Cougar Mine

The Cougar Mine is a uranium and vanadium mine located in San Miguel county, Colorado at an elevation of 6,099 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: Cougar Mine

Commodity

Primary: Uranium
Primary: Vanadium
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Silver
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Selenium

Location

State: Colorado
County: San Miguel
District: Slick Rock District

Land Status

Land ownership: Federal
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: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
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

Form: TABULAR, IRREGULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Paradox Basin Fold And Fault Belt

Type: L
Description: Disappointment Syncline, Dolores Anticline, Dolores Zone Of Faults

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

Analytical Data: COLEMAN AND DELEVAUX (1957) REPORT CHALCOCITE CONTAINED 0.13 TO 4.93% SE (9 SAMPLES), AVERAGING 1.22% SE

Materials

Ore: Carnotite
Ore: Tyuyamunite
Gangue: Chalcocite
Gangue: Digenite

Comments

Comment (Location): CLAIM LIES ON EAST EDGE OF HORSE RANGE MESA ON SECOND BENCH ABOVE AND WEST OF DOLORES RIVER AND SOUTH OF COUGAR CANYON. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1975

Comment (Deposit): U AND V OCCUR IN TYPICAL COLORADO PLATEAU ROLL-FRONT DEPOSITS WITH SOME U CONCENTRATED IN FOSSILIZED LOGS. ACCESSORY MINERALS CHARACTERIZED BY RARE SELENIDES OF CU, AG, AND PB. CHALCOCITE NODULES CONTAIN INTERGROWN CLAUSTHALITE (PBSE), DIGENITE (CU(2-X)S), AND EUCAIRITE (CUAGSE). CATER (1955) ALSO MENTIONS OCCURRENCE OF CU CARBONATE, DISSEMINATED CU-V AND CU-U MINERALS.

Comment (Workings): SEVERAL TUNNELS OF UNKNOWN EXTENT AND APPARENT SURFACE EXCAVATIONS

References

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., AND OTHERS, 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 401.

Reference (Deposit): COLEMAN, R.G., AND DELEVAUX, MARYSE, 1957, OCCURRENCE OF SELENIUM IN SULFIDES FROM SOME SEDIMENTARY ROCKS OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES: ECON. GEOLOGY, V 52, P. 499-527.

Reference (Deposit): SHAWE, D.R., AND OTHERS, 1968, STRATIGRAPHY OF SLICK ROCK DISTRICT AND VICINITY, SAN MIGUEL AND DOLORES COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 576-A.

Reference (Deposit): CATER, F.W., JR., 1955, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE HORSE RANGE MESA QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS MAP GQ-64.

Colorado Mining Photos

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