The Christmas PR gift that most put together with out first reading the directions? that some later bashed to bits before anyone had a real chance to play with it? That are even now trying to setup the next results as disappointing.... It not the REE its the whole stew......Just my opinion
Characteristics of IOCG systems Most investigators agree that IOCG-related hydrothermal systems share certain distinguishing features notably including (1) extensive alkali-rich alteration, (2)voluminous low-Ti magnetite and/or hematite, (3) a distinctive suite of minor elements (REE, Co, Ag, ± U, P), and (4) prominent structural control (cf. Hitzman et al. 1992). Coeval magmatism is a general, though perhaps not universal, adjunct. These features and their geophysical signatures provide the basic footprints
Unfortunately, no set of geologic features, apart from the abundance of Cu and Au themselves, readily distinguishes economic Cu(-Au) systems (Olympic Dam or Candelaria types) from large accumulations of magnetite or hematite that contain only anomalous amounts of these metals plus (Kiruna type or barren ironstones). It remains unsettled whether this contrast primarily reflects fundamental differences in the types system or primarily the lack of efficient traps / metal sources. Indeed, all regions that contain significant Cu(-Au) deposits also contain numerous "barren" Fe-oxide-rich occurrences, thus, regardless of its meaning, this empirical association provides the broadest signature for prospective regions.
Mineralization and time-space patterns: Economic mineralization is dominated by paragenetically late chalcopyrite ± bornite and occurs within or near (but typically not coextensive with) Fe-oxide accumulations. Distal and shallow mineralization is hematitedominated, whereas
[color=red]Individual mineralized centers rarely extend more than a few km across; yet mineralized regions can persist over regions 10s to 100s of km when defined by the intermittent distribution of magnetite- or hematite-rich rocks. [/color]Both local and regional mineralized zones correlate with major regional structural features (e.g., in coastal Chile, NW Queensland, northern Sweden) and/or with volcano-plutonic structures(e.g., in South Australia, northern Mexico, SE Missouri). Few districts have been thoroughly studied thus details of temporal and spatial patterns of alteration, magmatism (where present), and mineralization remain poorly constrained