| Director: |
Patrick McLaughlin |
| Other Researchers: |
Agnieszka Drobniak,
Matthew Johnson,
Jennifer Lanman,
Maria Mastalerz,
Katherine Tucker,
Alyssa Bancroft Poul Emsbo (USGS)
Jared Freidburg (ISGS)
Drew Andrews (KGS)
Jessica Moore (WVGS)
|
| Funding: |
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) - - USGS - No Specific Program
|
| Issue: |
REE production is dominated by China. The US government seeks to gain a more comprehensive understanding of domestic resources. |
| Objective: |
The objectives are to establish an understanding of regional REE concentration gradients for phosphorites within the Devonian to basal Mississippian interval across the eastern US and test standing models of REE enrichment in phosphorites. |
| Approach: |
Work collaboratively with state surveys and research geologists in academic department to collect phosphorites and associated stratigraphic samples from cores and outcrops. Submit phosphorites to USGS analytical chemistry project. Analyze all samples on IGWS pXRF. |
| Products: |
A brief report to USGS summarizing methods, results, and interpretations. |
| Benefits: |
Will provide new data on potentially the worlds most enriched heavy REE resource. |
