Golden Fleece Mine (Colorado)
Encyclopedia
The Golden Fleece Mine is a gold mining
site in Hinsdale County, Colorado
, 5 miles (8 km) south of Lake City
. The mine is located half a mile west of the north end of Lake San Cristobal
. By 1904 it had produced $1,400,000 in silver and gold ore. The mine operated intermittently until 1919. Later, in the mid-1960s, some renewed interest in the property came up, especially in the Hiwassee lode area of the mine, but other than a couple of small test shipments, there is no recorded production until today.
The Golden Fleece Mine had much impact on the development of the whole area around Lake City. A description of the mine, with special emphasis on geological features, including photos and a profile map of the mine, was published by Thomas Arthur Rickard
.
The Golden Fleece mine is also known for an unusual mineral
, named hinsdalite (PbAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6), which is an secondary phosphate mineral.
was discovered at the mine site by Enosg Throop Hotchkiss, the toll road
builder, in 1874. The mine was staked as the "Hotchkiss Claim" with Enos T. Hotchkiss, Monette Hotchkiss, James Sparling, Ben Hall, and Byron Bartholf. Ben Hall, one of the original owners, traded this shares to Henry Finley. Being unable to perform the first work on the site within the time required by law, in October 1874, the claim was then relocated in the names of Henry Finley, W. C. Lewman, Byron Bartloff, Monette Hotchkiss and Enos T. Hotchkiss, each of the men holding a one-fifth interest. Later, Monette Hotchkiss traded his ownership to his father, Eno T. Hotchkiss, in return for stock in the Saguache & San Juan Toll Road. Finley also paid $8,000 for Bartholf’s share in the mine. Early in 1875 New York capitalist John J. Crooke paid $10,000 for a one-sixth interest in the Hotchkiss, with Finley selling another one-sixth share to Jonathan T. Livingston for $17,500. Results from preliminary work in the mine were promising and assay determination indicated the property to be very rich in telluride mineral
and high gold ore content at a short distance below the surface.
In November 1876, work on the Hotchkiss mine came to an abrupt halt when Enos T. Hotchkiss was severely injured while entering the mine and fell 30 feet down a shaft. After lying idle for many months, the mine was sold at sheriff’s sale to Chris Johnson, George E. Wilson (born 1839 in Pennsylvania
, first mayor in Sterling, Colorado
, died December 21, 1886) and Samuel Wendell. The new owners relocated the ground as the Golden Fleece mine. In 1890, Charles H. Davis took a lease on Golden Fleece mine. Then in 1892, he opened a large vein of rich telluride ore. In July 1892 one carload was valued at more than $19,000. In September 1892 he sold out for $50,000 to George W. Peirce
of the Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company (New York)
.
Irving and Bancroft found the mine idle in 1911.
The mine was owned by Colorado-Utah Mines Operating Co., incorporated in Utah, in 1918/1920, but property was idle, too.
In 1922 the mine was owned by the revived Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company (Iowa)
again.
The Golden Fleece mine was purchased by H. E. Moore in 1944.
Near the north end of Lake San Cristobal, ruins of buildings at the Golden Fleece mine are still visible today. The old portal to the mine is thought to be located at latitude: 37.983077, longitude: -107.293130, while the portal for the main third level tunnel is given as latitude: 37.980600; longitude: -107.300000.
In the 1883 edition of Colorado's mining directory two other Golden Fleece mines in Colorado are described, where other parties operated mines.
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
site in Hinsdale County, Colorado
Hinsdale County, Colorado
Hinsdale County is the least densely populated of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 790 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat and the only municipality in the county is the Town of Lake City. Hinsdale County is named for George A. Hinsdale, a...
, 5 miles (8 km) south of Lake City
Lake City, Colorado
The Town of Lake City is a Statutory Town that is the county seat of, and the only incorporated municipality in, Hinsdale County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 375 at the U.S. Census 2000...
. The mine is located half a mile west of the north end of Lake San Cristobal
Lake San Cristobal
Lake San Cristobal is the second largest natural lake in the U.S. state of Colorado. Located in the San Juan Mountains at an elevation of , the freshwater lake is long, up to deep, has a surface area of , and holds about of water. The town of Lake City, a few miles to the north, is named after...
. By 1904 it had produced $1,400,000 in silver and gold ore. The mine operated intermittently until 1919. Later, in the mid-1960s, some renewed interest in the property came up, especially in the Hiwassee lode area of the mine, but other than a couple of small test shipments, there is no recorded production until today.
The Golden Fleece Mine had much impact on the development of the whole area around Lake City. A description of the mine, with special emphasis on geological features, including photos and a profile map of the mine, was published by Thomas Arthur Rickard
Thomas Rickard
Thomas Rickard was an early resident of Berkeley, California, and served as the last President of the Town Board of Trustees from 1903 to 1909, before the new city charter went into effect, creating the office of Mayor....
.
The Golden Fleece mine is also known for an unusual mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
, named hinsdalite (PbAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6), which is an secondary phosphate mineral.
History
GoldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was discovered at the mine site by Enosg Throop Hotchkiss, the toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
builder, in 1874. The mine was staked as the "Hotchkiss Claim" with Enos T. Hotchkiss, Monette Hotchkiss, James Sparling, Ben Hall, and Byron Bartholf. Ben Hall, one of the original owners, traded this shares to Henry Finley. Being unable to perform the first work on the site within the time required by law, in October 1874, the claim was then relocated in the names of Henry Finley, W. C. Lewman, Byron Bartloff, Monette Hotchkiss and Enos T. Hotchkiss, each of the men holding a one-fifth interest. Later, Monette Hotchkiss traded his ownership to his father, Eno T. Hotchkiss, in return for stock in the Saguache & San Juan Toll Road. Finley also paid $8,000 for Bartholf’s share in the mine. Early in 1875 New York capitalist John J. Crooke paid $10,000 for a one-sixth interest in the Hotchkiss, with Finley selling another one-sixth share to Jonathan T. Livingston for $17,500. Results from preliminary work in the mine were promising and assay determination indicated the property to be very rich in telluride mineral
Telluride mineral
A telluride mineral is a mineral that has the telluride anion as a main component.Tellurides are similar to sulfides and are grouped with them in both the Dana and Strunz mineral classification systems.Examples include:* calaverite* hessite* rickardite...
and high gold ore content at a short distance below the surface.
In November 1876, work on the Hotchkiss mine came to an abrupt halt when Enos T. Hotchkiss was severely injured while entering the mine and fell 30 feet down a shaft. After lying idle for many months, the mine was sold at sheriff’s sale to Chris Johnson, George E. Wilson (born 1839 in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, first mayor in Sterling, Colorado
Sterling, Colorado
The City of Sterling is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Logan County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 14,777 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sterling is located at...
, died December 21, 1886) and Samuel Wendell. The new owners relocated the ground as the Golden Fleece mine. In 1890, Charles H. Davis took a lease on Golden Fleece mine. Then in 1892, he opened a large vein of rich telluride ore. In July 1892 one carload was valued at more than $19,000. In September 1892 he sold out for $50,000 to George W. Peirce
George W. Peirce
George W. Peirce was secretary and treasurer of the Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company , and the Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company , since its incorporation until his death in a train collision on December 4, 1899....
of the Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company (New York)
Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company (New York)
The Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company , probably already founded in 1879, but incorporated on April 22, 1882 in Tompkins County, New York, with a capital of $1,000,000, was a San Francisco Stock and Exchange traded mining company....
.
Irving and Bancroft found the mine idle in 1911.
The mine was owned by Colorado-Utah Mines Operating Co., incorporated in Utah, in 1918/1920, but property was idle, too.
In 1922 the mine was owned by the revived Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company (Iowa)
Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company (Iowa)
The Golden Fleece Mining and Milling Company , was a mining company and was incorporated on May 7, 1893 under the laws of the state of Iowa. It had an initial capital stock of $600,000, 600,000 shares, $1.00 each. The company was represented by its president Biddle Reeves and its secretary and...
again.
The Golden Fleece mine was purchased by H. E. Moore in 1944.
Near the north end of Lake San Cristobal, ruins of buildings at the Golden Fleece mine are still visible today. The old portal to the mine is thought to be located at latitude: 37.983077, longitude: -107.293130, while the portal for the main third level tunnel is given as latitude: 37.980600; longitude: -107.300000.
Other Golden Fleece mines (Colorado)
In Colorado, several other Golden Fleece mines were operating, but those did not reach the importance of the Golden Fleece mine at Lake San Cristobal.- Golden Fleece mine, Eureka District, San Juan County, ColoradoSan Juan County, ColoradoSan Juan County is the least populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado in the United States. The county name is the Spanish language name for “Saint John”, the name Spanish explorers gave to a river and the mountain range in the area. The county population was 558 at U.S. Census 2000...
. This mine is located in the Picayune Gulch (Picane Gulch), approximately 5.5 miles (9 km) from Eureka. 37.9152°N 107.5767°W The mine was operated and owned by San Juan Golden Fleece Mining Co., Denver, Colorado, capitalized at $1,000,000, the stock principally owned by S.G. Beatty, Morris Landa and P.B. Beatty, company not stock listed. - Golden Fleece Mine, Lake County, ColoradoLake County, ColoradoLake County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The highest natural point in Colorado and the entire Rocky Mountains is the summit of Mount Elbert in Lake County at 14,440 feet elevation. The county population was 7,812 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat...
, located on Bull Hill (Mount Elbert), near Twin Lakes and Leadville, 39.0897°N 106.4628°W, elevation: 12769 feet (3,892 m). - Golden Fleece Mine, Dolores County, ColoradoDolores County, ColoradoDolores County is the seventh least populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 1,844 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Dove Creek.- History :...
, also called Golden Fleece Prospect (New Year Mine), located near Rico, 37.6866°N 108.0245°W
In the 1883 edition of Colorado's mining directory two other Golden Fleece mines in Colorado are described, where other parties operated mines.
- Golden Fleece Mine, San Juan County, ColoradoSan Juan County, ColoradoSan Juan County is the least populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado in the United States. The county name is the Spanish language name for “Saint John”, the name Spanish explorers gave to a river and the mountain range in the area. The county population was 558 at U.S. Census 2000...
, situated on the north-east slope of Treasure Mountain, one mile south of Animas Forks, Eureka district, and located in 1878; (probably 37.9254°N 107.5726°W). - Golden Fleece Mine, Gilpin County, ColoradoGilpin County, ColoradoGilpin County is the second least extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Gilpin County was named after Colonel William Gilpin, the first Governor of the Territory of Colorado. The county population was 4,757 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Central City...
, location described as: situated on Bobtail Hill, a little north to Golden Age Mine.
External links
- The Hinsdale County Historical Society: http://lakecitymuseum.com
- Group portrait of miners in front of a wooden mining building at the Golden Fleece mine, Hinsdale County, Colorado, dated between 1870 and 1890. Held in photo collection of Denver Public Library (Call Number: X-60892), Colorado Historical Society, and Denver Art Museum, Online: http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10060892+X-60892