Alexite Manganese Mine

The Alexite Manganese Mine is a manganese mine located in Gunnison county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,140 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

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Site Name

Primary: Alexite Manganese Mine

Commodity

Primary: Manganese

Location

State: Colorado
County: Gunnison
District: White Earth (Powderhorn) 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

Owner Name: Alexite Engineering Co.
Home Office: Colorado Springs, Co.
Years: 1944 -

Production

Year: 1943
Description: Ap_Grade: ^38% Mn

Deposit

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

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Gunnison Uplift, San Juan Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: Iron Hill Alkalic Complex, Cimarron Fault, Powderhorn Stock, Unnamed Faults

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Oxidation Of Fe And Mn

Rocks

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

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: MUILENBURG (1919) CITES AVERAGE SAMPLE ASSAY OF 21.66% MN. 21.20% SIO2, 19.65% FE, 0.034% S, 0.147% P. ALEXITE'S STOCKPILED ORE CONTAINED 38% MN.

Materials

Ore: Wad
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Opal
Gangue: Jasper

Comments

Comment (Workings): 25-FT-DEEP SHAFT, TWO SHORT TUNNELS OF UNKNOWN EXTENT; OPEN CUTS

Comment (Production): PRESUMABLY 1943 WAS ONLY YEAR OF PRODUCTION. ORE WAS STOCKPILED AT SALIDA.

Comment (Deposit): OLSON (1974) DESCRIBES JASPER VEIN AS CONTAING FE AND MN STAINS AND OPAL IN CAVITIES AND FRACTURES. AT THIS SITE, JASPER LIES ON TWO INTERSECTING FAULTS (TRENDING N 22 W AND N 2 W) AT INFERRED FAULT CONTACT OF FINE- TO MEDIUM-GRAINED GRANITE ON WEST WITH PYROXENITE AND POWDERHORN GRANITE ON EAST. SEVERAL SMALL JASPER BODIES ON WEST WALL OF MORE NORTH-TRENDING FAULT TREND GENERALLY N 65 W. JASPER THOUGHT TO BE SILICEOUS SINTER OF HOT SPRING ORIGIN.

Comment (Location): ON NORTH SLOPE OF NE PROJECTION OF RUDOLPH HILL ABOUT 0.5 MILE SW OF ALEXITE'S POWDERHORN NO. 1 VERMICULITE MINE, 3.35 MILES SE OF POWDERHORN AND 1.4 MILES SW OF IRON HILL. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1976

References

Reference (Production): COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATOR REPT. AND INF. REPT.

Reference (Deposit): OLSON, J.C., 1974, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE RUDOLPH HILL QUADRANGLE, GUNNISON, HINSDALE, AND SAGUACHE COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-1177.

Reference (Deposit): MUILENBURG, G.A., 1919, MANGANESE DEPOSITS OF COLORADO: CGS BULL. 15, P. 38-40.

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS. AND ANNUAL OPERATOR REPTS.

Reference (Deposit): LA PLANTE, F.R., 1943, GUNNISON COUNTY ACTIVITIES: COLORADO MINING ASSOC. 1943 MINING YEARBOOK, P. 35-36. PROD

Colorado Mining Photos

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