Lonesome Mine

The Lonesome Mine is a mica mine located in Rio Arriba county, New Mexico at an elevation of 8,150 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: Lonesome Mine

Commodity

Primary: Mica
Secondary: Niobium (Columbium)
Secondary: Tantalum
Secondary: Beryllium
Tertiary: Thorium
Tertiary: REE
Tertiary: Uranium
Tertiary: Bismuth

Location

State: New Mexico
County: Rio Arriba
District: Petaca District

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: Joseph Veseley And Charles Besre, El Nido Mica Co.
Home Office: Santafe, N.M.
Years: 1943 -

Owner Name: H. S. Coulter
Home Office: La Madera, N.M.
Years: 1950 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1932
Year Last Production: 1943
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: LENSE

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Muscovite
Ore: Beryl
Ore: Tantalite
Ore: Bismutite
Ore: Monazite
Ore: Columbite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Albite
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Microcline
Gangue: Fluorite

Comments

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS REPORTED IN 1946 CONSISTED OF A STEEPLY INCLINED SHAFT WITH SHORT CROSSCUTS AT THE 50 AND 70 FT. LEVELS, SEVERAL SMALL SURFACE CUTS AND OPEN STOPES.

Comment (Location): ACCURATE LOCATION IS SHOWN ON THE LAS TABLAS TOPOGRAPHIC QUADRANGLE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1977

Comment (Production): PRODUCTION REPORTED BY OWNER AND INCLUDES 12LB OF SAMARSKITE, AND A LITTLE MONAZITE AND BISMUTITE.

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT CONSISTS OF THREE, ZONED PEGMATITES TRENDING EAST-WEST AND PLUNGING 40 TO 55 DEGREES WEST. THE LARGEST PEGMATITE IS THE MOST EXTENSIVELY WORKED AND IS ABOUT 165 FT. LONG, UP TO 18 FT. THICK, AND HAS BEEN EXPOSED IN WORKINGS TO A DEPTH OF 78 FT... SOUTH OF THE MAIN PEGMATITE ARE TWO, SMALLER PEGMATITES ABOUT 85 FT. LONG AND FROM 7 TO 17 FT. THICK. THE MAIN PEGMATITE CAN BE DIVIDED INTO SIX ZONES AND MOST OF THE PRODUCTION CAME FROM THE INTERMEDIATE ZONES.

References

Reference (Deposit): BARKER, F., 1958 NMBMMR BULL 45, P. 34, PLATE 1

Reference (Deposit): BINGLER, E.C., 1968 NMBMMR BULL 91, P. 121

Reference (Deposit): NMBMMR GENERAL FILE DATA

Reference (Production): NMBMMR BULL 25, P. 138 AND NMBMMR GENERAL FILE DATA.

Reference (Deposit): JAHNS, R.H., 1946 NMBMMR BULL 25, P. 137-143, PLATE 9

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