Swadley Placers

The Swadley Placers is a gold mine located in Jefferson county, Colorado at an elevation of 5,279 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

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.

Site Name

Primary: Swadley Placers

Commodity

Primary: Gold

Location

State: Colorado
County: Jefferson
District: Denver Area

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Swadley, George
Years: 1859 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1858
Year Last Production: 1859
Discovery Year: 1858
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Interior Plains
Physiographic Province: Great Plains Province
Physiographic Section: Colorado Piedmont

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Denver Basin, Front Range Uplift

Type: L
Description: Denver Basin

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pleistocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: PARKER REFERS TO RALPH MINGES' ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF 25 TO 40 CENTS/YD VALUE OF GRAVEL (AT $35/OZ AU). ONE RICH PAN OF CLAY AND GRAVEL YIELDED 86 FAIR SMALL COLORS AND NUMEROUS COLORS TOO SMALL TO COUNT.

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Location): ALONG SOUTH BANKS OF RALSTON CREEK. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN IS FOR C N2 SE SW SEC. 12. SECTION 10 SITE LIES AT 5360 FT ELEV, 39-48-05N/105-05-55W

Comment (Deposit): 10 FT OF LOUVIERS GRAVEL OVERLIES DENVER FM. CLAYSTONE. GOLD WAS CONCENTRATED IN LOWER 1FT OF GRAVEL AND IN TOP FEW INCHES OF CLAYSTONE

Comment (Workings): CUT IN SEC. 10 WAS 150 FT LONG, 100 FT WIDE, 18 FT DEEP AT SOUTH END

References

Reference (Deposit): PARKER, B.H., JR., 1974, GOLD PLACERS OF COLORADO: COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES QUART., V. 69, NO. 3, P. 63-126

Reference (Deposit): LINDVALL, R.M., 1979, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE ARVADA QUADRANGLE, ADAMS, DENVER, AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-1453

Colorado Mining Photos

Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.