Molybdenum $105,389,456
Petroleum 90,494,459
Sand and gravel 32,842,503
Coal 30,251,443
Natural gas 18,695,225
Uranium 18,048,692
Vanadium 15,863,554
Cement 13,377,520
Zinc 13,310,787
Lead 6,582,025
Tungsten 6,360,020
Limestone and dolomite 5,397,570
Silver 4,198,054
Fluorspar 3,887,210
Copper 3,875,976
Stone 1,961,279
Gold 1,832,791
Clay 962,986
Iron 880,047
Pumice 309,370
Tin 278,862
Gypsum 253,856
Pyrites 142,640
All others 1,091,927
Total ($376,288,252)
Colorado is now the nation’s leading producer of molybdenum, tin, and
vanadium, and second in output of tungsten. In oil production it ranked
twelfth among the states in 1968, but ninth in reserves, with
420,000,000 barrels of proven reserves on 1 January 1969. An as yet
untapped source of oil lies in the oil shales of western Colorado.
As part of the natural environment, water plays a major role in man’s
activities. Water problems in Colorado revolve mainly around the best
use of runoff in a state whose major catchment basins are across the
continental divide from her largest population centers and most fertile
farm land. Groundwater, closely related to surface water distribution
and movement, is a geological problem, and in Colorado as in other
states many government and private geologists serve farm and industrial
communities in the search for usable supplies.
CAUTION: Old mines are dangerous! They may contain water or deadly
gases, or be on the verge of collapse. Keep away from abandoned prospect
pits and mine shafts. WARN AND WATCH YOUR CHILDREN.