The Sunshine Valley Lode is a thorium mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,501 feet.
About the MRDS Data:
All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.
Mine Info
Elevation: 8,501 Feet (2,591 Meters)
Commodity: Thorium
Lat, Long: 38.17444, -105.35000
Map: View on Google Maps
Satelite View
MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.
Sunshine Valley Lode MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Sunshine Valley Lode
Commodity
Primary: Thorium
Location
State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Wet Mountains Area
Land Status
Land ownership: Private
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Owner Name: Lawrence Knobbe, Spearville, Ks. , And Ernest Sparling, Rosita, Co.
Years: 1954 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1953
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Thorium-rare-earth veins
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: Wet Mountains
Type: L
Description: Nw-Trending Veins
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Gneiss
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic
Name: Gneiss
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Thorite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Location): NORTH OF BRUSH HOLLOW ROAD ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)
Comment (Workings): PROSPECT PIT
References
Reference (Deposit): CHRISTMAN, R.A., BROCK, M.R., PEARSON, R.C.AND SINGEWALD, Q.D., 1959, GEOLOGY AND THORIUM DEPOSITS OF THE WET MOUNTAINS, COLORADO; A PROGRESS REPORT: USGS BULLETIN 1072-H, P.531
Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., COLLINS, D.B. AND HORNBAKER, A.L., 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: COLORADO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 40, P. 123
Reference (Deposit): BROCK, M.R. AND SINGEWALD, Q.D., 1968, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE MOUNT TYNDALL QUADRANGLE, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-596, 1: 24,000.
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
