburg Mine Co
Secondary: Emperious Mining Co.
Secondary: Amethyst Mine
Secondary: Del Monte Mining Co.
Secondary: Bachelor Mine
Secondary: New York Mine

Commodity

Primary: Lead
Primary: Silver
Primary: Zinc
Secondary: Cadmium
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Copper

Location

State: Colorado
County: Mineral
District: Creede 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.

Holdings

Type: Located Claim
Type: Private Lease
Type: Patented

Workings

Type: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Commodore Mining Co.
Company ID: 500412
Home Office: Colorado
Info Year: 1976

Owner Name: Emperius Mining Co
Company ID: 500412
Home Office: Colorado
Info Year: 1976

Owner Name: Creede Mines
Company ID: 500412
Home Office: Colorado
Info Year: 1976

Owner Name: Del Monte Mining Co.
Company ID: 500412
Home Office: Colorado
Info Year: 1976

Owner Name: Minerals Engineering Co
Company ID: 500412
Percent: 100.0
Home Office: Colorado
Info Year: 1976

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
Mining Method: Shrinkage Methods - Overhand Shrinkage
Milling Method: Flotation
Year First Production: 1892
Discovery Year: 1884
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: Amethyst
Unknown: Barite
Unknown: Wad
Unknown: Turgite
Unknown: Tetrahedrite
Unknown: Sphalerite
Unknown: Silver
Unknown: Quartz
Unknown: Pyrite
Unknown: Hematite
Unknown: Gold
Unknown: Galena
Unknown: Chalcopyrite
Unknown: Chalcedony
Unknown: Cerussite
Unknown: Bornite
Unknown: Argentite
Unknown: Anglesite
Unknown: Kaolin

Comments

Comment (Production): CADMIUM CONC GRADE AND MILL RECOVERY RATES NOT KNOWN. SMALL AMOUNTS OF CADMIUM RECOVERED AT SMELTER.

Comment (Ownership): CHEVRON RESOURCES (DIV. OF STANDARD OIL OF CALIFORNIA) SIGNED AN OPTION WITH MINERALS ENGINEERING IN 1978 FOR A 5-YR LEASE FOR EXPLORATION IN THE EMPERIUS MINE. CHEVRON WILL PAY $300,000 IN 1981, AND $500,000 IN 1982. CHEVRON MAY DISCONTINUE THE PAYMENTS BEFORE END OF 1982, EITHER BY PAYING $6,000,000 FOR AN 85% INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY, OR BY GIVING 90 DAYS NOTICE OF TERMINATION. CHEVRON CAN ALSO EXTEND THE OPTION PERIOD BEYOND 1982, BY MAKING ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS THAT CUMULATIVELY REACH $5,700,000 BY 1986 OR $9,855,000 BY 1987, TO EARN A 65% OR AN 85% WORKING INTEREST, RESPECTFULLY, IN THE PROPERTY (MINERALS ENGINEERING 1980 FORM 10-K, P. 30.)

Comment (Deposit): MINERALS ENGINEERING CO. MAY 1976,THIS COMPANY IS THE OPERAT THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES: AMETHYST MINE, NEW YORK MINE,LAST R MINE, DEL MONTE, EMPERIOUS MINE AND MILL, CREEDE MINES.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): M1C1=R1. MINUS 103900 (2 YRS PRODUCTION). 1980 RESERVES ADJUSTED FROM JAN 1975 RESERVES BY SUBTRACTING 1975 + 1976 PRODUCTION (103900 MTS). MINE CLOSED IN OCT 1976, 75% PROB = 1.5X90% PROB, 50% PROB =2.0X90% PROB M2C1=R2. QUANT 2 IS 1975 STATED BROKEN RESERVES IN MINE DUMP. M9C4=R1. - 103900 M9C5=R2.

Comment (Exploration): DURING 1978, CHEVRON CONDUCTED AN EXTENSIVE UNGRD SAMPLING, GEOLOGIC AND MAPPING PROGRAM WHICH ENCOUNTERED ENCOURAGING SILVER MINERALIZATION IN OLDER WORKINGS AND GENERALLY CONFIRMED PREVIOUS SAMPLING WORK. IN 1979, CHEVRON CONTINUED THE DRILLING PROGRAM STARTED IN 1978. DURING 1980 CHEVRON EXPANDED ITS EXPLORATION EFFORT TO INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY 3450 FT. OF UNDGD DRIFTING AND BULK SAMPLING, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED BY AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. BY END OF JAN 1981, CHEVRON HAD COMPLETED APPROXIMATELY 130 SURF AND UGRD DRILL HOLES TOTALLING OVER 41000 FT. SEVERAL MINE LEVELS HAVE BEEN SAMPLED IN DETAIL AND GEOPHYSICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS WERE CONDUCTED OVER MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE OPTIONED CLAIMS. THE RESULTS INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF WIDESPREAD LOW- GRADE, DISSEMINATED SILVER MINERALIZATION ADJACENT TO THE AMETHYST FAULT. (MINERALS ENGINEERING 1980 FORM 10K, P 3)

References

Reference (Deposit): OWN/OP: EMPERIUS MINING CO. 1960

Reference (Deposit): CROSS,WHITMAN AND LARSON, 1935,A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE GEOLOGY

Reference (Deposit): SAN JUAN REGION OF SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO:USGS BULL 843, 138

Reference (Deposit): EMMONS AND LARSON,GEOLOGY AND ORE,DEPOSITS OF THE CREEDE DIS

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO: USGS BULL 718, 198P. (YEAR-1923)

Reference (Deposit): HENDERSON, 1926, MINING IN COLORADO: A HISTORY OF DISCOVERY

Reference (Deposit): BETHKE,BARTON AND BODINE, 1960,"TIME SPACE RELATIONSHIPS OF

Reference (Deposit): EMENT AND PRODUCTION: USGS PROF PAPER 138, 263P

Reference (Deposit): KIRBY,1892, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF CREEDE AND THEIR POSSIBILITI

Reference (Deposit): AND MINING JOUR, V.53, NO.12, P325-326

Reference (Deposit): LARSON,1930, RECENT MINING DEVELOPEMENTS IN THE CREEDE DISTR

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO: USGS BULL 811-B P89-112

Reference (Deposit): LUNT, 1924,ORE DEPOSITS AT CREEDE COLORADO: ENJ AND MINING J

Reference (Deposit): V.117, NO. 24, P.973.

Reference (Deposit): MACMECHEN, 1892, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF CREEDE,COLORADO; ENJ AN

Reference (Deposit): G JOURNAL, V. 53, P. 301-303.

Reference (Deposit): MEEVES AND DARNELL, 1968, STUDY OF THE SILVER POTENTIAL, CRE

Reference (Deposit): TRICT,MINERAL COUNTY,COLORADO: USBM I.C. 8370, 58P.

Reference (Deposit): ROEDDER, 1960, PRIMARY FLUID INCLUSIONS IN SPHALERITE CRYSTA

Reference (Deposit): THE OH VEIN,CREEDE,COLORADO: GEOL SOC AMERICA BULL V.71,NO.

Reference (Deposit): 2, P1958.

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN AND RATTE, 1960, RELATION OF MINERALIZATION TO CALDER

Reference (Ownership): MINERALS EINGINEERING 1980 10-K REPORT, P 3.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): MINERALS ENGINEERING 1974 ANNUAL REPORT, P. 21.

Reference (Deposit): MINERALS ENGINEERING 1980 FORM 10-K REPORT, P 3.

Reference (Deposit): DENCE IN THE CREEDE DISTRICT, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS,COLORADO:

Reference (Deposit): SHORT PAPERS IN THE GEOL SCI, USGS PROF PAPER 400-B, P.B14-

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN AND RATTE, 1965, GEOLOGY AND STRUCTURAL CONTROL OF OR

Reference (Deposit): SITION IN THE CREEDE DISTRICT, SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO

Reference (Deposit): PROF PAPER 487, 89P.

Colorado Mining Photos

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