Gem Park Complex

The Gem Park Complex is a niobium (columbium) mine located in Custer county, Colorado at an elevation of 7,900 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: Gem Park Complex
Secondary: Wet Mountains

Commodity

Primary: Niobium (Columbium)
Tertiary: Barium-Barite
Tertiary: Molybdenum
Tertiary: Phosphorus-Phosphates
Tertiary: REE
Tertiary: Strontium
Tertiary: Thorium
Tertiary: Vermiculite

Location

State: Colorado
County: Custer
District: Wet Mountains Area

Land Status

Land ownership: Mixed
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

Type: Located Claim
Type: Fee Ownership

Workings

Type: Surface

Ownership

Owner Name: Coco Mines
Percent: 80.00
Home Office: Colorado
Info Year: 1991
Years: 1991 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Unknown
Mining Method: Open Pit
Milling Method: Flotation
Year First Production: 1880
Discovery Year: 1880
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Southern Rocky Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Unknown: Columbite
Unknown: Barite
Unknown: Apatite
Unknown: Vermiculite
Unknown: Thorianite
Unknown: Strontianite
Unknown: Pyrrhotite
Unknown: Pyrite
Unknown: Phlogopite
Unknown: Monazite
Unknown: Magnetite
Unknown: Ilmenite
Unknown: Dolomite
Unknown: Crocidolite
Unknown: Calcite

Comments

Comment (Geology): THE TYPE OF OREBODY IS A GROUP OF CARBONATITE DIKES INTRUDING PRECAMBRIAN GRANITIC GNEISS. THE CARBONATITE DIKES CONTAINE A SMALL AMOUNT OF VERMICULITE, NIOBIUM MINERALS AND GABBRO. THE ORIGIN OF THE CARBONATITES IS CONTROVERSIAL. ALTHOUGH HIGH TEMPERATURE MAGMA IS PROBABLY THE MOST ACCEPTED THEORY, SOLID FLOW, HYDROTHERMAL SOLUTION, AND GASEOUS TRANSFER HAVE ALSO BEEN PROPOSED. WALLROCK ALTERATION HAS OCCURRED AS FENITIATION.

Comment (Ownership): COCA MINES CONTROLS 80 PERCENT OF THE MINERAL RIGHTS AND HAS MADE FORMAL AGREEMENTS FOR CONTROL OF THE REMAINING RIGHTS THROUGH FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS. COCO MINES WAS ACQUIRED BY HECLA IN 1991; HECLA HAS DROPPED PROPERTY AND IT REVERTED BACK TO ORIGINAL OWNERS.

Comment (Production): THE PROPERTY IS BEING EVALUATED FOR ONLY ONE PRODUCT, COLUMBIUM, SINCE GRADES AND RESERVES ARE AVAILABLE FOR ONLY THIS COMMODITY. IT IS PROSSIBLE, HOWEVER, THAT RARE EARTH METALS COULD BE PRODUCED AS BYPRODUCTS. GRADES AS HIGH AS 9.97% LIGHT RARE EARTHS HAVE BEEN NOTED, BUT RESERVES HAVE NOT YET BEEN DELINEATED. ALSO, ASSAY DATA INDICATES MOLYBDENUM AND URANIUM MAY BE POSSIBLE BYPRODUCTS. AGAIN. RESERVES HAVE NOT BEEN ESTIMATED FOR THESE COMMODITIES.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): THE RESERVE FIGURE WAS PROVIDED BY COCA MINES INC. AND IS BASED ON CONSIDERABLE EXPLORATION. IT IS ESTIMATED, HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE ORE OCCURENCE AND GEOLOGIC FACTORS, ONLY A 90 PERCENT RECOVERY WILL BE ACHIEVED.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): RESERVE ARE THE RECOVERABLE TONNAGE AS USED ON THE 8-84 ETD.

References

Reference (Production): E&MJ. ST. LAWRENCE COLUMBIUM PROJECT STARTS PRODUCTION IN

Reference (Production): QUEBEC, OCT. 1961, PP. 99-104.

Reference (Geology): PARKER, R.L., W.N. SHARP. MAFIC-ULTRAMAFIC IGNEOUS ROCKS

Reference (Geology): AND ASSOCIATED CARBONATITES OF THE GEM PARK COMPLEX,

Reference (Geology): USGS PAPER 649, 1970, PP. 1-23

Reference (Production): BISS, R. PYROCHLORE BENEFICIATION AT NIOBEC CONCENTRATOR,

Reference (Production): QUEBEC, CANADA, LES SERVICES T.M.G. INC., 1981, PP.

Reference (Production): 1-19.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): RIVERA, R. COCA MINES, INC. DENVER, CO., PERSONAL

Reference (Reserve-Resource): COMMUNICATIONS AND FIELD VISIT IN NOV. 1982.

Reference (Workings): LAMARRE, A.L. GEM PARK PROJECT 1008 FINAL REPORT, JAN. 13,

Reference (Workings): 1976, COMPANY REPORT- COCA MINES, PP. 1-18.

Reference (Production): THOMPSON, J.V. PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL STUDIES

Reference (Production): OF THE POWDERHORN COLUMBIUM DEPOSITS. PREPARED FOR

Reference (Production): BUTTES GAS AND OIL CO. BY KAISER ENGINEERS, OCT. 1969.

Reference (Production): MINING MAGAZINE. ARAXA NIOBIUM MINE, FEB. 1982, PP. 134-147.

Colorado Mining Photos

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