La Plata County Colorado

In the area along the Animas River, all bars, benches, terraces contain placer gold.

DURANGO

Animas River gravel bars, benches, terraces have many placer operations near towns. North of Durango 25 miles to NeedIeton, then East 6 miles to the Needle Mountains is the Chicago Basin district (Tacoma, Florida River, Vallecito camps), elevation of 11,000-12,000 feet, many area mines produced lode gold.

LA PLATA

The La Plata district is in La Plata Mountains. It makes up a 15-mile diameter between the San Juan Mountains on the East and the Colorado Plateau on the West. This district had a total production of about 215,000 ounces. The La Plata River gravel's had many small placer operations over the years. The area at the head of Junction Creek on East flank of the mountains, separated from town of Eagle Pass at an elevation of 11,700 feet, produced lode gold tellurides in a pyritic gold ore.