Colorado · Dolores County
Past Producer

Enterprise Mine

Dolores County, Colorado, United States
SilverLeadZincGoldCopperManganese
⌖ Show on mapUSGS source ↗
Description

David Swickhimer

Commodities
PrimarySilver, Lead, Zinc
SecondaryGold, Copper
TertiaryManganese
Commodity typeM
Deposit
Model72: Polymetallic replacement
Deposit sizeS
Orebody formTABULAR
Ore controlOre Localized In Small-Displacement, Near-Vertical, Ne-Trending Fissures, With Possible Richer Ores At Intersections With Larger-Displacement, Nw-Trending Cross Fissures. Ore Also Localized In Brecciated Shale Blanmet And Gypsum Solution Breccia Between Contact Limestone And Impermeable Shale Over Split And Impoverished Upward Extensions Of Fissure Veins.
Materials
Ore mineralsArgentite, Chalcopyrite, Covellite, Gold, Malachite, Polybasite, Proustite, Sphalerite, Stephanite
GangueCalcite, Quartz, Rhodochrosite, Rhodonite, Siderite
Geology
Host rockShale,Sandstone,Limestone,Evaporite · Hermosa Formation
Associated rockLatite · Hornblend Latite Porphyry
StructureSan Juan Uplift, Paradox Basin, Rico Dome
Tectonic settingCentral Cordillera (Southern Rocky Mtns)
AlterationSilicification Of Sandstone To Orthoquartzite Near Porphyry Contact; Marbleization Of Limestone Near Porphyry Contacts; Silicification Of Blanket Breccia And Shale
Economic & production
Development statusPast Producer
First production1887
Last production1929
Discovery year1887
Identification
Deposit ID10014122
MRDS IDD010765
Alternate namesPatented Claims: Snowflake, MS 5909, Sun Up, MS 5910, Bell, MS 5911, Enterprise, MS 5916, Kitchen, MS 5917, Ontario, MS 5923, Eureka, MS 6285, Song Bird, MS 6392, Thompson, MS 6394, Hiawatha, MS 6399
RegionNA
Data scoreA
Coordinates37.68362, -108.02148
References
MCKNIGHT, E.T., 1974, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 723, P. 73-75.PRATT, W.P., AND OTHERS, 1969, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE RICO QUADRANGLE, DOLORES AND MONTEZUMA COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGSRANSOME, F.L., 1901, THE ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS 22D ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 308-328.CROSS, WHITMAN, AND RANSOME, F.L., 1905, DESCRIPTION OF THE RICO QUADRANGLE: USGS FOLIO 130.RICKARD, T.A., 1895, VEIN STRUCTURE IN THE ENTERPRISE MINE: COLORADO SCI. SOC. PROC., V. 5, P. 123-130RICKARD, T.A., 1896, THE ENTERPRISE MINE, RICO, COLORADO: AIME TRANS., V. 26, P. 906-980.FARISH, J.B., 1892, ON THE ORE-DEPOSITS OF NEWMAN HILL, NEAR RICO, COLORADO: COLORADO SCI. SOC. PROC., V. 4, P. 151-164.BASTIN, E.S., 1922, SILVER ENRICHMENT IN THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 735-D, P. 115COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS. AND ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 5909, 5910, 5911, 5916, 5917, 5923, 6285, 6392, 6394, 6399COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS. (SHAMROCK, ATLANTIC CABLE, AND ENTERPRISE MINES