Drill Results Map — Colorado

Colorado — one of North America's richest mining states, home to Climax Molybdenum and the Cripple Creek gold district — is a prime target for junior exploration companies. Here's how to create a professional drill results map using Exploration Maps in 15–30 minutes.

Example drill results map created in Exploration Maps — Example drill results map exported from Exploration Maps — style your Colorado data the same way.

About Mining in Colorado

Colorado has one of the richest mining histories in North America, with significant gold, silver, and molybdenum production from its Rocky Mountain ranges.

Key minerals: gold, silver, molybdenum, lead, zinc, vanadium. Notable deposits: Climax Molybdenum, Henderson Mine, Cripple Creek, Summitville. Mining districts: San Juan Mountains, Leadville, Teller County, Clear Creek.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administers mineral rights in Colorado. Claim data is accessible through BLM MLRS (Mineral & Land Records System).

Getting Mining Data for Colorado

Portal	Formats	Notes
BLM MLRS (Mineral & Land Records System)	MLRS reports + map viewer (claims by legal description)	Colorado BLM mining claims use UTM Zone 13N (EPSG:32613). The state spans two BLM field offices — check both the Colorado State Office and Leadville Field Office MLRS databases to ensure complete claim coverage for your property.

How to Create a Drill Results Map for Colorado

For a full step-by-step guide to drill results maps, see How to Make a Drill Results Map.

Import your drill collar CSV (columns: hole ID, latitude, longitude, depth, assay)
Assign the Drillholes layer role
Import the property claims boundary as GeoJSON
Add callout labels to key holes showing hole ID and best intercept
Use Badge Label type to highlight the highest-grade holes
Configure the title with program name and date
Set the Landscape 16:9 ratio for news release figures
Export as PNG at 2× for email and PDF for the news release attachment

Labelling a drillhole with its best intercept in Exploration Maps.

Tip for Colorado: Colorado's San Juan Mountains have dramatic relief above 4,000 m — use the Topographic basemap with a Terrain theme to show the steep terrain that defines drill access logistics, and set your scale bar at 2–5 km to reflect the typical property footprint in high-alpine terrain.

Recommended Settings for Colorado

Basemap: Light or Satellite
Design theme: Investor — Navy & White
Export format: PNG at 2× for investor presentations, PDF (Letter or A4) for NI 43-101 reports
Coordinate system: Ensure source data is in WGS84 (EPSG:4326)

Common Use Cases in Colorado

Exploration news releases
NI 43-101 technical reports
Investor day presentations
Analyst briefings

Frequently Asked Questions

What file format do I need for Colorado mineral claims data?

Colorado mineral claims boundaries are available from BLM MLRS (Mineral & Land Records System) and can typically be downloaded as Shapefiles or KML. Convert these to GeoJSON at mapshaper.org before importing into Exploration Maps.

Who regulates mineral claims in Colorado?

Mineral claims in Colorado are regulated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). All tenure and claims data can be queried through BLM MLRS (Mineral & Land Records System).

What minerals are typically mapped in Colorado?

Colorado is known for its gold, silver, molybdenum, lead deposits. Key producing and exploration-stage properties include Climax Molybdenum, Henderson Mine, Cripple Creek. The main mining districts are San Juan Mountains, Leadville, Teller County.

Can I export a Colorado drill results map for a NI 43-101 report?

Yes. Exploration Maps exports PNG and PDF at 2–3× pixel ratio, suitable for inclusion in NI 43-101 technical reports as required figures. The export includes north arrow, scale bar, legend, and title block — all standard map elements required for NI 43-101 compliance.