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06990280017272263722431.jpg
Eastern end of Quartz Hill from Nevadaville, 23 July 2020

Quartz Hill, Central City Mining District, Gilpin County, Colorado, USA
07637790017272263733756.jpg
Western end of Quartz Hill from Nevadaville, 23 July 2020

Quartz Hill, Central City Mining District, Gilpin County, Colorado, USA
06990280017272263722431.jpg
Eastern end of Quartz Hill from Nevadaville, 23 July 2020

Quartz Hill, Central City Mining District, Gilpin County, Colorado, USA
07637790017272263733756.jpg
Western end of Quartz Hill from Nevadaville, 23 July 2020

Quartz Hill, Central City Mining District, Gilpin County, Colorado, USA
00054890017272263763725.jpg
Eastern end of Quartz Hill from Nevadaville, 23 July 2020

Quartz Hill, Central City Mining District, Gilpin County, Colorado, USA
07637790017272263733756.jpg
Western end of Quartz Hill from Nevadaville, 23 July 2020

Quartz Hill, Central City Mining District, Gilpin County, Colorado, USA
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
39° 47' 21'' North , 105° 31' 46'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Central City724 (2017)1.9km
Black Hawk125 (2017)3.2km
Idaho Springs1,728 (2017)5.4km
Downieville-Lawson-Dumont594 (2011)8.0km
Saint Marys283 (2011)10.5km
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
ClubLocationDistance
Flatirons Mineral ClubBoulder, Colorado33km
Mile High Rock and Mineral SocietyArvada, Colorado38km
Colorado Mineral SocietyLakewood, Colorado39km
Denver Gem and Mineral GuildDenver, Colorado47km
Friends of Mineralogy - Colorado Chapter Denver, Colorado47km
Mindat Locality ID:
145172
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:145172:9
GUID (UUID V4):
0


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.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity 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-localities

22 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded


Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

Bornite
Formula: Cu5FeS4
Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
Covellite
Formula: CuS
Enargite
Formula: Cu3AsS4
Fluorite
Formula: CaF2
Galena
Formula: PbS
Localities: Reported from at least 7 localities in this region.
Gypsum
Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O
Jarosite
Formula: KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
Johannite
Formula: Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O
Kaolinite
Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
'Limonite'
Marcasite
Formula: FeS2
Muscovite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Muscovite var. Sericite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Native Gold
Formula: Au
Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
Localities: Reported from at least 9 localities in this region.
Pyrrhotite
Formula: Fe1-xS
Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Localities: Reported from at least 7 localities in this region.
Quartz var. Chalcedony
Formula: SiO2
Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
Localities: Reported from at least 7 localities in this region.
'Tennantite Subgroup'
Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S
Torbernite
Formula: Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O
Uraninite
Formula: UO2
Uraninite var. Pitchblende
Formula: UO2
Zippeite
Formula: K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
Native Gold1.AA.05Au
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
Chalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
Bornite2.BA.15Cu5FeS4
Covellite2.CA.05aCuS
Sphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
Chalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
Pyrrhotite2.CC.10Fe1-xS
Galena2.CD.10PbS
Pyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Marcasite2.EB.10aFeS2
'Tennantite Subgroup'2.GB.05Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S
Enargite2.KA.05Cu3AsS4
Group 3 - Halides
Fluorite3.AB.25CaF2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
Quartz
var. Chalcedony
4.DA.05SiO2
4.DA.05SiO2
Uraninite
var. Pitchblende
4.DL.05UO2
4.DL.05UO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
Calcite5.AB.05CaCO3
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
Jarosite7.BC.10KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
Gypsum7.CD.40CaSO4 · 2H2O
Johannite7.EB.05Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O
Zippeite7.EC.05K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
Torbernite8.EB.05Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O
Group 9 - Silicates
Muscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
var. Sericite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kaolinite9.ED.05Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Unclassified
'Limonite'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
H GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
H JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
H JohanniteCu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O
H KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
H MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
H TorberniteCu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O
H ZippeiteK3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O
H Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CCarbon
C CalciteCaCO3
OOxygen
O CalciteCaCO3
O Quartz var. ChalcedonySiO2
O GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
O JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
O JohanniteCu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O
O KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
O MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
O Uraninite var. PitchblendeUO2
O QuartzSiO2
O TorberniteCu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O
O UraniniteUO2
O ZippeiteK3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O
O Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
FFluorine
F FluoriteCaF2
AlAluminium
Al KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Al MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Al Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SiSilicon
Si Quartz var. ChalcedonySiO2
Si KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Si MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Si QuartzSiO2
Si Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
PPhosphorus
P TorberniteCu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O
SSulfur
S BorniteCu5FeS4
S ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
S ChalcociteCu2S
S CovelliteCuS
S EnargiteCu3AsS4
S GalenaPbS
S GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
S JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
S JohanniteCu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O
S MarcasiteFeS2
S PyriteFeS2
S PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
S SphaleriteZnS
S Tennantite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S
S ZippeiteK3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O
KPotassium
K JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
K MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
K ZippeiteK3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O
K Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Ca CalciteCaCO3
Ca FluoriteCaF2
Ca GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
FeIron
Fe BorniteCu5FeS4
Fe ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Fe JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Fe MarcasiteFeS2
Fe PyriteFeS2
Fe PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
CuCopper
Cu BorniteCu5FeS4
Cu ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cu ChalcociteCu2S
Cu CovelliteCuS
Cu EnargiteCu3AsS4
Cu JohanniteCu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O
Cu Tennantite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S
Cu TorberniteCu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O
ZnZinc
Zn SphaleriteZnS
AsArsenic
As EnargiteCu3AsS4
As Tennantite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S
AuGold
Au Native GoldAu
PbLead
Pb GalenaPbS
UUranium
U JohanniteCu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O
U Uraninite var. PitchblendeUO2
U TorberniteCu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 12H2O
U UraniniteUO2
U ZippeiteK3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O

Localities in this Region

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