Sunshine Valley Lode

The Sunshine Valley Lode is a thorium mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,501 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: Sunshine Valley Lode  

State:  Colorado

County:  Custer

Elevation: 8,501 Feet (2,591 Meters)

Commodity: Thorium

Lat, Long: 38.17444, -105.35000

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 Sunshine Valley Lode

Sunshine Valley Lode MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Sunshine Valley Lode


Commodity

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

Not available


Ownership

Owner Name: Lawrence Knobbe, Spearville, Ks. , And Ernest Sparling, Rosita, Co.
Years: 1954 -


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1953
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: Nw-Trending 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

Not available


Materials

Ore: Thorite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Quartz


Comments

Comment (Location): NORTH OF BRUSH HOLLOW ROAD ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Workings): PROSPECT PIT


References

Reference (Deposit): CHRISTMAN, R.A., BROCK, M.R., PEARSON, R.C.AND SINGEWALD, Q.D., 1959, GEOLOGY AND THORIUM DEPOSITS OF THE WET MOUNTAINS, COLORADO; A PROGRESS REPORT: USGS BULLETIN 1072-H, P.531

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. 123

Reference (Deposit): BROCK, M.R. AND SINGEWALD, Q.D., 1968, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE MOUNT TYNDALL QUADRANGLE, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-596, 1: 24,000.


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.