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Rare Earth Elements Deposits of the United States—A Summary of Domestic Deposits and a Global Perspective

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Rare Earth Elements Deposits of the United States—A Summary of Domestic Deposits and a Global Perspective The Principal Rare Earth Elements Deposits of the United States—A Summary of Domestic Deposits and a Global Perspective Gd Pr Ce Sm La Nd Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5220 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover photo: Powders of six rare earth elements oxides. Photograph by Peggy Greb, Agricultural Research Center of United States Department of Agriculture. The Principal Rare Earth Elements Deposits of the United States—A Summary of Domestic Deposits and a Global Perspective By Keith R. Long, Bradley S. Van Gosen, Nora K. Foley, and Daniel Cordier Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5220 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2010 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. This report has not been reviewed for stratigraphic nomenclature. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted material contained within this report. Suggested citation: Long, K.R., Van Gosen, B.S., Foley, N.K., and Cordier, Daniel, 2010, The principal rare earth elements deposits of the United States—A summary of domestic deposits and a global perspective: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5220, 96 p. Available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2010/5220/. iii Contents Introduction and Background ......................................................................................................................1 The Rare Earth Elements ..............................................................................................................................3 Basic Geology of Rare Earth Elements .............................................................................................3 Mineralogy of United States Deposits ..............................................................................................7 References Cited.................................................................................................................................14 Current Sources and Domestic Reserves ...............................................................................................15 Concentration of Supply ....................................................................................................................15 Risk of Supply Interruption ................................................................................................................17 Domestic and World Resources .......................................................................................................18 Developing Rare Earth Elements Resources .................................................................................19 Developing a Rare Earth Elements Mine ........................................................................................21 Summary...............................................................................................................................................23 References Cited.................................................................................................................................24 The Principal Rare Earth Elements Deposits of the United States ......................................................27 Glossary of Terms ...............................................................................................................................27 References Cited.................................................................................................................................27 Alaska— Bokan Mountain ...........................................................................................................28 Salmon Bay ...................................................................................................................35 California— Mountain Pass Deposit and Mine .............................................................................36 Music Valley Area ........................................................................................................40 Colorado— Iron Hill Carbonatite Complex .....................................................................................41 Wet Mountains Area ...................................................................................................45 Idaho— Diamond Creek Area ...................................................................................................49 Hall Mountain ...............................................................................................................51 Lemhi Pass district, Idaho–Montana ........................................................................53 Illinois— Hicks Dome ...................................................................................................................56 Missouri— Pea Ridge Iron Deposit and Mine ..............................................................................57 Nebraska— Elk Creek Carbonatite ..................................................................................................63 New Mexico— Capitan Mountains .......................................................................................................65 El Porvenir District .......................................................................................................66 Gallinas Mountains ......................................................................................................67 Gold Hill Area and White Signal District ..................................................................69 Laughlin Peak Area......................................................................................................70 Lemitar and Chupadera Mountains ..........................................................................71 Petaca District ..............................................................................................................72 Red Hills Area ...............................................................................................................73 Wind Mountain, Cornudas Mountains .....................................................................74 New York— Mineville Iron District ..................................................................................................75 Wyoming— Bear Lodge Mountains ................................................................................................78 Phosphorite Deposits in the Southeastern United States ....................................................................80 Placer Rare Earth Elements Deposits ......................................................................................................84 Idaho—Placer Deposits .............................................................................................................................86 North and South Carolina—Placer Deposits ..........................................................................................90 Florida and Georgia—Beach Placer Deposits .......................................................................................93 iv Figures Index map of the principal rare earth elements districts in the United States ...................................2 The Rare Earth Elements 1. Periodic table of the elements ....................................................................................................4 2. Rare earth elements mineral-processing flow sheet for the Mountain Pass mine, California ........................................................................................................................................8 Current Sources and Domestic Reserves 3. Criticality matrix for selected imported metals ......................................................................17 Alaska 4. Simplified geologic map of Bokan Mountain, Alaska ...........................................................29 5. Map of major vein and dike systems associated with Bokan Mountain, Alaska ............32 California 6. Google Earth image of Mountain Pass mining district, California ......................................37 7. Photograph of northwest-facing view of Mountain Pass district, California ...................38 8. Photograph of dolomitic carbonatite of Sulphide Queen orebody, California ..................38 Colorado 9. Photograph of northwest-facing view of Iron Hill, Colorado ...............................................42 10. Photograph of outcrop of pyroxenite unit in Iron Hill carbonatite complex, Colorado ...44 11. Photograph of Sewell Ranch thorium vein, Wet Mountains, Colorado .............................46 12. Photograph of west-facing view of McClure Mountain, Colorado ....................................47 Idaho 13. Photograph of view to west of Lemhi Pass, Idaho-Montana boundary ............................54 14. Photograph of outcrop of Wonder vein, Lemhi Pass district, Idaho-Montana ................54 Missouri 15. Generalized geologic map of 2275 level of Pea Ridge iron mine, Missouri ......................59
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