Mineral Resources of the Lower Owyhee Canyon Wilderness Study Area, Malheur County, Oregon

摘要

The Lower Owyhee Canyon Wilderness Study Area, comprising approximately 73,010 acres, was evaluated for mineral resources and mineral resource potential. The U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted geologic, geochemical, and geophysical surveys in 1986 and 1987 to assess the identified mineral resources (known) and mineral resource potential (undiscovered) of the study area. The study area contains an inferred subeconomic resource of 7.7 million short tons (st) of zeolite-bearing rock and less than 2,000 st of decorative stone. Sand and gravel covers approximately 6 sq miles. The entire study area has low mineral resource potential for gold, silver, lead, zinc, antimony, and mercury. Northern and central parts of the study area have low mineral resource potential for barite. The southern two-thirds of the study area has low energy resource potential for oil and gas. Central and southern parts of the study area have low potential for geothermal energy resources.