Challenger Mine

The Challenger Mine is a tungsten mine located in Larimer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,271 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: Challenger Mine
Secondary: Claims: Heline No. 1
Secondary: Challenger

Commodity

Primary: Tungsten
Tertiary: Molybdenum

Location

State: Colorado
County: Larimer
District: Stove Prairie Area

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
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/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: Sackett, T. H. And Others

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1942
Discovery Year: 1932
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

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Front Range Uplift, Sherman Batholith

Type: L
Description: Poudre River Shear Zone, Skin Gulch Shear Zone, Poverty Flats Synf Orm, South Fork Antiform, Clark Synform

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 1942 ORE SHIPMENT CONTAINED 0.57% WO3

Materials

Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Powellite

Comments

Comment (Location): ALONG UPPER SKIN GULCH EAST OF POVERTY FLATS 3 MILES SW OF STOVE P RAIRIE LANDING. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR COMMON QUARTER CORNER. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1980

Comment (Commodity): TWETO (1960) CITIES MO (POWELLITE) GENERALLY OCCURRING WITH CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER AREA W DEPOSITS

Comment (Development): LOCATED IN 1932 AS HELINE NO. 1 CLAIM; RELOCATED IN 1951 AS CHALL ENGER CLAIM

Comment (Workings): NINE SHALLOW OPEN CUTS ABOUT 6 FT DEEP; TWO SHAFTS, 10 FT AND 20 FT DEEP

References

Reference (Deposit): BELSER, CARL, 1956, TUNGSTEN POTENTIAL IN CHAFFEE, FREMONT, GUNNISO N, LAKE, LARIMER, PARK, AND SUMMIT COUNTIES, COLORADO: IC-7748, P. 18.

Reference (Deposit): TWETO, OGDEN, 1960, SCHEELITE IN THE PRECAMBRIAN GNEISSES OF COLORA DO: ECON. GEOLOGY, V. 55, NO. 7, P. 1428.

Reference (Production): BELSER, 1956, P. 18

Reference (Deposit): COBB, H.S., 1960, TUNGSTEN MINES OF COLORADO: COLORADO METAL MINING FUND BD., P. 19.

Reference (Deposit): ABBOTT, J.T., 1976, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE BIG NARROWS QUADRANGLE, LAR IMER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-1323.

Colorado Mining Photos

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