Upper South Mine

The Upper South Mine is a mica mine located in Fremont county, Colorado at an elevation of 8,501 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: Upper South Mine
Secondary: Colorado Feldspar Company Mine

Commodity

Primary: Mica
Tertiary: Feldspar
Tertiary: Beryllium

Location

State: Colorado
County: Fremont
District: Micanite 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

Type: Unknown

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Year First Production: 1950
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: Pegmatites

Orebody

Form: LENS SHAPED

Form: LENS SHAPED

Structure

Type: R
Description: Southern Front Range, Thirtynine Mile Volcanic Field

Type: L
Description: Currant Creek Fault Zone

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Paleoproterozoic

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

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Microcline
Ore: Muscovite
Gangue: Biotite

Comments

Comment (Location): ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE LOWER SOUTH MINE, EAST OF MAC GULCH ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1976)

Comment (Deposit): SMALL PEGMATITE 200 FT EAST EXPLORED BY GLORY HOLE, HAULAGE TUNNEL, SEVERAL SHORT DRIFTS, 2 SHALLOW INCLINED SHAFTS; PEGMATITE MEASURES 75X30 FT, TRENDS N 67 E, DIPS S 75 E ON BOTH CONTACTS; HAS WALL ZONE WITH QUARTZ-MICROCLINE CORE ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Workings): OPEN CUT 63X20X25 FT DEEP; 3 DRIFTS EACH LESS THAN 10 FT LONG; SHALLOW PIT 28X20 FT

Comment (Reserve-Resource): RESERVES ESTIMATED AT ONLY A FEW TENS OF TONS OF RECOVERABLE SCRAP MICA AND MICROCLINE (1950)

Comment (Deposit): POORLY ZONED WITH ILL-DEFINED QUARTZ-MICROCLINE CORE, WALL ZONE OF QUARTZ-MICROCLINE-MUSCOVITE-PLAGIOCLASE-BIOTITE PEGMATITE

References

Reference (Deposit): STERRETT, D. B., 1923, MICA DEPOSITS OF THE UNITED STATES: USGS BULLETIN 740, P. 51-55.

Reference (Deposit): HANLEY, J. B., HEINRICH, E. W., PAGE, L. R., 1950, PEGMATITE INVESTIGATIONS IN COLORADO, WYOMING, AND UTAH, 1942-1944: USGS PROFESSIONAL PAPER 227, P. 42-55

Reference (Deposit): WOBUS, R. A., EPIS, R. C. AND SCOTT, G. R., 1979, GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE COVER MOUNTAIN QUADRANGLE, FREMONT, PARK, AND TELLER COUNTIES, COLORADO: USGS MAP I-1179, 1:62,500.

Colorado Mining Photos

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