USGS Open-File Report 2009-1005: The Iron Hill (Powderhorn) Carbonatite Complex, Gunnison County, Colorado—A Potential Source of Several Uncommon Mineral Resources

The Iron Hill (Powderhorn) Carbonatite Complex, Gunnison County, Colorado—A Potential Source of Several Uncommon Mineral Resources

By Bradley S. Van Gosen

Introduction

Thumbnail of publication and link to PDF (2.5 MB)

A similar version of this slide show was presented on three occasions during 2008: two times to local chapters of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME), as part of SME’s Henry Krumb lecture series, and the third time at the Northwest Mining Association’s 114th Annual Meeting, held December 1–5, 2008, in Sparks (Reno), Nevada.

In 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated a study of the diverse and uncommon mineral resources associated with carbonatites and associated alkaline igneous rocks. Most of these deposit types have not been studied by the USGS during the last 25 years, and many of these mineral resources have important applications in modern technology.

The author chose to begin this study at Iron Hill in southwestern Colorado because it is the site of a classic carbonatite complex, which is thought to host the largest known resources of titanium and niobium in the United States.

First posted January 20, 2009

Report PDF (2.5 MB)

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Contains a Powerpoint presentation (slide show). The slide show is described in the PDF file.

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Suggested citation:

Van Gosen, B.S., 2009, The Iron Hill (Powderhorn) carbonatite complex, Gunnison County, Colorado—A potential source of several uncommon mineral resources: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009–1005, 28 p.