Big Chief 1 Claim

The Big Chief 1 Claim is a barium-barite and silver mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,199 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: Big Chief 1 Claim
Secondary: Star Mine

Commodity

Primary: Barium-Barite
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Lead
Tertiary: Uranium
Tertiary: Copper
Tertiary: Thorium
Tertiary: REE

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Wet Mountains Area

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
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: Jensen, A. P.
Home Office: Ilse Route, Canon City, Colorado
Years: 1953 -

Owner Name: Cotter Corp.
Years: 1960 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Year First Production: 1932
Year Last Production: 1932
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

Type: L
Description: Ilse Fault

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Gneiss
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic

Name: Gneiss
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: .009% EQUIV. U, 0.002% U CHANNEL SAMPLE .04% EQUIV TH02

Materials

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

Comments

Comment (Workings): THERE ARE EXTENSIVE OLD BARITE WORKINGS THROUGHOUT LENGTH OF VEIN; AT LEAST ONE SHAFT; PITS

Comment (Location): INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Development): BACKGROUND RADIATION 1.0 MR/HR, RADIATION ALONG VEIN 3.0 MR/HR

Comment (Production): UNTIL 1958 ALL KNOWN PRODUCTION WAS FOR BARITE

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.119

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

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. 22, 25

Reference (Deposit): DEL RIO, S.M., 1960, MINERAL RESOURCES OF COLORADO, FIRST SEQUEL: COLORADO MINERAL RESOURCES BOARD, P. 395.

Reference (Production): DEL RIO, 1960, P. 395

Colorado Mining Photos

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