| Basis for focus area |
Proterozoic-age pegmatites may not be associated with Climax-type deposits at depth. Pegmatite district covers about 10 square miles west of Canon City. General area based on MRDS producers and past producers. |
| Identified resources |
Identified beryllium (beryl) resources. Historical production of beryllium (beryl), feldspar, mica, niobium (columbite), and tantalum (tantalite). |
| Production |
Mica Lode produced 152,180 mt feldspar, 31,230 mt scrap mica, and 51 mt of beryl. The Mica Lode mine also produced 615 lbs of columbite-tantalite (Schwochow and Hornbaker, 1985). Meyer's and School Section mines produced ~ 1 t of beryl. |
| Status |
Past mining (mostly beryl). Areas near and within this focus area are currently being explored for other commodities within a stratabound deposit at depth, including Zn, Cu, Pb, Ag, and Au. |
| Estimated resources |
Mica Lode mine: 100 mt beryl inferred (1950; visual estimate). Hanley and others (1950) suggest that reserves are 2 or 3 times this estimate. |
| Geologic maps |
Taylor and others (1975), scale 1:62,500; Raymond and Sheridan (1980), scale 1:79,000; Scott and others (1978), scale 1:250,000. |
| Geophysical data |
Inadequate aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
Pegmatite. |
| Deposits |
Mica Lode mine (MRDS dep_id: 10013530), Meyers mine, School Section mine, Border feldspar prospect, Colfelco No. 12 pegmatite, Consolidated Feldspar Corp, Devil's Hole quarry, Lorain pegmatite, RH Magnuson. |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
MRDS. |
| Geochemical evidence |
Pegmatite exposed at the surface. |
| Geophysical evidence |
No data. |
| Evidence from other sources |
No data. |
| Comments |
Mica Lode mine: low-grade but high-tonnage beryl deposit (Hanley and others, 1950). Scandium inferred from the mineral system/deposit type table (Hofstra and Kreiner, 2020). |
| Cover thickness and description |
Pegmatite exposed at the surface. |
| Authors |
Ryan D. Taylor, Joshua M. Rosera, V.J.S. (Tien) Grauch, Michael K. O'Keeffe. |
| New data needs |
1:24,000 scale geologic mapping. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
Need 1:24,000 scale geologic mapping for the Royal Gorge, Gribble Mountain, Rice Mountain, McIntyre Hills, Echo, Hillside, and Iron Mountain quadrangles. 1:65,000 scale reconnaissance geologic mapping exists for this area. Colorado Geological Survey is currently working on a 1:50,000 scale compilation geologic map of this area. |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
High resolution Rank 1 aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric survey may not work well with this deposit type, except if help is needed in geologic mapping of different petrologic characteristics. |
| Digital elevation data needs |
Lidar adequate. |
