Karla Kay Mine

The Karla Kay Mine is a uranium, vanadium, and manganese mine located in Montezuma county, Colorado at an elevation of 5,879 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

Name: Karla Kay Mine

State:  Colorado

County:  Montezuma

Elevation: 5,879 Feet (1,792 Meters)

Commodity: Uranium, Vanadium, Manganese

Lat, Long: 37.34111, -108.86194

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.


Satelite image of the Karla Kay Mine

Karla Kay Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Karla Kay Mine


Commodity

Primary: Uranium
Primary: Vanadium
Primary: Manganese


Location

State: Colorado
County: Montezuma
District: Mcelmo Creek (Ute Mountains) Area


Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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

Type: Underground


Ownership

Owner Name: Four Corners Uranium Co.
Home Office: Denver, Co.
Years: 1955 -


Production

Year: 1971
Time Period: -1971
Description: Cp_Grade: ^0.08% U308, 0.45% V205


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Stratiform
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S


Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Colorado Plateaus
Physiographic Section: Canyon Lands


Mineral Deposit Model

Not available


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Type: R
Description: Paradox Basin, Blanding Basin, Four Corners Platform, San Juan Basin

Type: L
Description: Mcelmo Anticline, Unnamed Syncline


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Name: Conglomerate
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Early Cretaceous


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CONGLOMERATE SAMPLE FROM KARLA KAY MBR CONTAINED 0.007% EQUIV U308 (RADIOMETRIC), 0.012% U308 AND L.T. 0.1% V205 (CHEMICAL).
Analytical Data: MUDSTONE PEBBLE CONGLOMERATE SAMPLE FROM KARLA KAY MBR CONTAINED 0.016% EQUIV U308 (RADIOMETRIC), 0.019% U308 AND 0.32% V205 (CHEMICAL)
Analytical Data: SANDSTONE SAMPLE FROM KARLA KAY MBR CONTAINED 0.004% EQUIV U308 (RADIOMETRIC)
Analytical Data: BACKGROUND RADIATION 0.004 MR/HR, RANGE 0.016 TO 0.02 MR/HR. ORE GRADES 0.08% U308, 0.45% V205. GREEN MUDSTONE SAMPLE FROM BRUSHY BASIN MBR CONTAINED L.T. 0.001% EQUIV U308 (RADIOMETRIC)


Materials

Ore: Carnotite
Gangue: Gypsum
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Pyrolusite


Comments

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT LIES NORTH OF UNNAMED SYNCLINE ON SW FLANK OF MCELMO DOME. LENTIL OF MUDSTONE CONGLOMERATE CONTAINING TREE MOLDS AND FEW CRABONIZED TREE REMNANTS FILLS CHANNEL CUT INTO BENTONITIC MUDSTONE OF BRUSHY BASIN MEMBER OF MORRISON FM AND UNDERLIES FINE- TO MEDIUM-GRAINED, PORRLY SORTED, QUARTZ SANDSTONE WITH SPARSE CHERT PEBBLES THAT UNDERLIES MAIN LENS OF KARLA KAY SHOESTRING CONGLOMERATE SYSTEM. HIGHEST RADIOACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH CARBONIZED PLANT DEBRIS AT TOP OF MUDSTONE CONGLOMERATE LENTIL; CARNOTITE WEAKLY DISSEMINATED AND FORMS COATING ON MUDSTONE PEBBLES.

Comment (Workings): ONE TUNNEL DRIVEN ENE FOR 25 FT TO FACE OF EAST DRIFT. AT 10 FT FROM PORTAL, 15-FT DRIFT DRIVEN SOUTH AND 25-FT DRIFT DRIVEN NORTH AND NE.


References

Reference (Deposit): EKREN, E.B., AND HOUSER, F.N., 1965, GEOLOGY AND PETROLOGY OF THE UTE MOUNTAINS AREA, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 481, P. 64-66.

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., AND OTHERS, 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 282.

Reference (Deposit): EKREN, E.B., AND HOUSER, F.N., 1959, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE MOQUI SE QUADRANGLE, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP MF-221.

Reference (Production): NELSON-MOORE AND OTHERS, 1978, P. 282.


Colorado Mining Photos

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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