Mineral Evolution Database
Created and maintained by the Mineral Evolution Project in partnership with RRUFF and mindat.
Mineral locality data provided by mindat.org



The Mineral Evolution database is currently under development.

The goal of this page is to present localities at which the mineral is found, and estimates of the oldest possible geologic age of the minerals at these localities.


Locality Name:
Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USA

Oldest recorded age at locality: 1860
Youngest recorded age at locality: 48

mindat Locality ID: 6282
mindat URL: http://www.mindat.org/loc-6282.html

Tectonic Settings:

Total number of sublocalities beneath "Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USA": 0
Total number of bottom-level sublocalities: 0

Latitude: 39°50'41"N
Longitude: 105°16'50"W
Decimal Degree (lat, lon): 39.844722222222,-105.28055555556
AThis mineral is Anthropogenic.
GThis mineral is directly dated.
BThis mineral is reported as having this age.
YThis mineral is using an age reported as an element mineralization period.
OThis mineral is using an age calculated from all data at the locality.
RThe age displayed for this mineral originates from a different, non-child locality.
PThe age displayed for this mineral is the range of ages for this mineral at all of this locality's children.
This mineral's age has not yet been recorded.

This Mineral list contains entries from this locality, including sub-localities. Minerals in bold are reported by mindat.org as occurring directly at this locality, and do not occur at any children (sublocalities) of this locality.

Elements at this locality, including sub-localities: Al As Bi C Ca Cu F Fe H K Mg Mn Mo Ni O P Pb S Si U Zn 

Elements from minerals reported directly at this locality: Al As Bi C Ca Cu F Fe H K Mg Mn Mo Ni O P Pb S Si U Zn 

Structural Groups for minerals in this locality: 
AmorphousAmphiboleArsenopyriteAutuniteCalciteChalcopyriteClayCorundumCovelliteDigenite
EpsomiteFluoriteGarnetGypsumHydrotalciteJohanniteLöllingiteMarcasiteMicaMixite
MolybdeniteNickelineNonePyriteQuartzRocksaltSphaleriteTetrahedriteWoodwarditeZippeite
Zircon

42 IMA Minerals at location:
Almandine  (*)Ankerite  (*)Arsenopyrite  (*)Autunite  (*)Bayleyite  (*)
Bornite  (*)Calcite  (*)Chalcocite  (*)Chalcopyrite  (*)Coffinite  (*)
Covellite  (*)Digenite  (*)Dolomite  (*)Epsomite  (*)Fluorite  (*)
Galena  (*)Graphite  (*)Grunerite  (*)Gypsum  (*)Hematite  (*)
Johannite  (*)Jordisite  (*)Liebigite  (*)Marcasite  (*)Mixite  (*)
Molybdenite  (*)Muscovite  (*)Nickeline  (*)Pyrite  (*)Pyrrhotite  (*)
Quartz  (*)Rammelsbergite  (*)Siderite  (*)Spessartine  (*)Sphalerite  (*)
Swartzite  (*)Tennantite-(Fe)  (*)Torbernite  (*)Uraninite  (*)Uranophane-α  (*)
Woodwardite  (*)Zippeite  (*)
Mineral nameStructural GroupsIMA FormulaMax Age (Ma)Min Age (Ma)# of Sublocalities containing mineralLOCALITY IDs, not mindat ids# of localities containing mineral
Almandine  (*)GarnetFe2+3Al2(SiO4)318604802353
Ankerite  (*)NoneCa(Fe2+,Mg)(CO3)218604803092
Arsenopyrite  (*)ArsenopyriteFeAsS18604809052
Autunite  (*)AutuniteCa(UO2)2(PO4)2·10-12H2O70.468.201272
Bayleyite  (*)NoneMg2(UO2)(CO3)3·18H2O70.468.2038
Bornite  (*)NoneCu5FeS418604805516
Calcite  (*)CalciteCa(CO3)186048027770
Chalcocite  (*)NoneCu2S18604805707
Chalcopyrite  (*)ChalcopyriteCuFeS2186048027198
Coffinite  (*)ZirconU(SiO4)·nH2O70.468.20566
Covellite  (*)CovelliteCuS18604804165
Digenite  (*)DigeniteCu1.8S18604801027
Dolomite  (*)NoneCaMg(CO3)218604809895
Epsomite  (*)EpsomiteMg(SO4)·7H2O1860480484
Fluorite  (*)FluoriteCaF218604809617
Galena  (*)RocksaltPbS186048024243
Graphite  (*)NoneC18604802812
Grunerite  (*)Amphibole   Fe2+2Fe2+5Si8O22(OH)21860480223
Gypsum  (*)GypsumCa(SO4)·2H2O18604806890
Hematite  (*)CorundumFe2O3186048014640
Johannite  (*)JohanniteCu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2·8H2O70.468.2069
Jordisite  (*)AmorphousMoS21860480102
Liebigite  (*)NoneCa2(UO2)(CO3)3·11H2O70.468.2078
Marcasite  (*)MarcasiteFeS218604805674
Mixite  (*)MixiteCu6Bi(AsO4)3(OH)6·3H2O1860480168
Molybdenite  (*)MolybdeniteMoS218604805800
Muscovite  (*)Mica ClayKAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2186048017380
Nickeline  (*)NickelineNiAs1860480633
Pyrite  (*)PyriteFeS2186048039462
Pyrrhotite  (*)NickelineFe7S818604809056
Quartz  (*)QuartzSiO2186048061156
Rammelsbergite  (*)LöllingiteNiAs21860480233
Siderite  (*)CalciteFe(CO3)18604806417
Spessartine  (*)GarnetMn2+3Al2(SiO4)318604801214
Sphalerite  (*)SphaleriteZnS186048021482
Swartzite  (*)NoneCaMg(UO2)(CO3)3·12H2O70.468.204
Tennantite-(Fe)  (*)TetrahedriteCu6(Cu4Fe2)As4S1318604801803
Torbernite  (*)NoneCu(UO2)2(PO4)2·12H2O70.468.201059
Uraninite  (*)FluoriteUO270.468.202718
Uranophane-α  (*)NoneCa(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2·5H2O70.468.20890
Woodwardite  (*)Woodwardite Hydrotalcite(Cu1-xAlx)(SO4)x/2(OH)2·nH2O (x < 0.5, n < 3x/2)186048057
Zippeite  (*)ZippeiteK2[(UO2)4(SO4)2O2(OH)2](H2O)470.468.20175


Locality Notes from all Ages at Locality:
Age IDLocality Notes
Giersdorf_00000883The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US
Giersdorf_00000884The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US
Giersdorf_00000885The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US
Giersdorf_00000886The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US
Giersdorf_00000887The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US
Giersdorf_00000888The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US
Giersdorf_00000889The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US
Giersdorf_00000890The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US
Giersdorf_00000891The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US
Giersdorf_00000892The Schwarzwalder Mine was the largest producing vein-type uranium deposit in the US


10 Ages assigned to this locality:

Excel IDMax Age (Ma)Min Age (Ma)Age as listed in referenceDating MethodAge InterpretPrioritized?Sample SourceSample NumRun NumAge from other LocalityDated MineralMinerals explicitely stated as having this ageAge applies to these ElementsMinDat Locality IDDated Locality (Max Age)Location as listed in referenceReferenceReference DOIReference IDAge Notes
Giersdorf_0000088367.963.165.5±2.4K-Arage of Ralston dikebiotite     6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858Age of the closest intrusive body to the Schwarzwalder Mine
Giersdorf_0000088473.965.369.6±4.3U-Pb       6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858Pb206/Pb204 and U238/Pb204 Age
Giersdorf_00000885947082±12U-Pb       6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858Pb207/Pb204 and U235/Pb204 Age
Giersdorf_00000886785265±13U-Pb       6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858Pb206/Pb204 and U238/Pb204 Age
Giersdorf_00000887925272±20U-Pb       6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858Pb207/Pb204 and U235/Pb204 Age
Giersdorf_00000888815970±11U-Pb       6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858Pb206/Pb204 and U238/Pb204 Age
Giersdorf_00000889984873±25U-Pb       6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858Pb207/Pb204 and U235/Pb204 Age
Giersdorf_0000089070.468.269.3±1.1U-PbAge of Uranium oreshigh     U6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858Pb206/Pb204 and U238/Pb204 Age
Giersdorf_0000089172.267.669.9±2.3U-Pb       6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858Pb207/Pb204 and U235/Pb204 Age
Giersdorf_00000892186016001730±130 Age is given for the source age for the metals in the ores found in the mine      6282Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USASchwartzwalder MineLudwig et al. (1985)10.2113/gsecongeo.80.7.1858EG80_1858 

SampleSource LocalityReference URL
R050662Schwartzwalder Mine (Ralston Creek Mine), Ralston Buttes District, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USAhttps://rruff.info/R050662

All locality data graciously provided by mindat.org

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