The Big Bertha Mine is a quartz and feldspar mine located in Jefferson county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,480 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: 7,480 Feet (2,280 Meters)
Commodity: Quartz, Feldspar
Lat, Long: 39.33944, -105.21778
Map: View on Google Maps
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Big Bertha Mine MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Big Bertha Mine
Commodity
Primary: Quartz
Primary: Feldspar
Secondary: Thorium
Secondary: REE
Location
State: Colorado
County: Jefferson
District: South Platte Pegmatite District
Land Status
Land ownership: National Forest
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: Unknown
Ownership
Owner Name: Consolidated Feldspar Corp.
Home Office: Denver, Co.
Years: 1953 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1947
Year Last Production: 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
Not available
Orebody
Form: IRREGULAR
Structure
Type: R
Description: Front Range Uplift, Pikes Peak Batholith
Type: L
Description: Kennedy Gulch Fault Zone
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Minor Replacement Of Fluorite By Xenotime
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
Not available
Materials
Ore: Allanite
Ore: Xenotime
Gangue: Fluorite
Gangue: Monazite
Gangue: Thorite
Gangue: Gadolinite
Comments
Comment (Development): FLD PRODUCED FOR GLASS MANUFACTURE. 856 ST PRODUCED IN 1947
Comment (Deposit): IRREGULAR PEGMATITE CONSISTS OF QUARTZ-MICROCLINE-BIOTITE WALL ZONE, INTERMEDIATE ZONE OF BIOTITE, AND CORE OF QUARTZ AND MICROCLINE. CHARACTERIZED BY HUGE MASSES OF ALLANITE; MINOR REPLACEMENT OF FLUORITE BY XENOTIME. PRODUCTION OF FELDSPAR CAME APPARENTLY FROM CORE AS TYPICAL INTERMEDIATE ZONE OF PERTHITE NOT DEVELOPED HERE.
Comment (Workings): OPEN CUT MOSTLY IN QUARTZ-MICROCLINE CORE
Comment (Location): ON DIVIDE BETWEEN DELL GULCH AND UNNAMED TRIBUTARY OF SOUTH PLATTE RIVER 1.1 MILE SW OF LONG SCRAGGY PEAK. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1975)
Comment (Production): COLO, DIV. MINES REPORTS PRODUCTION OF 856 TONS FLD IN 1947. AMOUNT OF RAE PRODUCTION UNKNOWN.
References
Reference (Deposit): SIMMONS, W.B., AND HEINRICH, E.W., 1980, RARE-EARTH PEGMATITES OF THE SOUTH PLATTE DISTRICT, COLORADO: CGS RESOURCE SER. 11, 131 P.
Reference (Deposit): PETERSON, W.L., 1964, GEOLOGY OF THE PLATTE CANYON QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1181-C, 23 P., 1 PL.
Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATORS REPTS.
Reference (Deposit): MEEVES, H.C., AND OTHERS, 1966, RECONNAISSANCE OF BERYLLIUM-BEARING PEGMATITE DEPOSITS IN SIX WESTERN STATES: USBM IC-8298, P. 27.
Colorado Mining Photos
Check out this collection of Colorado's best historic mining photos: Incredible Photos of Colorado Mining Scenes.