Decatur West District

The Decatur West District is a gold and silver mine located in Conejos 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: Decatur West District  

State:  Colorado

County:  Conejos

Elevation:

Commodity: Gold, Silver

Lat, Long: 37.3894, -106.59190

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 Decatur West District

Decatur West District MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Decatur West District
Secondary: Stunner District


Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Tertiary: Aluminum
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Molybdenum
Tertiary: Zinc
Tertiary: Tin
Tertiary: Antimony


Location

State: Colorado
County: Conejos
District: STUNNER DISTRICT


Land Status

Not available


Holdings

Not available


Workings

Not available


Ownership

Owner Name: STUNNER MINES, INC.
Home Office: MONTE VISTA
Info Year: 1938

Owner Name: GEORGE L. AND KATHERINE T. PATTERSON
Home Office: NEW YORK CITY
Info Year: 1938


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: District
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: VEIN, DISSEMINATION
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1870
Year Last Production: 1938
Discovery Year: 1870
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:


Physiography

Not available


Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Epithermal quartz-alunite Au


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Type: R
Description: SAN JUAN VOLCANIC FIELD

Type: L
Description: PLATORO CALDERA, SUMMITVILLE CALDERA, ALAMOSA RIVER STOCK, PLATORO FAULT ZONE, SUMMITVILLE FAULT


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: PROPYLITIC
Alteration Text: CALKIN (1967) - (A) OUTER PROPYLTIC ZONE OF EPIDOTE, CHLORITE, CALCITE, (B) MIDDLE ARGILLIC ZONE OF KAOLINITE AND INTERSTITIAL QUARTZ, (C) INNER QUARTZ-ALUNITE ZONE WITH PYRITE ADJACENT TO VENT; (2) POTASSIC HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION AROUND ALUM CREEK PORPHYRY--(A) HOOD OR CAP OF PROPYLTIC ALTERATION WITH CALCITE REPLACING ALBITE, EPIDOTE (CLINOZOISITE) ALTERATION OF PLAGIOCLASE, CHLORITE (JENKINSITE) ALTERATION OF BIOTITE, (B) ARGILLIC ZONE WITH KAOLINITE REPLACING PLAGIOCLASE, BIOTITE, AND AUGITE, PRIMARY MAGNETITE/ILMENITE REMOVED, (C) INNER POTASSIC ZONE WITH SERICITE REPLACING KAOLINITIZED PLAGIOCLASE AND PHLOGOPITE-MUSCOVITE REPLACING KAOLINITIZED AUGITE AND BIOTITE, AND WITH QUARTZ VEINS AND DISSEMINATED PYRITE-MO; (3) LOCAL SELECTIVE ALTERATION ALONG FRACTURES, FAULTS, AND DIKES (SUCH AS RADIAL PATTERN AROUND SHEEPSHEAD) SUPERPOSED ON OR ACROSS ATHER ALTERATION ZONES AND SHOWING THAT THESE STRUCTURES WERE CONDUITS FOR ALTERING FLUIDS; (4) SUPERGENE OXIDATION OF FE EITHER FROM WELL ALTERED ROCKS WITH MINOR PYRITE OR FROM WEAKLY ALTERED ROCKS WITH MINOR MAGNETITE/ILMENITE. FOR VENT-DOMES AND ALUM CREEK PORPHYRY, CALKIN POSTULATED DEPTH-ZONE TRANSITION OF SOLFATARIC AND HYDROTHERMAL ENVIRONMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH EPITHERMAL, XENOTHERMAL, AND MESOTHERMAL CONDITIONS AND CONSIDERED ALTERATION TO BE MULTICOMPONENT REACTION OF ORIGINAL WALL ROCK WITH (A) CO2-BEARING ACID SOLUTIONS (HYDROTHERMAL) AND (B) SULFUROUS VAPORS FROM LATE VOLCANIC ACTIVITY (SOLFATARIC).

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: SOLFATARIC
Alteration Text: CALKIN (1967) IDENTIFIED FOLLOWING STYLES AND ZONATION OF ALTERATION: (1) PERVASIVE SOLFATARIC ALTERATION ZINES AROUND VENT-DOME COMPLEXES--(A) OUTER PROPYLTIC ZONE OF EPIDOTE, CHLORITE, CALCITE, (B) MIDDLE ARGILLIC ZONE OF KAOLINITE AND INTERSTITIAL QUARTZ, (C) INNER QUARTZ-ALUNITE ZONE WITH PYRITE ADJACENT TO VENT; (2) POTASSIC HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION AROUND ALUM CREEK PORPHYRY--(A) HOOD OR CAP OF PROPYLTIC ALTERATION WITH CALCITE REPLACING ALBITE, EPIDOTE (CLINOZOISITE) ALTERATION OF PLAGIOCLASE, CHLORITE (JENKINSITE) ALTERATION OF BIOTITE, (B) ARGILLIC ZONE WITH KAOLINITE REPLACING PLAGIOCLASE, BIOTITE, AND AUGITE, PRIMARY MAGNETITE/ILMENITE REMOVED, (C) INNER POTASSIC ZONE WITH SERICITE REPLACING KAOLINITIZED PLAGIOCLASE AND PHLOGOPITE-MUSCOVITE REPLACING KAOLINITIZED AUGITE AND BIOTITE, AND WITH QUARTZ VEINS AND DISSEMINATED PYRITE-MO; (3) LOCAL SELECTIVE ALTERATION ALONG FRACTURES, FAULTS, AND DIKES (SUCH AS RADIAL PATTERN AROUND SHEEPSHEAD) SUPERPOSED ON OR ACROSS ATHER ALTERATION ZONES AND SHOWING THAT THESE STRUCTURES WERE CONDUITS FOR ALTERING FLUIDS; (4) SUPERGENE OXIDATION OF FE EITHER FROM WELL ALTERED ROCKS WITH MINOR PYRITE OR FROM WEAKLY ALTERED ROCKS WITH MINOR MAGNETITE/ILMENITE. FOR VENT-DOMES AND ALUM CREEK PORPHYRY, CALKIN POSTULATED DEPTH-ZONE TRANSITION OF SOLFATARIC AND HYDROTHERMAL ENVIRONMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH EPITHERMAL, XENOTHERMAL, AND MESOTHERMAL CONDITIONS AND CONSIDERED ALTERATION TO BE MULTICOMPONENT REACTION OF ORIGINAL WALL ROCK WITH (A) CO2-BEARING ACID SOLUTIONS (HYDROTHERMAL) AND (B) SULFUROUS VAPORS FROM LATE VOLCANIC ACTIVITY (SOLFATARIC).

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: ARGILLIC
Alteration Text: CALKIN (1967) - MIDDLE ARGILLIC ZONE OF KAOLINITE AND INTERSTITIAL QUARTZ, (C) INNER QUARTZ-ALUNITE ZONE WITH PYRITE ADJACENT TO VENT; (2) POTASSIC HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION AROUND ALUM CREEK PORPHYRY--(A) HOOD OR CAP OF PROPYLTIC ALTERATION WITH CALCITE REPLACING ALBITE, EPIDOTE (CLINOZOISITE) ALTERATION OF PLAGIOCLASE, CHLORITE (JENKINSITE) ALTERATION OF BIOTITE, (B) ARGILLIC ZONE WITH KAOLINITE REPLACING PLAGIOCLASE, BIOTITE, AND AUGITE, PRIMARY MAGNETITE/ILMENITE REMOVED, (C) INNER POTASSIC ZONE WITH SERICITE REPLACING KAOLINITIZED PLAGIOCLASE AND PHLOGOPITE-MUSCOVITE REPLACING KAOLINITIZED AUGITE AND BIOTITE, AND WITH QUARTZ VEINS AND DISSEMINATED PYRITE-MO; (3) LOCAL SELECTIVE ALTERATION ALONG FRACTURES, FAULTS, AND DIKES (SUCH AS RADIAL PATTERN AROUND SHEEPSHEAD) SUPERPOSED ON OR ACROSS ATHER ALTERATION ZONES AND SHOWING THAT THESE STRUCTURES WERE CONDUITS FOR ALTERING FLUIDS; (4) SUPERGENE OXIDATION OF FE EITHER FROM WELL ALTERED ROCKS WITH MINOR PYRITE OR FROM WEAKLY ALTERED ROCKS WITH MINOR MAGNETITE/ILMENITE. FOR VENT-DOMES AND ALUM CREEK PORPHYRY, CALKIN POSTULATED DEPTH-ZONE TRANSITION OF SOLFATARIC AND HYDROTHERMAL ENVIRONMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH EPITHERMAL, XENOTHERMAL, AND MESOTHERMAL CONDITIONS AND CONSIDERED ALTERATION TO BE MULTICOMPONENT REACTION OF ORIGINAL WALL ROCK WITH (A) CO2-BEARING ACID SOLUTIONS (HYDROTHERMAL) AND (B) SULFUROUS VAPORS FROM LATE VOLCANIC ACTIVITY (SOLFATARIC).

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: POTASSIC
Alteration Text: CALKIN (1967) INNER POTASSIC ZONE WITH SERICITE REPLACING KAOLINITIZED PLAGIOCLASE AND PHLOGOPITE-MUSCOVITE REPLACING KAOLINITIZED AUGITE AND BIOTITE, AND WITH QUARTZ VEINS AND DISSEMINATED PYRITE-MO; (3) LOCAL SELECTIVE ALTERATION ALONG FRACTURES, FAULTS, AND DIKES (SUCH AS RADIAL PATTERN AROUND SHEEPSHEAD) SUPERPOSED ON OR ACROSS ATHER ALTERATION ZONES AND SHOWING THAT THESE STRUCTURES WERE CONDUITS FOR ALTERING FLUIDS; (4) SUPERGENE OXIDATION OF FE EITHER FROM WELL ALTERED ROCKS WITH MINOR PYRITE OR FROM WEAKLY ALTERED ROCKS WITH MINOR MAGNETITE/ILMENITE. FOR VENT-DOMES AND ALUM CREEK PORPHYRY, CALKIN POSTULATED DEPTH-ZONE TRANSITION OF SOLFATARIC AND HYDROTHERMAL ENVIRONMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH EPITHERMAL, XENOTHERMAL, AND MESOTHERMAL CONDITIONS AND CONSIDERED ALTERATION TO BE MULTICOMPONENT REACTION OF ORIGINAL WALL ROCK WITH (A) CO2-BEARING ACID SOLUTIONS (HYDROTHERMAL) AND (B) SULFUROUS VAPORS FROM LATE VOLCANIC ACTIVITY (SOLFATARIC).


Rocks

Not available


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Not available


Comments

Not available


References

Reference (Deposit): PATTON, H.B., 1917, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE PLATORO-SUMMITVILLE MINING DISTRICT, COLORADO: CGS BULL. 13.

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE PLATORO CALDERA AREA, SOUTHEASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SOUTHWESTREN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-828.

Reference (Deposit): STEVEN, T.A., AND LIPMAN, P.W., 1976, CALERAS OF THE SAN JUAN COLCANIC FIELD, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 958.

Reference (Deposit): LIPMAN, P.W., 1975 EVOLUTION OF THE PLATORO CALDERA COMPLEX AND RELATED VOLCANIC ROCKS, SOUTHEASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 852.

Reference (Deposit): CALKIN, W.S., 1967, GEOLOGY, ALTERATION, AND MINERALIZATION OF THE ALUM CREEK AREA, SAN JUAN VOLCANIC FIELD, COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES THESIS T-1113.

Reference (Deposit): GOW, T.T., AND YANG, W.T., 1914, SURVEY NORTHWEST OF GILMORE, CONEJOS COUNTY, COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES THESIS T-465.

Reference (Deposit): SHARP, W.N., AND GUALTIERI, 1968, LEAD, COPPER, MOLYBDENUM, AND ZINC GEOCHEMICAL ANOMALIES SOUTH OF THE SUMMITVILLE DISTRICT, RIO GRANDE COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS CIRC. 557

Reference (Deposit): BIRD, W.H., 1972, MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE PLATORO CALDERA COMPLEX, SOUTHEAST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: MTN. GEOLOGIST, V. 9, NO. 4, P. 379-387

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS. AND ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.

Reference (Deposit): BLM MINERAL SURVEYS


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.