Project Menu
Wet Mountains
Rare Earth Elements
The Wet Mountain REE Project exhibits both scale and high-grade surface REE anomalism that is comparable to, or higher than, many early-stage discoveries. The combination of elevated assays, favourable host lithologies, and structural corridors focused at intrusive contacts presents multiple high-priority exploration targets for rapid assessment.
Wet Mountain REE Project location and infrastructure map, Colorado, USA.
The Wet Mountain area has been historically well known for thorium and uranium mineralisation. Historical exploration has been centred on the Haputa Ranch - a thorium, gold, REE, barium-barite, and lead mine located in Custer County, Colorado. The area has had intensive investigation by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS), particularly in reference to the thorium exploration interest of the 1950s. (Reference 1).
As part of those investigations, areas of exceptional grades of REE mineralisation were defined by surface sampling of outcropping carbonatite dykes (Reference 2). In the area of the Wet Mountain claims, up to 7.99% Total Rare Earth Elements (TREE) were delineated with zones of over 1% TREE being evident (Reference 3):
Surface TREE assays on the Wet Mountain REE Project. Assays of up to 79,900ppm (7.99%) TREE are evident. Geology is after Taylor et al (1975).
Terbium (TB) and Lutetium (Lu) assays were not assessed. A heavy REE (HTREE) component of up to 1,900 ppm and up to 5,000 ppm Pr, 20,000 ppm Nd, and 2,000 ppm Sm are noted. On this basis, the area has the potential to host a commercially viable REE deposit.
Cautionary Statement: The results quoted here are based on historic sampling collected and assayed by the USGS. While primary information has been sourced and cited, the results must be treated with caution until the area is resampled using modern techniques and assayed using industry standard procedures and QA/QC controls. The reader is cautioned that the grades are conceptual in nature and it is uncertain if further exploration will confirm these results. It is recommended that investors consult with a qualified professional to assess the risks associated with investing in projects that use historical results.
References:
1. Armbrustmacher, T.J., 1988, Geology and resources of thorium and associated elements in the Wet Mountains area, Fremont
and Custer Counties, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1049-F, 34 p.
2. Armbrustmacher, T.J., and Brownfield, I.K., 1978, Carbonatites in the Wet Mountains area, Custer and Fremont Counties,
Colorado: Chemical and mineralogical data: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-177, 7 p.
3. Taylor, R. B., Scott, G. R., Wobus, R. A., and Epis, R. C., 1975, Reconnaissance geologic map of the Cotopaxi 15-minute
quadrangle, Fremont and Custer Counties, Colorado: U.S. Geol. Survey Map 1-900.