Mine detail: Ralston Buttes District

Previously called ''

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Location

Lat / long:

39.84443, -105.28141

Resource(M)

Primary:	Uranium
Secondary:	Copper, Molybdenum
Tertiary:	Zinc, Lead, Silver, Gold, Bismuth, Manganese, Nickel, Cobalt
Ore:	Bismuth, Bornite, Chalcanthite, Chalcocite, Coffinite, Covellite, Galena, Jordisite, Marcasite, Molybdenite, Niccolite, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite, Silver, Sphalerite, Uranophane
Gangue:	Ankerite, Barite, Calcite, Chlorite, Fluorite, Hematite, Limonite, Quartz, Sericite
Orebody form:	LENTICULAR, LINEAR, IRREGULAR
Discovery year:	1884

Production

Operation type:	Unknown
Production size:	Medium
Development status:	Producer
First production started:	1895

Geology

Host rock:	Idaho Springs Formation-Hornblende Gneiss Unit;Idaho Springs Formation-Microcline-Quartz-Plagioclase-Biotite Gneiss
Host type:	Gneiss,Pegmatite
Associated rock:	Granitic Pegmatite;Hornblende Diorite And Hornblendite
Associated type:	Hornblendite,Pegmatite
Structure:	Front Range Uplift, Denver Basin, Idaho Springs-Ralston Shear Zone, Rogers, Hurricane Hill, Junction Ranch, And Livingston Fault Systems (Breccia Reefs)
Tectonic:	Central Cordillera (Southern Rocky Mtns)
Alteration processes:	Alteration Of Fe And Cu Minerals And U Ore; Potassic Alteration; Some Silicification

References

MRDS	D010161
DEP	10087816
Reference	{Deposit:: ADAMS, J.W., AND OTHERS, 1953, URANIUM OCCURRENCES IN THE GOLDEN GATE CANYON AND RALSTON CREEK AREAS, JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS CIRC. 320.}{Deposit:: ADAMS, J.W., AND STUGARD, FREDERICK, JR., 1956, WALL-ROCK CONTROL OF CERTAIN PITHBLENDE DEPOSITS IN GOLDEN GATE CANYON, JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1030-G.}{Deposit:: NELSON-MOORE, J.L., AND OTHERS, 1978, RAIDOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 189-196.}{Deposit:: SHERIDAN, D.M., AND OTHERS, 1967, GEOLOGY AND URANIUM DEPOSITS OF THE RALSTON BUTTES DISTRICT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 520 (INCLUDES QUAD GEOLOGIC MAP OF RALSTON BUTTES QUAD).}{Deposit:: SIMS, P.K., AND SHERIDAN, D.M., 1964, GEOLOGY OF URANIUM DEPOSITS IN THE FRONT RANGE, COLORADO: USGS BULL. 1159.}{Production:: SHERIDAN AND OTHERS, 1967, P. 75; COLORADO DIV. MINES ANN. OPERATORS REPTS.}
Reporter	Schwochow, Stephen D.