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Mineral Resource Potential and Geology of the Routt National Forest and the Middle Park Ranger District of the Arapaho National Forest, Colorado U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1610 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resource Potential and Geology of the Routt National Forest and the Middle Park Ranger District of the Arapaho National Forest, Colorado Edited by Viki Bankey, Sandra J. Soulliere, and Margo I. Toth U.S. Geological Survey With a section on Salable Minerals By John S. Dersch U.S. Forest Service T OF U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1610 EN TH TM E R I A N P T E E D R . I O S . R Supersedes U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-82 U M 9 A 8 4 R C H 3, 1 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 2000 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Charles G. Groat, Director For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services Box 25286, Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mineral resource potential and geology of the Routt National Forest and the Middle Park Ranger District of the Arapaho National Forest, Colorado / edited by Viki Bankey, Sandra J. Soulliere, Margo I. Toth ; with a section on Salable Minerals by John S. Dersch. p. cm. — (U.S. Geological Survey professional paper ; 1610) Includes bibliographical references. 1. Mines and mineral resources—Colorado—Arapaho National Forest. 2. Geology—Colorado—Arapaho National Forest. I. Bankey, Viki. II. Soulliere, Sandra J. III. Toth, Margo I. IV. Series. TN24.C6 M56 2000 553′.09788′65—dc21 99-056293 CIP CONTENTS Summary .........................................................................................................................1 Character and Geologic Setting .............................................................................. 1 Mineral Resources................................................................................................... 2 Energy Resources.................................................................................................... 2 Undiscovered Mineral and Energy Resources ........................................................ 3 Locatable Minerals.......................................................................................... 3 Leasable Minerals ........................................................................................... 8 Salable Minerals.............................................................................................. 8 Quantitative Assessment of Metallic Resources Using Grade-Tonnage Models ... 8 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 9 Geographic Setting.................................................................................................. 9 Methods for Identifying Favorable Areas for Undiscovered Mineral Resources ... 9 Previous Assessments ............................................................................................. 11 Acknowledgments................................................................................................... 12 Geology........................................................................................................................... 13 By Margo I. Toth and Sandra J. Souilliere Geologic History ..................................................................................................... 13 Description of Rock Units....................................................................................... 13 Proterozoic Rocks ........................................................................................... 13 Paleozoic Rocks .............................................................................................. 14 Mesozoic Rocks ............................................................................................. 14 Middle Tertiary Rocks .................................................................................... 15 Late Cretaceous and Tertiary Rocks ............................................................... 15 Quaternary and Pliocene(?) Unconsolidated Deposits.................................... 15 Colorado Mineral Belt............................................................................................. 15 Structural Geology .................................................................................................. 17 Geochemistry ................................................................................................................. 19 By Steven M. Smith Geochemical Surveys.............................................................................................. 19 Method of Study...................................................................................................... 19 Results..................................................................................................................... 21 Hahns Peak Mining District............................................................................ 21 Cam Claims Area ............................................................................................ 21 Henderson-Urad Molybdenum Area............................................................... 21 Mt. Cumulus.................................................................................................... 21 Vasquez Peak Molybdenum Anomalous Area ............................................... 21 Bear Creek–Lone Pine Creek Anomalous Area.............................................. 21 Elkhorn Mine Area.......................................................................................... 21 Red Canyon–Crystal Mining District.............................................................. 22 Spring Claims Area......................................................................................... 22 Diamond Park Area......................................................................................... 22 Beaver Creek Area (Farwell Mountain Mining District)................................ 22 Dailey (Atlantic) Mining District.................................................................... 22 King Solomon Mine Area (Farwell Mountain Mining District)..................... 22 La Plata Mining District.................................................................................. 22 Teller Mining District ..................................................................................... 22 Red Elephant Mountain Area.......................................................................... 23 Beaver Creek–Norris Creek Area ................................................................... 23 III IV CONTENTS Beaver Creek Area.......................................................................................... 23 Spencer Heights Area ..................................................................................... 23 Greenville Mine Area ..................................................................................... 23 Lower Slavonia Mining District ..................................................................... 23 Upper Slavonia Mining District...................................................................... 23 Pearl Mining District....................................................................................... 24 Poison Ridge Area (A.O. Porphyry Copper Deposit)..................................... 24 Peak 9731–Elkhorn Complex Area ................................................................ 24 Big Creek Area ............................................................................................... 24 Continental Divide–Fish Creek Reservoir Anomalous Area.......................... 24 Morrison Creek–Beaver Creek Anomalous Area ........................................... 24 Other Occurrences .......................................................................................... 24 Geophysical Studies........................................................................................................ 27 By Viki Bankey and James A. Pitkin Previous Studies...................................................................................................... 27 Gravity Data............................................................................................................ 27 Aeromagnetic Data ................................................................................................. 27 Physical Properties of Rocks .................................................................................. 32 Interpretations of Gravity and Magnetic Data ........................................................ 35 Regional Features............................................................................................ 35 Park and Gore Ranges and the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Area........................... 36 Mt. Zirkel and Northern Park Range .............................................................. 37 Southern Park Range and Gore Range............................................................ 38 Medicine Bow Mountains and Rawah Wilderness Area ................................ 39 Rabbit Ears Range and Never Summer Mountains ........................................ 39 Comanche-Neota-Never Summer Study Areas .............................................. 39 Williams Fork Mountains, Vasquez