Silver mining in Colorado
Open-knowledge reference entry
Silver mining in Colorado has taken place since the 1860s. In the past, Colorado called itself the Silver State. (Nevada also calls itself the Silver State. Idaho, however, actually produces the most silver in the US.)
Central City-Idaho Springs district
Silver veins were discovered in the Central City-Idaho Springs district a short time after gold was discovered there in 1859. However, mining the silver veins was delayed for the most part until smelters were built in the late 1860s. The veins of the district are zoned in a roughly concentric manner, with gold-bearing pyrite veins in the center, and silver-bearing galena veins more common in the outlying areas.
Montezuma district
The first silver discovery in Colorado was one mile (1.6 km) south of Montezuma in 1864. The discovery led to others in the Montezuma district, including those at Saints John.
Argentine district
The discovery of silver in the Montezuma district led to the silver discovery at the Belmont lode in the Argentine district just northeast of the Montezuma district.
Georgetown-Silver Plume district
Prospectors found gold veins near present Georgetown in 1859.
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