Sunset Lode

The Sunset Lode is a thorium mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,100 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: Sunset Lode

Commodity

Primary: Thorium

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Wet Mountains Area; Mckinley 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: Bb And W Mining Co.

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Wet Mountains

Type: L
Description: Nw-Trending Shear Zones

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Thorite
Gangue: Fluorite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Galena

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: EARLY 1950'S

Comment (Workings): SHAFT, ADIT, PROSPECTS

Comment (Location): ON NORTH SIDE OF TEN MILE GULCH JUST ABOVE ITS INTERSECTION WITH DEAD MULE GULCH ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1976

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. 525-526

Colorado Mining Photos

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