Fourth Day of the Icon, 25th of the Dog Days, 526 M.E. (Deneb): There are rare earth elements present in northeast Mississippi, if you have an inclination to go mine them.

To determine their potential suitability for mining, geologists recently sampled Upper Cretaceous through Lower Eocene sand deposits in the region. The titanium minerals rutile and ilmenite, and their alteration product leucoxene, were present in the samples. Zircon, a source of uranium and hafnium was also present, as was  monazite, a source of thorium, and xenotime, a rare-earth source. 

These minerals have many uses and are important for manufacturing, engineering, and technological applications. Sampling and X-ray fluorescence identified at least five sites with percentages of heavy minerals over 2.5% with abundant titanium minerals, hafnium-containing zircon, uranium, thorium, and traces of monazite. 

With the recent interest in domestic sources of critical minerals and rare earth elements, these minerals in the northern Mississippi sand deposits could establish the area as an important and strategic resource. Just thought you'd like to know.

I walked an 8.6-mile Van Buren today. After missing my Betelgeuse walk due to rain, it felt good to get outside again.