Description
This open file report for Prowers County an introduction to the geology and mineral resources of the county along with an index map of tract locations, as well as maps of oil and gas test wells with oil field locations, and industrial mineral prospects. Maps for coal resources and metallic mineral prospects are not applicable in this county. The main body of the report is an evaluation of each individual tract, which includes text as well as corresponding topographic and geologic maps. Digital ZIP/PDF download. OF-01-19D
Four general categories of resources are included in this inventory:
- oil and gas
- coal
- metallic minerals
- industrial minerals and construction materials
Each individual tract evaluation includes:
- A bar graph which ranks each tract’s resource potential for each of the four mineral categories. An explanation of the categories may be found at the end of this introduction
- Tract identifier number, county name, and county location map
- Tract location on a 7-1/2-minute United States Geologic Survey topographic map
- Tract location on a United States Geologic Survey surface outcrop map
- Location as to section, township, and range and approximate acreage
- Overview of tract geology
- Specific assessment of the resource potential for the four resource categories
- References used in assessing tract potential
From the Introduction:
Prowers County is located in southeastern Colorado along the border with Kansas. This evaluation of the mineral and mineral fuel resource potential was conducted for the nearly 63,248 acres of state mineral lands within the county. It was conducted as part of its long-term evaluation of approximately 4 million acres of state lands administered by the State Land Board. For evaluation purposes, the county was divided into 86 individual tracts that range from approximately 40 acres to 8,080 acres.
In 1998, Prowers County ranked 28th among Colorado’s counties in annual oil production and 15th in annual natural gas production. There are no known coal or metallic mineral resources in the county. Sand and gravel is the only commonly mined mineral resource in this category in Prowers County. Numerous gravel pits are present in the county, especially along the Arkansas River Valley near the town of Lamar. Historically, two limestone deposits and one silica sand deposit had been mined in the county, as discussed in the report.
