Nightengale Claim

The Nightengale Claim is a thorium and ree mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 9,150 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: Nightengale Claim
Secondary: Nightingale Claims

Commodity

Primary: Thorium
Primary: REE
Secondary: Barium-Barite
Secondary: Lead

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Wet 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

Type: Unknown

Ownership

Owner Name: Joe Tomsick, Westcliffe, Co. And Lawrence Knobbe, Spearville, Ks.
Years: 1952 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Surface
Discovery Year: 1950
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

Model Name: Thorium-rare-earth veins

Orebody

Form: TABULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Wet Mountains

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Diabase
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

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

Name: Diabase
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Diabase
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 1, 28% TH02
Analytical Data: 1.43% EQUIV. TH02, 0.57% RAE OXIDES
Analytical Data: 0.27% EQUIV. TH02
Analytical Data: 0.049% EQUIV. U, 0.001% U

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Barite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Thorite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Pyrite

Comments

Comment (Workings): ONE 6X8X6 FT PROSPECT PIT AND SEVERAL SMALLER PITS

Comment (Location): ON PLATEAU JUST ABOVE TYNDALL GULCH ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

References

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., COLLINS, D.B., AND HORNBAKER, A.L., 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY; COLORADO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 40, P. 122-123

Reference (Deposit): CHRISTMAN, R.A., HEYMAN, A.M., DELLWIG, L.F., AND GOTT, G.B., 1953, THORIUM INVESTIGATIONS 1950-52, WET MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS CIRCULAR 290, P.26

Reference (Other Database): DMEA

Reference (Deposit): BROCK, M.R. AND SINGEWALD, Q.D, AND HORNBAKER, A.L., 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY; COLORADO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 40, P. 122-123

Reference (Deposit): CHRISTMAN, R.A., HEYMAN, A.M., DELLWIG, L.F., AND GOTT, G.B., 1953 THORIUM INVESTIGATIONS 7950-52, WET MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS CIRCULATIONS 1950-52, WET MOUNTAINS, COLORADO: USGS CIRCULAR 290, P.26

Reference (Deposit): BROCK, M.R. AND SINGEWALD, Q.D., 1968, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE MOUNT TYNDALL QUADRANGLE, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO, USGS MAP GQ-596, 1:24,000

Colorado Mining Photos

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