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Cimarron District

Past Producer in Hinsdale county in Colorado, United States with commodities Silver, Lead, 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. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Controls for ore emplacement
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Mining district
  15. Land status
  16. Ownership information
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10014690
MRDS ID D011575
Record type District
Current site name Cimarron District

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -107.47953, 38.11472 (WGS84)
Elevation 3261
Relative position 9.3 TO 11.4 MILES N 53 TO 60 W FROM LAKE CITY

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Hinsdale(county)

Colorado(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Uncompahgre Peak(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Montrose(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Montrose(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Upper Gunnison(hydrologic unit)

Gunnison(hydrologic accounting unit)

Gunnison(hydrologic subregion)

Upper Colorado(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests(National Forest)

National Forest FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Uncompahgre Wilderness(Wilderness)

Wilderness FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Colorado Hinsdale

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
New Mexico 045N;045N;044N 006W;005W;006W 25,26,35,36;32;01 Colorado

Comments on the location information

  • DISTRICT LIES ALONG EAST FORK OF CIMARRON RIVER ON NORTH SIDE OF LAKE CITY-SILVERTON CALDERA COMPLEX, EXTENDING FROM SILVER CREEK DOWNSTREAM (NORTH) ABOUT TWO MILES. PROMINENT LANDMARKS INCLUDE SHEEP MOUNTAIN, SILVER MOUNTAIN, PORPHYRY BASIN, AND UNCOMPAHGRE PEAK. DISTRICT ACCESSIBLE VIA TRAIL UP EAST FORK CIMARRON RIVER SSE FROM U.S. RTE 50; VIA TRAILS NORTH FROM HENSON CREEK; VIA TRAIL UP-BIG BLUE CREEK SW FROM LAKE FORK GUNNISON RIVER. DISTRICT EXTENDS NORTHWARD ONTO SHEEP MOUNTAIN (1963) QUAD. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR APPROX CENTER OF DISTRICT AT CONFLUENCE OF EAST FORK CIMARRON RIVER AND UNNAMED TRIBUTARY GULCH DRAINING NW SLOPE OF SILVER MTN, IN N2 NW SEC. 36, T45N, R6W (UNSURVEYED SECTION). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Lead Primary
Gold Primary

Comments on the commodity information

  • ORE MINERALS LISTED ABOVE ARE UNVERIFIED BUT ARE PROBABLY SIMILAR TO SULFIDE MINERALIZATION AT OTHER PRECALDERA VOLCANIC CENTER (CARSON) TO SOUTH. CU AND ZN ALSO MAY BE PRESENT, BUT THESE ARE UNVERIFIED.

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Pyrite Ore
Limonite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Propylitization, Argillization, Silicification, Pyritization

Analytical data

Result STEVEN AND OTHERS' (1977) SAMPLES SHOWED ANOMALOUS AG, AS, CU, MO, PB, SB, TE, ZN

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Monzonite
    Rock unit name Early Intermediate-Composition Lavas And Related Rocks--Intrusive Rocks (Monzonite And Monzonite Porphyry);Early Intermediate-Composition Lavas And Related Rocks--Intrusive Rocks (Andesite And Rhyodacite Porphyries);Early Intermediate-Composition Lavas And Related Rocks--Lava Flows;Early Intermediate-Composition Lavas And Related Rocks--Cone Breccias
    Rock description Early Intermediate-Composition Lavas And Related Rocks--Intrusive Rocks (Monzonite And Monzonite Porphyry);Early Intermediate-Composition Lavas And Related Rocks--Intrusive Rocks (Andesite And Rhyodacite Porphyries);Early Intermediate-Composition Lavas A
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Oligocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Oligocene
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Rhyolite
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Rhyodacite
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Quartz Latite
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Monzonite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Rhyodacite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite

Nearby scientific data

(1) -107.47953, 38.11472
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description San Juan Volcanic Field, San Juan Depression
Type of structure Local
Structure description San Juan-Uncompahgre Calderas, Lake City Caldera, Cimarron Volcano

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Plugs And Radiating Dikes From Precaldera Volcano

Comments on the geologic information

  • GENERALIZED EVOLUTION OF UNCOMPAHGRE-SAN JUAN, SILVERTON, AND LAKE CITY CALDERAS (LIPMAN AND OTHERS, 1973; STEVEN AND LIPMAN, 1976; HON AND MEHNERT, 1983): (1) ERUPTION OF EARLY OLIGOCENE (35.6 TO 31.9 M.Y.) INTERMEDIATE-COMPOSITION LAVAS, BRECCIAS, AND PYROCLASTICS (SAN JUAN AND LAKE FORK FMS), AND LATERALLY ASSOCIATED VOLCANICLASTICS FROM CLUSTERED CENTRAL-VENT SHIELD VOLCANOES (LARSON, CARSON, AND CIMARRON CENTERS) COMPRISED OF RHYOLITE PORPHYRY, ANDESITIC TO RHYODACITIC, AND MONZONITIC INTRUSIVES; (2) LOWER FLANKS AND COALESCING OUTFLOW APRONS OF SHIELD VOLCANOES COVERED BY ASH-FLOW SHEETS (UTE RIDGE (29.1 M.Y.) AND BLUE MESA TUFFS) FROM NEARBY UTE CREEK AND LOST LAKE CENTERS TO SE; (3) ERUPTION OF RELATIVELY SMALL VOLUME OF DILLON MESA TUFF (29 TO 28 M.Y.) PROBABLY FROM AREA OF INCIPIENT UNCOMPAHGRE CALDERA; (4) VOLUMINOUS ERUPTION OF WIDESPREAD SAPINERO MESA TUFF (CIRCA 28 M.Y.) FROM SAN JUAN DEPRESSION, CONCURRENT COLLAPSE OF SAN JUAN AND UNCOMPAHGRE CALDERAS WITHIN DEPRESSION,
  • AND DEPOSITION OF THICK INTRA-CALDERA TUFFS AND INTERBEDDED LANDSLIDE BRECCIAS OF ITS EUREKA MEMBER; (5) EARLY POSTSUBSIDENCE LOCAL DOMING AND ERUPTION OF VISCOUS, PORPHYRITIC RHYODACITE TO QUARTZ LATITE LAVAS GRADING UPWARD INTO ANDESITE IN SAN JUAN CALDERA, WITH PERIPHERAL DEPOSITION OF BEDDED TUFFS, VOLCANICLASTICS, AND LACUSTRINE SEDIMENTS (BURNS FM); LATER INFILLING PREDOMINANTLY VOLCANICLASTIC SEDIMENTS AND MUDFLOW BRECCIAS (HENSON FM), PARTLY OVERFLOWING SE CALDERA WALL; (6) INFILL SEQUENCE OVERLAIN BY ASH-FLOW TUFFS FROM ADJACENT ERUPTIVE CENTERS--FISH CANYON (LA GARITA CALDERA)(28.5 M.Y.) CRYSTAL LAKE (SILVERTON CALDERA), CARPENTER RIDGE (BACHELOR CALDERA), WASON PARK (SOURCE UNKNOWN), AND NELSON MOUNTAIN (SAN LUIS CALDERA); (7) ERUPTION OF CRYSTAL LAKE TUFF (27.5 M.Y.) RESULTED IN TRAPDOOR COLLAPSE OF SILVERTON CALDERA NESTED WITHIN SAN JUAN CALDERA, WITH GREATEST DISPLACEMENT ON SOUTH MARGIN AND GRABEN-FAULTED MONOCLINE ON NE; PRE- AND POST-COLLAPSE MONZONITIC INTRUSIONS
  • WITHIN AND ON SAN JUAN-UNCOMPAHGRE CALDERA MARGIN; (8) BROAD EPISODIC RESURGENT DOMING ALONG NE-TRENDING AXIS OF SAN JUAN DEPRESSION; DISTENTION FRACTURING ALONG CREST PERMITTED DOWNFAULTING OF EUREKA GRABEN, EXTENDING FROM WITHIN SILVERTON CALDERA NE ACROSS MEDIAL SEPTUM (COMPOSED OF PRECAMBRIAN GRANITE) SEPARATING SAN JUAN AND UNCOMPAHGRE CALDERAS; (9) ERUPTION OF MIOCENE SUNSHINE PEAK SILICIC ALKALI RHYOLITE TUFF (23.0 M.Y.) WITH CONCURRENT COLLAPSE OF LAKE CITY CALDERA (NESTED WITHIN UNCOMPAHGRE CALDERA) ALONG SINGLE, CONTINOUS VERTICAL TO STEEP INWARD-DIPPING RING FAULT; ASH FLOWS INTERTONGUING WITH COLLAPSE BRECCIAS; (10) FLOWS AND DOMES OF VISCOUS, SILICIC LAVAS (GRASSY MOUNTAIN AND RED MOUNTAIN QUARTZ LATITES)(23.3 TO 22.8 M.Y.) ISSUED FROM RING-FAULT VENTS ON EAST SIDE OF LAKE CITY CALDERA; YOUNGER EMPLACEMENT OF ENE-TRENDING CHAIN OF RHYOLITIC INTRUSIVES (18.5 M.Y.) IN UNCOMPAHGRE CALDERA MOAT AREA NORTH OF LAKE CITY CALDERA; (11) UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SHALLOW GRANITIC MAGMA
  • CAUSED SIMPLE DOMAL RESURGENCE OF LAKE CITY CALDERA, WITH NE-TRENDING APICAL GRABEN FAULTING OVER DISTENDED CREST (REFLECTING SIMILAR TREND OF EUREKA GRABEN) AND CHAOTIC COLLAPSE BRECCIAS ON SW SIDE; (12) MIOCENE TO PLIOCENE REGIONAL EXTRUSION OF BIMODAL MAFIC-SILICIC (BASALTIC TO RHYOLITIC) FLOWS OF HINSDALE FM (18.8 TO 12.6 M.Y.) PERIPHERAL TO CALDERA COMPLEX AND RELATED TO INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF RIO GRANDE RIFT AND REGIONAL EASTWARD TILTING OF EAST PART OF SAN JUAN VOLCANIC FIELD; (13) LATE TERTIARY AND QUATERNARY EROSION, DISSECTION, EXTENSIVE MASS WASTING, AND GLACIATION OF CALDERAS AND PERIPHERAL OUTFLOW DEPOSITS.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant No
Year of last production 1931

Mining district

District name Cimarron District

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Jim Ingram (Silver Jack Mine)
    Home office Montrose, Co.
    First year 1968

Comments on the workings information

  • SHAFTS, TUNNELS, AND DRIFTS (SILVER JACK MINE); PROBABLE SURFACE PROSPECTS

Comments on development

  • EARLY HISTORY OF DISTRICT LARGELY UNKNOWN, BUT DISCOVERIES PROBABLY MADE ABOUT 1880. FIRST PATENTED CLAIM (ROSCOE CONKLING) SURVEYED IN 1883 BY HENRY O. MINER, FOLLOWED IN 1885 BY GOVERNMENT STAMP LODE. IN 1895-96, JOHN H. MCILROY SURVEYED AND PATENTED PAY DAY PLACER AND THE PHIL SHERIDAN AND GOLDEN EAGLE CLAIMS. LAST CLAIM (SILVER JACK) SURVEYED AND PATENTED IN 1921-22 BY C.M. HYDE AND JOHN L. VAUGHN. SILVER JACK WAS DISTRICT'S OLNLY KNOWN PRODUCTIVE MINE, REPORTEDLY LAST WORKED IN 1931

Reference information

Bibliographic references

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit GENERAL GEOLOGY OF DISTRICT CHARACTERIZED BY THICK SEQUENCE OF PORPHYRITIC ANDESITE, RHYODACITE, AND QUARTZ LATITE FLOWS AND FLOW BRECCIAS INTERBEDDED WITH ANDESITE AND PHYODACITE EXPLOSION BRECCIAS, MUDFLOW BRECCIAS, LOCAL INDURATED SPATTER AGGLUTINATES, AND A FEW BRECCIATED LAVA FLOWS. SEQUENCE IS INTRUDED BY (1) PLUGS OF MONZONITE/MONZONITE PORPHYRY AND RHYOLITE PORPHYRY, AND (2) PLUGS AND RADIATING DIKES OF ANDESITE AND RHYODACITE PORPHYRY. EARLY INTERMEDIATE-COMPOSITION FLOWS/BRECCIAS AND INTRUSIVE ROCKS OF CIMARRON VOLCANIC CENTER ARE CONSIDERED TO PREDATE FORMATION OF SAN JUAN DEPRESSION AND ASSOCIATED CALDERAS, AND THEREFORE REPRESENT OLDEST STAGE OF MINERALIZATION IN CALDERA COMPLEX AREA. MINERALIZED CORE CONTAINS DISSEMINATED SULFIDES AND LOCAL VEINS (LIPMAN AND OTHERS, 1976, P. 577).
Deposit INDIVIDUAL RECORD PREPARED FOR DISTRICT'S ON LY KNOWN PRODUCTIVE MINE: SILVER JACK. SECOND PREPAREDED FOR REPORTEDLY PRODUCTIVE UNNAMED MINE IN PORPHYRY BASIN. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-MAR-84 Schwochow, Stephen D. Colorado Geological Survey
Editor 16-NOV-11 Wilson, Anna B U.S. Geological Survey Changed record type from site to district.

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Colorado resources

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