Posted on 23 Mar 2023
US Critical Minerals reports that its Sheep Creek rare earth project in the western United States has been selected by the US Geological Survey for mapping and exploration, Kallanish reports.
The federal agency and partner Montana Bureau of Mines will conduct a high-resolution flyover, an aeromagnetic and aero-radiometric survey at Sheep Creek in the Bitterroot Mountains in southwest Montana. Detailed geologic mapping and geochemical sampling will also be conducted to further define rare earth mineralisation already identified.
The work will be conducted for the Utah-based company as part of the USGS’ Earth Mapping Resource Initiative. The company says it welcomes the two government agencies and their cutting-edge geological and technical resources.
The company says Sheep Creek is the highest-grade rare-earth deposit in the United States, with total rare earth oxides at surface of nearly 9% or 89,932 parts-per-million. The property under claim totals 7 square miles and contains 12 rare earth elements. The company is assessing its next steps, including financing and business development opportunities for the project. A drilling programme is planned.
US Critical Minerals says underground channel sampling has produced results of up to 10.23% total rare earth oxides at Sheep Creek. The top sample produced 102,293 ppm total rare earth elements including 13,940 ppm combined neodymium-praseodymium, two highly desirable magnetic rare earths. The underground results averaged 50,400 ppm (5.04% TREE) including a combined 6,721 ppm (0.67%) neodymium-praseodymium.
Sheep Creek is being advanced by US Rare Elements Corp, a joint venture created last fall by US Critical Metals Corp and Utah-based US Critical Materials Corp. The project is in Ravalli County and spans 221 lode claims covering about 4,500 acres. Exploration in late 2021 identified more than 50 carbonatite dikes that are up to 3 metres wide and can be followed for more than 300 m along strike.
Source:Kallanish
