Abstract

The Halleck Creek rare-earth element (REE) exploration project, operated by American Rare Earths, is located in southeastern Wyoming. REEs are a group of 17 elements that have a diverse range of applications, in everything from TV lighting to glass and oil refinement. Most importantly, REEs, especially neodymium and praseodymium, are vital components of high-strength permanent magnets, which are essential to the growing markets for electric vehicles and wind turbines, as well as for defence applications. Halleck Creek has a recently updated JORC resource of 2.34 billion tonnes at 3195 ppm TREO, announced in February 2024. This updated resource makes Halleck Creek one of the largest rareearth deposits in the world. This talk will discuss the unique geology of the Halleck Creek high-tonnage REE deposit, the exploration accomplished to date, and future plans for the deposit.

Bio

Kayla R. Young is a geologist with a passion for mineral exploration and mining. She enjoys unravelling how earth’s processes combine to form the geochemical anomalies known as ore deposits. Originally from South Carolina, Kayla earned her Bachelor of Arts in Geology from Trinity College Dublin in 2019 before completing her Master of Science in Geology from the University of Wyoming in 2022. Her Masters focused on mapping rare, hydrothermal PGE deposits. She is interested in conventional and unconventional deposits of critical elements like rare-earth elements and how mining can contribute to a greener future for the United States and the world. Kayla is also a sailor, ski patroller, and hiker. She has worked for American Rare Earths for almost 2 years. American Rare Earths is exploring for rare earth elements at their flagship Halleck Creek deposit