Mine detail: Climax Mine

Previously called 'Ceresco Ridge portal, orebodyPhillipson portal, levelStorke portal, level'

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Location

Lat / long:

39.37027, -106.16839

Resource(M)

Primary:	Molybdenum
Secondary:	Sulfur-Pyrite, Tungsten, Tin, REE
Tertiary:	Zinc, Copper, Titanium, Metal, Niobium (Columbium), Lead
Ore:	Cassiterite, Huebnerite, Molybdenite, Monazite, Pyrite, Wolframite
Gangue:	Brannerite, Chalcocite, Chalcopyrite, Fluorite, Galena, Jarosite, Limonite, Molybdite, Orthoclase, Quartz, Rhodochrosite, Sericite, Sphalerite, Topaz
Orebody form:	ORE ZONES ARE IRREGULARLY CIRCULAR TO OVAL IN PLAN, ARCUATE IN SECTION GIVING OVERALL SHAPES OF INVERTED HEMISPHERES OR CUPS
Discovery year:	1879

Production

Operation type:	Underground
Production size:	Large
Development status:	Producer
First production started:	1915

Geology

Host rock:	Idaho Springs Formation Silver Plume Granite, Silver Plume Granite, Climax prophyry stocks (Alicante, Bartlett, Chalk Mtn., intermineral dikes, Wallace, late dikes, and Traver)
Host type:	Gneiss,Granite,Granitoid
Structure:	Park Range, Colorado Mineral Belt, Tenmile Range, Mosquito Fault, East Fault, South Fault, Precambrian Anticline
Alteration processes:	Potassic Metasomatism; Silicification, Sericitization; Oxidation Of Mo And Fe Sulfides

References

MRDS	D001106
DEP	10008739
Reference	{Deposit:: BUTLER, B.S., AND VANDERWILT, J.W., 1933, THE CLIMAX MOLYBDENUM DEPOSIT, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 846-C.}{Deposit:: WALLACE, S.R., AND OTHERS, 1968, MULTIPLE INTRUSION AND MINERALIZATION AT CLIMAX, COLORADO, IN RIDGE, J.D., ED., ORE DEPOSITS OF THE UNITED STATES, 1933-1967: AIME GRATON-SALES VOLUME, V. 1, P. 605-640.}{Deposit:: COLO. STATE METAL MINING FUND, 1960, TUNGSTEN MINES OF COLORADO, P.20.}{Deposit:: VANDERWILT, J.W., 1947, MISCELLANEOUS METALS--MOLYBDENUM, IN MINERAL RESOURCES OF COLORADO: COLORADO MINERAL RESOURCES BD., P. 222-226.}{Deposit:: COLORADO DIV. MINES INF. REPTS. AND ANN. OPERATOR REPTS.}{Deposit:: JUNE 1969: MINING MAGAZINE, CLIMAX MOLYBDENUM.}{Deposit:: VANDERWILT, AND KING, R.U., 1955, HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION AT THE CLIMAX MOLYBDENITE DEPOSIT: MINING ENGINEERING, V. 7, NO 1, P.41-53.}{Deposit:: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 1942, TENMILE MINING DISTRICT, COLORADO: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (UNCLASSIFIED MAP), SCALE: 1:12,000.}{Deposit:: CONSV. DIV. COMP. DATE, 8,69}{Development:: Climax Molybdenum Co. and Phelps Dodge Corp. information accessed on the internet on May 25, 2006}{Production:: COLORADO DIV. MINES ANNUAL OPERATOR REPORTS 1924-1980 (EXCEPT 1965) FOR TONS ORE (1924-1939, 1944-1964, 1966-1968, 1977-1978), TONS CONCENTRATE (1924-1926, 1930, 1933-1939), % MOS2 IN CONCENTRATE (1924, 1926, 1928, 1930-1933, 1936-1939), % MOS2 IN ORE (1927-1928, 1930-1933, 1938-1939, 1944-1950), LB MO (1953-1964, 1966-1980), LB WO3 (1953-1964, 1966-1980), % WO3 (1948-1950), LB SN (1953-1964, 1966-1980), % SN (1949-1950), TONS PYRITE CONCENTRATE (1953-1964, 1966-1980), LB MONAZITE CONCENTRATE (1953, 1966-1969). LB MO FOR 1918-1930 FROM BUTLER AND VANDERWILT (1933); LB MO FOR 1931-1945 FROM VANDERWILT (1947). ORE TONNAGE FOR 1940-1943 AND 1965 FROM CLIMAX MOLYBDENUM CO. (TERRY FITZSIMMONS, PERS. COMM., 8/82).}
Reporter	Melton, Greg, Elliott, James E. (King, Rubert U.), Schwochow, Stephen D., Beougher, Delilah J. (Spanski, Gregory T.), Mosier, Dan, Beach, Richard A.