Gold King Mine (Gold King Extension), Gladstone, Eureka Mining District, San Juan County, Colorado, USAi
Regional Level Types | |
---|---|
Gold King Mine (Gold King Extension) | Mine |
Gladstone | Village (Historical) |
Eureka Mining District | Mining District |
San Juan County | County |
Colorado | State |
USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
37° 53' 42'' North , 107° 38' 18'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
KΓΆppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
Place | Population | Distance |
---|---|---|
Silverton | 637 (2011) | 9.5km |
Ouray | 1,008 (2017) | 14.5km |
Telluride | 2,399 (2018) | 15.9km |
Ophir | 169 (2017) | 17.5km |
Mountain Village | 1,395 (2017) | 19.5km |
Mindat Locality ID:
11409
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:11409:6
GUID (UUID V4):
05a81a1b-3460-479e-b122-e88ee629964c
Ref.: Rocks & Min.:63:366; Burbank(1951). A gold mine featuring the American tunnel (lower level).
The Gold King Mine was one of the larger producers in the Gladstone β Eureka area. Originally discovered in 1887 the operation didn't really become a substantial one for 10 years. Its peak was in the first few years of the 20th century after which it was staggered by 2 major fires and an avalanche. By the end of the First World War the mine was not doing well and it finally closed in 1923 just after extending the American Tunnel.
American Tunnel was originally part of the Gold King Mine at Gladstone. On USGS topographic maps it is still labeled as such. The actual working Gold King Mine's level 7, the main production adit, is called the βUpper Gold King Mineβ on modern topographic maps. The American Tunnel was begun in 1900, some 800 feet beneath level 7, but was only driven in about 700 ft. In 1922-3 the American Tunnel was extended to 6233 feet from the portal, to a point beneath the Gold King's main workings, but the mine closed before any other development work could be done.
The Gold King Mine mined ore shoots in veins associated with faults related to the Eureka graben. The geology and ore deposits of the Gold King and other mines in the area is discussed by Burbank and Luedke (1969) and Ransome (1901).
In recent years the main concern in the area is the acid drainage discharging from the American Tunnel and many other adits in the region. Bulkheads were installed in the American Tunnel to stem the flow but the loss of deep drainage in the area has caused adjustments in the water table over a larger area because of interconnected mine workings or the pervasive fracturing. Although the Gold King Mine was never connected to the American Tunnel by raises or other workings, after the American Tunnel was plugged water drainage from the level 7 adit increased considerably. Remediation efforts led to a large spill of acid water and sludge in 2015. A paper entitled βTechnical Evaluation of the Gold King Mine Incidentβ was produced by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Technical Service Center. It contains lots of information including maps of the American Tunnel and other mine workings in the area.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
β Altaite Formula: PbTe |
β Calaverite Formula: AuTe2 |
β Chalcanthite Formula: CuSO4 · 5H2O |
β Gersdorffite Formula: NiAsS |
β Gold Formula: Au References: |
β Hessite Formula: Ag2Te |
β Krennerite Formula: Au3AgTe8 |
β Petzite Formula: Ag3AuTe2 |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
Group 1 - Elements | |||
---|---|---|---|
β | Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
β | Hessite | 2.BA.60 | Ag2Te |
β | Petzite | 2.BA.75 | Ag3AuTe2 |
β | Altaite | 2.CD.10 | PbTe |
β | Calaverite | 2.EA.10 | AuTe2 |
β | Krennerite | 2.EA.15 | Au3AgTe8 |
β | Gersdorffite | 2.EB.25 | NiAsS |
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
β | Chalcanthite | 7.CB.20 | CuSO4 Β· 5H2O |
List of minerals for each chemical element
H | Hydrogen | |
---|---|---|
H | β Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
O | Oxygen | |
O | β Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
S | Sulfur | |
S | β Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
S | β Gersdorffite | NiAsS |
Ni | Nickel | |
Ni | β Gersdorffite | NiAsS |
Cu | Copper | |
Cu | β Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
As | Arsenic | |
As | β Gersdorffite | NiAsS |
Ag | Silver | |
Ag | β Hessite | Ag2Te |
Ag | β Krennerite | Au3AgTe8 |
Ag | β Petzite | Ag3AuTe2 |
Te | Tellurium | |
Te | β Altaite | PbTe |
Te | β Calaverite | AuTe2 |
Te | β Hessite | Ag2Te |
Te | β Krennerite | Au3AgTe8 |
Te | β Petzite | Ag3AuTe2 |
Au | Gold | |
Au | β Calaverite | AuTe2 |
Au | β Gold | Au |
Au | β Krennerite | Au3AgTe8 |
Au | β Petzite | Ag3AuTe2 |
Pb | Lead | |
Pb | β Altaite | PbTe |
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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