Franklin Mine

The Franklin Mine is a thorium and ree 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: Franklin Mine
Secondary: Frankland Mine
Secondary: Francklyn Mine

Commodity

Primary: Thorium
Primary: REE
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Copper

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Hardscrabble Mountain Area, Oak Creek (Ilse) 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

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
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: Northwest-Trending Faults , Ilse Fault

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Argillization
Alteration Text: Argillization

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: 13-.17% E TH02, .02-.03% C TH02, .01-.18% RAE, .002% U308

Materials

Ore: Bornite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Thorite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Hematite
Gangue: Siderite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Clay
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Limonite

Comments

Comment (Location): NEAR OAK CREEK ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Workings): 3 SHAFTS, SEVERAL PROSPECT PITS; UNKNOWN LENGTH OF INACCESSIBLE ADIT

References

Reference (Deposit): HUNTER, J.F., 1915, SOME CERUSSITE DEPOSITS IN CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO, IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY: USGS BULLETIN 580, P. 25-37.

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 BULL. 1072-H, P.531

Reference (Deposit): SCOTT, G.R., TAYLOR, R.B., EPIS, R.C. AND WOBUS, R.A., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE PUEBLO 10X20 QUADRANGLE, SOUTH-CENTRAL COLORADO: USGS MAPI-1022, SCALE 1: 250, 000

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. 121

Colorado Mining Photos

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