The Thorite Mother Lode is a thorium mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,799 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: 8,799 Feet (2,682 Meters)
Commodity: Thorium
Lat, Long: 38.17861, -105.31500
Map: View on Google Maps
Satelite View
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Thorite Mother Lode MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Thorite Mother Lode
Commodity
Primary: Thorium
Location
State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Wet Mountains Area, Mckinley Mountain 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: Ernest Sparling, Rosita, Co. And Lawrence Knobbe, Spearville, Ks.
Years: 1954 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Surface
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
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Syenite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cambrian
Name: Syenite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cambrian
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: .052% EQUIV. U, .001% U, 0.29% TH02 (EQUIV.)
Materials
Ore: Thorite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Limonite
Comments
Comment (Workings): SEVERAL PROSPECT PITS
Comment (Location): SOUTH OF BRUSH HOLLOW CREEK ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)
References
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. 124
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. 530-531
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.
