Skyline Drive General, Geology May 19, 2022 Fremont County geologic attractions Fremont County, two hours south of Denver, is located on the south-central Front Range of Colorado in a geological region called the Cañon City Embayment. Its geological environment and history is incredibly diverse as are its paleontological treasures. It is the only county in Colorado featuring two…
On the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Geology Train trip General, Geology February 21, 2022 Cumbres and Toltec Geology Train We just found out about this year’s Cumbres & Toltec Geology Train adventures in southwest Colorado and northwest New Mexico. Because of the high demand in former years, there are two dates this year, 19 June and 17 September 2022. They’ll both…
A uranium-rich zone in a sandstone of the Morrison Formation, Carnation Mine, San Miguel County, CO, January 2007. Photo credit: Chris Carroll (CGS). Energy, Minerals February 19, 2020 Colorado’s Uranium Deposits [Ed: this document, written in 2011 by Jim Burnell, Ph.D., P.G. (former Senior Minerals Geologist, Colorado Geological Survey), provides an excellent narrative on the sources of uranium deposits on the Western Slope of Colorado. However, it’s not the whole story—there is fascinating new science research implicating biological/organismic activity underground that…
Uranium roll front hosted in Dakota Sandstone Energy, Minerals August 14, 2018 Geology of Uranium Deposits in Colorado Uranium is a widespread and ubiquitous element. It has a crustal abundance of 2.8 parts per million, slightly more than tin. Primary deposits of uranium tend to concentrate in granitic or alkalic volcanic rocks, hydrothermal veins, marine black shales, and early Precambrian age placer deposits. Secondary (or epigenetic) deposits of…
Diamonds in the rough, note the regular octahedral forms and trigons (of positive and negative relief) formed by natural chemical etching. Photo credit: Wikimedia. Minerals February 19, 2018 What are diamonds? Diamonds are formed from pure carbon, one of the most abundant elements on planet Earth. Diamonds, even from ancient times, have been sought for their extraordinary hardness (they are the hardest substance known) and their brilliance, especially in the colorless transparent gemstone variety. Ironically the other form of pure carbon…
The gas well pad near the terminus of the West Salt Creek rock avalanche (flow direction right to left) Hazards, Publications January 23, 2017 Top-Ten paper at GSA On May 25, 2014 the longest landslide in Colorado’s historical record occurred in west-central Colorado, six miles (10 km) southeast of the small town of Collbran in Mesa County, taking the lives of three local men. The landslide was 2.8 miles (4.5 km) long, covering almost a square mile (2.6 km2) of the West Salt…
Bohemian karst (Český kras) landscape formed in a limestone of Silurian and mainly Devonian age. The area hosts several international stratotype and parastratotype sections General March 4, 2005 Dr. Cílek on the Bohemian karst Dr. Cílek, the Director of the Czech Republic’s Academy of Sciences Institute of Geology delivers a fascinating talk about the Bohemian Karst region of the Czech Republic, around Beroun, that weaves the human historical, mystical, and mythological elements…