Wahl Iron Mine

The Wahl Iron Mine is a iron mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,881 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: Wahl Iron Mine
Secondary: Black Pit
Secondary: Schweigert Mine
Secondary: Claims: Hudson Bay
Secondary: Iron Contact
Secondary: South Contact
Secondary: Silver Iron
Secondary: Dakota
Secondary: Boss

Commodity

Primary: Iron
Secondary: Manganese

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Silver Cliff

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: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Owner Name: George D. Schweigert
Home Office: Denver, Co.
Years: 1959 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1882
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: Silver Cliff Volcanic Center, Wet Mtns, Wet Mtn Valley

Type: L
Description: Near Ring Faults

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Ferruginous Zone

Rocks

Name: Rhyolite
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Oligocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: LIMONITE CHARACTER SAMPLES AVERAGE 42.8 % FE, 0.08% P, .16% S, 13.1% SIO2, 4.5% MN
Analytical Data: SOME ORE CONTAINS UP TO 25% MN
Analytical Data: ORE AVERAGED 39.6% FE, 6.62% MN, 0.61% P, 13.66% SIO2 WITH FE RANGING FROM 34 TO 47% AND MN FROM 2.7 TO 9.3%
Analytical Data: SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF LIMONITE: CU 0.01-0.1%, PB 0.01-0.1%, ZN 0.10-1.0%, TI 0.01-0.1%, ZR 0.001-0.01%, CR 0.001-0.01%, GA 0.001-0.01%, AG 0.001-0.01%, HG 0.001-0.1%

Materials

Ore: Psilomelane
Ore: Limonite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Hematite

Comments

Comment (Workings): OPEN PIT, BULLDOZER CUTS, SHALLOW SHAFTS

Comment (Deposit): Discovery Year: 1870-1895

Comment (Location): 0.9 MILE NNE OF BEN WEST HILL SOUTH OF UNNAMED TRIBUTARY TO DE WEESE RES. (GRAPE CREEK) ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Commodity): POROUS LIMONITE, DISSEMINATED PYRITE AT DEPTH

Comment (Development): COLORADO FUEL AND IRON CORP. PRODUCED ABOUT 3900 TONS IRON ORE IN 1924; AN ESTIMATED 5000 TONS WERE MINED IN 1942

References

Reference (Deposit): FIELDMAN, D.W. AND CROWLEY, F.P., 1980, SILVER DEPOSITS IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE SILVER CLIFF CALDERA, IN SILVER CLIFF VOLCANIC CENTER AND TALLAHASSEE CREEK URANIUM DEPOSITS: DENVER REGIONAL EXPLORATION GEOLOGISTS GUIDEBOOK, P. 1-14.

Reference (Deposit): SHARP, W.M., 1978, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SILVER CLIFF AND ROSITA VOLCANIC CENTERS, CUSTER COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1081.

Reference (Deposit): HARRER, C.M. AND TESCH, W.J., JR., 1959, RECONNAISSANCE OF IRON OCCURRENCES IN COLORADO: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES. INFORMATION CIRCULAR 7918

Reference (Deposit): CROSS, WHITMAN, 1896, GEOLOGY OF SILVER CLIFF AND THE ROSITA HILLS, COLORADO: USGS 17TH ANN. REPORT, PT. 2, 263-403.

Colorado Mining Photos

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