RockWoofSketch map
Woof’s favorite find
Ajax Mine
We picked it because its USGS record mentions 5 gem or collectible minerals (Quartz, Gold, Agate, Fluorite, Silver) and 7 of our card minerals overall. No other named site here scores as high on both counts. USGS lists it as plant for Gold. Minerals mentioned: Quartz, Gold, Agate, Pyrite, Galena, Fluorite, Silver. Approx. location 38.716, -105.144. USGS record.
Ask first: a USGS record doesn’t mean you can visit. Find out who owns the land and get permission before collecting.
Field cards: what kind of sites?
Produced ore or material at some point in the past.
Was producing when the record was made.
The mineral was noted here, without development.
Explored or test-dug, with no recorded production.
A processing plant site.
Status not recorded.
Status terms come from USGS MRDS records.
Mineral cards
Gold
Mohs 2.5–3. Soft, heavy and bright yellow; it doesn’t tarnish. Mindat
515 sites
Fluorite
Mohs 4. Cubes in purple, green or yellow; many glow under UV. Mindat
30 sites
Quartz
Mohs 7. Six-sided points; smoky quartz is NH’s state gem. Mindat
24 sites
Silver
Mohs 2.5–3. Native silver tarnishes black. Mindat
20 sites
Pyrite
Mohs 6–6.5. Brassy “fool’s gold,” often cubic. Mindat
17 sites
Feldspar
Mohs 6–6.5. Blocky crystals with flat cleavage faces. Mindat
12 sites
Mica
Mohs 2–3. Peels into thin, flexible, shiny sheets. Mindat
3 sites
Agate
Mohs 6.5–7. Banded, translucent chalcedony. Mindat
2 sites
Counts are sites whose USGS record mentions the mineral or commodity. Hardness from Mindat.
Minerals recorded here
Uraninite 6Coffinite 5Gold 4Calaverite 3Fluorite 2Turquoise 2Wolframite 1Apatite 1Beryl 1Columbite 1Feldspar 1Microlite 1Commodities
Gold 500Silver 11Uranium 10Feldspar 8Fluorine-Fluorite 5Beryllium 4Tungsten 2Gemstone 2Nickel 2Titanium 2Sites (first 40)
| Site | Commodity | Minerals recorded | Status | Approx. location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snow Flake Mine | REE, Feldspar | Allanite, Fergusonite, Thalenite, Zircon | Producer | 39.064, -105.138 |
| Black Cloud Mine | Feldspar | Apatite, Beryl, Columbite, Feldspar, Fluorite, Microlite, Pyrochlore, Quartz, Tantalite | Producer | 38.938, -105.213 |
| Cripple Creek District | Gold | Calaverite, Gold, Sylvanite, Turquoise, Krennerite | Producer | 38.733, -105.150 |
| Cresson Mine (new surface mine) | Gold | Calaverite, Pyrite, Gold | Producer | 38.727, -105.144 |
| Mary McKinney | Gold | Calaverite, Tetrahedrite | Past Producer | 38.729, -105.163 |
| School Section Claim | Uranium | Coffinite, Uraninite | Occurrence | 38.710, -105.280 |
| Mcvey Lease | Uranium | Coffinite, Uraninite | Occurrence | 38.722, -105.282 |
| High Park Prospect | Uranium | Coffinite, Uraninite | Occurrence | 38.265, -105.709 |
| Curtis, Thorpe and Green Lease | Uranium | Coffinite, Uraninite | Occurrence | 38.718, -105.282 |
| Abril Nos 2, 6, 8 Prospect | Uranium | Coffinite, Uraninite | Occurrence | 38.725, -105.267 |
| Unnamed Mine | Fluorine-Fluorite, Zirconium | Fluorite | Producer | 38.938, -105.117 |
| Victor project | Gold | Gold | Past Producer | 38.743, -105.150 |
| Arnold and American Eagle | Gold | Gold | Occurrence | 38.733, -105.134 |
| Snowflake Mine | Feldspar | Microcline | Past Producer | 39.063, -105.139 |
| Round Top, Peacock, Rp Lodes | Silver, Copper, Gold, Radium | Pitchblende | Occurrence | 38.977, -105.101 |
| Florence Lode Claim | Gemstone | Turquoise | Producer | 38.745, -105.175 |
| Abril 8 | Uranium | Uraninite | Producer | 38.716, -105.268 |
| Heavystone Prospect | Tungsten | Wolframite | Past Producer | 38.746, -104.954 |
| Comanche Group | Beryllium | — | Producer | 38.744, -104.961 |
| Crystal Peak Topaz Prospects | Gemstone, Feldspar | — | Prospect | 38.996, -105.289 |
| Emma L Mine | Nickel, Titanium, Metal | — | Producer | 38.901, -105.145 |
| Tracie Group | Beryllium | — | Producer | 38.775, -105.042 |
| Mcvey | Uranium | — | Occurrence | 38.716, -105.286 |
| School Section | Uranium | — | Occurrence | 38.702, -105.286 |
| Genevieve | Uranium | — | Occurrence | 38.818, -105.157 |
| War Eagle | Gold | — | Occurrence | 39.049, -105.134 |
| Tropic Placer | Gold | — | Occurrence | 39.035, -105.157 |
| C.K. & N. Lode, El Paso, Moon Anchor | Gold, Silver | — | Producer | 38.720, -105.171 |
| Lone Star | Gold | — | Occurrence | 39.121, -105.138 |
| Minniek | Gold | — | Occurrence | 39.121, -105.157 |
| Phonolite Mtn. | Uranium | — | Occurrence | 38.820, -105.155 |
| Maranville, Mumper Placers | Gold | — | Occurrence | 39.006, -105.157 |
| Quartz Lode, Dands #2 Feldspar Quarry | Feldspar, Fluorine-Fluorite, REE | — | Producer | 39.078, -105.286 |
| Flourine Mining Claim Ms#9800 | Gold | — | Producer | 38.775, -105.184 |
| Mollie Gibson | Gold | — | Past Producer | 38.722, -105.164 |
| Swanson | Gold | — | Past Producer | 38.728, -105.128 |
| Banner Mine | Gold | — | Past Producer | 38.718, -105.175 |
| Golden Cycle Mill | Gold | — | Occurrence | 38.723, -105.126 |
| Mackin | Gold | — | Past Producer | 38.732, -105.133 |
| Battle Mountain Tunnel | Gold | — | Past Producer | 38.719, -105.142 |
Fossil collections
The Paleobiology Database lists 61 fossil collection records in Teller County. These are research records, not public dig sites.
Nearby counties
El Paso County · Pueblo County · Fremont County · Douglas County · Custer County
Colorado mineral guides
- Beryl in Colorado
- Tourmaline in Colorado
- Quartz in Colorado
- Garnet in Colorado
- Gold in Colorado
- Mica in Colorado
Back to all Colorado counties.
How we built this page: we counted named sites in the USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) for this area, left out sand, gravel, crushed stone, clay pits and unnamed sites, grouped them by Census county, and linked every site to its USGS record. We did not visit these sites, and MRDS does not tell you who owns the land or whether collecting is allowed.
Source: USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS). USGS ceased systematic updates to MRDS around 2011, so status and details may be out of date. Each site links to its USGS record.
Updated