| Basis for focus area |
Carbonatites focus area is based on "district" outlines enclosing areas that contain documented carbonatites in five scattered locations from McLemore (2014): 1) Chupadero Mountains, 2) Laughlin Peak-Chico Hills in Raton volcanic field, 3) Lemitar Mountains, 4) Lobo Hill, and 5) Monte Largo Hills. |
| Identified resources |
Unknown. |
| Production |
Unknown. |
| Status |
Past exploration (drilling in 2010). |
| Estimated resources |
Unknown. |
| Geologic maps |
Eggleston (1982), scale unknown; Staatz (1986, 1987), scale: 1:24,000; McLemore (1982a), scale: ~1:44,250; Kelley and Northrop (1975), scale 1:48,000. |
| Geophysical data |
Inadequate aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
Carbonatite intrusions as well as adjacent contact metasomatic fenites. |
| Deposits |
Laughlin Peak prospects (MRDS dep_id: 10013004). |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
MRDS. |
| Geochemical evidence |
ΣREE contents are variable, some exceeding 6,000 ppm (McLemore, 1982a; Van Allen and Emmons, 1986; McLemore and others, 2020). Laughlin Peak prospects reportedly contain Nb (columbite), Th, REE, barite, and Sr. |
| Geophysical evidence |
Unknown. |
| Evidence from other sources |
None. |
| Comments |
No dike is very thick; maximum thickness of an individual dike is 4.9 ft (1.49 m) (Van Allen and Emmons, 1986); individual dikes can be traced continuously up to 1000 m and traced with small offsets as much as 5000 m (Van Allen and Emmons, 1986); a single small plug of magnesio-carbonatite was discovered and sampled by Schreiner (1991) near Laughlin Peak in Colfax County. Carbonatite recently discovered in Caballo Mountains. |
| Cover thickness and description |
Dikes not known where covered. |
| Authors |
Lukas Zurcher, Timothy S. Hayes, Mark E. Gettings, Virginia T. McLemore, Joshua M. Rosera. |
| New data needs |
Focus on Lemitar and Monte Largo (if can get access), geophysics. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
Adequate: McLemore (1982a) at 1:12,000, Van Allen and Emmons (1986). |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
High resolution geophysical coverage needed (geophysical survey request completed). |
| Digital elevation data needs |
Lidar complete. |
