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Red Arrow Mine and Mill

Past Producer in Montezuma county in Colorado, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead, Zinc, Tellurium, Antimony
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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. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Mining district
  15. Land status
  16. Ownership information
  17. Production statistics
  18. Links to other databases
  19. Bibliographic references
  20. General comments
  21. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10014185
MRDS ID D010848
Record type Site
Current site name Red Arrow Mine and Mill
Alternate or previous names Red Arrow Mine, Patented Claims: Red Arrow Nos. 2, 3, 9, MS 20551, Red Arrow Nos. 8, 19, MS 20562, Red Arrow Extension, MS 20562, Red Arrow Nos. 4, 5, 7, 20, 21, MS 20563a, Park City, MS 20563a, Unpatented Claims: Red Arrow Nos. 1, 6, 10-18, 22-26, White Rock, White Rock Extension, White Rock Nos. 1-14, Old Kentucky No. 3, Summit Nos. 1-6, Pleasant View, Pleasant View Nos. 1-2, Florence W. Fraction, Betty, Betty Nos. 1-2, Red Arrow Group
Related records 10142523

Comments on the site identification

  • Outwest is the eastward extension of the Red Arrow Vein. It traverses the Gold Run Placer Claim (patented).

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Geographic coordinates: Elevation UTM Precision Relative position Point location
Main Entrance -108.1396, 37.3855 (WGS84) 2877 10 16.0 MILES N 63 W FROM DURANGO. Main adit is labeled on topo on west side of Gold Run, north of East Mancos River.
(click for info)
Plant -108.3051, 37.345 (WGS84) 10 Two buildings, north of the Western Excelsior aspen mill (a sawmill) on the west end of town. Not yet (as of 2013) a full-blown mill. Located almost 15 km (as the crow flies), WSW from the mine.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Montezuma(county)

Colorado(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Rampart Hills(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Cortez(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Cortez(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Mancos(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)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Colorado Montezuma

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
New Mexico 036N 012W 11,14 Colorado

Comments on the location information

  • (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). AT EAST END OF RED ARROW DOME WEST OF GOLD RUN CREEK AND NORTH OF CONFLUENCE WITH LA PLATA RIVER, 4.25 MILES SW OF LA PLATA TOWNSITE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1974
  • On Pl. 2 of PP-219, the entrances of the Red Arrow (#76) and Outwest (#73) are within a few feet of each other. The Red Arrow Extension (#77) is about 2 miles to the west.
  • The "mill" is west of the main town of Mancos, nearly 15 km (as the crow flies) to the WSW.

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Primary
Copper Secondary
Lead Tertiary
Zinc Critical Tertiary
Tellurium Critical Tertiary
Antimony Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gold Ore
Chalcocite Ore
Galena Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Tetrahedrite Ore
Gold Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Ankerite Gangue
Barite Gangue
Kaolinite Gangue
Quartz Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Oxidation Of Pyrite And Cu Sulfides

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 > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
    Rock unit name Porphyritic Rocks--Diorite-Monzonite Porphyry
    Rock description Porphyritic Rocks--Diorite-Monzonite Porphyry
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Jurassic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Jurassic
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone
    Rock unit name Morrison Formation
    Rock description Morrison Formation

Nearby scientific data

Main Entrance (1) -108.1396, 37.3855
ListMap
Plant (2) -108.3051, 37.345
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Local
Structure description La Plata Dome, Parrott Fault System
Type of structure Regional
Structure description San Juan Uplift, Four Corners Platform

Comments on the geologic information

  • Wallrock at the Outwest Mine is described as Junction Creek Sandstone (see PP-219, p. 159)

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant No
Discovery year 1933
Discoverer Charles H. Starr And George W. Gilmore
Year of first production 1933
Year of last production 2013
Production years 1933-1937, 1940-1947, intermittently 1988-2006, 2006-2013.

Mining district

District name California (La Plata) District

Land status

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

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Outwest Mining Co. (% Geo. Johnston)
    Home office 105 S. 49th St. [no City/State given in original MRDS D010848, newMRDS 10014185]
  • Type Operator
    Owner George Gilmore
    Home office Mancos, Co.
    First year 1976
  • Type Owner
    Owner Red Arrow Gold Corp.
    Home office Mancos, Co.
    First year 1976

Production statistics

  • Year 1940
    Description Ap_Grade: ^4.47 Oz/Ton Au, 14.29 Oz/Ton Ag
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Conc. Silver Silver 404g/mt
    Major Conc. Gold Gold 126g/mt
  • Year 1940
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.63 Oz/Ton Au, 0.22 Oz/Ton Ag (Milled Ore)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Mill Ore Silver Silver 6g/mt
    Major Ore Gold Gold 18g/mt
  • Year 1941
    Description Ap_Grade: ^5.89 Oz/Ton Au, 20 Oz/Ton Ag
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Conc. Silver Silver 565g/mt
    Major Conc. Gold Gold 166g/mt
  • Year 1941
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.53 Oz/Ton Au, 0.46 Oz/Ton Ag (Milled Ore)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Mill Ore Silver Silver 13g/mt
    Major Ore Gold Gold 15g/mt
  • Year 1946
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.43 Oz/Ton Au, 0.61 Oz/Ton Ag (Milled Ore)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Mill Ore Silver Silver 17g/mt
    Major Gold Gold 12g/mt
  • Year 1946
    Description Ap_Grade: ^2.5 Oz/Ton Au, 25.38 Oz/Ton Ag
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Conc. Silver Silver 717g/mt
    Major Conc. Gold Gold 71g/mt
  • Year 1946
    Description Ap_Grade: ^0.2 Oz/Ton Au, 0.82 Oz/Ton Ag (Milled Ore)
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Mill Ore Silver Silver 23g/mt
    Major Ore Gold Gold 6g/mt
  • Year 1947
    Description Ap_Grade: ^7.66 Oz/Ton Au, 9.4 Oz/Ton Ag
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Silver Silver 265g/mt
    Major Ore Gold Gold 216g/mt

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTION RECORD COMPLETE FOR 1933-1958, EXCEPT THAT AU, AG, AND CONCENTRATE FIGURES NOT CONSISTENTLY REPORTED. ALL ORE AND CON TONNAGES AND GRADES FOR 1933-1947 AND AU/AG FIGURES FOR 1946-1958 FROM CDM ANNUAL OPERATOR'S REPTS. AU, AG, AND CU FIGURES FOR 1933-1937 TABULATED BY ECKEL (1949).

Comments on the workings information

  • MINE DEVELOPED BY THREE CROSSCUT TUNNELS. NO. 1 (MAIN) TUNNEL DRIVEN 365 FT WEST OR NW. NO. 2 (MILL LEVEL) TUNNEL DRIVEN 1100 FT WEST OR NW, WITH 40-FT WINZE AT 1075 FT FROM PORTAL. NO. 3 TUNNEL (INACCESSIBLE) DRIVEN 400 FT WITH 110-FT RAISE AT 350 FT FROM PORTAL. FLOTATION/AMALGAMATION PLANT.
  • As of 1936, only opening on Outwest was 145 ft. drift adit, 115 ft. below [and east of] the main Red Arrow adit.

Comments on development

  • VEIN DISCOVERED IN 1933 BY STARR AND GILMORE AND THEIR SONS AS RESULT OF PANNING ON GOLD RUN CREEK. AFTER UNSATISFACTORY RESULTS, THEY SHOT AN FE-STAINED OUTCROP, SAMPLES FROM WHICH GAVE GOOD ASSAYS. RED ARROW GOLD CORP. FORMED SHORTLY AFTER DISCOVERY, BUT LITIGATION LASTING UNTIL 1936 PROBABLY HINDERED DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION. RED ARROW WAS LAST SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERY IN DISTRICT, AND DURING 1930S PRODUCTION, IT BECAME SIXTH LARGEST MINE IN DISTRICT.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Location

    Red Arrow Gold Corporation, 2013, Company website (accessed Aug. 26, 2013 at http://031309a.netsolhost.com/map.html)

  • Environmental Factors

    Lofholm, Nancy, 2013, Colorado town worries, regulators plan cleanup at shuttered gold mill: Denver Post, Sunday Aug. 25, 2013. Accessed 8/26/13 at http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_23935630/colorado-town-worries-regulators-plan-cleanup-at-shuttered?IADID=Search-www.denverpost.com-www.denverpost.com.

  • Deposit

    ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219, P. 69-70, 159-160, 161-162.

  • Environmental Factors

    Hanel, Joe, 2013, EPA to Inspect Mancos milling site: The Cortez Journal, Aug. 20, 2013. (accessed Aug 25, 2013 at http://www.mancostimes.com/article/20130820/MT03/130829991/-1/mt/EPA-to-inspect-Mancos-milling-site-)

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    USGS, 1934, RED ARROW GOLD DISCOVERY IN THE LA PLATA MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS PRESS RELEASE 81670, 7 P.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL, 1934, HIGHER PRICES OF GOLD AND SILVER ENCOURAGE MUCH NEW MINING IN THE UNITED STATES: ENG. MINING JOUR., V. 135, NO. 3, P. 130-131.

  • Deposit

    BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 20551, 20562, 20563A

  • Deposit

    Colorado Bureau of Mines Annual Report, 1939

  • Production

    ECKEL AND OTHERS, 1949, P. 161 (AS COMPILED FROM USBM RECORDS); COLORADO DIV. MINES ANN. OPERATOR REPTS.

  • Deposit

    Neubert, J.T., Ellis, C.E., Hannigan, B.J., Jeske, R.E., Martin, C.M., Thomposon, J.R., Tuftin, S.E., Wood, R.H., III, and Zelten, J.E., with a section on Industrial Minerals by A.G. Raby, 1992, Mineral Appraisal of the San Juan National Forest, Colorado: U.S. Bureau of Mines Mineral Land Assessment Open File Report MLA 2-92, 311 p., 4 appendices.

  • Deposit

    Red Arrow Gold Corporation, 2013, Company website (accessed Aug. 26, 2013 at http://031309a.netsolhost.com/aboutus/businessofthecompany.html).

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit COUNTRY ROCK CONSISTS OF SW-DIPPING JURASSIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS CUT BY SERIES OF DISCONTINUOUS NORMAL FAULTS STRIKING EAST-WEST AND ENE-WSW, DIPPING SOUTH AND SE, AND THOUGHT TO BE WESTWARD EXTENSION OF PARROTT FAULT SYSTEM. RED ARROW VEIN TRENDS N 82 E TO N 87 W, DIPS 55 TO 70 SOUTH. ON MAIN LEVEL, WELL-DEFINED FOOTWALL IS SANDSTONE, HANGING WALL IS SHALY SANDSTONE, VEIN OCCUPIES 1- TO 5-FT BRECCIA ZONE. RICHEST ORE FOUND ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ALONG FOOTWALL, WHERE FRIABLE AND OXIDIZED STREAK AVERAGES 8 TO 10 INCHES THICK, WITH MAXIMUM OF 3 FT. NATIVE GOLD FOUND AS WIRES AND CRYSTALS, ALLOYED WITH CU, AND IN LIMONITE MASSES ASSOCIATED WITH BARITE. PYRITE AND SULFIDE ORE FOUND IN 0.5- TO 3-INCH-WIDE STREAK ON FOOTWALL SIDE OF AU-BARITE STREAK.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 1983-08-01 Schwochow, Stephen D. Colorado Geological Survey
Editor 2013-07-15 Wilson, Anna B U.S. Geological Survey merged and deleted duplicate record for the Outwest, newMRDS 10118504
Reporter 1992-07-21 Intermountain Field Operations Center (IFOC) U.S. Bureau of Mines MAS 0080830089 = newMRDS 10118504

Beyond USGS

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

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.