Swartz Ranch

The Swartz Ranch is a thorium, ree, and vermiculite 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: Swartz Ranch
Secondary: D.P. Van Nouhuys Property
Secondary: Iron Queen

Commodity

Primary: Thorium
Primary: REE
Primary: Vermiculite
Tertiary: Uranium
Tertiary: Beryllium

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Wet Mountain 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: D. P. Van Nouhuys
Years: 1952 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Surface
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

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Wet Mountains

Type: L
Description: Shear Zone

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Silicification

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: LA, CE, Y PRESENT
Analytical Data: .005% U, 6.51% TH02, 1.71% TH02

Materials

Ore: Thorite
Ore: Bertrandite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Vermiculite
Gangue: Hematite

Comments

Comment (Workings): 2 PROSPECT PITS

Comment (Location): ABOUT ONE MILE NORTH OF MOUNT TYNDALL; SWARTZ RANCH IS FIRST RANCH ON NORTH SIDE OF COLORADO ROUTE 96 EAST OF QUERIDA; DEPOSIT NORTH ON TYNDALL GULCH FROM RANCH BUILDINGS ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

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. 120

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

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.24, 29.

Colorado Mining Photos

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