Bonita Claims

The Bonita Claims is a vanadium and uranium mine located in Saguache county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,960 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: Bonita Claims  

State:  Colorado

County:  Saguache

Elevation: 8,960 Feet (2,731 Meters)

Commodity: Vanadium, Uranium

Lat, Long: 38.40361, -106.16083

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 Bonita Claims

Bonita Claims MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Bonita Claims


Commodity

Primary: Vanadium
Primary: Uranium


Location

State: Colorado
County: Saguache


Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
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

Not available


Production

Year: 1958
Time Period: 1955-1958


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
Year First Production: 1955
Year Last Production: 1958
Discovery Year: 1954
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

Form: tabular


Structure

Type: R
Description: Sawatch Range, Bonanza Volcanic Field, Rio Grande Rift

Type: L
Structure: ENE trending fault
Description: Bonanza Caldera


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Strong Sericitization And Kaolinitization; Iron Oxides
Alteration Text: Strong Sericitization And Kaolinitization; Iron Oxides


Rocks

Name: Latite
Role: Host
Description: Tuffs related to Bonanza Caldera or Marshall Pass Caldera
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Eocene

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Granite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

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


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: CHEMICAL ASSAYS RANGE FROM 0.026 TO 0.526% U308. ORE GRADE WAS 0.144% U308.
Analytical Data: BACKGROUND RADIOACTIVITY 0.08 TO 0.10 MR/HR, RANGE 0.2 TO 1.0 MR/HR. RADIOMETRIC ASSAYS RANGE FROM 0.008 TO 0.35% U308


Materials

Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Hematite


Comments

Comment (Workings): ONE TUNNEL HEADING NW; 375 FT TOTAL UNDERGROUND WORK

Comment (Location): CLAIMS LIE ALONG PONCHA CR. IN UNSURVEYED SEC. 23 ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Geology): POSSIBLE CALDERA RADIAL FAULT TRENDS APPROX N 42 W


References

Reference (Production): NELSON-MOORE AND OTHERS, 1978, P. 389

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., COLLINS, D.B., AND HORNBAKER, A.L., 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 389


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.