Hard-rock mining brought a workforce to Colorado in the 1800s. Successful operations, like the Smuggler Mine near Aspen, had ...

There’s a long history of hard rock mining in Southern Colorado. Now the federal government is updating the region’s geological maps to expand the search for critical minerals and rare earth elements.

Hard-rock mining may no longer sustain Gilpin County, but some people in Central City and Black Hawk refuse to let the glory of their heritage pass away. Lew Cady, a Central City resident and amateur ...