Deposit
Rhyolite Ridge
Rhyolite Ridge is a deposit with published resource estimates in Nevada, recorded in the USGS lithium deposits in the United States selected-sites dataset (2020 release).
Location: Nevada, United States
Commodities: lithium; boron; potassium
Deposit model: lithium-bearing clay · unclassified
Geology
“There are two types of mineralization present: 1) lithium-boron mineralization that is low in clay content and low-moderate in carbonate content and 2) lithium-only mineralization that has higher clay content and moderate to high carbonate content. The lithium content of both types is similar however the lithium-boron mineralization averages over 1% boron making it potentially higher value material.” (Global Geoscience Ltd. (2017))
Published resource estimates
| Material | Class | Amount | Grade | Contained | As of | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| boric acid (H3BO3) | Indicated plus Inferred | — | 2.9 percent | — | Jan 1, 2016 | Global Geoscience Ltd. (2017), Page 10 — Global Geoscience Ltd., 2017, Global Geoscience doubles high-grade lithium-boron mineral resource: Global Geoscience Ltd., 12 p., accessed August 3, 2019, at https://www.ioneer.com/files/announcement/files/global-geoscience-limited-doubles-high-grade-lithium-boron-mineral-resource.pdf |
| boric acid (H3BO3) | Measured, Indicated, Inferred | — | 8 percent | — | Jan 1, 2019 | Ioneer Ltd. (2019), Page 4 — Ioneer Ltd., 2019, Rhyolite Ridge mineral resource upgrade: Ioneer Ltd., 52 p., accessed August 3, 2019, at https://www.ioneer.com/files/announcement/files/190626-inr-rr-resource-upgrade-final.pdf |
| potassium sulfate (K2SO4) | Indicated plus Inferred | — | 1.6 percent | — | Jan 1, 2018 | Global Geoscience Ltd. (2018b), Page 2 — Global Geoscience Ltd. 2018, Updated Rhyolite Ridge mineral resource statement: Global Geoscience Ltd., 19 p., accessed August 3, 2019, at https://www.ioneer.com/files/announcement/files/181023-gsc-rr-resource-update-final.pdf |
| lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) | Measured, Indicated, Inferred | — | 0.9 percent | — | Jan 1, 2019 | Ioneer Ltd. (2019), Page 4 — Ioneer Ltd., 2019, Rhyolite Ridge mineral resource upgrade: Ioneer Ltd., 52 p., accessed August 3, 2019, at https://www.ioneer.com/files/announcement/files/190626-inr-rr-resource-upgrade-final.pdf |
| potassium sulfate (K2SO4) | Indicated plus Inferred | — | 1.7 percent | — | Jan 1, 2016 | Global Geoscience Ltd. (2017), Page 10 — Global Geoscience Ltd., 2017, Global Geoscience doubles high-grade lithium-boron mineral resource: Global Geoscience Ltd., 12 p., accessed August 3, 2019, at https://www.ioneer.com/files/announcement/files/global-geoscience-limited-doubles-high-grade-lithium-boron-mineral-resource.pdf |
| lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) | Indicated plus Inferred | — | 0.9 percent | — | Jan 1, 2016 | Global Geoscience Ltd. (2017), Page 10 — Global Geoscience Ltd., 2017, Global Geoscience doubles high-grade lithium-boron mineral resource: Global Geoscience Ltd., 12 p., accessed August 3, 2019, at https://www.ioneer.com/files/announcement/files/global-geoscience-limited-doubles-high-grade-lithium-boron-mineral-resource.pdf |
Exploration and site history
- Exploration — Exploration drilling on the deposit from 2010-2017, 2010–2017 (Global Geoscience Ltd. (2017))
- Evaluation — JORC compliant report, 2016–2018 (Global Geoscience Ltd. (2017); Global Geoscience Ltd. (2018))
- Exploration — Drilling of 57-holes totaling about 15,000m by US Borax in the 1980's, 1980–1989 (Global Geoscience Ltd. (2017))
Sources
- U.S. Geological Survey · published Jun 1, 2020 · retrieved Aug 18, 2026 · archive