20 Critical Minerals Potential in the Land of Enchantment: Past Production and Future Potential

Global demand for critical minerals is increasing. These non-fuel minerals are essential for clean energy and high-tech industries. New Mexico's future critical minerals potential is being re-evaluated through USGS Earth MRI surveys and DOE-funded efforts.

Tuesday, 19 May 2026
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Alvarado B

Defining Minimum Concentration of Critical Minerals for Exploration – What is Good Enough?

Paper number: 20-3
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:15 AM – 9:35 AM

Authors

Abstract

New economic deposits must be found to secure reliable supplies of minerals, especially critical minerals. A significant gap exists in defining geochemical thresholds that justify progressing exploration targets toward development. Therefore this study focuses on establishing preliminary estimates for critical minerals in exploration projects. While economic cut-off grades determine mine profitability, exploration cut-off values compare preliminary exploration numbers to active mining operations of similar deposit types.

Historical grade decline in mining (grade erosion) indicates that exploration thresholds set at approximately 70% of low economic cut-off grades in comparable operations provide a defensible benchmark for prioritizing exploration targets. Cut-off grade is highly variable and dependent on several interrelated factors, including deposit characteristics, mining and processing methods, and market dynamics.

This research seeks to establish minimum values for screening exploration projects by evaluating and comparing exploration thresholds to cut-off grades from active mines, without defining economic viability. For example, while some active carbonatite mines operate with grades exceeding 15% total rare earth oxide (TREO), the lower-bound economic cut-off grade for comparable deposits currently in production is approximately 2% TREO. This establishes a practical benchmark for identifying potentially viable exploration targets. Similarly, a concentration of 500 ppm (0.05%) total rare earth oxide (TREO) may serve as a realistic exploration target for coal-hosted rare earth element (REE) deposits, given their distinct geological setting and extraction considerations.

 

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 4

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026RM-410551

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