Lee Jones Ranch

The Lee Jones Ranch is a uranium and thorium mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,799 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: Lee Jones Ranch
Secondary: Jones Ranch

Commodity

Primary: Uranium
Primary: Thorium

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Wet Mountains Area

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

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: Lee Jones
Home Office: Westcliffe, Co.
Years: 1975 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Surface
Discovery Year: 1951
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

Model Name: Thorium-rare-earth veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Wet Mountains

Type: L
Description: Northwest-Trending Faults, Fissures, Veins

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Gneiss
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic

Name: Gneiss
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: .001% U, .12% EQUIV. TH02
Analytical Data: GRAB SAMPLE ASSAYED 0.089% EQUIVALENT U, 0.058% U

Materials

Ore: Thorite

Comments

Comment (Location): SOUTH OF BRUSH HOLLOW CREEK NEAR DRY LAKE SCHOOL; ON WEST SIDE OF HWY 143, 1.25 MILES NW OF JUNCTION WITH HWY 96 ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Workings): PROSPECT PIT

Comment (Commodity): BACKGROUND RADIOACTIVITY 0.90 MR/HR, RANGE OF RADIOACTIVITY TO 11.0 MR/HR

References

Reference (Deposit): CHRISTMAN, R.A., HEYMAN, A.M., DELLWIG, L.F. AND GOTT, G.B., 1953, THORIUM INVESTIGATIONS 1950-52, WET MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS CIRCULAR 290, P. 22, 26.

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., COLLINS, D.B., AND HORNBAKER, A.L., 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: COLORADO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 40, P. 122.

Reference (Deposit): BROCK, M.R. AND SINGEWALD, Q.D., 1968, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE MOUNT TYNDALL QUADRANGLE, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-596

Colorado Mining Photos

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