Sunset Claims

The Sunset Claims is a thorium mine located in Gunnison county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,029 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: Sunset Claims

Commodity

Primary: Thorium
Tertiary: Gold

Location

State: Colorado
County: Gunnison
District: Domingo (Vulcan) District

Land Status

Land ownership: BLM Administrative Area
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
Operation Type: Unknown
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: Gunnison Uplift, San Juan Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: Gunnison Gold Belt, Iron Hill Alkalic Complex, Tolvar Peak Stock

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Thorite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Orthoclase
Gangue: Hematite

Comments

Comment (Location): ALTHOUGH EXACT LOCATION IS UNCERTAIN, CLAIMS LIE NEAR MAIN PART OF DOMINGO DISTRICT. ELEV AND LAT-LONG GIVEN ARE FOR PROSPECTS ON TRACHYTE DIKE IN W2 SW SEC. 07. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1976

Comment (Deposit): EXACT LOCATION AND GEOLOGY OF DEPOSIT ARE UNKNOWN, BUT ON BASIS OF ASSUMED LOCATION, DEPOSIT COULD BE TRACHYTE DIKE TRENDING N 63 W AND CUTTING APOPHYSIS OF TOLVAR PEAK GRANITE THAT HAS INTRUDED OLDER DUBOIS GREENSTONE ALONG ITS GENERAL FOLIATION TREND OF EAST-WEST. TRACHYTE DIKES IN THIS AREA ARE ONE OF FOUR ENVIRONMENTS OF TH OCCURRENCE KNOWN IN POWDERHORN-IRON HILL AREA AND ARE PROBABLY RELATED TO EMPLACEMENT OF LATE PRECAMBRIAN SYENITES NORTH AND WEST OF IRON HILL AND OF YOUNGER LATE PRECAMBRIAN OR CAMBRIAN CARBONATITES AT IRON HILL. DIKES FOLLOW LOCAL JOINTING IN COUNTRY ROCK AND ARE COMPOSED OF LATH-SHAPED ORTHOCLASE PHENOCRYSTS IN TRACHYTIC, APHANITIC GROUNDMASS OF ORTHOCLASE MICROLITES. RADIOACTIVITY IS CONCENTRATED IN HEMATITE PSEUDOMORPHS AFTER PYRITE.

Comment (Workings): SURFACE PROSPECTS

References

Reference (Deposit): HEDLUND, D.C., AND OLSON, J.C., 1975, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE POWDERHORN QUADRANGLE, GUNNISON AND SAGUACHE COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-1178.

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., AND OTHERS, 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 176.

Reference (Deposit): HEDLUND, D.C., AND OLSON, J.C., 1961, FOUR ENVIRONMENTS OF THORIUM-, NIOBIUM-, AND RARE-EARTH-BEARING MINERALS IN THE POWDERHORN DISTRICT OF SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 424-B, P. B283-B286.

Colorado Mining Photos

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