| Basis for focus area |
Beach placers: Qbb and Qbi units from Barnes and others (1992b), previous heavy mineral prospect locations at Brazos island and Padre island projects, from the Bartlesville Card File(s) at the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. |
| Identified resources |
Unknown. |
| Production |
Unknown. |
| Status |
Exploration as beach placer deposits, but never mined. |
| Estimated resources |
Unknown. |
| Geologic maps |
Barnes and others (1992b), scale 1:500,000; Tremblay and others (2004), scale 1:24,000. |
| Geophysical data |
Inadequate aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage. NURE surveys may have some applicable data. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
Beach sand deposits. |
| Deposits |
Brazos Island prospect (MRDS dep_id: 10202802); Padre Island prospect (MRDS dep_id: 10227079). |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
MRDS; Bartlesville Card File(s) at the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. |
| Geochemical evidence |
No data. |
| Geophysical evidence |
NURE surveys may have some applicable data. |
| Evidence from other sources |
Beach sand and heavy mineral reports from USGS and Texas Bureau of Economic Geology bulletins, nothing comprehensive on the extent of possible coastal heavy mineral deposits. |
| Comments |
Medium priority, due to ease of access, probable abundant survey data, and potential for multiple critical elements on heavy mineral separates. |
| Cover thickness and description |
Exposed or near surface. |
| Authors |
Brent A. Elliott. |
| New data needs |
Need more placer sampling and mineral separation analyses, as well as surveys to locate prospective locations. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
Some mapping done along the coast, but incomplete. 1:250,000 scale maps on the Geologic Atlas of Texas regional maps, and some isolated quadrangles, like Tremblay and others (2004). |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
Some near surface geophysics is conducted by Jeff Paine at the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. Aeromagnetic survey and radiometric other than NURE would be useful for identifying and delineating heavy mineral placers along the Texas Gulf of Mexico Coastline. |
| Digital elevation data needs |
Lidar adequate. |
