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Quartz Hill, Central City Mining District (Central Mining District), Gilpin County, Colorado, USAi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Quartz Hill | Hill |
| Central City Mining District (Central Mining District) | Mining District |
| Gilpin County | County |
| Colorado | State |
| USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
39° 47' 21'' North , 105° 31' 46'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Central City | 724 (2017) | 1.9km |
| Black Hawk | 125 (2017) | 3.2km |
| Idaho Springs | 1,728 (2017) | 5.4km |
| Downieville-Lawson-Dumont | 594 (2011) | 8.0km |
| Saint Marys | 283 (2011) | 10.5km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Flatirons Mineral Club | Boulder, Colorado | 33km |
| Mile High Rock and Mineral Society | Arvada, Colorado | 38km |
| Colorado Mineral Society | Lakewood, Colorado | 39km |
| Denver Gem and Mineral Guild | Denver, Colorado | 47km |
| Friends of Mineralogy - Colorado Chapter | Denver, Colorado | 47km |
INTRODUCTION - Pitchblende was produced intermittently in the Central City district from 1872 to about 1916. The ore, some of which contained as much as 70% U3O8, came chiefly from four veins, the German-Belcher, the Kirk, the Wood and the Calhoun. Although few production figures are available, it is estimated that several hundred tons of uranium ore has been shipped from the district.
GEOLOGY - The pitchblende bearing veins on Quartz Hill are, for the most part, in medium-grained granite gneiss of pre-Cambrian age. The gneiss is light to medium gray on fresh surfaces and weathers to a reddish brown. The gneiss is exposed in an area about 4 miles long and 1.5 miles wide and is surrounded by quartz-biotite schist of the Idaho Springs formation.
ORE DEPOSITS - Most known pitchblende deposits in the Central City district are on Quartz Hill in an area half a mile square. These deposits occur in gold and silver bearing veins that follow east or northeast striking faults. Pitchblende occurs in small lenses, streaks and stringers mostly on the hanging-wall side of the veins. In the Kirk mine, which contained the largest known deposit in the area, pitchblende was distributed through a vertical distance of 350 ft, but most of the ore, some containing as much as 70% to 80% uranium was found in the upper 250 ft.
GEOLOGY - The pitchblende bearing veins on Quartz Hill are, for the most part, in medium-grained granite gneiss of pre-Cambrian age. The gneiss is light to medium gray on fresh surfaces and weathers to a reddish brown. The gneiss is exposed in an area about 4 miles long and 1.5 miles wide and is surrounded by quartz-biotite schist of the Idaho Springs formation.
ORE DEPOSITS - Most known pitchblende deposits in the Central City district are on Quartz Hill in an area half a mile square. These deposits occur in gold and silver bearing veins that follow east or northeast striking faults. Pitchblende occurs in small lenses, streaks and stringers mostly on the hanging-wall side of the veins. In the Kirk mine, which contained the largest known deposit in the area, pitchblende was distributed through a vertical distance of 350 ft, but most of the ore, some containing as much as 70% to 80% uranium was found in the upper 250 ft.
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Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region.Mineral List
Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities22 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities
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Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| ⓘ | Chalcocite | 2.BA.05 | Cu2S |
| ⓘ | Bornite | 2.BA.15 | Cu5FeS4 |
| ⓘ | Covellite | 2.CA.05a | CuS |
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
| ⓘ | Pyrrhotite | 2.CC.10 | Fe1-xS |
| ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | Marcasite | 2.EB.10a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | 'Tennantite Subgroup' | 2.GB.05 | Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S |
| ⓘ | Enargite | 2.KA.05 | Cu3AsS4 |
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
| ⓘ | Fluorite | 3.AB.25 | CaF2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Quartz var. Chalcedony | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 | |
| ⓘ | Uraninite var. Pitchblende | 4.DL.05 | UO2 |
| ⓘ | 4.DL.05 | UO2 | |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| ⓘ | Jarosite | 7.BC.10 | KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| ⓘ | Gypsum | 7.CD.40 | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| ⓘ | Johannite | 7.EB.05 | Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O |
| ⓘ | Zippeite | 7.EC.05 | K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| ⓘ | Torbernite | 8.EB.05 | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Muscovite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | var. Sericite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ | Kaolinite | 9.ED.05 | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Limonite' | - | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| H | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| H | ⓘ Johannite | Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O |
| H | ⓘ Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| H | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| H | ⓘ Zippeite | K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O |
| H | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Chalcedony | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| O | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| O | ⓘ Johannite | Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O |
| O | ⓘ Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Uraninite var. Pitchblende | UO2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| O | ⓘ Uraninite | UO2 |
| O | ⓘ Zippeite | K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Chalcedony | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Kaolinite | Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4 |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| S | ⓘ Covellite | CuS |
| S | ⓘ Enargite | Cu3AsS4 |
| S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| S | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| S | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| S | ⓘ Johannite | Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O |
| S | ⓘ Marcasite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Pyrrhotite | Fe1-xS |
| S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| S | ⓘ Tennantite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S |
| S | ⓘ Zippeite | K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| K | ⓘ Zippeite | K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Ca | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| Fe | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Jarosite | KFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| Fe | ⓘ Marcasite | FeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrrhotite | Fe1-xS |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| Cu | ⓘ Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| Cu | ⓘ Covellite | CuS |
| Cu | ⓘ Enargite | Cu3AsS4 |
| Cu | ⓘ Johannite | Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O |
| Cu | ⓘ Tennantite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S |
| Cu | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| As | Arsenic | |
| As | ⓘ Enargite | Cu3AsS4 |
| As | ⓘ Tennantite Subgroup | Cu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S |
| Au | Gold | |
| Au | ⓘ Native Gold | Au |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
| U | Uranium | |
| U | ⓘ Johannite | Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O |
| U | ⓘ Uraninite var. Pitchblende | UO2 |
| U | ⓘ Torbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O |
| U | ⓘ Uraninite | UO2 |
| U | ⓘ Zippeite | K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O |
Localities in this Region
- Colorado
- Gilpin County
- Central City Mining District (Central Mining District)
- Gilpin County
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North AmericaContinent
- Rocky MountainsMountain Range
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Great Plains DomainDomain
- Southern Rocky MountainsOrogenic Belt
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References
Quartz Hill, Central City Mining District, Gilpin County, Colorado, USA