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Abstract:
Identifying available and minable critical minerals worldwide is crucial to stabilizing the supply chains and the markets for these minerals. Because of the low concentrations of critical minerals throughout the world, we focus on identifying geophysical signatures from geological structures associated with the origin and geochemical character of these minerals. In this work, we identify geophysical signatures generated by critical minerals in west Texas using publicly available geophysical datasets, including aero-radiometric, topographic, aero-magnetic, and gravity datasets, on both local and regional scales. We also compile geological information along with the geophysical datasets in caldera systems at various evolution stages, specifically studying the subsurface structures of felsic igneous provinces along a tectonic rift shoulder in west Texas, including what we believe are undeveloped calderas in a well-studied area consisting of laccoliths. We are creating a geological geochemical and geophysical signature database of potential critical mineral sites in west Texas because rift shoulders have an unusual concentration of critical minerals. These databases are cross referenced with other regions that show similar characteristics. For example , Round Mountain is a site currently under development for HRREs and other critical minerals. However, some sites may be economically feasible for exploration of critical minerals, but may never be exploited because they lie in protected regions.
