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Mcelmo Creek Area

Producer in Montezuma county in Colorado, United States with commodities Carbon Dioxide, Natural Gas, Petroleum (Oil), Uranium, Vanadium, Copper, Silver, Manganese, Gold
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Alteration
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Geologic structures
  12. Controls for ore emplacement
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Mining district
  15. Land status
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10014208
MRDS ID D010878
Record type Site
Current site name Mcelmo Creek Area
Alternate or previous names Ute Mountains Area, Mcelmo Field

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -108.77845, 37.2839 (WGS84)
Elevation 3041
Relative position 6 TO 16 MILES N 77 W TO 10 TO 17 MILES S 43 W FROM CORTEZ

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Montezuma(county)

Colorado(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Battle Rock(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Cortez(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Cortez(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

McElmo(hydrologic unit)

Lower San Juan(hydrologic accounting unit)

San Juan(hydrologic subregion)

Upper Colorado(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

BIA(Federal land areas administered by BIA)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Colorado Montezuma

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
New Mexico 036N;036N;035N;035N 017W;018W;017W;018W Colorado

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Carbon Dioxide Primary
Natural Gas Primary
Petroleum (Oil) Primary
Uranium Secondary
Vanadium Critical Secondary
Copper Tertiary
Silver Tertiary
Manganese Critical Tertiary
Gold Tertiary

Comments on the commodity information

  • CU PITCH ORE DEFINED AS MIXTURE OF TENORITE, CHRYSOCOLLA, LIMONITE, MALACHITE, AND PYROLUSITE

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Carnotite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Analcime Gangue
Barite Gangue
Chabazite Gangue
Chrysocolla Gangue
Gypsum Gangue
Hematite Gangue
Heulandite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Malachite Gangue
Marcasite Gangue
Natrolite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Pyrolusite Gangue
Stilbite Gangue
Tenorite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) See Comments

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Quartz Monzonite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Paleocene
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Gabbro
    Rock unit name Diorite Porphyry;Granodiorite Porphyry
    Rock description Diorite Porphyry;Granodiorite Porphyry
  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Porphyry > Lamprophyre
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Shale
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Sandstone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Conglomerate
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone
    Rock unit name Entrada Sandstone, Summerville And Morrison Formations;Burro Canyon Formation And Mancos Shale
    Rock description Entrada Sandstone, Summerville And Morrison Formations;Burro Canyon Formation And Mancos Shale
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Dolomite

Nearby scientific data

(1) -108.77845, 37.2839
ListMap

Economic information

Geologic structures

Type of structure Regional
Structure description Paradox Basin, Blanding Basin, Four Corners Platform, San Juan Basin
Type of structure Local
Structure description Domes: Ute, Mcelmo, Sentinel Peak, Towaoc; Stocks: Ute Peak, Black Mountain, The Knees; Bysmaliths: Mable Mountain, Sentinel Peak, West Toe; Laccolith Clusters: Yucca, Sun Dance, West Toe; Sill Cluster: Pine Creek; Laccoliths: Banded, East Horse, Flat, Horse Mountain, Irwin, Last Spring, Mushroom, North Black Mountain, North Ute Peak, Pack Trail, Razorback, Sundance, The Buttes, Three Forks, Tongue, Trapdoor

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Fractures And Favorable Permeability In Subsurface Clastics And Carbonates In Mcelmo Structural Dome (Gas, Co2); Carbonized Plant Detritus In Mudstone Conglomerate Channel-Fill (Karla Kay Mine); Permeable Sandstone Along Bounding Normal Faults In Graben (Cliff House Prospects)

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Both
Deposit size Small
Significant No

Mining district

District name Mcelmo Creek (Ute Mountains) Area

Land status

Ownership category Federal

Comments on the production information

  • ALL U AND V PRODUCTION ATTRIBUTED TO KARLA KAY MINE. PRODUCTION OF NATURAL GAS, CO2, AND OIL FROM AS MANY AS 14 WELLS DEVELOPED SINCE 1944 FIELD DISCOVERY THROUGH 1979.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface/Underground
    Overall depth 2462.78M

Comments on the workings information

  • METAL MINES AND PROSPECTS DEVELOPED BY OPEN CUTS AND SHORT DRIFTS; GAS DEVELOPED BY WELLS 1500 TO 8080 FT DEEP.

Comments on development

  • UTE MOUNTAINS LACCOLITHS STUDIED IN HAYDEN SURVEY IN 1870S AND LATER BY CROSS (1894) ALONG WITH OTHER LACCOLITHIC MOUNTAINS OF SW COLORADO AND SE UTAH. COFFIN STUDIED RADIOACTIVE DEPOSITS OF SW COLORADO IN 1914-18 AND DESCRIBED "COFFIN" PROSPECT AND BATTLE ROCK CU PROSPECT. ALSO IN 1918, COFFIN DESCRIBED MCELMO ANTICLINE AS PART OF STUDY EXAMINING POSSIBLE OIL-PRODUCING AREAS IN STATE AND CITED DRILLING OF OIL PROSPECT WELL IN 1911 IN RESPONSE TO EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES IN REGION. WELL HAD SHOWS OF OIL AND GAS BUT WAS ABANDONED DUE TO TOOLS BECOMING OBSTRUCTED IN HOLE. PRINCIPAL U/V PROSPECTS (CLIFF HOUSE AND KARLA KAY) PROBABLY LOCATED DURING U BOOM OF 1950S. MCELMO FIELD GAS DISCOVERIES MADE IN 1944 AND WELLS COMPLETED IN 1948 (WESTERN NATURAL GAS' 1 MACINTOSH AND 1 SCHMIDT). OTHER WELLS COMPLETED IN 1954, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1976, 1978, 1979. AT LEAST AS LATE AS EARLY 1960S, CO2 WAS PROCESSED AT DRY ICE PPLANT ON MCELMO CREEK SOUTH OF MACINTOSH WELL.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    EKREN, E.B., AND HOUSER, F.M., 1965, GEOLOGY AND PETROLOGY OF THE UTE MOUNTAINS AREA, COLORADO: USGS PROF. PAPER 481, 74 P.

  • Deposit

    NELSON-,OORE, J.L., AND OTHERS, 1978, RADIOACTIVE MINERAL OCCURRENCES OF COLORADO AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: CGS BULL. 40, P. 281-282.

  • Deposit

    COFFIN, R.C., 1920, RADIUM, URANIUM, AND VANADIUM DEPOSITS OF SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO: CGS BULL. 16, P. 144, 215-216, 221,225.

  • Deposit

    SHOEMAKER, E.M., AND NEWMAN, W.L., 1953, UTE MOUNTAINS, A LACCOLITHIC FEATURE IN SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO (ABS.): GSA BULL., V. 64, NO. 12, PT. 2, P. 1555.

  • Deposit

    CROSS, WHITMAN, 1894, THE LACCOLITHIC MOUNTAIN GROUPS OF COLORADO, UTAH, AND ARIZONA: USGS 14TH ANN. REPT., PT. 2, P. 211-214

  • Deposit

    HAYNES, D.D., AND OTHERS, 1972, GEOLOGY, STRUCTURE, AND URANIUM DEPOSITS OF THE CORTEZ QUADRAMGLE, COLORADO AND UTAH: USGS MAP I-629.

  • Deposit

    EKREN, E.B., AND HOUSER, F.N, 1957, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SENTINEL PEAK NW QUADRANGLE, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP MF-132.

  • Deposit

    EKREN, E.B., AND HOUSER, F.N., 1959, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SENTINEL PEAK NE QUADRANGLE, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP MF-224.

  • Deposit

    EKREN, E.B., AND HOUSER, F.N., 1959, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE MOQUI SE QUADRANGLE, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP MF-221.

  • Deposit

    ELREN, E.B., AND HOUSER, F.N., 1959, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE CORTEZ SW QUADRANGLE, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP MF-217.

  • Production

    NELSON-MOORE AND OTHERS, 1978 (U3O8 AND V2O5); COLORADO OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMM. ANN. PRODUCTION RECORDS (GAS, CO2, OIL)

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit (MISSISSIPPIAN), 7558-7720, CO2; (N) AMERIGAS, 3 SCHMIDT, SW NW 24/36N/18W, 12/20/79, 1543, SHINARUMP (TRIASSIC), 1467-1501, CO2. ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: (11) HOUSER, F.N., AND EKREN, E.B., 1959, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE MOQUI SW QUADRANGLE, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO: USGS MAP MF-216; (12) KRIVANEX, C.C., 1978, MCELMO (CO2, OIL, AND GAS), IN FASSETT, J.E., AND OTHERS, EDS., OIL AND GAS FIELDS OF THE FOUR CORNERS AREA: FOUR CORNERS GEOL. SOC., P. 148-151; (13) KUHN, P.J., ED., MCELMO DOME, IN OIL AND GAS IN THE FOUR CORNERS: AMARILLO, TX, NATIONAL PETROLEUM BIBLIOGRAPHY, P. 120-121; (14) MERCURIO, R.N., 1962,MCELMO FIELD, IN PARKER, J.M., AND OTHERS, EDS., COLORADO-NEBRASKA OIL AND GAS FIELDS COLUME: RMAG, P. 194-195; (15) ZABEL, V.H., 1955, GEOLOGY OF MCELMO DOME, MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO, IN GEOLOGY OF PARTS OF PARADOX, BLACK MESA, AND SAN JUAN BASINS: FOUR CORNERS GEOL. GUIDEBOOK, P. 132-136; (16) COLORADO OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMM. ANN. PRODUCTION RECORDS; (17) PI
Deposit COMPLETION CARDS. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT
Deposit UTE MTNS FORMED THROUGH DOMING OF MESOZOIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS OVER LATE CRETACEOUS TO TERTIARY, HYPABYSSAL, DIFFERENTIATED, CALC-ALKALINE IGNEOUS SEQUENCE CHARACTERIZED BY EARLY MICROGABBRO THROUGH DIORITE AND GRANODIORITE PORPHYRIES TO LATE QUARTZ MONZONITE PORPHYRY AND LAMPROPHYRE. FORCIBLE INTRUSION AND DOMING SHOWN BY SEVERAL MAIN STOCKS AND BYSMALITHS, AND ATTENDANT NUMEROUS LACCOLITHS, SILLS, AND MINOR DIKES. AT SURFACE, LACCOLITHS INTRUDE MOSTLY MANCOS SHALE AND DAKOTA SANDSTONE. MAIN UPLIFT IS UTE DOME, CIRCULAR DOME WHOSE WEST SIDE MERGES INTO WEST- AND SW-PLUNGING FOLDS. SMALLER SENTINEL PEAK AND TOWAOC DOMES LIE ON SE FLANK. TWO NE-TRENDING FAULT ZONES RADIATE FROM SW FLANK OF DOME, AND PRINCIPAL ZONE OF NE-TRENDING FAULTS IS CONCENTRIC OR TANGENTIAL TO NW SIDE, MERGING INTO SW FLANK OF MCELMO DOME. NORTH OF UTE DOME, MCELMO IS ASYMMETRICAL (STEEPEST ON SOUTH) STRUCTURAL DOME, STAR-SHAPED PASSING INTO FIVE ANTICLINES. ALTHOUGH ONLY JURASSIC AND CRETACEOUS ROCKS EXPOSED AT
Deposit SURFACE, DOME IS PROBABLY UNDERLAIN BY INTRUSIVE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN UTE MTNS. NATURAL GAS, CO2, AND OIL DEVELOPED IN MISSISSIPPIAN TO TRIASSIC SUBSURFACE FORMATIONS IN MCELMO DOME AT DEPTHS FROM 1500 TO 8000 FT. OIL PRODUCED FROM LIMESTONE IN PARADOX FM (PENNSYLVANIAN) AND CUTLER FM (PERMIAN); NATURAL GAS PRODUCED PRIMARILY FROM SHINARUMP (TRIASSIC) AND MOSSBACK MBR OF CHINLE FM (TRIASSIC) AND SECONDARILY FROM CUTLER AND PARADOX FMS; CO2 PRODUCED FROM LIMESTONE AND DOLOMITE OF LEADVILLE LIMESTONE (MISSISSIPPIAN). URANIUM AND VANADIUM DEPOSITS FOUND IN JURASSIC SANDSTONES (ENTRADA, SUMMERVILLE) ASSOCIATED WITH FAULTING IN GRABEN ON SW FLANK OF MCELMO DOME; ALSO IN CHANNEL-FILL MUDSTONE CONGLOMERATE IN BURRO CANYON FM ASSOCIATED WITH CARBONIZED PLANT DETRITUS. CU MINERALIZATION ASSOCIATED WITH SHEAR ZONES IN JURASSIC SANDSTONE AND IN BAKED SHALE AT CONTACTS WITH DIORITE PORPHYRY.
Deposit NO FORMAL DISTRICT NAME KNOWN FOR AREA OTHER THAN FIELD NAME WITH RESPECT TO GAS AND CO2 PRODUCTION. INDIVIDUAL RECORDS PREPARED FOR PRINCIPAL U/V PROSPECTS (CLIFF HOUSE, COFFIN, KARLA KAY, THREE STATES NATURAL GAS) AND PRINCIPAL CU PROSPECTS (BATTLE ROCK, LITTLE MAUDE, UTE CREEK DIKE). NO RECORDS PREPARED FOR GAS AND CO2 WELLS, BUT FOLLOWING IS CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF KNOWN PRODUCING SITES; EACH ENTRY LISTS OPERATOR, WELL NAME, LOCATION, COMPLETION DATE, TOTAL DEPTH (FT), NAME AND AGE OF PRODUCING HORIZON, DEPTH (FT) OF GROSS PRODUCING INTERVAL, PRODUCT: (A) WESTERN NATURAL GAS, 1 SCHMIDT, C SW NW 24/36N/18W, 7/7/48, 7099, LEADVILLE LS (MISSISSIPPIAN), 6915-6935, CO2; (B) BYRD-FROST/WESTERN NATURAL GAS, 1 MACINTOSH, C NW NW 25/36N/18W, 7/25/48, 4965, SHINARUMP (TRIASSIC), 1515-1540, NAT. GAS; (C) THREE STATES NATURAL GAS, 1 DUDLEY, SE NW SW 13/36/36N/18W, 12/29/54, 7500,LEADVILLE LS (MISSISSIPPIAN), (NOT GIVEN), CO2; (D) D.M. FERREBEE, 3 RAWLEY, SE SW ??36N/18W, 11/12/60, 5707, PARADOX
Deposit (PENNSYLVANIAN), 5408-5511, NAT. GAS; (E) THOMAS L. NABERS, 2 RAWLEY, SW SW 6/36N/18W, 2/10/61, 5726, PARADOX (PENNSYLVANIAN), 5666-5669, OIL; (F) DELHI-TAYLOR OIL, 2 DEAN DUDLEY, NW SW 13/36N/18W, 3/16/64, 6940, LEADVILLE LS (MISSISSIPPIAN), 6726-6746, CO2; (G) GIL V. DYE EXPLORATION, 2 DYE-FEDERAL, SW NW 25/36/18W, 1/23/76, 2180, SHINARUMP (TRIASSIC), 1482-1494, NAT. GAS; (H) BIGLER & WRIGHT, B-1 B&W FEDERAL, SE SW 20/36N/17W, 2/4/76, 3443, CUTLER (PERMIAN), 1940-1995, NAT. GAS; (I) SHELL OIL, 1 FEDERAL 9-36-18, SE NE 9/36N/18W, 10/17/76, 8080, LEADVILE LS (MISSISSIPPIAN), 7827-7984, CO2; (J) MOBIL OIL, 1 GRYNBERG-FEDERAL, NE SE 2/36N/19W, 3/19/78, 7426, LEADVILLE LS (MISSISSIPPIAN), 7056-7208, CO2; (K) DYE CARBONIC, 4 DEAN DUDLEY, NW SW 13/36N/18W, 9/5/78, 2175, SHINARUMP (TRIASSIC), 1486-1503, NAT. GAS; (L) DYE CARBONICS, 2 SCHMIDT, SW NW 24/36N/18W, 5/4/79, 7000, LEADVILLE LS (MISSISSIPPIAN), 6812-6917, CO2; (M) SHELL OIL, 1 FEDERAL, NE NE 20/36N/18W, 6/3/79, 7808, LEADVILLE LS

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 01-JUL-1983 Schwochow, Stephen D. Colorado Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Colorado resources

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