Mineralogy of the Pikes Peak Region

Because the granite covers a large portion of the Colorado Front Range, there are good mineral collecting areas scattered all over the Pikes Peak region.

In the initial stage, about 1.02 billion years ago, a large mass of magma intruded into what is now the Front Range of Colorado.

Although there may have been volcanoes overlying the intrusion, the majority of the magma never reached the surface, but formed and cooled at a depth of about 1 to 2 miles (1.6 to 3.3 km).

As the magma flowed into these intrusive centers, it tended to form a circular masses of rock with concentric rings of varying composition that look something like a bulls eye.

Since fine-grained granite is less porous, this "outer skin" sealed the magma body and helped to trap rare elements and water inside.

Although good crystal occur within solid masses of rock, the most perfectly formed specimens usually come from miarolitic cavities.

The collecting area, starting from the southernmost localities, include: The Gold Camp Road is old railroad grade that runs from Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek.

The collecting areas start around Helen Hunt Falls and extend south to St. Peter's Dome and to the North as far as the High Drive.

In addition to the typical smoky quartz crystals and amazonite, the Gold Camp Road area contains several minerals that are relatively rare in other parts of region.

Pikes Peak is itself, an intrusive center and smoky quartz and amazonite can be found in many areas within four miles (6 km) of the summit.

The most famous collecting area on the Peak is Glenn Cove, a glacial cirque located at 11,000 feet (3,400 m) on the north side of the mountain.

They are found in the typical pegmatite veins and pockets, but also as placer deposits where flowing water and gravity have sorted the slightly heavier topaz to the bottom of gravels.

Like the other localities, Devils Head is another intrusive center and it forms a prominent, 9,700 feet (3,000 m) peak whose pinnacles are easily visible from Denver.

Perfect crystals of gem quality, deep black, smoky quartz, several feet in length have been found in the area.

The Rosalie Lobe contains the same minerals that are found in the intrusive centers further to the south, most notably smoky quartz, amazonite and topaz.