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Atlantic Cable Mine

Past Producer in Dolores county in Colorado, United States with commodities Silver, Lead, Zinc, Copper, Gold
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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. Alteration
  9. Mineral occurrence model information
  10. Host and associated rocks
  11. Nearby scientific data
  12. Geologic structures
  13. Ore body information
  14. Controls for ore emplacement
  15. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  16. Mining district
  17. Land status
  18. Ownership information
  19. Production statistics
  20. Links to other databases
  21. Bibliographic references
  22. General comments
  23. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10014117
MRDS ID D010759
Record type Site
Current site name Atlantic Cable Mine
Alternate or previous names Patented Claim: Atlantic Cable, Ms 1136
Related records 10214296

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -108.03176, 37.69418 (WGS84)
Elevation 2673
Relative position 0.17 MILES N 54 W FROM RICO BENCHMARK (IN RICO)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Dolores(county)

Colorado(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Rico(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Dove Creek(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Cortez(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Upper Dolores(hydrologic unit)

Upper Colorado-Dolores(hydrologic accounting unit)

Upper Colorado-Dolores(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)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Colorado Dolores

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
New Mexico 040N 011W 25,36 S2 OF S2 OF SW (25); N2 OF N2 OF NW OF NW (36) Colorado

Comments on the location information

  • (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). ON NORTH END OF RICO ON SOUTH SIDE OF SILVER CREEK 450 FT SE OF DOLORES RIVER CONFLUENCE (UNSURVEYED SECTIONS). ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FROM MCKNIGHT, 1974, PL. 1 (1930 BASE). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Lead Primary
Zinc Critical Primary
Copper Secondary
Gold Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Chert Gangue
Chlorite Gangue
Epidote Gangue
Garnet Gangue
Pyrrhotite Gangue
Wollastonite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Marbleization Of Limestone; Chloritization Of Shale

Analytical data

Result ORE PRODUCED IN 1926 AND 1943-1946 CONTAINED 3 TO 3.82 OZ/TON AG, 7.5 TO 10% PB, 11.5 TO 25% ZN, 0.1 TO 1.5% CU, TRACE AU

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 72
USGS model code 19a
Deposit model name Polymetallic replacement
Mark3 model number 47

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Monzonite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Latite
    Rock unit name Hornblende Latite Porphyry;Augite Monzonite
    Rock description Hornblende Latite Porphyry;Augite Monzonite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone
    Rock unit name Leadville Limestone;Ouray Limestone
    Rock description Leadville Limestone;Ouray Limestone

Nearby scientific data

(1) Rico and Hermosa Fms
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description San Juan Uplift, Paradox Basin
Type of structure Local
Structure description Rico Dome, Smelter Fault, Knob Hill Fault

Ore body information

  • General form IRREGULAR

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Chemically Favorable Limestone Near Intrusive Source

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant No
Discovery year 1878
Discoverer Dolores Silver Mining Co. (Claimant)
Year of first production 1878
Year of last production 1946

Mining district

District name Pioneer (Rico) District

Land status

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

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Rico-Argentine Mining Co.
    Home office Salt Lake City, Ut.
    First year 1948

Production statistics

  • Year 1925
    Description Ap_Grade: ^5.238 Oz/Ton Ag, 8.337% Pb, 15.95% Zn, 0.72% Cu, 0.005 Oz/Ton Au
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Gold Gold 0g/mt
    Minor Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Zinc Zinc 16wt-pct
    Major Ore Lead Lead 8wt-pct
    Major Ore Silver Silver 148g/mt
  • Year 1926
    Description Ap_Grade: ^5.75 Oz/Ton Ag, 9.9% Pb, 15.85% Zn, 0.57% Cu, 0.005 Oz/Ton Au
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Silver Silver 162g/mt
    Minor Gold Gold 0g/mt
    Minor Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Zinc Zinc 16wt-pct
    Major Ore Lead Lead 10wt-pct
  • Year 1926
    Description Ap_Grade: ^3.82 Oz/Ton Ag, 7.5% Pb, 11.5% Zn, 0.975% Cu, 0.0125 Oz/Ton Au
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Gold Gold 0g/mt
    Minor Copper Copper 1wt-pct
    Major Zinc Zinc 12wt-pct
    Major Ore Lead Lead 8wt-pct
    Major Ore Silver Silver 108g/mt
  • Year 1927
    Description Ap_Grade: ^2.743 Oz/Ton Ag, 8.042% Pb, 12.39% Zn, 0.359% Cu, 0.009 Oz/Ton Au
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Lead Lead 8wt-pct
    Major Ore Silver Silver 77g/mt
    Minor Gold Gold 0g/mt
    Minor Copper Copper 0wt-pct
    Major Zinc Zinc 12wt-pct
  • Year 1943
    Description Ap_Grade: ^10% Pb, 20% Zn, 1.5% Cu
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Copper Copper 2wt-pct
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 20wt-pct
    Major Ore Lead Lead 10wt-pct
  • Year 1944
    Material ORE PB ZN ACC
    Description Ap_Grade: ^10% Pb, 25% Zn
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 25wt-pct
    Major Ore Lead Lead 10wt-pct
  • Year 1945
    Material ORE PB ZN ACC
    Description Ap_Grade: ^5% Pb, 20% Zn
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 20wt-pct
    Major Ore Lead Lead 5wt-pct
  • Year 1946
    Material ORE PB ZN SML
    Description Ap_Grade: ^3 Oz/Ton Ag, 5% Pb, 12% Zn, 0.1% Cu, Trace Au
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Copper Copper 0wt-pct
    Major Ore Zinc Zinc 12wt-pct
    Major Ore Lead Lead 5wt-pct
    Major Silver Silver 85g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR YEARS PRIOR TO 1925. PRODUCTION IN 1925 CREDITED TO ATLANTIC CABLE, SHAMROCK, AND ENTERPRISE. SECOND FIGURE FOR 1926 AND THAT FOR 1927 CREDITED TO SHAMROCK MINE. PRODUCTION FIGURE FOR 1946 NOT GIVEN IN CDM RECORDS BUT CONSIDERED SMALL. NO PRODUCTION REPORTED FOR ATLANTIC CABLE/SHAMROCK IN 1929-1942 AND AFTER 1946.

Comments on the workings information

  • ONE SHAFT WITH LEVELS AT 45, 62, AND 183 FT

Comments on development

  • BECAUSE ORE WAS EXPOSED ON OUTCROP NEAR RIVER, ATLANTIC CABLE WAS ONE OF FIRST PROFITABLE DISCOVERIES IN DISTRICT.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    MCKNIGHT, E.T., 1974, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 723, P. 75-76, 95.

  • Deposit

    PRATT, W.P., AND OTHERS, 1969, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE RICO QUADRANGLE, DOLORES AND MONTEZUMA COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-797.

  • Deposit

    COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS. AND ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.

  • Deposit

    BLM MINERAL SURVEY MS 1136

  • Deposit

    RANSOME, F.L., 1901, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS 22D ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 395-396.

  • Production

    COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit WIDENING TO 150 FT ON SE END. AT PLACES, UP TO 1 FT OF PB-ZN ORE MARKS CONTACT BETWEEN PYRITE MASS AND MARBLE.
Deposit NE OF MINE AND EAST OF MONZONITE STOCK SOUTH OF RICO DOME CREST, SMELTER FAULT DISPLACES MISSISSIPPIAN LIMESTONE ON SOUTH AGAINST PRECAMBRIAN GREENSTONE ON NORTH. MISSISSIPPIAN-PENNSYLVANIAN SEDIMENTARY ROCKS INTRUDED BY HORNBLENDE LATITE PORPHYRY. MCKNIGHT (1974) DESCRIBES GENERAL CONTACT-METAMORPHIC DEPOSIT AS BASE-METAL SULFIDES IN IRREGULAR PODS SCATTERED THROUGH MASS OF SPECULARITE, MAGNETITE, AND CHLORITE REPLACING LEADVILLE AND OURAY MARBLEIZED LIMESTONES, WITH ABUNDANT PYRITE AND QUARTZ SILICIFICATION. RANSOME (1901) CONTRASTS ATLANTIC CABLE WITH SHAMROCK IN THAT FORMER APPARENTLY CONTAINED NO SPECULARITE AND MAGNETITE BUT RATHER CONTACT-METAMORPHIC SUITE OF CHLORITE, WOLLASTONITE, EPIDOTE, AND CHERT. ORE DOES OCCUR AS ERRATIC PODS AND BUNCHES. MCKNIGHT DESCRIBES SULFIDE BODY CENTRALLY LOCATED IN LARGER MASS OF SPECULARITE, MAGNETITE, AND CHLORITE AND FOLLOWING NW FRACTURES MARKED BY QUARTZ STRINGERS. SULFIDES STOPED FROM PYRITE MASS ABOUT 400 FT LONG AND 40 TO 60 FT WIDE,

Reporter information

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

Beyond USGS

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

External references

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Colorado resources

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