Photographs of Historical Mining Operations in Colorado and Utah from the U.S. Geological Survey Library

By Joseph K. McGregor and Carl Abston

OVERVIEW

DDS-12 provides literal snapshot views of Colorado and Utah mining operations, generally before 1980. It supports environmental and historical research by providing access to the mostly unpublished photographs in the U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library (USGS) collection in Denver. This material is provided to answer requests from government and historical researchers for visual documentation applicable to their current research.

The photographs were originally taken to support USGS reports on mineral resources in various mining districts or locales. The images provide a thorough search of the Photographic Library card catalog for Colorado and Utah mining operations. The database includes only views cataloged prior to 1990. For newer material or assistance, you are encouraged to visit the Photographic Library.

Captions reflect USGS research needs. USGS published captions are given preference and referenced to the publication. Otherwise captions are those provided by the geologist at the time of transfer to the library.

Circa dates may be inaccurate by as many as 5 years. Stratigraphic nomenclature is that used at the time the photograph was deposited.

DDS-12 is part of the ongoing work of the Survey to provide earth science information for the "common defense and general welfare," as stated in the Organic Act of 1879.

The Photographic Library has its origins in J.K. Hillers' Geological Survey Photographic Laboratory of the 1880's. Between 1900 and 1946, a major portion of the collection resided in the Topographic Division as part of the Map Reproduction Section. In 1946, the collection was transferred to the Survey's Library in Washington, D.C., and was moved to Denver in 1954.

The first attempt at cataloging the collection was made around 1900 by a committee of geologists chaired by N.H. Darton. This committee established the use of State-County (Country-Province) as the main finding system. This system and the geologist-photographer filing system have been maintained. In the mid-1950's, a librarian began systematically cataloging photographs using an accepted glossary of geologic terms and Library of Congress Headings.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We gratefully acknowledge Nelson H. Darton, who first began to catalog the Geological Survey's Photographic Laboratory's collection about 1900. Many of the subjects currently in use are directly related to his committee's work.

We acknowledge Marjorie E. Dalechek, a former Photographic Librarian, who dedicated 25 years to establishing cataloging, preservation, and customer procedures and without whom this collection probably would not exist.

We gratefully acknowledge the Geological Survey scientists who diligently provided both photographs and captions when they deposited their material with the Library or Photographic Laboratory during the past 100 years.

We thank Nancy Papazian and Frances Steele, Volunteers for Science, for their many hours of word-processing the photo captions from the various albums into our system.

We thank all the senior Geological Survey managers, scientists and others who directly and indirectly supported this project.

REFERENCES

Some photographs included in this collection were published in the following U.S. Geological Survey publications. This list is provided to assist users in finding additional Geological Survey information on mining in Colorado and Utah.

Beekly, A.L., 1915, Geology and coal resources of North Park, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 596.

http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b596

Boutwell, J.M., and Keith, A., 1905, Economic geology of Bingham mining district, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 38.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp38

Bromfield, C.S., and Williams, F.E., 1972, Mineral resources of the Wilson Mountains Primitive Area, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1353-A.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1353A

Davidson, E.S., 1967, Geology of Circle Cliffs area, Garfield and Kane Counties, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1229.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1229

Eckel, E.B., 1949, Geology and ore deposits of the La Plata district, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 219.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp219

Fischer, R.P., 1960, Vanadium-uranium deposits of the Rifle Creek area, Garfield County, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1101.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1101

Fisher, D.J., 1936, The Book Cliffs coal field in Emery and Grand Counties, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 852.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b852

Gregory, H.E., and Moore, R.C., 1931, The Kaiparowits region, a geographic and geologic reconnaissance of parts of Utah and Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 164.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp164

Hail, Jr., W.J., 1968, Geology of southwestern North Park and vicinity, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1257.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1257

Hunt, C.B., 1953, Geology and geography of the Henry Mountains region, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 228.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp228

Lee, W.T., 1912, Coal fields of Grand Mesa and the West Elk Mountains, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 510.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b510

Lindgren, W., and Loughlin, G.F., 1919, Geology and ore deposits of the Tintic mining district, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 107.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp107

Lindgren, W., and Ransome, F.L., 1906, Geology and gold deposits of the Cripple Creek district, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 54.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp54

Lupton, C.T., 1916, Geology and coal resources of Castle Valley in Carbon, Emery and Sevier Counties, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 628.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b628

Morris, H.T., and Lovering T.S., 1979, General geology and mines of the East Tintic mining district, Utah and Juab Counties, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1024.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp1024

Osterwald, F.W., 1965, Structural control of uranium-bearing vein deposits and districts in the conterminous United States: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 455-G.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp455G

Ransome, F.L., 1911, Geology and ore deposits of the Breckenridge district, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 75.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp75

Richardson, G.B., 1909, Reconnaissance of the Book Cliffs coal field between Grand River, Colorado and Sunnyside, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 371.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b371

Steele, T.D., and Hillier, D.E., eds., 1981, Assessment of impacts of proposed coal-resource and related economic development on water resources, Yampa River basin, Colorado and Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 839.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/cir839

Steven, T.A., Schmitt, Jr., L.J., and others, 1969, Mineral resources of the San Juan Primitive Area, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1261-F.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1261F

Steven, T.A., and Bieniewski, C.L., 1977, Mineral resources of the La Garita Wilderness, San Juan Mountains, southwestern Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1420.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1420

Thurston, W.R., Staatz, M.H., Cox, D.C., and others, 1954, Fluorspar deposits of Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1005.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1005

Tweto, O., and Bryant, B.H., 1970, Mineral resources of the Gore Range-Eagle Nest Primitive Area and vicinity, Summit and Eagle Counties, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1319-C.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1319C

Van Alstine, R.E., 1969, Geology and mineral deposits of the Poncha Springs Northeast quadrangle, Chaffee County, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 626.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp626

Vanderwilt, J.W., 1938, Geology and mineral deposits of the Snowmass Mountain area, Gunnison County, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 884.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b884

Winchester, D.E., 1919, Oil shale of the Uinta Basin, northeastern Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 691-B.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b691B

Winchester, D.E., 1929, Oil shale of the Rocky Mountain region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 729.

https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b729

DISCLAIMER

This publication was prepared by an agency of the United State Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed, or implied or assumes legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United State Government or any agency thereof. Any view and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

Although all data included in this publication have been used by the USGS, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data and related materials and or the functioning of the software. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of the data, software or related materials.

COPYRIGHT RELEASE

All photographs on this collection are in the public domain; therefore, no copyright release or permission is needed for the reproduction or transfer of these images to another medium.

PHOTOGRAPH CREDIT LINES

Photograph credit for photocopy or photographic reprints should be to both the individual or subject collection named in the identification portion of the caption and to the USGS. Electronically transferred images may be credited simply to this U.S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series (DDS-12).