The Red Head Claim is a uranium, thorium, and beryllium mine located in Larimer county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,539 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: 7,539 Feet (2,298 Meters)
Commodity: Uranium, Thorium, Beryllium
Lat, Long: 40.88278, -105.46639
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.
Red Head Claim MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Red Head Claim
Commodity
Primary: Uranium
Primary: Thorium
Primary: Beryllium
Secondary: Tantalum
Secondary: Mica
Secondary: REE
Secondary: Niobium (Columbium)
Location
State: Colorado
County: Larimer
District: Prairie Divide (St. Cloud) District
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: Union Pacific Railroad
Years: 1951 -
Owner Name: David Rietveld
Home Office: Fort Collins, Co.
Years: 1951 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
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
Not available
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Type: R
Description: Front Range Uplift, Sherman Batholith, Virginia Dale Ring-Dike Comp Lex
Type: L
Description: Unnamed Shear Zone
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic
Analytical Data
Analytical Data: CHIP SAMPLES ASSAYED 2.5% EQUIV U, 1.82% EQUIV U, 3.66% THO2
Materials
Ore: Beryl
Ore: Monazite
Ore: Columbite
Ore: Tantalite
Unknown: Quartz
Unknown: Feldspar
Unknown: Mica
Comments
Comment (Location): NEAR UNNAMED TRIBUTARY OF BULL CREEK. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR CENTER NE SEC. 33. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1980
Comment (Reference): Reference 3, Eggler, 1968, is for background geology only. There is no mention in the GSA paper about any mines.
Comment (Production): Nelson-Moore, 1978, p. 209 states, "Beryl crystals were mined on the property. The host is a Precambrian granite with pegmatite bodies. Beryl crystals 15 in. diameter are associated with beryl-gummite, columbite-tataliet, cryollite-monazite, quartz, feldspar, and mica. The radioactivaity is caused primarily by thorium and rare earth minerals."
Comment (Deposit): Nelson-Moore, 1978, lists 2 additional minerals: gummite and cyrtolite. Neither is in our database pick list. Could the latter be a misspelling of cryolite?
References
Reference (Geology): EGGLER, D.H., 1968, VIRGINIA DALE PRECAMBRIAN RING-DIKE COMPLEX, CO LORADO-WYOMING: GSA BULL., V. 79, NO. 11, P. 1545-1564.
Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., AND OTHERS, 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENC ES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 209.
Reference (Deposit): PARKER, R.L., 1963, NIOBIUM AND TANTALUM IN THE UNITED STATES: USGS MR-36, pamphlet p. 3, scale 1:3,168,000.
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.
