Magnetic susceptibility and density measurements in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, 2022 to 2023
Description
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected rock magnetic susceptibility and density measurements to understand the causative sources of airborne magnetic and ground gravity survey anomalies in the Wet Mountains, Colorado. A total of 609 magnetic susceptibility and 86 density measurements were collected from outcrops and hand samples, respectively, from July 2022 to June 2023. These measurements aid the interpretation of newly collected geophysical data to identify concealed Ediacaran-Ordovician alkaline igneous features and potential rare earth element deposits. On average, 16 magnetic susceptibility and 4 density measurements were taken from each outcrop/hand sample to best represent the lithology. Outcrop/sample lithology was derived from field observations and previously published maps noted in the supplemental information section of the metadata file. Measurement locations were recorded using a handheld Global Position System.