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Cat Creek Area

Occurrence in Conejos county in Colorado, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Lead, Aluminum
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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 10087906
MRDS ID D010738
Record type District
Current site name Cat Creek Area
Alternate or previous names Unpatented Claims: Riverview, Riverview No. 1, Riverview No. 2, Silver Dollar, Star Nos. 1 Through 3, Lj Nos. 1 Through 61, Cat Nos. 1 Through 112

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -106.31865, 37.40335 (WGS84)
Elevation 2713
Relative position 11 TO 14 MILES N 68 TO 80 E FROM PLATORO

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Rio Grande(county)

Colorado(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Greenie Mountain(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Antonito(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Durango(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Alamosa-Trinchera(hydrologic unit)

Rio Grande Headwaters(hydrologic accounting unit)

Rio Grande Headwaters(hydrologic subregion)

Rio Grande(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Rio Grande 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 Conejos
United States Colorado Rio Grande

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
New Mexico 036N;037N 006E;006E 02,03,04,05,08,09,10,11,14,15,16;28,32,33,34 Colorado

Comments on the location information

  • AREA LIES NORTH OF TERRACE RESERVOIR ALONG UPPER CAT CREEK DRAINAGE ABOVE DEER CREEK CONFLUENCE AND INCLUDES PORTIONS OF NORTH FORK AND SOUTH FORK (CAT CREEK) AND ALL OF WILLOW CREEK. BOUNDED ON NORTH BY DEER CREEK AND ON SOUTH BY CAT CREEK-ALAMOSA RIVER DIVIDE. AREA ACCESSIBLE VIA ROAD ALONG ALAMOSA RIVER SE FROM JASPER AND NW FROM CAPULIN; ALSO VIA ROAD AND TRAIL UP SOUTH FORK ROCK CREEK SW FROM MONTE VISTA. AREA ALSO EXTENDS ONTO TERRACE RESERVOIR QUAD. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR JUNCTION OF NORTH AND SOUTH FORKS CAT CREEK, APPROX CENTER OF INTRUSIVE COMPLEX (SE SEC. 33, T37N, R6E). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1977

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Primary
Lead Primary
Aluminum Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Galena Ore
Pyrite Ore
Calcite Gangue
Chlorite Gangue
Epidote Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Sericite Gangue
Alunite Unknown

Alteration

  • (Local) See Comments

Analytical data

Result LARSEN AND CROSS (1956) GIVE MICROSCOPIC IDENTIFICATION OF MINERAL COMPOSITION OF MONZONITE: 72% CALCIC ANDESINE, 16% PERTHITE, 2% BIOTITE, 8% PYROXENE (NOW CALCITE AND CHLORITE), 2% MAGNETITE. LIPMAN (1975) GIVES TWO ANALYSES OF MONZONITE: 59.6 TO 63.2% SIO2, 16.7 TO 18.1% AL203, 2.7 TO 3.7% FE203, 2.6 TO 2.9% FEO, 2.1 TO 2.4% MGO, 4.05 TO 5.07% CAO, 3.7 TO 4.2% NA20, 3.1 TO 3.5% K20, 0.36 TO 0.81% TIO2, 0.34 TO 0.38% P205, 0.11% MNO, 2500 TO 2800 PPM BA, LT 2 PPM BE, 10 TO 28 PPM CO, 22 TO 200 PPM CR, 23 TO 34 PPM CU, 20 TO 40 PPM GA, 15 TO 19 PPM NI, 12 TO 21 PPM SC, 320 TO 480 PPM SR, 90 TO 200 PPM V, LT 40 PPM Y, LT 2 PPM YB, 160 TO 170 PPM ZR
Result NORMS: 9.2 TO 16.4% QUARTZ, 18.3 TO 20.9% ORTHOCLASE, 31.7 TO 35.9% ALBITE, 17.8 TO 21.2% ANORTHITE, 0.61% WOLLASTONITE, 5.3 TO 5.9% ENSTATITE, 1.4 TO 1.8% FERROSILITE, 3.96 TO 5.4% MAGNETITE, 0.69 TO 1.5% ILMENITE, 0.81 TO 0.91% APATITE.

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Monzonite
    Rock unit name Intrusive Rocks--Monzonite;Intrusive Rocks--Monzonite Porphyry
    Rock description Intrusive Rocks--Monzonite;Intrusive Rocks--Monzonite Porphyry
    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) > Intermediate Volcanic Rock > Andesite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Monzonite
    Rock unit name Conejos Formation--Vent Facies;Volcanics Of Green Ridge--Rhyolite Unit
    Rock description Conejos Formation--Vent Facies;Volcanics Of Green Ridge--Rhyolite Unit

Nearby scientific data

(1) -106.31865, 37.40335
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description San Juan Volcanic Field
Type of structure Local
Structure description Cat Creek Stock, Platoro Caldera, Unnamed Fault

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Stratovolcano Core Intruded By Later Stock, Accompanied By Radial Dikes And By Hydrothermal And Solfataric (?) Alteration

Comments on the geologic information

  • GENERAL EVOLUTION OF PLATORO-SUMMITVILLE CALDERA (LIPMAN, 1975); (1) WIDESPREAD ANDESITIC-RHYODACITIC VOLCANISM AND VOLCANICLASTIC DEPOSITION FROM CLUSTER OF 6 TO 7 OLIGOCENE STRATOVOLCANOES; (2) ERUPTION OF LA JARA CANYON MBR OF TREASURE MTN TUFF QUARTZ LATITE (30-29 MY), INITIAL COLLAPSE OF PLATORO CALDERA, PONDING OF LATE LA JARA CANYON ASH FLOWS; (3) INITIAL ASYMMETRICAL RESURGENCE BOUNDED ON SE BY CALIFORNIA GULCH ARCUATE FAULT AND ON SW BY PLATORO FAULT ZONE HINGE LINE; (4) MOAT FILLING BY FISHER GULCH RHYODACITE AND LOWER SUMMITVILLE ANDESITE (29.8-29.1 MY) AND ASSOCIATED LAKE-DELTAIC SEDIMENTS; (5) ERUPTION OF OJITO CREEK MBR OF TREASURE MTN TUFF BEFORE MOAT FILLING COMPLETE, FOLLOWED BY INFERRED INITIAL COLLAPSE OF SUMMITVILLE CALDERA, BOUNDED ON SE BY CORNWALL FAULT RING FRACTURE TRUNCATING PLATORO RESURGENT BLOCK; (6) ERUPTION OF RA JADERO MBR OF TREASURE MTN TUFF FOLLOWED BY SECOND COLLAPSE OF SUMMITVILLE CALDERA, WITH RENEWED MOVEMENT AFTER ERUPTION OF UPPER SUMMITVILLE
  • ANDESITE; (7) PROLONGED INTERMEDIATE-SILICIC POSTCOLLAPSE VOLCANISM (OLIGOCENE-MIOCENE) AROUND CALDERA MARGINS--(A) ALAMOSA RIVER MONZONITE STOCK (29.1 MY), (B) RHYODACITE OF PARK CREEK (27.8-26.7 MY), (C) GREEN RIDGE VOLCANICS (27.8-27.4 MY), (D) UPPER RHYODACITE OF PARK CREEK (LT 26.5 MY), (E) QUARTZ LATITE PORPHYRY DIKES (25.8 MY), (F) QUARTZ LATITE OF SOUTH MTN (22.8 MY), (G) RHYOLITE OF CROPSY MTN (20.2 MY); (8) ALAMOSA RIVER STOCK AND JASPER STOCK INTRUDED ALONG SOUTH AND EAST SUMMITVILLE CALDERA RING FRACTURES, CRATER CREEK STOCK PERIPHERAL ON WEST, CAT CREEK STOCK REMOTE TO EAST; (9) NW-TRENDING CALDERA-RELATED STRUCTURES RENEWED BY INFERRED GENERAL RESURGENCE OF COMPOSITE BATHOLITH BENEATH ENTIRE SE SAN JUAN CALDERA CLUSTER, MANIFESTED BY RIO GRANDE FAULT ZONE (BRABEN), PASS CREEK-ELWOOD CREEK FAULT ZONE, PLATORO FAULT ZONE, SUMMITVILLE FAULT; (10) N-TRENDING LATE CENOZOIC EXTENSIONAL BLOCK FAULTING RELATED TO GENERAL EASTWARD TILTING OF VOLCANIC FIELD TOWARD DEVELOPING RIO
  • GRANDE DEPRESSION IN SAN LUIS VALLEY.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Occurrence
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant No

Mining district

District name Cat Creek Area

Land status

Ownership category National Forest

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Anaconda Minerals Co. (Division Of Atlantic Richfield) (Cat Claims ; Cruson And Pansze (Lj Claims
    First year 1982

Comments on the workings information

  • PROSPECTS DEVELOPED BY SURFACE PITS, SHAFT, AND CROSSCUT TUNNELS

Comments on development

  • DISCOVERY DATE UNKNOWN AS NO HISTORICAL NOTES FOUND AND NO CLAIMS EVER PATENTED IN AREA. CDM INFORMATION REPORTS CITE ONLY DEVELOPMENT WORK IN 1936 AND 1940 AT RIVERVIEW OR EL RICO MINE (LOCATION UNCERTAIN). NUMEROUS UNPATENTED CLAIMS LOCATED IN 1981-82 BY SEVERAL CONCERNS.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit ON SOUTH AND SE BY PORPHYRITIC PHASE, ON MOST SIDES BY RADIATING RHYODACITE PORPHYRY DIKES, AND BY SEVERAL SATELLITIC MONZONITE AND RHYODACITE PORPHYRY LACCOLITHS. SEQUENCE LAST INTRUDED BY ANDESITE PORPHYRY DIKES. GENERALLY N 40 E-TRENDING FAULT ONE MILE SE OF STOCK DOWNDROPS OLDER TREASURE MTN TUFF QUARTZ LATITE ASH OUTFLOWS ON SE AGAINST PRECALDERA CONEJOS FM. LIPMAN (1974) MAPS HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION IN SOUTH HALF OF MONZONITE STOCK, EXTENDING THROUGH PORPHYRITIC PHASE, AND SE ACROSS CONEJOS FM, THE FAULT, AND AFFECTING DOWNDROPPED TREASURE MTN TUFF. CDM MINE INFORMATION REPORTS INDICATE PRESENCE OF VEINS CONTAINING AU, AG, AND PB. QUARTZ-PYRITE VEIN OCCURRENCE IS SUGGESTED.
General Not a site. But not really a deposit or district either. A rather nebulous area of interest covering as much as 15 sq. miles.
Deposit ONE RECORD PREPARED FOR RIVERVIEW OR EL RICO MINE (NONPRODUCER; LOCATION UNCERTAIN) ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT
Deposit CAT CREEK STOCK LIES 3 MILES EAST OF EASTERN RIM OF PLATORO CALDERA AND IS BELIEVED TO REPRESENT INTRUSIVE CORE OF STRATOVOLCANO THAT ERUPTED GREEN RIDGE VOLCANICS. ERUPTIONS WERE ONE OF SERIES OF IGNEOUS EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED COLLAPSE OF SUMMITVILLE CALDERA (SEE CALDERA EVOLUTION STAGES 7 AND 8 UNDER GEOLOGY COMMENTS). IN CONTRAST TO JASPER, ALAMOSA RIVER, AND SOUTH MTN STOCKS EMPLACED WITHIN CALDERA COMPLEX, CAT CREEK AND CRATER STOCKS WERE EMPLACED OUTSIDE. PRESERVED CORE OF RHYOLITE LAVAS AND BRECCIAS (LOWER GREEN RIDGE VOLCANICS) CUTS THROUGH OLDER PRECALDERA CONEJOS FM FLOWS AND BRECCIAS. ANDESITE-RHYODACITE AND PORPHYRITIC RHYODACITE FLOWS AND BRECCIAS IN UPPER GREEN RIDGE UNITS ARE DISTRIBUTED PRINCIPALLY TO WEST BENEATH SILVER, SHEEP, AND WINDY MOUNTAINS AND BENNETT PEAK JUST INSIDE NE RIM OF PLATORO CALDERA, AND TO NE ON AND NE OF GREEN RIDGE AND INTERFINGERING WITH ITS OWN DERIVED VOLCANICLASTICS (TERMED LOS PINOS FM). IRREGULARLY INTRUDING CORE IS MONZONITE STOCK, ENCLOSED

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JUL-83 Schwochow, Stephen D. Colorado Geological Survey
Editor 05-NOV-10 Wilson, Anna B. U.S. Geological Survey Not a site. But not really a deposit or district either. A rather nebulous area of interest covering as much as 15 sq. miles.

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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