Francis Mine

The Francis Mine is a uranium and vanadium mine located in McKinley county, New Mexico at an elevation of 7,300 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: Francis Mine
Secondary: Claims: Francis 1-35

Commodity

Primary: Uranium
Primary: Vanadium

Location

State: New Mexico
County: McKinley
District: Grants Uranium District: Smith Lake Subdistrict

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: Henry E. Andrews

Production

Year: 1954
Time Period: 1953 To 1954
Description: Cp_Grade: ^0.41 Percent U3o8

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Stratiform
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1953
Year Last Production: 1954
Discovery Year: 1953
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: Datil Section

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Bluewater Fault

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Tyuyamunite
Ore: Coffinite

Comments

Comment (Geology): THE DEPOSIT OCCURS IN THE BRUSHY BASIN MEMBER OF THE MORRISON FORMATION

Comment (Production): PRODUCTION TOTALLED 755 TONS OF ORE.

Comment (Development): HOLMQUIST (1970, P. 27) LISTS THE ANACONDA COMPANY AS THE LAST OPERATOR OF THE FRANCIS. ANDERSON (1980) LISTS FARRIS BROTHERS AS THE LAST OPERATOR.

Comment (Deposit): THE ORE OCCURS IN MINERALIZED FOSSIL LOGS AND TABULAR LAYERS IN A SANDSTONE LENS DIRECTLY BENEATH THE DAKOTA SANDSTONE.

Comment (Workings): WORKINGS CONSIST OF TWO 15-FT ADITS, ONE 50 TO 75-FT ADIT AND A VERY SHORT TUNNEL.

Comment (Location): LOCATION IS ACCURATE FOR THE MIDPOINT BETWEEN THE THREE ADITS SHOWN ON THE THOREAU NE QUADRANGLE. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1979

References

Reference (Deposit): HOLMQUIST, R.J., 1970, USAEC RME-172, P. 27

Reference (Deposit): ANDERSON, O.J., 1980, NMBMMR OFR-148

Reference (Deposit): MCLEMORE, V.T., 1983, NMBMMR OFR-183, APPENDIX 1

Reference (Deposit): NMBMMR GENERAL FILE DATA

Reference (Deposit): HILPERT, L.S., 1969, USGS PP 603, P. 41

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