Dependable Group and Snowshoe Claim

The Dependable Group and Snowshoe Claim is a thorium and uranium mine located in Saguache county, Colorado.

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: Dependable Group and Snowshoe Claim

Commodity

Primary: Thorium
Primary: Uranium

Location

State: Colorado
County: Saguache
District: Cochetopa (Cochetopa Creek) 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: S. M. U. Mining Co.
Home Office: Lajara, Co.
Years: 1955 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
Deposit Type: Vein
Operation Type: Unknown
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: San Juan Volcanic Field; Gunnison Uplift

Type: L
Description: Cochetopa Dome; Los Ochos Fault; Razor Creek Dome; Unnamed Faults

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Iron Staining; Kaolinitization Of Feldspars

Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: BACKGROUND RADIATION 0.01 TO 0.03 MR/HR, RANGE 0.03 TO 0.2 MR/HR

Materials

Gangue: Limestone
Gangue: Fluorite

Comments

Comment (Location): PROBABLY ABOVE AND EAST OF COCHETOPA CR. ON FLATTER AREA BEYOND RIM ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :1976

Comment (Development): DISTRICT MINED PREVIOUSLY FOR AU AND BASE METALS. GUNNISON MINING CO. DISCOVERED URANIUM IN 1954 ALONG LOS OCHOS FAULT.

Comment (Deposit): E-W TO N70E TRENDING FAULTS AND SHEAR ZONES CUT PRECAMBRIAN AND JURASSIC ROCKS. SHEAR ZONES CONTAIN ALTERATION AND BRECCIATION

Comment (Workings): NUMEROUS DISCOVERY CUTS, ELONGATED OPEN CUT; 75-FT CORE HOLE

References

Reference (Deposit): OLSON, J.C., AND STEVEN, T.A., 1976, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SAWTOOTH MOUNTAIN QUADRANGLE, SAGUACHE COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP MF-733

Reference (Deposit): NELSON-MOORE, J.L., COLLINS, D.B., AND HORNBAKER, A.L., 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: COLORADO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 40, P. 389-390

Reference (Deposit): MALAN, R.C., AND RANSPOT, H.W., 1959, GEOLOGY OF THE URANIUM DEPOSITS IN THE COCHETOPA MINING DISTRICT, SAGUACHE AND GUNNISON COUNTIES, COLORADO: ECON. GEOLOGY, V. 54, NO. 1, P. 1-19.

Colorado Mining Photos

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