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Climax-type

Climax-type systems occur in continental rifts with hydrous bimodal magmatism. Aqueous supercritical fluids exsolved from A-type topaz rhyolite plutons and the apices of subvolcanic stocks form a variety of deposit types as they move upward and outward, split into liquid and vapor, react with country rocks, and mix with ground water. The broad spectrum of deposit types results from the large thermal and chemical gradients in these systems. At deep levels, NYF pegmatites emanate from plutons.
Color on map:

Deposit types

Name Commodities Critical minerals
Pegmatite NYF Nb, Y, F, Be Nb, Ta, Be, Sc
Greisen Mo, W, Sn W, Sn, Bi, Be, Sc
Porphyry molybdenum Mo, W, Sn W, Sn, Re, REE, Sc
Skarn molybdenum Mo, W, Sn W, Sn, Be, Sc
Greisen S-R beryllium Be, F Be, F
Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS Cu, Zn, Pb, Ag, Au Mn, Ge, Ga, In, Bi, Sb, As
Distal disseminated silver-gold Ag, Au Sb, As
High sulfidation Cu, Ag, Au Sn, Sb, As, Te, Bi
Lithocap alunite Al, K2SO4 (potash) Al, K2SO4, Ga
Lithocap kaolinite Kaolin Ga
Fluorspar Fluorite Fluorite
Volcanogenic berylium Be, U Be, U, Li
Volcanogenic uranium U U, Li, Be
Rhoylite tin Sn Sn

References

Source: Hofstra, A.H., and Kreiner, D.C., 2020, Systems-Deposits-Commodities-Critical Minerals Table for the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2020-1042, 24 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201042.

List of Earth MRI focus areas with mineral system = Climax-type

70 focus areas match these criteria.

Focus area Region States Mineral Systems Deposit types Commodities
Eastern Brooks Range-Old Crow PorphMo-W Alaska Alaska Climax-type Porphyry molybdenum molybdenum; silver
Southeast Alaska Coast Mountains PorphMo-W Alaska Alaska Climax-type Porphyry molybdenum molybdenum; silver
Cranberry Islands tuff Northeast Maine Climax-type Volcanogenic beryllium uranium
Traveler Rhyolite Northeast Maine Climax-type Volcanogenic beryllium uranium
White Mountains pegmatites Northeast Maine; New Hampshire Climax-type Pegmatite NYF feldspar; mica; yttrium
Big Ben Northwest Montana Climax-type Porphyry molybdenum molybdenum
Butte pegmatite belt Northwest Montana Climax-type Pegmatite NYF copper; lead; silver; yttrium
Clearwater County beryllium Northwest Idaho Climax-type Pegmatite NYF yttrium
Golden Horn batholith Northwest Washington Climax-type Pegmatite NYF yttrium
Lakeview Northwest Oregon Climax-type Volcanogenic uranium uranium
Meyers Cove fluorspar Northwest Idaho Climax-type Fluorspar (none)
O'Toole Mountain Northwest Washington Climax-type Porphyry molybdenum; Skarn molybdenum molybdenum
Roaring River beryllium Northwest Idaho Climax-type Pegmatite NYF yttrium
Sawtooth batholith Northwest Idaho Climax-type Pegmatite NYF lead; molybdenum; silver; yttrium
Blue Butte, Bonus Extension Group, Mica-Beryl Mine, Rock King Prospect, Silver Rocker Group Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Pegmatite NYF yttrium
Boomer, Redskin Granite Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Greisen S-R beryllium copper; iron; lead; molybdenum
Browns Canyon and Poncha Springs fluorite Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Fluorspar copper; gold; lead
Climax Mica Lode, Lower South Mine, Rose Dawn Mine, Star Girl Mine, Upper South Mine Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Pegmatite NYF yttrium
Climax-Sweet Home Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Greisen; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry molybdenum copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Cochetopa Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Volcanogenic uranium uranium
Crystal Mountain pegmatites Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Greisen; Pegmatite NYF feldspar; mica; molybdenum; uranium; yttrium
Eight Mile Park district Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Pegmatite NYF feldspar; mica; quartz; yttrium
Hahns Peak Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry molybdenum copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Henderson-Urad Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Lithocap kaolinite; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry molybdenum cadmium; copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Marshall Pass Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Volcanogenic uranium uranium
Mt. Emmons-Redwell Basin Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry molybdenum copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Northgate district Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Fluorspar (none)
Pikes Peak, St. Peter’s Dome (Proterozoic) Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Greisen-S-R beryllium; Pegmatite NYF gold; lead; molybdenum; silver; thorium; uranium; yttrium
Red Mountain Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Distal disseminated silver-gold; Lithocap alunite copper; gold; silver
Rosita Hills Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Lithocap alunite; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS cadmium; copper; gold; lead; silver
Silver Creek-Calico Peak Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Lithocap alunite; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry molybdenum cadmium; copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver; uranium
Silverton Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
Summitville Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Lithocap alunite; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS cadmium; copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Wagon Wheel Gap Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Fluorspar barite
Winfield Peak-Antero Rocky Mountains Colorado Climax-type Pegmatite NYF; Porphyry molybdenum gold; molybdenum; silver; yttrium
Apache Warm Springs (Ojo Caliente No. 2 district) Southwest New Mexico Climax-type Fluorspar; Volcanogenic beryllium copper; gold; lead; silver; uranium
Castle Dome fluorite Southwest Arizona Climax-type Fluorspar; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS barite; copper; lead; molybdenum; silver
Cave Peak Southwest Texas Climax-type Porphyry molybdenum copper; molybdenum
Central Texas pegmatites Southwest Texas Climax-type Pegmatite NYF feldspar; yttrium
Date Creek Basin Southwest Arizona Climax-type Volcanogenic uranium uranium
Eagle Mountains fluorite Southwest Texas Climax-type Fluorspar; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
Granite Peak district Southwest Utah Climax-type Fluorspar; Greisen; Pegmatite NYF lead; molybdenum; silver; yttrium
Honeycomb Hills Southwest Utah Climax-type Fluorspar; Volcanogenic beryllium copper; gold; lead; silver; uranium
Hopi Buttes Southwest Arizona Climax-type Volcanogenic uranium uranium
Iron Mountain (Sierra Cuchillo) Southwest New Mexico Climax-type Greisen; Greisen-S-R beryllium; Volcanogenic beryllium copper; gold; iron; lead; silver; uranium
Izzenhood Southwest Nevada Climax-type Rhyolite tin (none)
Marysvale Southwest Utah Climax-type Fluorspar; Lithocap alunite; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry molybdenum; Volcanogenic uranium copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver; uranium
Marysvale-Pioche belt Southwest Nevada; Utah Climax-type Distal disseminated silver-gold; Fluorspar; High sulfidation; Lithocap alunite; Lithocap kaolinite; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Volcanogenic uranium copper; gold; lead; silver; uranium
McCullough Butte Southwest Nevada Climax-type Fluorspar; Greisen; Greisen-S-R beryllium molybdenum
McDermitt Caldera Southwest Nevada; Oregon Climax-type Lithocap alunite; Volcanogenic uranium uranium
Mogollon-Wilcox-Gila fluorite districts Southwest Arizona; New Mexico Climax-type High sulfidation copper; gold; silver
Mount Hope Southwest Nevada Climax-type Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry molybdenum copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Mount Wheeler mine area Southwest Nevada Climax-type Greisen; Greisen-S-R beryllium; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Oreana mine area Southwest Nevada Climax-type Greisen; Greisen-S-R beryllium; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Park City-Gold Hill belt Southwest Utah Climax-type Fluorspar; Greisen; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver; uranium
Pine Grove-Blawn Mountain-Broken Ridge-Pink Knolls Southwest Utah Climax-type Lithocap alunite; Lithocap kaolinite; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry molybdenum copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver; uranium
Questa-Log Cabin-Spring Gulch Southwest New Mexico Climax-type Lithocap alunite; Porphyry molybdenum molybdenum
Saddleback Mountain-Goat Camp (and Steeple Rock district) Southwest Arizona; New Mexico Climax-type Fluorspar; High sulfidation; Lithocap alunite; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
Scraper Springs Southwest Nevada Climax-type Distal disseminated silver-gold; Lithocap alunite; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; silver
Sheeprock or Columbia-East Erickson Southwest Utah Climax-type Greisen; Greisen-S-R beryllium; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver; uranium
Spor Mountain Southwest Utah Climax-type Fluorspar; Volcanogenic beryllium; Volcanogenic uranium lead; molybdenum; silver; uranium
Taylor Creek Mining District Southwest New Mexico Climax-type Lithocap alunite; Rhyolite tin (none)
Texas-New Mexico alkaline belt Southwest New Mexico; Texas Climax-type Porphyry molybdenum molybdenum
Tintic-Deep Creek belt Southwest Nevada; Utah Climax-type Distal disseminated silver-gold; Fluorspar; Greisen; Greisen-S-R beryllium; Lithocap alunite, Lithocap kaolinite; Pegmatite NYF; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Volcanogenic beryllium; Volcanogenic uranium cadmium; copper; gold; halloysite clay; iron; lead; molybdenum; silver; uranium; zeolite
Tonto Fluorspar Southwest Arizona Climax-type Fluorspar gold; silver
Topaz Mountain Southwest Utah Climax-type Volcanogenic beryllium; Volcanogenic uranium uranium; zeolite
Trinity Range-Kamma Mountains Southwest Nevada Climax-type Porphyry molybdenum molybdenum
Trout Creek district Southwest Utah Climax-type Greisen; Pegmatite NYF; Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS gold; lead; molybdenum; silver; yttrium
Victorio Mining District Southwest New Mexico Climax-type Polymetallic sulfide S-R-V-IS; Porphyry molybdenum; Skarn molybdenum copper; gold; lead; molybdenum; silver
Virgin Valley Caldera Southwest Nevada Climax-type Volcanogenic uranium mercury; uranium