Blanca District

The Blanca District is a gold, silver, and tungsten mine located in Costilla county, Colorado.

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

Name: Blanca District  

State:  Colorado

County:  Costilla

Elevation:

Commodity: Gold, Silver, Tungsten

Lat, Long: 37.57167, -105.48722

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the Blanca District

Blanca District MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Blanca District
Secondary: Sierra Blanca, Blanca Peak


Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Primary: Tungsten
Secondary: Molybdenum
Secondary: Copper


Location

State: Colorado
County: Costilla
District: Blanca District


Land Status

Not available


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Not available


Ownership

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: District
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: vein
Operation Type: Underground
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N


Physiography

Not available


Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Epithermal veins


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Type: L
Structure: NNW-trending fault controlled veins
Description: veins


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Granodiorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic

Name: Gneiss
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Pearceite
Ore: Hessite
Ore: Calaverite
Ore: Sylvanite
Ore: Wolframite
Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Adularia
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Ankerite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz
Trace: Chalcopyrite


Comments

Comment (Production): Vanderwilt (1947) noted that production was limited to few trial shipments of ore in 1928 and 1934. Ellis and others (1983) estimate a total of 400 oz. gold and 7,000 oz silver were removed from the ground but were not able to determine how much was actually recovered.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Almost every sample taken on the vein system by the USBM for its wilderness assessment (Ellis and others, 1983) contained gold. Average grade was about 0.10 oz/ton gold and 2.0 oz/ton silver. Tungsten values are generally low.

Comment (Commodity): Scheelite shoots in veins are not associated with gold and silver minerals. Gold is associated with pyrite. Silver associated with red-gray mineral.

Comment (Geology): Mineralized quartz vein trends N30W. The vein is exposed for over 5 km along strike (Ellis and others, 1983). The vein and its main branch have over 1000 m of development.

Comment (Location): District includes the top of Blanca Peak (14,345 ft. elev.), and surrounding area in Alamosa, Costilla, and Huerfano counties.


References

Reference (Deposit): Ellis, C.E., Hannigan, B.J., and Thompson, J.R., 1983, U.S. Bureau of Mines MLA 65-83, 190 p.

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


Colorado Mining Photos

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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