Erin K Benson, PhD
Erin Benson is a Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow with the GMEG Science Center in Spokane, WA. Erin received an MSc in Earth Science from Indiana University Bloomington in 2018 and a PhD from Duke University in 2022. Since joining the USGS in 2022, she has used isotopes and mineral chemistry to study magmatic ore deposits.
Professional Experience
2022 - Present, Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow, Geology Minerals Energy and Geophysics Science Center, Spokane, WA.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Earth and Climate Science, Duke University, 2022
M.Sc., Earth and Atmospheric Science, Indiana University Bloomington, 2018
B.Sc., Geology, Western Washington University, 2016
Science and Products
Carbon and oxygen isotope composition, geochemistry, and petrography of carbonate minerals in the Mountain Pass carbonatite Carbon and oxygen isotope composition, geochemistry, and petrography of carbonate minerals in the Mountain Pass carbonatite
This data release contains in situ carbon and oxygen isotope analyses of calcite and dolomite collected via secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), as well as major and trace element geochemical data, bulk mineral carbon and oxygen isotope data, and whole rock geochemistry for the samples included in this study. Also included are images from analyzed thin sections that show the sample...
Sulfur isotopes and geochemistry of sulfate and sulfide minerals in the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, 2025 Sulfur isotopes and geochemistry of sulfate and sulfide minerals in the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, 2025
Sulfur minerals, including sulfates (barite, celestine) and sulfides (pyrite, galena, chalcopyrite) are common throughout the Mountain Pass carbonatite. Changes in the sulfur isotope chemistry of sulfate and sulfide minerals record changes in temperature and oxygen fugacity in the system from which they precipitate, and early primary sulfate and/or sulfide minerals may record the primary...
Geochemical and isotopic data for the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, California Geochemical and isotopic data for the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, California
The dataset includes .csv spreadsheets which provide whole rock geochemical data for the alkaline silicate rock and carbonatite rock samples for the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite that were analyzed as part of this study, as well as whole rock Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic data for whole rock alkaline silicate samples. The .csv files containing this data are associated with individual data...
Data Release for "Apatite and monazite geochemistry record magmatic and metasomatic processes in rare earth element mineralization at Mountain Pass, California" Data Release for "Apatite and monazite geochemistry record magmatic and metasomatic processes in rare earth element mineralization at Mountain Pass, California"
The dataset includes .csv spreadsheets which provide whole rock geochemical data for the alkaline silicate and carbonatite samples from which apatite and monazite were analyzed, as well as geochemical data collected via electron microprobe and laser ablation ICP-MS for the apatite and monazite mineral grains. Whole rock geochemical data were collected by SGS Labs, except carbonatite...
Geochemistry and radiogenic isotopes constrain the mantle source region of the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, California Geochemistry and radiogenic isotopes constrain the mantle source region of the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, California
The Mountain Pass carbonatite stock is the largest rare earth element (REE) deposit and only active REE mine in the United States. The carbonatite intrusion and spatially associated alkaline silicate intrusions constitute the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, which is located within the Mojave Province in California. Both the carbonatite and the alkaline silicate rocks are enriched in large...
Authors
Erin Benson, Kathryn E. Watts, Ian Hillenbrand
Apatite and monazite geochemistry record magmatic and metasomatic processes in rare earth element mineralization at Mountain Pass, California Apatite and monazite geochemistry record magmatic and metasomatic processes in rare earth element mineralization at Mountain Pass, California
The largest rare earth element (REE) deposit in the United States is a carbonatite intrusion at Mountain Pass in the Mojave Desert, California. Despite a clear spatiotemporal association of alkaline silicate and carbonatite intrusions at Mountain Pass, a genetic model of their mutual formation has not been resolved. The Mountain Pass carbonatite has long been upheld as an example of a...
Authors
Erin Benson, Kathryn E. Watts
Science and Products
Carbon and oxygen isotope composition, geochemistry, and petrography of carbonate minerals in the Mountain Pass carbonatite Carbon and oxygen isotope composition, geochemistry, and petrography of carbonate minerals in the Mountain Pass carbonatite
This data release contains in situ carbon and oxygen isotope analyses of calcite and dolomite collected via secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), as well as major and trace element geochemical data, bulk mineral carbon and oxygen isotope data, and whole rock geochemistry for the samples included in this study. Also included are images from analyzed thin sections that show the sample...
Sulfur isotopes and geochemistry of sulfate and sulfide minerals in the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, 2025 Sulfur isotopes and geochemistry of sulfate and sulfide minerals in the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, 2025
Sulfur minerals, including sulfates (barite, celestine) and sulfides (pyrite, galena, chalcopyrite) are common throughout the Mountain Pass carbonatite. Changes in the sulfur isotope chemistry of sulfate and sulfide minerals record changes in temperature and oxygen fugacity in the system from which they precipitate, and early primary sulfate and/or sulfide minerals may record the primary...
Geochemical and isotopic data for the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, California Geochemical and isotopic data for the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, California
The dataset includes .csv spreadsheets which provide whole rock geochemical data for the alkaline silicate rock and carbonatite rock samples for the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite that were analyzed as part of this study, as well as whole rock Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic data for whole rock alkaline silicate samples. The .csv files containing this data are associated with individual data...
Data Release for "Apatite and monazite geochemistry record magmatic and metasomatic processes in rare earth element mineralization at Mountain Pass, California" Data Release for "Apatite and monazite geochemistry record magmatic and metasomatic processes in rare earth element mineralization at Mountain Pass, California"
The dataset includes .csv spreadsheets which provide whole rock geochemical data for the alkaline silicate and carbonatite samples from which apatite and monazite were analyzed, as well as geochemical data collected via electron microprobe and laser ablation ICP-MS for the apatite and monazite mineral grains. Whole rock geochemical data were collected by SGS Labs, except carbonatite...
Geochemistry and radiogenic isotopes constrain the mantle source region of the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, California Geochemistry and radiogenic isotopes constrain the mantle source region of the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, California
The Mountain Pass carbonatite stock is the largest rare earth element (REE) deposit and only active REE mine in the United States. The carbonatite intrusion and spatially associated alkaline silicate intrusions constitute the Mountain Pass Intrusive Suite, which is located within the Mojave Province in California. Both the carbonatite and the alkaline silicate rocks are enriched in large...
Authors
Erin Benson, Kathryn E. Watts, Ian Hillenbrand
Apatite and monazite geochemistry record magmatic and metasomatic processes in rare earth element mineralization at Mountain Pass, California Apatite and monazite geochemistry record magmatic and metasomatic processes in rare earth element mineralization at Mountain Pass, California
The largest rare earth element (REE) deposit in the United States is a carbonatite intrusion at Mountain Pass in the Mojave Desert, California. Despite a clear spatiotemporal association of alkaline silicate and carbonatite intrusions at Mountain Pass, a genetic model of their mutual formation has not been resolved. The Mountain Pass carbonatite has long been upheld as an example of a...
Authors
Erin Benson, Kathryn E. Watts