Gem Mine

The Gem Mine is a nickel mine located in Fremont county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,159 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: Gem Mine

Commodity

Primary: Nickel
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Silver
Secondary: Cobalt

Location

State: Colorado
County: Fremont
District: Gem Park 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: Unknown

Ownership

Not available

Production

Year: 1882
Description: Ap_Grade: ^12% Ni, 2-2.5% Co

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Underground
Year First Production: 1885
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: Alkaline complexes

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Northern Wet Mountains, Canon City Embayment, Thirtynine Mile Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: Ne-Trending Faults, Gem Park Complex

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: carbonate

Rocks

Name: Gabbro
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Cambrian

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Silver
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Niccolite
Ore: Annabergite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Gangue: Sphalerite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Dolomite
Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Calcite

Comments

Comment (Location): AT NORTH EDGE OF GEM PARK ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Commodity): POSSIBLE NB MINERALIZATION; ORE IS ROUNDED OR NODULAR MASSES IN CARBONATITE

Comment (Production): HAND SELECTED ORE SHIPPED TO SWANSEA, WALES FOR REFINING-ABOUT 0.5 TON CONTAINING 34% NI, 3-4% CO

Comment (Development): THE MINE WAS ORIGINALLY OPENED FOR COPPER, WHICH PREDOMINATED AT THE SURFACE. NI WAS ENCOUNTERED NEAR THE SURFACE AND BECAME PROMINENT AT 15 TO 20 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE

Comment (Deposit): VEIN AVERAGED 3-4 FT WIDE

References

Reference (Deposit): COKER, R. J., 1982, MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE ARKANSAS CANYON PLANNING UNIT WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE FORMER GRAPE CREEK WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS AND THE MCINTYRE HILLS WILDERNESS STUDY AREA: US BLM MINERAL REPORT, 125 P.

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 -900, 1:62,500.

Reference (Deposit): PARKER, R. L. AND SHARP, W. N., 1970, MAFIC-ULTRAMAFIC IGNEOUS ROCKS AND ASSOCIATED CARBONATITES OF THE GEM PARK COMPLEX, CUSTER AND FREMONT COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS PROF PAPER 649, 24 P.

Reference (Deposit): ARGALL, PHILIP, 1893, NICKEL; OCCURRENCE, GEOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION AND GENESIS OF ORE DEPOSITS, WITH DISCUSSION BY THOMAS CHARLTON: COLORADO SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY PROCEEDINGS, V. 4, P. 419-421

Reference (Deposit): 5) CROSS, WHITMAN, 1884, A LIST OF SPECIALLY NOTEWORTHY MINERALS OF COLORADO: COLORADO SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY PROCEEDINGS, V. 1, P. 134

Reference (Deposit): 6) ECKEL, E.B., 1961, MINERALS OF COLORADO-A 100-YEAR RECORD: USGS BULLETIN 1114, P. 20, 55, 242.

Colorado Mining Photos

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