Mystery Lode

The Mystery Lode is a thorium mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,901 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: Mystery Lode

Commodity

Primary: Thorium
Secondary: Barium-Barite
Secondary: Zinc
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Copper
Tertiary: Manganese
Tertiary: Gold

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: Unknown

Ownership

Owner Name: Ernest Sparling, Rosita, Co. And Lawrence Knobbe, Spearville, Ks.
Years: 1951 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1950
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

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Wet Mountains

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: .006 TO .1% EQUIV. U, 0.001% U, .03 TO .55% EQUIV TH02, 0.4% TH02, .23% RAE OXIDE, .63% TH02 + RAE OXIDE

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Barite
Ore: Rhodochrosite
Ore: Thorite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Sphalerite

Comments

Comment (Location): SOUTH OF BONEYARD GULCH ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Deposit): ORE IN SMALL MASSES IN QUARTZ

Comment (Workings): SHAFT, PIT

References

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): 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. 23, 26

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.