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Wellington Group

Past Producer in Dolores county in Colorado, United States with commodities Silver, Lead, Zinc, Copper, Gold, Sulfur-Pyrite, Quartz, Manganese
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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. Controls for ore emplacement
  14. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  15. Mining district
  16. Land status
  17. Ownership information
  18. Links to other databases
  19. Bibliographic references
  20. General comments
  21. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10014145
MRDS ID D010793
Record type Site
Current site name Wellington Group
Alternate or previous names Mountain Spring-Wellington Group, Patented Claims: Harvey, MS 914, Uncle Ned, MS 915, Undine, MS 1090, Tip Top, MS 1248, Robber State, MS 1464, Maid of Australia, MS 1587, General Logan, MS 2476, General Sherman, MS 2477, General O.O. Howard, MS 2478, General Sheridan, MS 2479, Gipsy, MS 2499, Leap Year, MS 6105, Mountain Springs, MS 6129, Ethlena, MS 6136, C.S.H.H., MS 6286, Black Night, MS 8135, Iron Rod, MS 8140, Excelsior, MS 8141, Excelsior No. 2, MS 8141, Lottie, MS 8223, Worlds Fair, MS 15233, Cerebus, MS 19665, X-Ray, MS 19665, Little Casper, MS 19665, Goliath, MS 19665, Unpatented Claims: Baby Ruth, Acme, Empire, Slide, Telescope, Triangle, Fair View, Iron Claw, Hornet, Mountain Boy, Hidden Treasure
Related records 10190028, 10239264

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -108.02232, 37.71279 (WGS84)
Elevation 2964
Relative position 1.47 MILES N 16 E FROM 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;040N 011W;010W 24,25;19,30 E2 (24); NE OF NE (25); W2 OF SW (19); NW OF NW (30) Colorado

Comments on the location information

  • (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). CLAIMS COVER MOST OF CENTRAL PART OF WEST SLOPE OF CHC HILL (UNSURVEYED SECTIONS). ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR WELLINGTON TUNNEL (S2 SE SEC. 24) AND 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
Sulfur-Pyrite Secondary
Quartz Secondary
Manganese Critical Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Anglesite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Limonite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Smithsonite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Alabandite Gangue
Diaspore Gangue
Fluorite Gangue
Kaolinite Gangue
Siderite Gangue
Topaz Gangue
Quartz Unknown

Alteration

  • (Local) Oxidation Of Sulfide Ore; Oxidation Of Pyrite To Limonite

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 Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Latite
    Rock unit name Hornblende Latite Porphyry;Alaskite Porphyry
    Rock description Hornblende Latite Porphyry;Alaskite Porphyry
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pennsylvanian
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pennsylvanian
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Granite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone
    Rock unit name Hermosa Formation
    Rock description Hermosa Formation

Nearby scientific data

(1) -108.02232, 37.71279
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description San Juan Uplift, Paradox Basin
Type of structure Local
Structure description Rico Dome, Blackhawk Fault, Princeton Fault

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Chemical Favorability Of Limestone For Replacement Near Major Trunk Fault And Parallel Subsidiary Faults In Its Hanging Wall

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Both
Deposit size Small
Significant No
Discovery year 1885
Year of first production 1887
Year of last production 1966

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 Rico, Co.
    First year 1966

Comments on the production information

  • PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR YEARS PRIOR TO 1915. FIGURES FOR 1915-1930 ARE FROM CDM REPORTS FOR WELLINGTON MINE; FIGURES FOR 1947-1966 ARE FROM CDM REPORTS FOR MOUNTAIN SPRINGS MINE. NO PRODUCTION REPORTED IN 1927, 1931-1938; NO REPORTS FOR 1923-1926, 1928-1929, 1939-1946, 1955, 1961, 1964, OR AFTER 1966. PRODUCTION FIGURES NOT GIVEN IN REPORTS FOR 1957-1958, BUT ANY PRODUCTION ASSUMED TO BE SMALL. PYRITE MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED (FOR MANUFACTURE OF SULFURIC ACID) IN MORE YEARS THAN INDICATED, WITH 1964 AS LAST PROBABLE YEAR OF PRODUCTION.

Comments on the workings information

  • WELLINGTON TUNNEL DRIVEN N 86 E FOR 1020 FT TO SEVERAL RAISES AND WINZES; BRANCH TUNNELS AT 510 AND 960 FT FROM PORTAL DRIVEN TO DEVELOP VARIOUS MINERALIZED BEDS NEAR BLACKHAWK AND PRINCETON FAULTS; NUMEROUS RAISES; APPROX TOTAL EXTENT OF MAIN TUNNEL LEVEL 9500 FT. MOUNTAIN SPRINGS TUNNEL (ELEV 9443) LOCATED 700 FT S 88 W FROM WELLINGTON TUNNEL, DRIVEN N 76 E FOR 2260 FT THROUGH MOUNTAIN SPRINGS AND BLACKHAWK FAULTS, THENCE N 80 TO 85 E FOR 1180 FT. MOUNTAIN SPRINGS LEVEL DRIVEN GENERALLY NW AT 1680 FT FROM PORTAL; AT 200 FT NORTH OF MAIN TUNNEL IN DRIFT NE OF MOUNTAIN SPRINGS FAULT ARE DECLINES LEADING TO ST. LOUIS TUNNEL LEVEL AND TO SUBLEVEL DRIVEN GENERALLY NE; APPROX TOTAL EXTENT OF MAIN TUNNEL AND DRIFTS 10100 FT.

Comments on development

  • EARLY HISTORY UNKNOWN, BUT DISCOVERIES PROBABLY MADE IN EARLY 1880S FOLLOWING CARPENTER'S DISCOVERY AT CHC IN 1879. SOME CLAIMS AND CLAIM BLOCKS OPERATED INDIVIDUALLY IN EARLY YEARS. UNDER NAME OF WELLINGTON (IRON SPRINGS) MOST OF CLAIMS LISTED ABOVE WERE CONSOLIDATED AND OPERATED BY RICO WELLINGTON MINING CO. AT LEAST AS EARLY AS 1915 TO 1922, THEN BY ST. LOUIS SMELTING AND REFINING FROM 1927-1938, LASTLY BY RICO-ARGENTINE IN 1940S TO 1960S. MASSIVE PYRITE MINED AS EARLY AS 1918-1919 AND SHIPPED TO PRIMOS CHEMICAL CO. (PRESUMABLY FOR VANADIUM ORE PROCESSING) AND TO AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL CHEMICAL CO. PLANTS IN ALABAMA, FLORIDA, AND OHIO. PYRITE PRODUCTION IN LATE 1950S TO 1960S USED FOR MANUFACTURE OF SULFURIC ACID FOR U/V ORE PROCESSING. STREAM POLLUTION AND DECLINE IN U ACTIVITY FORCED ACID PLANT CLOSURE IN 1964.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    MCKNIGHT, E.T., 1974, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 723, P. 78-79.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    RANSOME, F.L., 1901, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS 22D ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 387-388.

  • Deposit

    CROSS, WHITMAN, AND RANSOME, F.L., 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE RICO QUADRANGLE: USGS FOLIO 130.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 914, 915, 1090, 1248, 1464, 1587, 2476, 2477, 2478, 2479, 6129, 6105, 6136, 6286, 8135, 8140, 8141, 8223, 15233, 19665

  • Production

    COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Discovery Year: 1880S
Deposit GENERALLY SOUTH- AND SW-DIPPING LOWER AND MIDDLE HERMOSA FM SANDSTONE, LIMESTONE, AND SHALE CUT BY NW-TRENDING BLACKHAWK FAULT AND NE-TRENDING PRINCETON FAULT. BLACKHAWK FAULT DISPLACES MIDDLE HERMOSA FM BEDS 250 FT DOWN ON NE, AND HANGING WALL CONTAINS AT LEAST 12 MINERALIZED BEDS (A THROUGH L) WITH BEDS D, E, AND I MOST PRODUCTIVE; BED "A" LIES AT BASE OF MIDDLE HERMOSA. IN BLACKHAWK HANGING WALL ARE NUMEROUS, SUBPARALLEL, IRREGULARLY SPACED, SMALL-DISPLACEMENT FAULTS DOWNTHROWN ON SW. AG-PB-ZN ORE BODIES OCCURRED AT OUTER NE EDGES OF MASSIVE PYRITE BODIES THAT COMPLETELY REPLACE RESPECTIVE LIMESTONE BEDS OUTWARD FROM BLACKHAWK FAULT. PB-ZN BODIES LAY PARALLEL OR SUBPARALLEL TO FAULT AND WITHIN 150 TO 200 FT OF IT. "A" BED ALSO MINERALIZED BELOW WELLINGTON LEVEL IN NW-TRENDING, VERTICAL TO NE-DIPPING FAULTS PARALLEL TO BUT IN BLACKHAWK FOOTWALL. PB-ZN ORE STOPED FROM ARKOSIC SANDSTONE BELOW "A" BED IN NW-STRIKING, SW-DIPPING FAULT ABOUT 500 FT NE OF BLACKHAWK; SECOND MAJOR VERTICAL
Deposit TO SW-DIPPING FAULT ALSO IN MINERALIZED 900 FT NE OF BLACKHAWK. PRINCETON AND OTHER NE-TRENDING TRANSVERSE BREAKS APPARENTLY CONTAIN NO MINERALIZATION.

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.

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Colorado resources

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