Mining Pathfinder

Pathfinder #14: Mines and mining collections

Scope    back to top

This pathfinder is designed to guide patrons of Delaney and Reed Libraries at Fort Lewis College in beginning their research on resources regarding mines and mining collections focused in southwest Colorado. The listed collections are held in the archives at Delaney Library and are available for use in the library only. The compiled list includes collections of various primary source materials, such as manuscripts and photographs.

A report completed in January 2000 by the Center’s Archival Fellow Anne L. Foster indicated that one of the hottest research topics bringing students to the Center of Southwest Studies for research is the environment, particularly the local environment. In fact, if you include all the various subtopics such as mining, forestry, and water, the number of researchers investigating these issues was surpassed only by those interested in Native American topics. Furthermore, many Native American topics have environmental aspects, such as ethnobotany. With so much interest - among the College’s student body, the local community, and nationally - the Center of Southwest Studies places high emphasis on acquiring, organizing, and making available environmental collections - including those pertaining to mining.

Key Terms    back to top

Key Library of Congress Subject Headings
Coal mines and mining--Colorado--La Plata County.
Mines and mineral resources--Four Corners.
Mining industry and finance--Four Corners Region, US.
Uranium industry--Colorado.
Uranium mill tailings--Colorado.
Uranium miners--Colorado.
Uranium mines and mining--Colorado.
Uranium ore processing plants--Colorado.
Vanadium industry--Colorado.
Vanadium industry--Colorado.

Mining Collections (listed alphabetically by title)    back to top

M 004 & I 046	American Zinc, Lead & Smelting Company records (1.5 document cases and 7 rolls of microfilm). Records pertaining to Colorado mines and mining, 1901-1957.
P 032	Colorado mining towns slide transparencies (approximately 500 slides). Oversize color slide transparencies of former mining scenes and towns of Colorado, especially on the Western Slope, 1960-1989. Arranged alphabetically by place name.
M 233	De Lasso Loos Four Corners oil and gas engineering collection (Northeast Blanco Unit and elsewhere in northwestern New Mexico, in the Four Corners region)
M 008	Durango, CO uranium mill tailings removal collection (5.5 document cases). Publicity materials, engineering/environmental assessment reports, Task Force records, etc., 1960-1990, regarding the removal of radioactive tailings from the Durango mill site at the base of Smelter Mountain in the 1980s.
M 199	Evans-Crumbo mining records (Taos, NM)
M 060	Four Corners Environmental Research Institute (FOCERI) collection (6 document cases and 12 records boxes). Minutes, correspondence and memos, financial records, maps, project records, and engineering/environmental assessment reports regarding various projects in the Four Corners region, including the Durango uranium mill tailings site, La Plata County coal mining, Colorado River tributaries, electric transmission power lines in southern and southwestern Colorado, and other topics researched by FOCERI. Historical note: On Nov. 16, 1978, the State Board of Agriculture approved for the President, 1972-1992.
M 229	Langan W. Swent papers: Health and safety in underground uranium mines
M 005	Mining records and printed materials (18 document boxes, 2 flat boxes, 1 small box, 1 thin box, and 2 record boxes). Contains records of mining in the San Juan mountains of southwestern Colorado and beyond, 1860-2000's.
M 206	Navajo claims collection records compiled by Dr. John Kessell (Southwestern U.S.; especially the Four Corners region)
M 009	Porter/Hesperus/Gifford records (includes Durango vicinity coal mining records and some digital images)
M 187	Union Carbide Western U.S. 20th century mining collection (287 linear shelf feet). Mining company operation records regarding the mining and processing of uranium, tungsten, vanadium and other base metals in the Western U.S., esp. the Four Corners region, 1920-1990.
M 007	Uranium mining collection (3 document cases). Papers collected by Denny Viles regarding uranium mining on the Colorado Plateau, in Rhodesia, and elsewhere in the world). Includes materials on various mills; articles, clippings, photos, 1940-1958.

More Resources back to top

• Denver Public Library

• Northern Arizona University Cline Library (focused on the Colorado Plateau)

•University of New Mexico (focused on the desert Southwest)