Geochemical major-oxide, minor-oxide, trace-element, and rare-earth-element data from rocks and streams sediments collected in 2012 in the Ray Mountains area, Beaver, Bettles, Livengood, and Tanana quadrangles, Alaska
Description
Mineral-resources personnel from the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) carried out a helicopter-supported geological and geochemical resource assessment project in the Beaver, Bettles, Livengood, and Tanana quadrangles from June 23 through August 5, 2012. The objectives of DGGS's resource assessment are to improve the trace-element geochemical coverage of selected watersheds; to obtain modern, quantitative geochemical analyses; to understand the petrogenesis of the granites; and to better document established mineral occurrences. Stream-sediment, pan-concentrate, and rock sampling were conducted as part of the State's Rare Earth Elements and Strategic Minerals Assessment project, which is designed to evaluate Alaska's potential for these resources. Highlights of this sampling project include documenting patterns of variable REE enrichment in the granites, and identifying bedrock samples of greisen and oxidized breccias with enriched REE, and stream sediments with enriched REEs that have a pattern of variation that mimics that of the granites.