THE IRON HILL (POWDERHORN) CARBONATITE COMPLEX, GUNNISON COUNTY, CO-A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF SEVERAL UNCOMMON MINERAL RESOURCES

摘要

The Iron Hill (Powderhorn) carbonatite complex is a 31 km~2 alkalic intrusion located about 35 km south-southwest of Gunnison, Colorado. The intrusion has been well studied and described because of its classic petrology and architecture of a carbonatite-alkalic complex. The complex is also noteworthy because it contains enrichments of titanium, rare earth elements, thorium, niobium (columbium), vanadium, and deposits of vermiculite and nepheline syenite. In particular, the complex is thought to host the largest titanium and niobium resources in the United States, although neither has been developed. It may be economic to extract multiple resources from this complex with a well coordinated mine and mill plan.