Commodities
PrimaryCopper, Lead, Silver, Gold
SecondaryMercury, Vanadium, Zinc, Uranium
TertiaryIron, PGE, Tellurium
Commodity typeM
Deposit
Deposit typeVEIN, DISSEMINATION, REPLACEMENT, CONTACT METAMORPHIC, PLACER, WEATHERING RESIDUAL (BOG)
Deposit sizeS
Ore controlSTRUCTURAL CONTROL: NORMAL FAULTS AND FRACTURES LOCALIZED ORE AT CHANGES IN STRIKE, SPLITS AND REUNIONS, SEGMENTS OF STEEP DIP, SEGMENTS OF REVERSED DIP, AND INTERSECTIONS OF ORE-BEARING VEINS WITH OTHER FRACTURES, BRECCIA ZONES, AND STRONG BARREN FAULTS. ROCK CHARACTER CONTROL: LIMESTONE FAVORABLE TO CHEMICAL REPLACEMENT BY ORE SOLUTIONS, BRECCIATION OF SILICIFIED BRITTLE CONGLOMERATE, SANDSTONE, LIMESTONE, AND SILICIFIED OR UNSILICIFIED PORPHYRY. GEOMORPHIC CONTROL: PLACER AU LOCALIZED IN STREAM VALLEYS BELOW ERODED AND GLACIATED MINERALIZED AREAS. OTHER CONTROL: INORGANIC PRECIPITATION OF FE OXIDE AND NATIVE CU BY GROUND WATER IN POST-GLACIAL, NEAR-SOURCE, SWAMP/BOG ENVIRONMENT.
Geology
StructureLA PLATA DOME, MAYDAY-IDAHO FAULT SYSTEM, PARROTT FAULT SYSTEM, SAN JUAN UPLIFT, FOUR CORNERS PLATFORM
AlterationALTERATION OF IGNEOUS ROCKS: (A) SERICITIZATION AND KAOLINITIZATION OF FELDSPAR IN PORPHYRY., ALTERATION OF IGNEOUS ROCKS:(A) SERICITIZATION AND KAOLINITIZATION OF FELDSPAR IN PORPHYRY, ALTERATION OF IGNEOUS ROCKS: (B) CHLORITIZATION OF FERROMAGNESIAN MINERALS., ALTERATION OF IGNEOUS ROCKS: (C) LIMONITIZATION OF FERROMAGNESIAN MINERALS., ALTERATION OF IGNEOUS ROCKS: (D) SILIFICATION OF PORPHYRY AND SEDIMENTARY WALL ROCK NEAR ORE VEINS. OXIDATION OF AURIFEROUPYRITE AND CU SULFIDES. CONTACT METAMORPHISM NEAR NONPORPHYRITIC INTRUSIVES: (A) SILIFICATION OF SANDSTONES, (B) HORNFELSIZATION OF SHALE AND MUSTONE, (C) CALCITIZATION IN LIMESTONE AND LIMY NODULES, (D) GRAPHITIZATION OF CARBONACEOUS BEDS IN CRETACEOUS FORMATIONS., ALTERATION OF IGNEOUS ROCKS: (D) OXIDATION OF AURIFEROUPYRITE AND CU SULFIDES. CONTACT METAMORPHISM NEAR NONPORPHYRITIC INTRUSIVES: (A) SILIFICATION OF SANDSTONES, (B) HORNFELSIZATION OF SHALE AND MUSTONE, (C) CALCITIZATION IN LIMESTONE AND LIMY NODULES, (D) GRAPHITIZATION OF CARBONACEOUS BEDS IN CRETACEOUS FORMATIONS.
Economic & production
Development statusProducer
First production1873
Last production1980
Discovery year1700
Identification
Deposit ID60000378
MRDS IDD010861
Alternate namesCalifornia District
RegionNA
Data scoreB
Coordinates37.3994, -108.0636
References
ECKEL, E.B., AND OTHERS, 1949, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 219.CROSS, WHITMAN, AND OTHERS, 1899, DESCRIPTION OF THE LA PLATA QUADRANGLE: USGS FOLIO 60.ECKEL, E.B., 1938, COPPER ORES OF THE LA PLATA DISTRICT, COLORADO, AND THEIR PLATINUM CONTENT: COLORADO SCI. SOC. PROC., V. 12, NO. 12, P. 647-664.PARKER, B.H., JR., 1974, GOLD PLACERS OF COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES QUART., V. 69, NO. 4, P. 194-197.HENDERSON,C.W., 1926, MINING IN COLORADO, A HISTORY OF DISCOVERY, DEVELOPMENT, AND PRODUCTION: USGS PROF. PAPER 138, P. 52, 177-178.NELSON-MOORE, J.L., AND OTHERS, 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 204-206.HARRER, C.M., AND TESCH, W.J., JR., 1959, RECONNAISSANCE OF IRON OCCURRENCES IN COLORADO: USBM IC-7918, P. 48, 51-52.COLORADO DIV. MINES ONF. REPTS. AND ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.UNPUBLISHED ENGINEERING REPTS. 1904-1936 (SEE INDIVIDUAL MINE RECORDS FOR SPECIFIC REFERENCES)BLM MINERAL SURVEYS MS 1097.5U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1965, Mercury potential of the United States: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular IC-8252, p. 376 p.