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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

Wyoming Geological Association

Abstract


Resources of the Bighorn Basin; 47th Annual Field Conference Guidebook, 1996
Pages 273-280

Placers and Paleoplacers of the Bighorn Basin

W. Dan Hausel, William H. Graves

Abstract

Scattered placers and paleoplacers along the margin of the Bighorn Basin of northwestern Wyoming, are potential sources of gold, rare earth metals, titanium, zirconium, and iron. The source of the gold in some of the modern placers possibly originated from the erosion of Tertiary conglomerates within the basin. In addition to the auriferous Tertiary paleoplacers, two other types of paleoplacers have been recognized; (1) Cretaceous age titaniferous black sandstones enriched in ilmenite, magnetite, anatase, monazite, rutile, sphene, and zircon, and (2) Cambrian age monazite-gold-bearing conglomerates.

A few of the paleoplacers in the basin contain relatively large resources of rare-earth metals, titanium, zirconium and other associated metals. These represent potential commercial deposits.


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