Galactic open pit, Summitville, Summitville Mining District (Summit Mining District), Rio Grande County, Colorado, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Galactic open pit | Pit |
| Summitville | Town (Historical) |
| Summitville Mining District (Summit Mining District) | Mining District |
| Rio Grande County | County |
| Colorado | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
37° 25' North , 106° 35' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
KΓΆppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork | 362 (2017) | 28.6km |
| Gerrard | 278 (2011) | 29.0km |
| Alpine | 174 (2011) | 30.3km |
| Del Norte | 1,604 (2017) | 35.5km |
| Pagosa Springs | 1,756 (2017) | 41.1km |
Mindat Locality ID:
3670
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:3670:5
GUID (UUID V4):
69ad78f5-c2a4-481f-b27b-339999cd0724
The Summitville mine is a classic high-sulphidation, acid-sulphate ore deposit. It is well known for three main reasons. First, it was recognized in the 1980's that the mine area was of considerable scientific interest. Earlier mining, deep exploratory drilling and geologic mapping provided a record of the hydrothermal plumbing system over a vertical 2/3 mile. It contained porphyry copper/molybdenum mineralization at depth, epithermal precious metal concentrations deposited at shallow depths and remnants of siliceous hot spring deposits.
Secondly the site became a large environmental problem after mining ended.
Third, during an earlier phase of exploration the site that later became the Summitville mine produced a 140 pound float boulder that became known as βThe Gold Boulder of Summitvilleβ.
In the mid 1980's the Summitville property was acquired by a Canadian company, Galactic Resources. Galactic created a subsideary, Summitville Consolidated Mining Co., to work the acquisition. The mining took place between 1986 and 1991 and produced approximately 9.25 million tons of ore averaging 0.047 oz/t (Gray, et al, 1993). The ore was processed by a cyanide heap leach process producing a yield of 302,000 oz. Most of the gold came from the intensely altered vuggy silicified volcanic rocks. Minor, but significant amounts of gold came from late barite-bearing veins in the upper part of the ore deposit. The late barite veins were what was worked underground beginning in then 19th century and are the source of βThe Gold Boulder of Summitvilleβ.
Cavities in the vuggy gold-bearing zone often copper sulphides and other minerals. More detailed treatments of the Summitville mine are given by Bethke, et al, (2005) and Gray, et al (1993).
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| β Alunite Formula: KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 References: |
| β Baryte Formula: BaSO4 References: |
| β Chalcanthite Formula: CuSO4 · 5H2O References: |
| β Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 References: |
| β Covellite Formula: CuS References: |
| β Enargite Formula: Cu3AsS4 References: |
| β Galena Formula: PbS References: |
| β Goethite Formula: Ξ±-Fe3+O(OH) References: |
| β Gold Formula: Au References: |
| β Hematite Formula: Fe2O3 References: |
| β Hinsdalite Formula: PbAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 References: |
| β Jarosite Formula: KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6 References: |
| β Kaolinite Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 References: |
| β Luzonite Formula: Cu3AsS4 References: |
| β Marcasite Formula: FeS2 References: |
| β Molybdenite Formula: MoS2 References: |
| β Pyrite Formula: FeS2 References: |
| β Quartz Formula: SiO2 References: |
| β Sphalerite Formula: ZnS References: |
| β Sulphur Formula: S8 References: |
| β 'Tennantite Subgroup' Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S References: |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| β | Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| β | Sulphur | 1.CC.05 | S8 |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| β | Covellite | 2.CA.05a | CuS |
| β | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| β | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| β | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| β | Molybdenite | 2.EA.30 | MoS2 |
| β | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| β | Marcasite | 2.EB.10a | FeS2 |
| β | 'Tennantite Subgroup' | 2.GB.05 | Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S |
| β | Enargite | 2.KA.05 | Cu3AsS4 |
| β | Luzonite | 2.KA.10 | Cu3AsS4 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| β | Goethite | 4.00. | Ξ±-Fe3+O(OH) |
| β | Hematite | 4.CB.05 | Fe2O3 |
| β | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| β | Baryte | 7.AD.35 | BaSO4 |
| β | Alunite | 7.BC.10 | KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| β | Jarosite | 7.BC.10 | KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| β | Chalcanthite | 7.CB.20 | CuSO4 Β· 5H2O |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| β | Hinsdalite | 8.BL.05 | PbAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| β | Kaolinite | 9.ED.05 | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North America
- Rocky MountainsMountain Range
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Great Plains DomainDomain
USA
- San Juan MountainsMountain Range
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References
