1. Mineral Resources
  2. Online Spatial Data
  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Rico-Argentine Mine

Past Producer in Dolores county in Colorado, United States with commodities Silver, Lead, Zinc, Copper, Gold, Sulfur-Pyrite, Cadmium, Manganese, Bismuth, Tungsten, Beryllium
Map
XML
JSON
KML
A

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10101868
MRDS ID D010784
Record type Site
Current site name Rico-Argentine Mine
Alternate or previous names Argentine Mine Encompassing Rico Consolidated, Argentine Shaft, Blackhawk Log Cabin, James G. Blaine Tunnel, Maggie Shaft, Blacksmith Tunnel, And Portion of St. Louis Tunnel

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -108.00815, 37.70112 (WGS84)
Elevation 2865
Relative position 1.32 MILES N 64 E FROM RICO
(click for info)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Colorado Dolores

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
New Mexico 040N 010W 30 Colorado

Comments on the location information

  • (LAND STATUS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AREA LOCATIONS CALCULATED USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS FOR SAN JUAN N. F.). PRINCIPAL MINE WORKINGS LIE ON SOUTH SIDE OF SILVER CREEK ABOVE ALLYN GULCH (UNSURVEYED SECTION). EVENTUAL CONSOLIDATION OF CLAIMS BY RICO-ARGENTINE COVERED OTHER AREAS OF DISTRICT, INCLUDING ENTERPRISE-NEWMAN MINE AREA ON NEWMAN HILL, AND SHAMROCK AND AZTEC MINES AREA WEST OF RICO. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR ARGENTINE SHAFT JUST NORTH OF SILVER CREEK AND BELOW ROAD (NW SEC. 30) AND ARE FROM MCKNIGHT, 1974, PL. 1 (1930 BASE). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Lead Primary
Zinc Primary
Copper Secondary
Gold Secondary
Sulfur-Pyrite Secondary
Cadmium Secondary
Manganese Tertiary
Bismuth Tertiary
Tungsten Tertiary
Beryllium Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Ore
Gold Ore
Hydrozincite Ore
Limonite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Smithsonite Ore
Tennantite Ore
Alabandite Gangue
Aurichalcite Gangue
Barite Gangue
Clinozoisite Gangue
Fluorite Gangue
Garnet Gangue
Helvite Gangue
Huebnerite Gangue
Kaolinite Gangue
Magnetite Gangue
Pyrrhotite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Rhodochrosite Gangue
Topaz Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Alteration Of Mn-Bearing Carbonates To Mn Oxides; Oxidation Of Sulfide Ores To Carbonates; Oxidation Of Pyrite To Fe Oxides

Analytical data

Result CRUDE ORE MINED FROM 1917 TO 1950 CONTAINED 3.88 TO 15.87 OZ/TON AG, 5.7 TO 15.5% PB, 2 TO 22% ZN, 0.09 TO 4% CU, TRACE TO 0.159 OZ/TON AU. PB-ZN MILLING ORE MINED FROM 1939 TO 1950 CONTAINED 3.659 TO 5.818 OZ/TON AG, 6.37 TO 10.23% PB, 11.15 TO 17.2% ZN, 0.18 TO 1.06% CU, TRACE TO 0.015 OZ/TON AU. MUILENBURG'S (1919) ANALYSES OF MANGANIFEROUS LIMONITE AND OXIDES: RICO CONSOLIDATED DUMP, 25.25% MN, 44.40% SIO2, 3.27% FE, 0.602% S, 0.050% P
Result RICO ARGENTINE MINE, 31.18% MN, 23.60% SIO2, 2.34% FE, 0.082% S, 0.027% P.

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
    Rock description Hornblende Latite Porphyry
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pennsylvanian
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Pennsylvanian
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
  • 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
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic) > Felsic Volcanic Rock > Latite

Nearby scientific data

(1) -108.00815, 37.70112
ListMap

Geologic structures

Type Description Terms
Regional San Juan Uplift, Paradox Basin
Local Rico Dome, Blackhawk Fault, Hidden Fault, Allegheny Fissure, Last Chance Fault, Honduras Fault

Ore body information

  • General form TABULAR, LINEAR, IRREGULAR
    Thickness 12.19M
    Width 60.96M
    Length 198.12M

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Ore Localized (1) In Major Nw-Trending Trunk Fault (Blackhawk) Cutting Any Of 12 Favorable Limestone Beds; (2) Along Parallel Reverse Faults Cutting Limestone In Blackhawk Hanging Wall; (3) Along Zones Of Cross Fractures In Blackhawk Hanging Wall; (4) In Shattered Zones Adjacent To Latite Porphyry Dike; (5) At Intersection Of Two Faults Or Fractures Or Intersection Of Trunk Fault And More Nw-Trending Fault; (6) In Crushed Along Bedding Plane Faults.

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant No
Discovery year 1877
Discoverer John Glasgow (Blackhawk Lode)
Discovery method Ore-Mineral In Place
Year of first production 1879
Year of last production 1976

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 Anaconda Copper Co.
    Home office Rico, Co.
    First year 1980

Comments on the production information

  • PARTIAL PRODUCTION RECORD. FIGURES UNAVAILABLE FOR EARLY YEARS OF ACTIVITY FROM BLACKHAWK, ARGENTINE, AND RICO CONSOLIDATED MINES, FIGURE FOR 1916 AND FIRST FIGURES FOR 1917 AND 1918 ARE REPORTED PRODUCTION FROM RICO CONSOLIDATED MINE; GRADE ONLY REPORTED IN 1917 BUT AMOUNT OF PRODUCTION CONSIDERED SMALL. AT RICO-ARGENTINE, NO PRODUCTION REPORTED IN 1919, 1937-1938, 1972-1973, AND AFTER 1978; NO CDM REPORTS OR NO PRODUCTION AMOUNT GIVEN FOR 1918, 1920-1924, 1926, 1930-1936, 1942, 1945 (FIGURES FOR CON PB AND CON ZN ONLY), 1955, 1958, 1961, 1963-1964, 1968, 1977-1978. LAST REPORTED PRODUCTION IN 1976. GRADE % PB AND ZN IN CON PB AND % PB, ZN AND CU IN CON ZN FOR 1940 CALCULATED FROM REPORTED LB METALS CONTAINED. PYR AND CD MAY HAVE BEEN RECOVERED IN MORE YEARS THEN INDICATED. WHERE HUNDREDTHS AND THOUSANDTHS ST AND OZ REPORTED IN CDM RECODS, ALL FIGURES CITED IN TABLE HAVE BEEN ROUNDED TO NEAREST TENTH ST OR TENTH OZ. COMULATIVE TOTALS NOT FEASIBLE DUE TO INCONSISTENCY OF REPORTING ORE
  • TONNAGES, CON, AND LB/OZ METALS. ANNUAL ORE MILLED FROM RICO-ARGENTINE USUALLY SUM OF AMOUNTS FROM VARIOUS UNSPECIFIED PROPERTIES. MILLING ORE FOR 1950 CREDITED TO ARGENTINE, MOUNTAIN SPRINGS, AND SILVERSWAN. TABLE EXCLUDES REPORTED PRODUCTION CREDITED TO ST. LOUIS TUNNEL AS THIS PRODUCTION COULD HAVE COME EITHER FROM RICO-ARGENTINE OR FROM CHC HILL PROPERTIES.

Comments on the workings information

  • MINE DEVELOPED BY SEVERAL HILLSIDE TUNNELS AND BY SEVERAL SHAFTS OFF WHICH LEVELS DRIVEN AT 200, 400, 500, AND 600 FT. RANSOME'S (1901, P. 369, FIG. 66) DESCRIPTION OF OLDER BLACKHAWK WORKINGS INCLUDED (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) (APPROX TOTAL EXTENT): ,AGGIE INCLINED SHAFT (90 FT) FROM SURFACE TO C LEVEL (350 FT), B LEVEL (830 FT), A LEVEL (550 FT) (A, B, AND C LEVELS STOPED, CONNECTED BY WINZES AND RAISES), M LEVEL (600 FT), K LEVEL (370 FT) CONNECTED BY RAISE/WINZE TO BLACKSMITH LEVEL (1250 FT) CONNECTED BY RAISE/WINZE TO BUNKHOUSE LEVEL (280 FT), DINING ROOM LEVEL (240 FT), NO. 1 LEVEL (470 FT). FROM MCKNIGHT (1974, PL. 3) BLACKHAWK OR LOG CABIN PORTAL (ELEV 9742) LOCATED 900 FT SE OF ARGENTINE SHAFT, DRIVEN S 70 E FOR 440 FT ALONG BLACKHAWK FAULT WITH CROSSCUT DRIVEN NE AT 340 FT FROM PORTAL OFF WHICH PARALLEL DRIFT DRIVEN ON ALLEGHENY FISSURE FOR 1100 FT WITH TWO SOUTH AND CROSSCUTS BACK TO BLACKHAWK FAULT, ON WHICH DRIFT DRIVEN 480 FT; APPROX TOTAL EXTENT OF TUNNEL, CROSSCUT, AND
  • DRIFTS (EXCLUDING RAISES/WINZES) 3020 FT. RICO CONSOLIDATED LOWER TUNNEL LOCATED 550 FT ENE OF ARGENTINE SHAFT, INACCESSIBLE, EXTENT UNKNOWN. RICO CONSOLIDATED MIDDLE TUNNEL LOCATED 880 FT ESE OF ARGENTINE SHAFT, DRIVEN S 58 E FOR 90 FT, THENCE GENERALLY S 5 TO 25 E FOR 550 FT ALONG FAULT TO HONDURAS FAULT, ON WHICH DRIFT DRIVEN EAST-WEST FOR 810 FT CONNECTING WITH ARGENTINE TUNNEL; 210 DIRFT FAULT INTERSECTED 210 FT FROM PORTAL. ARGENTINE TUNNEL LOCATED 660 FT SE OF ARGENTINE SHAFT, DRIVEN GENERALLY SE AND SW FOR 350 FT TO HONDURAS FAULT; OTHER DRIFTS AND TUNNEL DRIVEN SOUTH AND SE ALONG MAGGIE FISSURE AND ALLEGHENY FISSURE (NORTH OF BLACKHAWK FAULT); APPROX EXTENT OF RICO CONSOLIDATED MIDDLE TUNNEL AND DRIFTS & ARGENTINE TUNNEL AND DRIFTS (EXCLUDING RAISES/WINZES) 1460 FT AND 5700 FT, RESPECTIVELY. BLAINE TUNNEL LOCATED 340 FT SW OF ARGENTINE SHAFT, DRIVEN GENERALLY S 70 E FOR 410 FT TO BLACKHAWK FAULT, ON WHICH MAIN (103) DRIFT DRIVEN GENERALLY SE FOR 3600 FT, OFF WHICH 102 DRIFT
  • DRIVEN SW, CON CROSSCUT DRIVEN NE TO 112 AND 114 DRIFTS, 107 DRIFT, DRIFT ON HONDURAS FAULT, AND OTHER CROSSCUTS; APPROX TOTAL EXTENT OF TUNNEL, DRIFTS, AND CROSSCUTS (EXCLUDING RAISES/WINZES) 12200 FT. 200 LEVEL DEVELOPED OFF ARGENTINE, 517, AND NO. 3 SHAFTS, CONSISTS OF 201 DRIFT ON BLACKHAWK FAULT, 202, 208, 210, 211, AND 214 DRIFTS; APPROX EXTENT OF DRIFTS AND CROSSCUTS (EXCLUDING RAISES/WINZES) 5400 FT. 300 LEVEL DEVELOPED OFF ARGENTINE, 517, 1ND NO. 3 SHAFTS, CONSISTS OF 301 AND 302 DRIFTS ON BLACKHAWK FAULT, 306 AND 307 DRIFTS ON HONDURAS FAULT, 304 DRIFT ALONG RICO-ARGENTINE DIKE, 305, 307, AND 332 DRIFTS; APPROX EXTENT OF DRIFTS AND CROSSCUTS (EXCLUDING RAISES/WINZES) 6000 FT. 400 LEVEL DEVELOPED OFF 517 SHAFT, CONSISTS OF 401, 404, 406, AND 407 DRIFTS ASSOCIATED WITH BLACKHAWK FAULT; APPROX EXTENT OF DRIFTS (EXCLUDING RAISES/WINZES) 1400 FT. 500 LEVEL DEVELOPED ON ST. LOUIS TUNNEL OFF 517 SHAFT, CONSISTS OF 501 AND 502 DRIFTS ALONG BLACKHAWK FAULT; APPROX TOTAL EXTENT OF
  • DRIFTS AND CROSSCUTS (EXCLUDING RAISES/WINZES) 3600 FT. 600 LEVEL DEVELOPED OFF 517 SHAFT, CONSISTS OF DRIFT ALONG BLACKHAWK FAULT, APPROX EXTENT 1400 FT.

Comments on development

  • BLACKHAWK MINE FIRST WORKED IN 1879 AND IN FOLLOWING YEARS, PRODUCED MUCH HIGH-GRADE OXIDIZED AG ORE; WORKED UNTIL ABOUT 1899. EARLY HISTORY OF ARGENTINE MINE UNKNOWN BUT ORIGINALLY WAS WORKED THROUGH SHAFT THAT WAS ABANDONED BEFORE 1900. LAST RECORDED PRODUCTION FROM RICO CONSOLIDATED MINE WAS 1916-1918 (RICO CONSOLIDATED MINING CO., PROVO, UT). LATER PRODUCTION RECORDED FOR ARGENTINE WAS 1917 (MARMATITE MINING AND MILLING CO.)., AND 1918 (SYNDICATE MINING AND MILLING CO.). ONLY SPORADIC PRODUCTION THROUGH 1920S AND 1930S. C.T. VAN WINKLE AND J.A. HOGLE INVESTMENT CO. OF SALT LAKE CITY REORGANIZED RICO-ARGENTINE MINING CO. AND BEGAN OPERATING BLAINE TUNNEL IN 1937. NEW FLOTATION MILL BUILT IN 1938 AFTER DISCOVERY OF LARGE PB-ZN ORE BODY, MINE BEGAN PRODUCTION IN 1939 AND WITHIN 10 YEARS, COMPANY HAD INCREASED HOLDINGS IN DISTRICT TO MORE THAN 3000 ACRES. PYRITE FOR VANADIUM PROCESSING BY VANADIUM CORP OF AMERICA (VCA) FIRST SHIPPED IN 1943-1945, AND SULFURIC ACID PLANT BUILT AT SITE
  • OF ST. LOUIS TUNNEL IN 1953, AND DURING 1950S, ST. LOUIS TUNNEL WAS EXTENDED FARTHER SE INTO RICO-ARGENTINE WORKINGS. STREAM POLLUTION AND DECLINE IN URANIUM INDUSTRY IN 1960S FORCED CLOSURE OF PLANT IN 1964. UNDERGROUND MINING CEASED BY 1972, BUT PILOT DUMP-LEACH TESTS IN 1973 LED TO OPERATION OF CYANIDE LEACH PADS IN OLD ACID PLANT SETTLING PONDS IN 1974-1975. SMALL SMELTER RECOVERED AU-AG BULLION FROM CONCENTRATES. IN 1976 DUMP FROM SEVERAL SITES WAS MILLED, WITH TAILINGS PROCESSED IN LEACH PADS. ONLY ACTIVITY IN 1979 WAS CLEAN-UP, RETIMBERING, AND CORE DRILLING. PROPERTY ACQUIRED BY ANACONDA IN 1980.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS D010784
U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System MAS 0080330029
U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System MAS 0080330040
U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System MAS 0080330042
U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System MAS 0080330001
U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System MAS 0080330186
U.S. Bureau of Mines Minerals Availability System MAS 0080330169

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    MCKNIGHT, E.T., 1974, GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF THE RICO DISTRICT, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 723, P. 81-89.

  • 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. 368-372, 374.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    MUILENBURG, G.A., 1919, MANGANESE DEPOSITS OF COLORADO: CGS BULL. 15, P. 48-49.

  • Deposit

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

  • Production

    COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Discovery Year: LATE 1870S
Deposit LIMESTONE, SANDSTONE, AND SHALE OF LOWER, MIDDLE, AND UPPER HERMOSA FM ARE INTRUDED BY HORNBLENDE LATITE PORPHYRY SILLS AND DIKES AND ARE CUT BY GENERALLY NW-TRENDING BLACKHAWK FAULT (DOWNTHROWN ON NE) AND HIDDEN FAULT, AND BY GENERALLY EAST-WEST-TRENDING HONDURAS FAULT (VERTICAL TO STEEPLY SOUTH DIPPING). MIDDLE AND UPPER HERMOSA STRATA DIP EAST AND NE IN BLACKHAWK HANGING WALL; LOWER AND MIDDLE HERMOSA STRATA DIP SEIN BLACKHAWK FOOTWALL. RANSOME (1901) DESCRIBED UPPER BLACKHAWK DEPOSITS AS SIMPLE FISSURE VEINS STRIKING N 70 W, 60 NE, & CONTAINING OXIDIZED AG ORE DOWN TO ABOUT M LEVEL. REPLACEMENT SULFIDES WORKED FROM LIMESTONES DIPPING NE AWAY FROM VEIN. SULFIDE BODIES UP TO 15 FT THICK EXTEND IRREGULARLY INTO LIMESTONE 50 TO 60 FT FROM VEIN AND CONSIST MOSTLY OF PYRITE CONTAINING IRREGULAR BODIES OF GALENA/SPHALERITE/CHALCOPYRITE/PYRITE IN FLUORITE GANGUE; ON PERIPHERY, ORE PASSES INTO LOWER GRADE MASSIVE GALENA AND SPHALERITE WITH SOME CHALCOPYRITE AND LITTLE GANGUE. NEAR
Deposit BLACKHAWK FAULT, REPLACEMENTS STEEPEN AND APPEAR TO TURN UP INTO FISSURE. UPPER PORTIONS OF PYRITE BODIES OFTEN OXIDIZED AND CAVERNOUS, LEAVING RUSTY QUARTZ NETWORKS. MCKNIGHT (1974) IDENTIFIED 12 LIMESTONE BEDS (A THROUGH L) IN MIDDLE HERMOSA MINERALIZED LARGELY IN BLACKHAWK FAULT HANGING WALL. ORE BODIES LOCALIZED BY ZONES OF CROSS FRACTURES CUTTING LIMESTONES; BY BEDDING PLANE FAULTS; BY INTERSECTION OF TWO FAULTS; BY ALLEGHENY FISSURE, PARALLEL TO BLACKHAWK BUT WITH REVERSE MOVEMENT, DIPPING SW AND DOWNTHROWN ON NE, JOINING BLACKHAWK FAULT ABOVE BLAINE TUNNEL; BY HONDURAS WNW-TRENDING REVERSE FAULT NEAR ITS INTERSECTION WITH BLACKHAWK FAULT; AND BY SHATTERED ZONES ADJACENT TO LATITE PORPHYRY DIKES. ON BLAINE LEVEL, SMALL ORE BODIES IN BLACKHAWK FOOT WALL FOUND IN CLASTICS COMPLEXLY FAULTED IN ANGLE FORMED BY INTERSECTION OF BLACKHAWK AND LAST CHANCE FAULTS. ORE CAN REPLACE ALL OR PART OF LIMESTONE BED THICKNESS. ON 200 LEVEL, H BED MINERALIZATION ATTAINED 40 FT, COMPLETE BED
Deposit THICKNESS. I-J BED WAS WIDE BLANKET REPLACEMENT BORDERING DIRECTLY ON BLACKHAWK FAULT AND EXTENDING, AS SHOWN BY STOPES, UP TO 650 FT LONG DIAGONALLY DOWN DIP ALONG BEDDING AND UP TO 200 FT WIDE.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-SEP-1983 Schwochow, Stephen D. Colorado Geological Survey