Thor

Location: Nevada, United States (35.438, -115.145 approx.)

Commodities: rare earth elements

Deposit model: REE-Th bearing veins · Th-REE veins

Geology

“Exploration work completed to date includes: (a) reconnaissance mapping and detailed geologic mapping (at a scale of 1:48,000); (b) 158 km of cross-country vehicle radiometric traverses and 55 km of backpack traverses; (c) collection of 127 rock samples and 45 soil samples for assay; (d) petrographic studies of all the higher-grade rock samples; (e) separate site visits by two experts in regional geology and REE mineralization; and (f) a 667 line-kilometer high-resolution airborne magnetic survey using an ultralight aircraft.” (Hogge and others (2010)) “Recent mapping and sampling by Elissa indicates that the principal REE mineralization in the Thor Project area occurs as structurally-controlled, monazite-apatite-xenotime vein systems. Similar REE vein deposits of economic importance occur at various places in the world. They are typically not very large but they can be very rich, and they often contain significant amounts of the especially valuable heavy REE (HREE). Examples include the Steenkampskraal deposit in South Africa, probably the highest-grade REE deposit in the world (17% REE-oxide), consisting of a narrow vein that extends only 400 meters or so along strike, and the Hoidas Lake deposit in Saskatchewan, averaging about 2.05% REE in narrow veins over a strike length of 475 meters.” (Hogge and others (2010))

Exploration and site history

• Exploration — Project scale geologic mapping; Collected rock samples, 2010 (Hogge and others (2010))
• Discovery — Examinations by U.S. Atomic Energy Commission geologists in 1955 reported a sample from the Thor Claim containing ThO2 and REE, 1955 (Hogge and others (2010))

Record imported from USGS USMIN ver. 4.0 (June 2019). Developments after that date appear on facility records, not here; see the methodology.