Sparks - Stone Mine

The Sparks - Stone Mine is a uranium mine located in San Miguel county, New Mexico at an elevation of 9,380 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: Sparks - Stone Mine
Secondary: Mine: Sparks-Stone No. 1

Commodity

Primary: Uranium
Tertiary: Tantalum
Tertiary: Niobium (Columbium)

Location

State: New Mexico
County: San Miguel
District: Elk Mountain 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: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: J. M. T. Sparks And Margaret Sparks
Home Office: Las Vegas, Nm.
Years: 1961 -

Owner Name: Sparks-Stone Mining Co.
Home Office: Las Vegas, Nm.
Years: 1961 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1955
Year Last Production: 1956
Discovery Year: 1955
Discovery Method: Geophysical Anomaly
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: OTHER: DIKE

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Euxenite
Ore: Uranophane
Gangue: Biotite
Gangue: Feldspar
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Location): LOCATION IS ESTIMATED FROM ANDERSON (1980). ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1979)

Comment (Production): PRODUCTION TOTALED 32 LBS (0.11%) U308 AND 13 LBS V2O5 FROM 15 TONS OF ORE.

Comment (Deposit): THE ORE OCCURS IN A MASS OF WEATHERED AND SHATTERED GRANITE PEGMATITE THAT IS ENCLOSED BY GRANITE AND GNEISS. THE PEGMATITE IS FLAT-LYING AND APPARENTLY UNZONED. IT CONSISTS OF COARSE QUARTZ, PINK FELDSPAR AND MINOR BIOTITE. THE PEGMATITE IS ABNORMALLY RADIOACTIVE (THREE TIMES THE BACKGROUND COUNT) AT TWO PLACES IN THE DISCOVERY PIT. AUTENITE FLAKES, AS LARGE AS 1/16 INCH IN DIAMETER ARE PRESENT IN IRON-STAINED FRACTURES.

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS CONSIST OF A PIT 20 FEET WIDE, 50 FEET LONG, AND 10 FEET DEEP.

Comment (Geology): THE PRECAMBRIAN IN THIS AREA HAS NO FORMAL NAME.

References

Reference (Production): MCLEMORE, V.T., 1983, NMBMMR OFR-183, P. 1-513

Reference (Deposit): NMBMMR GENERAL FILE DATA

Reference (Deposit): MCLEMORE, V.T., 1982, NMBMMR OFR-182, P. 1-513

Reference (Deposit): ANDERSON, O.J., 1980, NMBMMR OFR-148

Reference (Deposit): PARKER, R. L., 1963, NIOBIUM AND TANTALUM IN THE U. S., U. S. G. S. MINERAL INVESTIGATIONS RESOURCE MAP MR - 36

Reference (Deposit): REDMON, D.E., 1961, USBM IC 8013, P. 75-76

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