Sewell Ranch

The Sewell Ranch is a ree and thorium mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,921 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: Sewell Ranch

Commodity

Primary: REE
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/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: George F. And Claude A. Sewell
Years: 1952 -

Owner Name: Lewis C. Mundy, 501 So. Locust St., Pueblo, Co.; Eugene Acheson, 702 Wilson Ave., Pueblo, Co.
Years: 1952 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Underground
Discovery Year: 1952
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

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Some Alteration

Rocks

Name: Syenite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Syenite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: .007 TO .11% EQUIV. U308, : 001 TO .002% U308, .03 TO .60% EQUIV. TH02,

Materials

Ore: Thorite
Gangue: Galena
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite

Comments

Comment (Location): ALONG COLORADO 96 SW OF HARDSCRABBLE MTN ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Workings): TWO-40-FT ADITS, ON E 40-FT SHAFT, SEVERAL PROSPECT PITS

References

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 MAP I-1022

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

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., COLLINS, D.B., AND HORNBAKER, A.L. 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRRNCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: COLORADO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 40, P. 123

Colorado Mining Photos

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