Highwood Mountains

Region West, Northwest
States
Mineral systems
Deposit types
Commodities
Other minerals

Information leading to the delineation of this focus area

Basis for focus area Favorable rock types for this deposit type include the stocks and dikes of shonkinite, alkali syenites, alkali trachytes and trachytes, and minette dikes found throughout the Highwood Mountains.
Identified resources Unknown.
Production Unknown.
Status Unknown.
Estimated resources Unknown.
Geologic maps Berg and Vuke (2002), scale 1:100,000; Vuke and others (2002), scale 1:100,000; Vuke-Foster and Colton (1989), scale 1:24,000; Vuke-Foster and others (1989), scale 1:24,000.
Geophysical data Inadequate aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage.
Favorable rocks and structures Shonkinite and alkali syenite intrusions.
Deposits Unknown.
Evidence from mineral occurrences Unknown.
Geochemical evidence Unknown.
Geophysical evidence None.
Evidence from other sources Alkali syenite could be a source for REE and other critical elements.
Comments Even though the area was not explored for critical minerals, the intrusions could be future exploration targets. The types of intrusions occurring in this district are known to have REE, Nb, and Ta in other districts.
Cover thickness and description Unknown.
Authors Stanley L. Korzeb, Kaleb C. Scarberry, Jay A. Gunderson, Joshua M. Rosera.
New data needs High resolution geophysics, whole-rock geochemistry for all critical minerals, geologic mapping, lidar.
Geologic mapping and modeling needs 1:24,000 or 1:12,000 scale geologic mapping.
Geophysical survey and modeling needs High resolution aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage.
Digital elevation data needs Lidar in planned/funded.