Charleston Property

The Charleston Property is a thorium mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,249 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: Charleston Property

Commodity

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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

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

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Wet Mountains

Type: L
Description: Nw-Trending Shear Zones

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: RADIOACTIVITY ABOUT 140 TIMES BACKGROUND

Materials

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

Comments

Comment (Location): ON THE CHARLESTON RANCH ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1976

Comment (Workings): FOUR PROSPECT PITS

References

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. 25.

Reference (Deposit): SHARP, W.N., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SILVER CLIFF AND ROSITA VOLCANIC CENTERS, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1081

Colorado Mining Photos

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