Vermiculite Mine

The Vermiculite Mine is a vermiculite mine located in Fremont county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,949 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

Name: Vermiculite Mine  

State:  Colorado

County:  Fremont

Elevation: 7,949 Feet (2,423 Meters)

Commodity: Vermiculite

Lat, Long: 38.26806, -105.54583

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the Vermiculite Mine

Vermiculite Mine MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Vermiculite Mine


Commodity

Primary: Vermiculite
Secondary: Niobium (Columbium)
Tertiary: Thorium
Tertiary: REE


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: Surface


Ownership

Not available


Production

Not available


Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface
Year Last Production: 1945
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: Central Cordillera (Southern Rocky Mountains)

Type: L
Description: Gem Park Complex


Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Dolomite

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Fenitization
Alteration Text: Fenitization


Rocks

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


Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AVG NB 0.096%
Analytical Data: NB (K. T. .002% TO G. T. 1.0%)


Materials

Ore: Pyrochlore
Ore: Vermiculite
Ore: Columbite
Ore: Thorianite
Ore: Monazite
Ore: Perovskite


Comments

Comment (Deposit): PARKER AND SHARP BELIEVE A LARGE CARBONATITE BODY (POTENTIALLY ECONOMIC FOR NIOBIUM) MAY EXIST AT UNKNOWN DEPTH

Comment (Workings): ONE LARGE, LONG PIT WITH ABOUT 5 SMALLER PITS NEARBY, LARGE DUMP

Comment (Commodity): DIKELETS OF SERPENTINE CUTTING METASOMATIZED AREA CONTAIN NIOBIUM MINERALS; GRADE OF NIOBIUM MINERALS REACHES ECONOMIC WHERE DIKELETS CLUSTER, CARBONATITE CONCENTRATES

Comment (Location): IN GEM PARK, SOUTH OF GEM MOUNTAIN AND WEST OF DEMOCRATIC MOUNTAIN ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Production): PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II PRODUCTION (COMBINED WITH NILES MINE) TOTALLED LESS THAN 3000 TONS VERMICULITE


References

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 PROFESSIONAL PAPER 649, 24 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 I-900, 1: 62,500


Colorado Mining Photos

Placer mines at Cripple Creek, Colorado ca. 1892

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