Mount Robinson deposit

The Mount Robinson deposit is a aluminum and potassium mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,600 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: Mount Robinson deposit  

State:  Colorado

County:  Custer

Elevation: 9,600 Feet (2,926 Meters)

Commodity: Aluminum, Potassium

Lat, Long: 38.11389, -105.34500

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 Mount Robinson deposit

Mount Robinson deposit MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Mount Robinson deposit


Commodity

Primary: Aluminum
Primary: Potassium


Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Rosita Hills District


Land Status

Land ownership: Private
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: Deposit
Operation Category: Occurrence
Deposit Type: Hydrothermal alteration
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1890
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: M


Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Mount Robinson - Rosita Hills


Mineral Deposit Model

Not available


Orebody

Form: BROAD LENS (VOLCANIC CONDUIT)


Structure

Not available


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Silicification, Alunitization, Kaolinization. Alteration Of Rhyolite To Alunite By Solfataric Action


Rocks

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Pliocene


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 2 ANALYSES ARE 6.5 % AND 24.0 % ALUNITe


Materials

Ore: Diaspore
Ore: Alunite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Kaolinite
Gangue: Quartz


Comments

Comment (Development): ECON.COM: DEPOSIT IS LESS THAN 1 MI. FROM A ROAD, AND THERE IS LITTLE OVERBURDEN. ALUNITE IS CLOSELY LOCKED WITH QUARTZ.

Comment (Location): S CENTRAL PART OF ROSITA HILLS, ON MOUNT ROBINSON, ABOUT 1-1/4 MILE NNW OF ROSITA, IN THE SE/4 SEC 20, T 22 S, R 71 W.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Estimated 1,200,000 tons alunite resource @ 6.5% alunite. (Thoenen, 1941)

Comment (Reserve-Resource): GREATER PART OF RESERVE IS INFERRED

Comment (Workings): NEARBY PITS, ADITS, MADE IN 1870'S FOR SILVER AND OTHER METALS, NOT FOR ALUNITE. SEVERAL TUNNELS AND SHAFTS WERE PLACED, THE SENECA TUNNEL BEING 600 FT. LONG ON THE EASTERN SLOPE OF THE HILL

Comment (Commodity): PROJECT 9350 - 01393 ALUNITE RESOURCES


References

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, C. W., 1912 , ALUNITE DEPOSITS OF ROSITA HILLS, COLORADO, USGS BULL. 511 , P. 38 - 41 .

Reference (Deposit): GARDNER, L. S., 1943 , UNPUB. REPT. IN USGS FILE

Reference (Deposit): 1878 DIREXPL UNKNOWN: PROSPECTING WORKS

Reference (Deposit): 1883 GEOLMAP W. CROSS: PUB. REPTS.

Reference (Deposit): 1940 RECON USBM: R. I. 3561

Reference (Deposit): 1942 RECON L. S. GARDNER: UNPUB. REPT.

Reference (Geology): SHARP, W.N., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SILVER CLIFF AND ROSITA VOLCANIC CENTERS, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1081, 1:24,000.

Reference (Analytical Data): SRC.REF: THOENEN, J. R., 1941 , USBM R. I. 3561 , P. 13

Reference (Reserve-Resource): THOENEN, J. R., 1941 , ALUNITE RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES: USBM REPT. INV. 3561 , P. 13 - 14 .

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, C. W., 1891 , ON ALUNITE AND DIASPORE FROM THE ROSITA HILLS, COLORADO: AM. JOUR. SCI., 3RD SER., V. 41 , NO. 246 , P. 466 - 475 .

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, C. W., 1896 , GEOLOGY OF SILVER CLIFF AND THE ROSITA HILLS, COLORADO: USGS 17TH ANN. REPT., PT. 2 , P. 315 - 317 , 356 - 360 .


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.