Big Bertha Mine

The Big Bertha Mine is a quartz and feldspar mine located in Jefferson county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,480 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 Bertha Mine

Commodity

Primary: Quartz
Primary: Feldspar
Secondary: Thorium
Secondary: REE

Location

State: Colorado
County: Jefferson
District: South Platte Pegmatite District

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: Unknown

Ownership

Owner Name: Consolidated Feldspar Corp.
Home Office: Denver, Co.
Years: 1953 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1947
Year Last Production: 1953
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

Form: IRREGULAR

Structure

Type: R
Description: Front Range Uplift, Pikes Peak Batholith

Type: L
Description: Kennedy Gulch Fault Zone

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Minor Replacement Of Fluorite By Xenotime

Rocks

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

Name: Pegmatite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Neoproterozoic

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Allanite
Ore: Xenotime
Gangue: Fluorite
Gangue: Monazite
Gangue: Thorite
Gangue: Gadolinite

Comments

Comment (Development): FLD PRODUCED FOR GLASS MANUFACTURE. 856 ST PRODUCED IN 1947

Comment (Deposit): IRREGULAR PEGMATITE CONSISTS OF QUARTZ-MICROCLINE-BIOTITE WALL ZONE, INTERMEDIATE ZONE OF BIOTITE, AND CORE OF QUARTZ AND MICROCLINE. CHARACTERIZED BY HUGE MASSES OF ALLANITE; MINOR REPLACEMENT OF FLUORITE BY XENOTIME. PRODUCTION OF FELDSPAR CAME APPARENTLY FROM CORE AS TYPICAL INTERMEDIATE ZONE OF PERTHITE NOT DEVELOPED HERE.

Comment (Workings): OPEN CUT MOSTLY IN QUARTZ-MICROCLINE CORE

Comment (Location): ON DIVIDE BETWEEN DELL GULCH AND UNNAMED TRIBUTARY OF SOUTH PLATTE RIVER 1.1 MILE SW OF LONG SCRAGGY PEAK. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1975)

Comment (Production): COLO, DIV. MINES REPORTS PRODUCTION OF 856 TONS FLD IN 1947. AMOUNT OF RAE PRODUCTION UNKNOWN.

References

Reference (Deposit): SIMMONS, W.B., AND HEINRICH, E.W., 1980, RARE-EARTH PEGMATITES OF THE SOUTH PLATTE DISTRICT, COLORADO: CGS RESOURCE SER. 11, 131 P.

Reference (Deposit): PETERSON, W.L., 1964, GEOLOGY OF THE PLATTE CANYON QUADRANGLE, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1181-C, 23 P., 1 PL.

Reference (Deposit): COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATORS REPTS.

Reference (Deposit): MEEVES, H.C., AND OTHERS, 1966, RECONNAISSANCE OF BERYLLIUM-BEARING PEGMATITE DEPOSITS IN SIX WESTERN STATES: USBM IC-8298, P. 27.

Colorado Mining Photos

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