Basins of Silver

The story of the Las Animas Mining District in Colorado s San Juan Mountains began with the Colorado Gold Rush of 1860, but it was silver that kept the local mines operating for over one hundred years. The region laid claim to many mining firsts, and served as the cradle for engineering and mining practices that revolutionized the entire mining industry. The area was the scene of the first two mineral rushes to the San Juans, the first hard rock mine and ore treatment mill, and the first and the longest aerial tramways. One of the most profitable mines in the United States (the North Star) and one of the largest and most complex (the Silver Lake Mine) were also located in the district an area that impressed mining engineers, metallurgists, and investors for over a century despite its location in some of the most rugged terrain in the West with a climate second only to Alaska in harshness.