The Gem Park Complex is a niobium (columbium) mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,900 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: 7,900 Feet (2,408 Meters)
Commodity: Niobium (Columbium)
Lat, Long: 38.2578, -105.54170
Map: View on Google Maps
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Gem Park Complex MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Gem Park Complex
Secondary: Wet Mountains
Commodity
Primary: Niobium (Columbium)
Tertiary: Barium-Barite
Tertiary: Molybdenum
Tertiary: Phosphorus-Phosphates
Tertiary: REE
Tertiary: Strontium
Tertiary: Thorium
Tertiary: Vermiculite
Location
State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Wet Mountains Area
Land Status
Land ownership: Mixed
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
Type: Located Claim
Type: Fee Ownership
Workings
Type: Surface
Ownership
Owner Name: Coco Mines
Percent: 80.00
Home Office: Colorado
Info Year: 1991
Years: 1991 -
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Unknown
Mining Method: Open Pit
Milling Method: Flotation
Year First Production: 1880
Discovery Year: 1880
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y
Physiography
General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains
Mineral Deposit Model
Not available
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Not available
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Not available
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Unknown: Columbite
Unknown: Barite
Unknown: Apatite
Unknown: Vermiculite
Unknown: Thorianite
Unknown: Strontianite
Unknown: Pyrrhotite
Unknown: Pyrite
Unknown: Phlogopite
Unknown: Monazite
Unknown: Magnetite
Unknown: Ilmenite
Unknown: Dolomite
Unknown: Crocidolite
Unknown: Calcite
Comments
Comment (Geology): THE TYPE OF OREBODY IS A GROUP OF CARBONATITE DIKES INTRUDING PRECAMBRIAN GRANITIC GNEISS. THE CARBONATITE DIKES CONTAINE A SMALL AMOUNT OF VERMICULITE, NIOBIUM MINERALS AND GABBRO. THE ORIGIN OF THE CARBONATITES IS CONTROVERSIAL. ALTHOUGH HIGH TEMPERATURE MAGMA IS PROBABLY THE MOST ACCEPTED THEORY, SOLID FLOW, HYDROTHERMAL SOLUTION, AND GASEOUS TRANSFER HAVE ALSO BEEN PROPOSED. WALLROCK ALTERATION HAS OCCURRED AS FENITIATION.
Comment (Ownership): COCA MINES CONTROLS 80 PERCENT OF THE MINERAL RIGHTS AND HAS MADE FORMAL AGREEMENTS FOR CONTROL OF THE REMAINING RIGHTS THROUGH FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS. COCO MINES WAS ACQUIRED BY HECLA IN 1991; HECLA HAS DROPPED PROPERTY AND IT REVERTED BACK TO ORIGINAL OWNERS.
Comment (Production): THE PROPERTY IS BEING EVALUATED FOR ONLY ONE PRODUCT, COLUMBIUM, SINCE GRADES AND RESERVES ARE AVAILABLE FOR ONLY THIS COMMODITY. IT IS PROSSIBLE, HOWEVER, THAT RARE EARTH METALS COULD BE PRODUCED AS BYPRODUCTS. GRADES AS HIGH AS 9.97% LIGHT RARE EARTHS HAVE BEEN NOTED, BUT RESERVES HAVE NOT YET BEEN DELINEATED. ALSO, ASSAY DATA INDICATES MOLYBDENUM AND URANIUM MAY BE POSSIBLE BYPRODUCTS. AGAIN. RESERVES HAVE NOT BEEN ESTIMATED FOR THESE COMMODITIES.
Comment (Reserve-Resource): THE RESERVE FIGURE WAS PROVIDED BY COCA MINES INC. AND IS BASED ON CONSIDERABLE EXPLORATION. IT IS ESTIMATED, HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE ORE OCCURENCE AND GEOLOGIC FACTORS, ONLY A 90 PERCENT RECOVERY WILL BE ACHIEVED.
Comment (Reserve-Resource): RESERVE ARE THE RECOVERABLE TONNAGE AS USED ON THE 8-84 ETD.
References
Reference (Production): E&MJ. ST. LAWRENCE COLUMBIUM PROJECT STARTS PRODUCTION IN
Reference (Production): QUEBEC, OCT. 1961, PP. 99-104.
Reference (Geology): PARKER, R.L., W.N. SHARP. MAFIC-ULTRAMAFIC IGNEOUS ROCKS
Reference (Geology): AND ASSOCIATED CARBONATITES OF THE GEM PARK COMPLEX,
Reference (Geology): USGS PAPER 649, 1970, PP. 1-23
Reference (Production): BISS, R. PYROCHLORE BENEFICIATION AT NIOBEC CONCENTRATOR,
Reference (Production): QUEBEC, CANADA, LES SERVICES T.M.G. INC., 1981, PP.
Reference (Production): 1-19.
Reference (Reserve-Resource): RIVERA, R. COCA MINES, INC. DENVER, CO., PERSONAL
Reference (Reserve-Resource): COMMUNICATIONS AND FIELD VISIT IN NOV. 1982.
Reference (Workings): LAMARRE, A.L. GEM PARK PROJECT 1008 FINAL REPORT, JAN. 13,
Reference (Workings): 1976, COMPANY REPORT- COCA MINES, PP. 1-18.
Reference (Production): THOMPSON, J.V. PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL STUDIES
Reference (Production): OF THE POWDERHORN COLUMBIUM DEPOSITS. PREPARED FOR
Reference (Production): BUTTES GAS AND OIL CO. BY KAISER ENGINEERS, OCT. 1969.
Reference (Production): MINING MAGAZINE. ARAXA NIOBIUM MINE, FEB. 1982, PP. 134-147.
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