REE Mineral-Bearing Rocks Found in Eastern Mojave Desert
Boulder, Colo., USA: Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have
mapped a rare earth element deposit of magmatic carbonatite located in the
Mountain Pass region of the eastern Mojave Desert. The new report details
the geophysical and geological setting of the deposit, including a map of
the deposit’s subsurface extent, to help land-use managers evaluate sites
for further exploration. The report was recently published in the
Geological Society of America’s online journal, Geosphere.
Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical to emerging industrial technologies
including strategic defense, science and medical, automotive and
transportation, and civilian electronics. However, large economic REE
sources are unique and uncommon worldwide. International concerns about
increasing demand and global supply vulnerability have prompted many
countries, including the U.S., to explore and assess domestic REE
resources. Increased efforts to characterize geologic processes related to
REE deposits in the U.S. have focused attention on the world-class Mountain
Pass, California, deposit located approximately 60 miles southwest of Las
Vegas, Nevada.
In their study, collaborators K.M. Denton and USGS colleagues use
geophysical and geological techniques to image geologic structures related
to REE mineral-bearing rocks at depth. Their work suggests REE minerals
occur along a fault zone or geologic contact near the eastern edge of the
Mescal Range. These findings could prove as a useful guide to future
exploration efforts.
FEATURED ARTICLE
Geophysical characterization of a Proterozoic REE terrane at Mountain
Pass, eastern Mojave Desert, California, USA
Denton, K.M., Ponce, D.A., Peacock, J.R., and Miller, D.M., 2019: Geosphere:
https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article/doi/10.1130/GES02066.1/579772/Geophysical-characterization-of-a-Proterozoic-REE
Media Contact:
Kevin M. Denton, +1-650-439-2263, kmdenton@usgs.gov
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