Aetna Mine

Past Producer in La Plata county in Colorado, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead, Zinc, Bismuth, Manganese
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Ore body information
  13. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Mining district
  16. Land status
  17. Production statistics
  18. Links to other databases
  19. Bibliographic references
  20. General comments
  21. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10014076
MRDS ID D010697
Record type Site
Current site name Aetna Mine
Alternate or previous names Patented Claim: Aetna, Ms 2354
Related records 10166403

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -107.61119, 37.59584 (WGS84)
Elevation 3667
Relative position 13.9 MILES S 12 E FROM SILVERTON

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

La Plata(county)

Colorado(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Columbine Pass(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Silverton(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Durango(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Animas(hydrologic unit)

Upper San Juan(hydrologic accounting unit)

San Juan(hydrologic subregion)

Upper Colorado(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

San Juan National Forest(National Forest)

National Forest FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Weminuche Wilderness(Wilderness)

Wilderness FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Colorado La Plata

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
New Mexico 038N 007W 02 NW Colorado

Comments on the location information

  • (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON NORTH OF SIDE OF AZTEC MTN 0.5 MILE SW OF COLUMBINE PASS. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Primary
Copper Secondary
Lead Secondary
Zinc Critical Tertiary
Bismuth Critical Tertiary
Manganese Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Argentite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Tetrahedrite Ore
Fluorite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Rhodochrosite Gangue

Analytical data

Result STEVEN AND OTHERS' (1969) ASSAY FROM 7-FT CHIP SAMPLE FROM INTERSECTION OF CROSSCUT AND MAIN TUNNEL CONTAINED 0.02 OZ/TON AU, 8.58 OZ/TON AG, 0.11% CU, 0.96% PB, 2.54% ZN
Result SIX SAMPLES AT 10-FT INTERVALS IN CROSSCUT CONTAINED TRACE TO 0.03 OZ/TON AU, TRACE TO 7.37 OZ/TON AG, TRACE TO 0.18% CU, TRACE TO 0.76% PB, TRACE TO 1.04% ZN
Result SELECTED DUMP SAMPLE CONTAINED 0.01 OZ/TON AU, 5.13 OZ/TON AG, 0.56% CU, 1.84% PB, 5.96% ZN. SEMIQUANTITATIVE SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSES OF SULFIDE-BEARING QUARTZ VEIN MATERIAL FROM PRINCIPAL RADIAL VEIN IN MINE VICINITY CONTAINED LT 10 AND 1000 PPM TI, 150 AND GT 5000 PPM MN, 1.5 AND 100 PPM AG, LT 200 PPM AS, 100 PPM BA, LT 10 PPM BI, LT 20 AND 70 PPM CD, LT 5 AND 5 PPM CR, 30 AND 1000 PPM CU, 10 AND 70 PPM MO, 50 AND GT 2000 PPM PB, LT 100 AND 100 PPM SB, LT 10 PPM SN, LT 100 PPM SR, 10 AND 15 PPM V, LT 50 PPM W, LT 200 AND GT 10000 PPM ZN
Result CHEMICAL ANALYSES CONTAINED LT 0.02 AND 0.02 PPM AU, 30 AND 1400 PPM CU, 50 AND 5000 PPM PB, 85 AND 9000 PPM ZN.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 85
USGS model code 22c
Deposit model name Polymetallic veins
Mark3 model number 46

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Quartz Monzonite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Miocene
    Chronological age 10.1
    Type of media Zircon
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Miocene
    Chronological age 9
    Type of media Zircon
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1460
    Dating method K-Ar
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1466
    Dating method Rb-Sr
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1466
    Dating method U-Pb (zircon)
    Type of media Zircon
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Rhyolite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Miocene
    Chronological age 9
    Type of media Zircon
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Miocene
    Chronological age 10.1
    Type of media Zircon
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Granite
    Rock unit name Eolus Granite;Intrusive Bodies And Related Rocks (Younger And Older Bodies Of Chicago Basin Stock)
    Rock description Eolus Granite;Intrusive Bodies And Related Rocks (Younger And Older Bodies Of Chicago Basin Stock)
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1466
    Dating method Rb-Sr
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1460
    Dating method K-Ar
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1466
    Dating method U-Pb (zircon)
    Type of media Zircon
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Quartz Monzonite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Miocene
    Chronological age 10.1
    Type of media Zircon
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1460
    Dating method K-Ar
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1466
    Dating method U-Pb (zircon)
    Type of media Zircon
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Miocene
    Chronological age 9
    Type of media Zircon
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1466
    Dating method Rb-Sr
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Granite
    Rock unit name Eolus Granite
    Rock description Eolus Granite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1466
    Dating method Rb-Sr
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1460
    Dating method K-Ar
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Precambrian
    Chronological age 1466
    Dating method U-Pb (zircon)
    Type of media Zircon

Nearby scientific data

(1) -107.61119, 37.59584

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description San Juan Uplift, San Juan Basin, San Juan Volcanic Field
Type of structure Local
Structure description Needle Mtns Uplift, Chicago Basin Stock, Eolus Batholith, Trimble Stock

Ore body information

  • Thickness 12.19M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Metalliferous Veins Controlled By Regional Rectangular Fracture System In Granites And By Local Radial Fracture System Associated With Emplacement Of Chicago Basin Stock.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant No
Discoverer Timothy Hart And Others (Claimants)

Mining district

District name Needle Mountain (Tacoma, Florida, Vallecito) District

Land status

Ownership category National Forest
Area name San Juan N. F.

Production statistics

  • Year 1905
    Period -1905?
    Description Cp_Grade: ^188.8 Oz/Ton Ag, 4% Cu
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Silver Silver 5331g/mt
    Minor Ore Copper Copper 4wt-pct
  • Year 1905
    Period -1905?
    Description Cp_Grade: ^139.82 Oz/Ton Ag, 2.9% Cu
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Ore Copper Copper 3wt-pct
    Major Ore Silver Silver 3948g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES INDICATE INDIVIDUAL SHIPMENTS FROM MAIN STOPE, TOGETHER REPRESENTING POSSIBLE CUMULATIVE TOTAL THRU 1905 OF 24 ST ORE.

Comments on the workings information

  • MAIN DRIFT DRIVEN SSE INTO VEIN FOR 800 FT, THENCE HEADING MORE SOUTHERLY FOR UNKNOWN DISTANCE; 70-FT EAST CROSSCUT AT 360FT FROM PORTAL; MAJOR STOPE AT 750 FT FROM PORTAL; OPEN CUTS AND STUB DRIFTS UPHILL FROM MAIN ADIT.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    SCHMITT, L.J., AND RAYMOND, W.H., 1977, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS DISTRICT, SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1434, 40 P.

  • Deposit

    STEVEN, T.A., AND OTHERS, 1969, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE SAN JUAN PRIMITIVE AREA, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1261-F, P. 30-32, 55-67, 102, 162-163.

  • Deposit

    CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE NEEDLE MOUNTAINS QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS FOLIO 131.

  • Deposit

    BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 2354

  • Deposit

    TRIPPE, T.M., 1905, REPORT ON THE AETNA MINE ACCOMPAINED BY A STATEMENT CONCERINGIN THE ADJOINING AZTEC AND REPUBLIC CLAIMS, LA PLATA COUNTY: COLORADO DIV. MINES FILES, UNPUB. ENG. REPT., 3 P.

  • Production

    TRIPPE (1905)

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit MINE DEVELOPED ON PRINCIPAL NNW-SSE-TRENDING RADIAL FRACTURE (AETNA-AZTEC VEIN) FROM CHICAGO BASIN STOCK. AT PORTAL, MINERALIZED ZONE TRENDS S 2 W, 80 SE, WITH ADIT FOLLOWING WALL OF ZONE AT HEADING OF S 20 E. TRIPPE (1905) REPORTED ORE M INERALS IN 3- TO 6-FT WIDE BAND NEAR HANGING WALL. HIGHER-GRADE MATERIAL SELECTIVELY MINED FROM GOSSANS EXPOSED IN SURFACE WORKINGS

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JUL-1983 Schwochow, Stephen D. Colorado Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

Authoritative Colorado resources

These are landing pages for further research — the state agencies don't currently expose per-mine deep links.