Beardsley Deposit

The Beardsley Deposit is a thorium and ree mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,999 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: Beardsley Deposit
Secondary: Zabel-Beardsley Lease

Commodity

Primary: Thorium
Primary: REE
Secondary: Barium-Barite

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: Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Calico Minerals
Years: 1960 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface
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

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

Name: Syenite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Cambrian

Name: Syenite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Cambrian

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

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

Comments

Comment (Geology): DEPOSITS SPACIALLY AND GENETICALLY RELATED TO CAMBRIAN ALKALIC COMPLEXES

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

Comment (Location): INFO FROM LAND.ST :1976

Comment (Production): 440 TONS OF THE ORE WERE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN MINED IN 1958

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS CAVED AND/OR FILLED WITH WATER

References

Reference (Deposit): ARMBRUSTMACHER, T.J., 1976, THORIUM DEPOSITS IN THE WET MOUNTAINS AREA, FREMONT AND CUSTER COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS OPEN-FILE REPORT 76-284, P. 4, 10-14

Reference (Deposit): SCOTT, G.R., TAYLOR, R.B., EPIS, R.C. AND WOBUS, R.A., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE PUEBLO 1 DEGREE X 2 DEGREES QUADRANGLE, SOUTH-CENTRAL COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1022, 1:250,000

Reference (Deposit): STALTZ, M.H. AND OTHERS, 1979, PRINCIPAL, THORIUM RESOURCES IN THE UNITED STATES: USGS CIRCULAR 805, P. 12-13.

Reference (Deposit): DEL RIO, S.M., 1960, MINERAL RESOURCES OF COLORADO, FIRST SEQUEL: COLORADO MINERAL RESOURCES BOARD, P. 395

Colorado Mining Photos

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