| Basis for focus area |
Outline of 10 HUC8 boundaries that include 10 hot spring or lake sites some of which have been partially explored for lithium and/or boron). |
| Identified resources |
Unknown. |
| Production |
Unknown. |
| Status |
Unknown. |
| Estimated resources |
Unknown. |
| Geologic maps |
Bawiec and others (1990), scale 1:250,000; Walker and Repenning (1965), scale 1:250,000. |
| Geophysical data |
Inadequate aeromagnetic coverage. Inadequate aeroradiometric coverage except for small area (10%) in southwest corner of area. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
Lithium concentrations occur in caldera-fill sedimentary rocks and lacustrine playa sediments. |
| Deposits |
Summer Lake, Alkali Lake, Borax Lake, Harney Lake, Coyote Lake, Crystal Crane hot springs, Alvord hot springs, Hart Mountain hot springs, Mickey hot springs. |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
MRDS. |
| Geochemical evidence |
Geochemically anomalous values for elements associated with saline deposits such as B, Li, and K (Bawiec and others, 1990). |
| Geophysical evidence |
Unknown. |
| Evidence from other sources |
Unknown. |
| Comments |
Within the McDermitt caldera complex, fluids have remobilized Hg, U, and Li, from adjoining rhyolite and reconcentrated it into higher grade deposits (Rytuba and Glanzman, 1979). McDermitt caldera complex is included into a separate focus area. |
| Cover thickness and description |
Exposed at the surface. |
| Authors |
Lisa L. Stillings, Jane M. Hammarstrom. |
| New data needs |
High resolution geophysics, geologic mapping, lidar. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
Models for Li brines and clays both require a Li source, and the source will be Neogene volcanic and sedimentary rocks within a HUC or within a neighboring HUC. Geologic mapping is needed to identify these lithologies and their location with respect to basins (in the center of a HUC). |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
High resolution, Rank 1, aeromagnetic surveys would be useful. |
| Digital elevation data needs |
Lidar variable, but much of the focus area has no lidar coverage. |
