Lightning 2

The Lightning 2 is a uranium mine located in Fremont county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,201 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: Lightning 2
Secondary: Dac Uranium
Secondary: Lightning No. 1-8
Secondary: Honest John No. 1-15
Secondary: Lightning Group

Commodity

Primary: Uranium

Location

State: Colorado
County: Fremont
District: Cottonwood Creek Area

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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: 1956
Material type: ORE U3O8
Description: Ap_Grade: ^0.09 % U308

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
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: fissure vein, pipe, stockwork

Structure

Type: R
Description: Sangre De Cristo Range

Type: L
Description: Shear Zone Localized Ore, But Deposit Occurs Near Terminations Of Two Large Fault Zones: One On East Flank Of Sangre De Cristo Mtns (Trends Nw), One Trending North, North Of Cotopaxi (Cotopaxi Fault); Numerous Small Cross Faults; Between Alvarado Fault, Pleasant Valley Fault; Near Trend Of Oak Creek Paleovalley Of Oligocene To Miocene Age

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Kaolinization

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic
Age Old: Paleoproterozoic

Name: Gneiss
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic
Age Old: Paleoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 0.10 TO 0.177 % EU308
Analytical Data: RADIOACTIVITY TO 100 TIMES BACKGROUND

Materials

Ore: Autunite
Ore: Uraninite
Gangue: Kaolinite
Gangue: Hematite
Gangue: Limonite

Comments

Comment (Location): UNSURVEYED; BETWEEN SAND GULCH AND COTTONWOOD CREEK ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Workings): 49 NON-CORE HOLES TOTALLING 3180 FT DRILLED, ONE 120-FT CORE HOLE DRILLED, BULLDOZER CUTS, ADIT

References

Reference (Deposit): TAYLOR, R.B., SCOTT, G.R., WOBUS, R.A. AND EPIS, R.C., 1975, RECONNAISSANCE GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE COTOPAXI 15-MINUTE QUADRANGLE, FREMONT AND CUSTER COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-900, 1:62,500.

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

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., COLLINS, D.B. AND HORNBAKER, A.L., 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULLETIN 40, P. 149-150

Colorado Mining Photos

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