Black Canyon Beryl Prospect

The Black Canyon Beryl Prospect is a beryllium mine located in Gunnison county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,001 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: Black Canyon Beryl Prospect

Commodity

Primary: Beryllium

Location

State: Colorado
County: Gunnison
District: Curecanti Needle 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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1943
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral Not 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: Gunnison Uplift

Type: L
Description: Gunnison Uplift, Cimarron Fault, Nelson Gulch Fault

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Beryl
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Microcline
Gangue: Biotite
Gangue: Garnet

Comments

Comment (Location): EXACT LOCATION UNCERTAIN. HANLEY AND OTHERS (1950) GIVE LOCATION AS SEC. 06, T48N, R5W, BUT DUE TO SURVEY ADJUSTMENTS, THIS TOWNSHIP HAS NO SEC. 06; SEC. 05 ABUTS SEC. 01, T48N, R6W. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR INTERSECTION OF ROADWAY AND OLD RAILROAD R-O-W WITH COMMON SECTION LINE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Development): VIARRIAL RECOVERED BERYL CRYSTALS FROM SLIDE ROCK THAT COVERED RAILROAD TRACKS IN SPRING OF 1943.

Comment (Deposit): GIVEN THIS ESTIMATED LOCATION, FOLIATION OF GNEISSIC COUNTRY ROCK TRENDS GENERALLY NE TO NNE-SSW, DIPPING NW. PEGMATITES IN AREA TREND GENERALLY EAST-WEST TO WNW-ESE. HANLEY AND OTHERS (1950) STATE THAT THIS PEGMATITE DIPS APPROX 60 NE. BIOTITE OCCURS AS LATHLIKE CRYSTALS UP TO 2 FT LONG. HIGHLY SHATTERED DARK RED GARNET UP TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER OCCURS IN SEVERAL QUARTZ CONCENTRATIONS. BERYL IS LIGHT BLUE ON FRESH SURFACE AND GREENISH YELLOW ON WEATHERED SURFACES. LARGEST BERYL CRYSTAL FOUND IN SLIDE MATERIAL REPORTEDLY WAS 2 FT LONG AND 6 INCHES IN DIAMETER. NO MINABLE CONCENTRATIONS WERE FOUND.

References

Reference (Deposit): HANSEN, W.R., 1971, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON RIVER AND VICINITY, WESTERN COLORADO: USGS MAP I-584.

Reference (Deposit): HANLEY, J.B., AND OTHERS, 1950, PEGMATITE INVESTIGATIONS IN COLORADO, WYOMING, AND UTAH 1942-1944: USGS PROF. PAPER 227, P. 81-82.

Colorado Mining Photos

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