Coffin's Prospect

The Coffin's Prospect is a uranium and vanadium mine located in Montezuma county, Colorado at an elevation of 5,459 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: Coffin's Prospect

Commodity

Primary: Uranium
Primary: Vanadium
Secondary: Copper

Location

State: Colorado
County: Montezuma
District: Mcelmo Creek (Ute Mountains) 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

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Deposit Type: Stratiform
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1913
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Intermontane Plateaus
Physiographic Province: Colorado Plateaus
Physiographic Section: Canyon Lands

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Paradox Basin, Blanding Basin, Four Corners Platform, San Juan Basin

Type: L
Description: Mcelmo Dome, Mcelmo Anticline

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Cu Carbonate

Rocks

Name: Sandstone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Name: Sandstone
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Jurassic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: COFFIN (1921) REPORTED ANALYSIS OF 0.09% U308, 1.05% V205, AND TRACE CU. ASSAYS FROM EARLY 1960S CONTAINED 0.004 TO 0.008% EQUIV U308, 0.52 TO 0.93% V205.

Materials

Ore: Carnotite
Gangue: Malachite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT LIES JUST SE OF CREST OF SW-PLUNGING MCELMO ANTICLINE. U/V MINERALIZATION AND TRACES OF CU FOUND ALONG BEDDING PLANES IN 6-INCH ZONE OF ENTRADA SANDSTONE AND DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CONTROLLED BY FRACTURES. DEPOSIT DIFFERS FROM OTHERS IN AREA BY HAVING V MORE ABUNDANT THAN U.

Comment (Workings): ONE SURFACE PROSPECT PIT THAT HAS BEEN FILLED WITH ALLUVIUM AND WINDBLOWN SILT

References

Reference (Deposit): EKREN, E.B., AND HOUSER, F.N., 1965, GEOLOGY AND PETROLOGY OF THE UTE MOUNTAINS AREA, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 481, P. 66.

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., AND OTHERS, 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 281-282.

Reference (Deposit): COFFIN, R.C., 1921, RADIUM, URANIUM, AND VANADIUM DEPOSITS OF SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: CGS BULL. 16, P. 215-216.

Reference (Deposit): EKREN, E.B., AND HOUSER, F.N., 1959, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE MOQUI SE QUADRANGLE, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP MF-221.

Colorado Mining Photos

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