Ouray County Colorado

Ouray County produced 1,911,000 ounces of gold between 1873 and 1959, most of that came from the famed Camp Bird Mine as a by-product of copper, lead, and silver refining.

OURAY

Just North of Ouray on East side of valley a few miles off U.S. 550 by steep grades, to Uncompahgre, an area of about 15 sq. nil. with most mines in canyon walls of the Uncompahgre River, total production of about 200,000 ounces before 1900. The American Nettie Mine, which was a phenomenally rich producer of lode gold is here. the Bachelor Mine produced a by-product gold. Many other area mines produced a by-product gold. South of Ouray by 6 miles is the Treasury Tunnel near U.S. 550 which produced gold, in sulfides. West by Southwest from Ouray 8-12 miles on Route 361, at Sneffels (Imogene Basin) is the Sneffels-Red Mountain district that had a total production of 1,723,000 ounces of by-product gold. Many area lead-silver-zinc mine produced a major amount of gold as a by-product. At the head of Canyon Creek in Imogene Basin to West of Hayden Mountain, at Sneffels (camp), many mines, especially the Camp Bird Mine produced a by-product gold. At head of Red Mt. Creek to East of Hayden Mountain, is the location of the Red Mountain camp, many area mines produced a by-product gold. South 12 miles, at Red Mountain Pass, elevation 11,018 feet, is the Longfellow Mine that produced a by-product gold.