Index map outlining USGS-Afghanistan 

mineral project areas. Area of this report 

shown in red.

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ap

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dol-ank

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ankank-dol dol

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RT-11K-5 RT-11K-6

Tuff

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and volcanic rocks Type–1 LREE mineralized seams

Type–2 LREE mineralized dikes

Dikes of the SW complex

Bayan Obo, China

carbonatite dike Bayan Obo, China

mineralized 

carbonate MC

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and volcanic rocks

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carbonatite dike

Bayan Obo, China

mineralized 

carbonate Khanneshin

intrusive and

volcanic rocks

Mt. Pass, California

REE ores

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China

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REE ores

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Bayan Obo, China

REE ores

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concordant seams

of LREE mineralization

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LREE mineralized

discordant dikes

Mt. Pass, California

REE ores

ap

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Type–1 LREE seams

Dikes of the SW complex

Type–2 LREE mineralized dikes

Calcio-Carbonatites

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TrenchTrenchKhanneshinuranium prospectTrench

Khanneshin LREE

prospect area

Traverse no. 2, August 2010

Traverse no. 1B, September 2009

Traverse no. 1A,

September 2009

Traverse no. 3, February 2011

A

C

B

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F

E

CONTOUR INTERVAL 10 METERS

SCALE 1:10 000 

EXPLANATION OF MAP SYMBOLS

Contact—Dashed where inferred

Fault or fracture—Inferred

Strike and dip of bedding

Trench

Traverse line—Arrow shows direction

Mineralized area containing radioactive elements

Carbonatite pipe

Seam of rare earth element (REE) enrichment

Apatite

Strontianite

Rare earth carbonate

Magnetite

Rare earth element (REE) enrichment zone—(Tucker and others, 2011)

USGS sample—Taken on Traverse nos. 2 and 3

Russian sample

Site of photograph in Traverse nos. 1A and 1B—Tip of arrow at point 

of observation; number keyed to figure

Figure 1.—Parallel northeast-striking carbonatite dikes intruding 

alvikitic agglomerate (unit Q1-2c ) along southwestern part of the 

volcanic sequence. (Traverse no. 1A)

Figure 6.—View of volcanic vent margin on southern part of the 

Khanneshin carbonatite complex, looking southeast. (Traverse no. 1A)

Figure 5.—View looking north at sediment-volcanic contact.

(Traverse no. 1B)

Figure 4.—View looking southwest at volcanic-sediment contact.

(Traverse no. 1A)

Figure 7.—View of layered agglomerate (unit Q1-2c ), looking southwest. (Traverse no. 1A)

Figure 2.—Alvikitic agglomerate unit Q1-2c cropping out along the 

southwestern part of the volcanic sequence. (Traverse no. 1A)

Figure 3.—Magnetite-bearing aphanitic alvikitic agglomerate (unit 

Q1-3c ) that overlies unit Q1-2c along the southwestern part of the 

volcanic sequence. (Traverse no. 1A)

Figure 12.—Mineralogy and crystallization sequence of 

the concordantly REE-mineralized rocks, RT-11K-5, February traverse, 2011. (A) Photograph of the concordant 

symmetric bands of mineralized barite-strontianite alvikite. 

(B) Gray-toned backscattered electron microscope image 

of box b, showing margin of light-colored band of ankeritic 

dolomite, barite, strontianite, calcite, and spherical areas 

(immiscible droplets?) of khanneshite. Calcite and 

khanneshite appear as late, interstitial minerals surrounding early formed phenocrysts of barite and strontianite. 

Abbreviations: ba, barite; str, strontianite; cc, calcite; 

ank-dol, ankeritic dolomite; kh, khanneshite. Modified 

from Tucker and others (2011).

Figure 13.—Mineralogy and crystallization sequence of the apatite-rich intrusive 

dikes, Khanneshin carbonatite complex. (A) Outcrop of intrusive dike RT-11K-6. 

The rectangle of image B shows the approximate location of the hand specimen 

pictured in B. (B) Rock slab of sample RT-11K-6 showing the phenocrysts of carbocernaite in a matrix of dolomitic ankerite, siderite, apatite, and barite. Location of 

image C shown as inset box c. (C) False-colored backscattered electron microscope 

image showing the textural relations among carbocernaite (c-cer), dolomiteankerite (dol-ank), siderite (sid), barite (ba), strontianite (str), apatite (ap), and 

parisite-(Ce) (par). Dolomitic ankerite, with siderite rims, and carbocernaite form 

early phenocrysts; apatite, barite, and strontianite form interstitial minerals; 

parisite-(Ce) forms a late alteration mineral of carbocernaite. Modified from Tucker 

and others (2011).

Figure 22.—View looking southeast over Neogene sedimentary 

strata (red arkose and green argillite in the foreground) and carbonatite tuff and ash in the distance. (Traverse no. 2)

Figure 17.—Close-up view of another Type-1 mineralized vein 

with an interior mosaic of fine-grained barite, calcite, celestine and 

oxides, and a selvage of euhedral crystals of burbankite and 

bastnaesite. Northeastern margin of the central intrusive vent, 

Khanneshin carbonatite complex. (Traverse no. 3)

Figure 19.—Close-up view of Type-2 mineralization in a coarsegrained carbonatite dike. Note the coarse-grained igneous texture 

with idiomorphic crystals of fluorite (purplish blue), barite (gray), and 

calcite (white) and prismatic aggregates of the yellow rare-earth 

minerals khanneshite (burbankite group) and bastnaesite-(Ce). 

Width of the sample is ~40 cm. (Traverse no. 2)

Figure 18.—Tabular sheet, approximately 

1.5 m thick (outlined by dashed line), of 

typical Type-2 mineralization showing very 

coarse grained rare earth element (REE)-

enriched carbonatite cutting thinly banded 

alvikite in the northeastern margin of the 

central intrusive vent, Khanneshin carbonatite complex. Note the pegmatitic patches, 

enriched in yellow REE minerals (bounded by 

dashed circles). (Traverse no. 3)

Figure 16.—Type-1 rare earth element (REE) mineralization in 

fine-grained ankerite-barite alvikite, Khanneshin carbonatite 

complex. Two Type-1 banded veins are apparent; one approximately 8 cm thick, the other approximately 4 cm thick. Both have 

an outer selvage of yellow prismatic burbankite and bastnaesite and 

an inner zone of barite, celestine, calcite, and fine-grained oxide 

minerals. (Traverse no. 3)

Figure 15.—View looking west across the northern margin of the 

central intrusive vent showing the north-dipping (~25° N) strata of 

Neogene age deflected by the forceful emplacement of the intrusive 

vent. (Traverse no. 3) 

Figure 14.—View looking southeast from the northern margin of the 

central intrusive vent, Khanneshin carbonatite complex. Note the 

rugged relief (~200 m) and lack of vegetation on the agglomeratic 

and brecciated alvikite of the central intrusive vent. (Traverse no. 3)

Figure 23.—Alvikite agglomerate intruded by fine-grained carbonatite dike. Dike is marked by dashed line. (Traverse no. 2)

Figure 24.—Close-up view of welded carbonatite tuff cut by thin 

(10-cm) dike of coarse-grained bastnaesite-khanneshite-pyrochlore 

carbonatite. (Traverse no. 2)

Figure 25.—View looking east at the volcanic strata of the central 

intrusive vent. Dark stratified rocks (S) in the foreground are alvikite 

tuffs and lavas; overlying them are light-colored massive carbonatite 

flows (C) and agglomeratic tuffs. (Traverse no. 2)

Figure 30.—Weathered pits in alvikite agglomerate sampled 

previously by Soviet geologists in the central intrusive vent. 

(Traverse no. 2)

Figure 21.—Hydrothermally altered rare earth element (REE) 

minerals of the Type-1 veins and disseminated pods in bariteankerite alvikite, northeastern margin of the central intrusive vent, 

Khanneshin carbonatite complex. (Traverse no. 3)

Figure 20.—Close-up view of bastnaesite and khanneshite (yellow) 

in pegmatoidal patch of Type-2 mineralized tabular sheet shown in 

figure 18. Other visible minerals include fluorite, barite, and calcite. 

(Traverse no. 3)

Figure 27.—Massive carbonatite agglomerate enclosing a large 

block (marked by dashed line) of coarse-grained holocrystalline 

carbonatite (sövite). (Traverse no. 2)

Figure 8A, B.—Ternary diagrams of USGS whole-rock geochemical data, Khanneshin carbonatite complex (modified 

from Tucker and others (2011). Note the distinctive difference between samples from different parts of the complex. Red 

circles are volcanic strata and minor intrusive rocks from the southwestern part of the complex (USGS 2009 collection). 

Filled blue circles are banded alvikite (2011 USGS collection) in the Khanneshin LREE prospect area. Open blue circles are 

tabular sheets of intrusive carbonatite (2011 USGS collection) also from the Khanneshin LREE prospect area. (A) Rocks 

from the LREE prospect area are noticeably depleted in silica, relative to the southwestern part of the central intrusive vent, 

and they are properly classified as calcio- and ferro-carbonatites (fields modified from Srivastava, 1993). Some of the same 

rocks (B) contain more Mg than Fe and may be classified as magnesio-carbonatite (fields modified from Woolley and 

Kempe, 1989). 

DEFINITION OF TERMS

used in figures 8–12

REE,

LREE,

HREE,

ppm,

Red-filled circles in figures 8–10 are volcanic tuffs and dikes from 

the southwestern part of the Khanneshin carbonatite complex

Blue-filled and unfilled circles in figures 8–10 are LREE-enriched 

rocks from the Khanneshin LREE prospect area (see Explanation of Map Symbols)

rare earth elements

light rare earth elements

heavy rare earth elements

parts per million

Figure 9A.—Variation diagram of CaO (weight percent) versus 

Ba (ppm) for rocks of the Khanneshin carbonatite complex 

illustrating the difference between the LREE-enriched rocks 

of the marginal zone, central intrusive vent, and normal 

alvikite and sövite of the Khanneshin carbonatite. Average 

calcio-carbonatite (yellow star), ferro-carbonatite (red star), 

and magnesio-carbonatite (green star) from Woolley and 

Kempe (1989). Note the very high concentrations of Ba, 

relative to CaO, in the REE-enriched rocks of the Khanneshin 

carbonatite. One percent (parts per hundred) equals 10,000 

ppm (parts per million). Diagram modified from Tucker and 

others (2011).

Figure 10A.—Variation diagram of La (ppm) versus Sr (ppm) 

illustrating the magnitude and significance of REE enrichment 

in the marginal zone, central intrusive vent, Khanneshin 

carbonatite complex (symbols as in fig. 8). Also shown are 

the fields for ordinary Khanneshin intrusive and volcanic 

rocks sampled in 2009 and 2010, and average calciocarbonatite (yellow star), ferro-carbonatite (red star), and 

magnesio-carbonatite (green star) from Woolley and Kempe 

(1989). The positive correlation of the LREE and Sr in the 

REE-enriched rocks indicates the propensity of the LREE to 

substitute for Sr in khanneshite (burbankite group) and carbocernaite, the primary carbonate minerals of the Khanneshin 

complex. Also shown are mineralized carbonate and carbonatite dikes from Bayan Obo (data from Yang and others, 

2009) and average ores from Mountain Pass (data from 

Castor, 2008). Diagram modified from Tucker and others 

(2011).

Figure 10B.—Variation diagram of La (ppm) versus Yb (ppm) 

illustrating the magnitude and significance of REE enrichment in the marginal zone, central intrusive vent, Khanneshin carbonatite complex (symbols as in fig. 8). La (ppm) is 

representative of the LREE and Yb (ppm) is representative of 

the HREE. Common alvikites of the Khanneshin complex 

have LREE and HREE concentrations similar to average 

ferro-, magnesio-, and calcio-carbonatites worldwide. The 

highly enriched alvikites of the marginal central vent are 

enriched in the REE by an order of magnitude, and they are 

comparable in grade to the world-class deposits of Bayan 

Obo (data for average Bayan Obo ores from Yuan and 

others, 1992) and Mountain Pass (data from Castor, 2008). 

Diagram modified from Tucker and others (2011).

Figure 9B.—Variation diagram of Sr (ppm) versus Ba (ppm) 

for rocks of the Khanneshin carbonatite complex illustrating 

the difference between the LREE-enriched rocks of the 

marginal zone, central intrusive vent, and normal alvikite 

and sövite of the Khanneshin carbonatite. Note the very 

high concentrations of Ba, relative to Sr, in the REEenriched rocks of the Khanneshin carbonatite. Also shown 

are concentrations in carbonatite dikes at Bayan Obo 

(China) (data from Yang and others, 2009). One percent 

(parts per hundred) equals 10,000 ppm (parts per million). 

Diagram modified from Tucker and others (2011). 

Figure 11.—Rare earth concentrations normalized to 

chondritic values (Nakamura, 1974). The Khanneshin 

whole-rock concentrations are from the LREE-enriched zone 

(filled and open blue circles). All samples are highly enriched 

in the LREE relative to the HREE, with typical concentrations of La, Ce, Pr, and Nd above or near 1 weight percent 

concentrations. These are comparable in grade to the 

world-class REE ores from Bayan Obo, China (green crosses) 

and Mountain Pass, Calif. (blue-filled stars). Note that the 

Type-1 concordant seams from Khanneshin are more 

enriched in the HREE than are the Type-2 igneous dikes 

from Khanneshin. Both types of mineralized rocks from 

Khanneshin are slightly more enriched in HREE than ores 

from Mountain Pass. Diagram modified from Tucker and 

others (2011).

Figure 26.—Steeply inclined bedded siltstone and argillite of 

Neogene age, cut by a thin dike of white carbonatite. (Traverse no. 2)

INTRODUCTION

This map is a modified version of the Geological map of the Khanneshin 

carbonatite complex, scale 1:10,000 (Cheremytsin, 1976). The original 

map and cross sections are contained in Soviet report no. R1142 

(Cheremytsin and Yeremenko, 1976), which was prepared in cooperation 

with the Ministry of Mines and Industries of the Republic of Afghanistan in 

Kabul in 1976 under contract number 55-184/17500. This modified map 

illustrates the geological structure of the Khanneshin carbonatite complex and 

includes cross sections of the same area.

The unit colors on the map and cross sections differ from the colors shown 

on the original version. The units are colored according to the color and 

pattern scheme of the Commission for the Geological Map of the World 

(CGMW) (http://www.ccgm.org).

This map reproduces the topology (contacts, faults, and so forth) of the 

original Soviet map and cross sections, and includes modifications based on 

our examination of these documents and on observations made during brief 

field visits in September 2009, August 2010, and February 2011. Elevations 

on the cross sections are derived from the original Soviet topography and 

may not match the Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) topography used 

on the current map. We have attempted to translate the original Russian 

terminology and rock classification into modern English geologic usage as 

literally as possible without changing any genetic or process-oriented implications in the original descriptions. We also use the age designations from the 

original map.

Some field photograph sites are shown on the map by symbols keyed by 

number to the figures. The photographs were taken by U.S. Geological 

Survey scientists (Robert Tucker, Stephen Peters, Mike Chornack, Said 

Mirzad, and Daniel Hayba) and personnel with the Task Force for Business 

and Stability Operations (TFBSO) during the field visits mentioned above. 

We acknowledge Forrest Horton, under contract to TFBSO, for field and 

logistical assistance given during Traverse 2.

DESCRIPTION OF MAP UNITS

ROCKS OF GEOTHERMAL ORIGIN

Travertine (Pleistocene)—White to yellowish-white, fine-grained botryoidal 

calcite and aragonite limestone

VOLCANIC AND SEDIMENTARY STRATIFIED ROCKS OF THE 

EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE

CARBONATITE COMPLEX

Eolian sand (Holocene)—Surrounds the Khanneshin structure; 3 to 5 m thick

Proluvial fan (Holocene and Pleistocene?)—Unconsolidated, very coarse 

grained, poorly sorted and poorly graded conglomerate and breccia; debris 

flow (lahar?)

Carbonatite lava flow (Pleistocene?) (upper bed of upper volcanogenic 

unit)—Porous, bluish-gray, with porphyritic texture; ranges from 10–20 cm 

to 4–5 m thick. Contains phenocrysts of rhombohedral calcite crystals (1 

mm)

 

Carbonatite tuff (Pleistocene?) (lower bed of upper volcanogenic 

unit)—Highly abundant, medium-grained, porous, gray and brown, and 

weakly consolidated. Contains very angular fragments of carbonatite, 

Neogene sedimentary rock, and magnetite, apatite, and biotite phenocrysts 

Sandstone and carbonatite conglomerate (Pleistocene?) (upper bed of 

middle volcanogenic unit)—Coarse-grained, light-gray and brownish-gray 

sandstone interbedded with siltstone

Carbonatite siltstone and sandstone (Pleistocene?) (lower bed of middle 

volcanogenic unit)—Siltstone, fine-grained, horizontally and thinly 

layered, light-gray and yellowish-gray. Sandstone, fine-grained, white, 

yellowish-white, light-gray and yellowish-gray; contains fragments (0.2 mm) 

of calcite, apatite, quartz, microcline, plagioclase, magnetite, and zircon

Carbonatite tuff (Pleistocene?) (lower volcanogenic unit)—Greenish-gray 

and green, medium-grained carbonatite tuff; contains rocks of geothermal 

origin, fragments of carbonatite, and Neogene sandstone, siltstone, and 

argillite

VOLCANIC AND SEDIMENTARY STRATIFIED ROCKS OF THE 

WESTERN AND SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE

CARBONATITE COMPLEX

Alvikite tuffs and lava flows (Pleistocene?) (top layer of volcanogenic 

unit)—Massive, fragmental amygdaloidal flows and tuffs; horizontal flows 

10 m thick

Sedimentary strata (Pleistocene?) (lower layer of volcanogenic unit)—Thickbedded, gray to greenish-gray, coarse- to medium-grained sandstone and 

siltstone, alternating with massive, poorly sorted, very angular fragmental 

carbonatite tuff; fragments composed of volcanic rocks, Neogene sedimentary rocks, and carbonatite intrusives. Interlayered with thin beds (2–20 cm) 

of siltstone and claystone

INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS OF THE CENTRAL

INTRUSIVE VENT OR STOCK

Barite-ankerite-alvikite (Pleistocene?) (exterior stock facies)—Medium- to 

fine-grained, dark-gray to black; forms an exterior half-ring around the 

interior stock facies. Transitions gradationally into the interior stock facies

Calcite sövite carbonatite (Pleistocene?) (interior stock facies)—Medium- to 

very coarse grained calcite sövite; gray, thinly laminated and spotted; 

contains xenoliths of phlogopite fenite (glimmerite); accessory minerals are 

apatite, magnetite, and pyrochlore. Forms the interior facies of the central 

intrusive stock; grades into the exterior stock facies

Rødberg (Red rock) (Pleistocene?)—Medium- to fine-grained black to red 

siderite-ankerite-hematite carbonatite; contains siderite (30–35 percent), 

ankerite (20–25 percent), and hematite (15–20 percent)

INTRUSIVE

Satellitic (hypabyssal) and volcanic rocks

Leucite phonolite (Pleistocene)—Massive, dense, dark-gray to green, 

porphyritic phonolite with phenocrysts of leucite and sanidine (50 to 70 

percent of the rock). Groundmass contains fine- to medium-grained, gray to 

green clusters (1–1.5 mm in diameter) of aegerine and sanidine

Alvikite agglomerate tuff (Pleistocene?)—Calcite carbonatite agglomerate 

and tuff; contains alvikite fragments, kamaphorites, and xenoliths of 

alvikite, sövite, and Neogene sedimentary rocks

Carbonatite dikes (Pleistocene?)—Massive, generally subvertical dikes, 

several centimeters to 1–2 m thick; fine- to medium-grained calcite-bariteankerite carbonatite. Many dikes have radial geometry, cutting through 

Neogene red beds, intrusive rocks, and lower carbonatite tuffs of unit Qaa

PREVOLCANIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Sandstone and siltstone (Neogene)—Altered and hornfelsed red sandstone 

and siltstone in and near the contact within igneous rocks of the subvolcanic and volcanic-rock facies; brecciated and recrystallized, medium to fine 

grained

Sandstone and siltstone (Neogene)—Unaltered, fine- to medium-grained, 

orange to brick-red sandstone and siltstone alternating with thin green beds 

of fine-grained sandstone

PROSPECT AREAS

Khanneshin uranium prospect—Denotes the area of Neogene sedimentary 

rocks in the southwestern part of the complex identified by Cheremytsin 

and Yeremenko (1976) as prospective for uranium and thorium

Khanneshin light rare earth element (LREE) prospect area—Red outline 

denotes the area of intrusive igneous rocks of the subvolcanic facies in the 

northeastern part of the central intrusive vent, identified by Cheremytsin 

and Yeremenko (1976) as prospective for LREE

Khanneshin phosphorus prospect area—Green outline denotes the area 

of alvikite tuffs and lava flows identified by Cheremytsin and Yeremenko 

(1976) as prospective for phosphorus

Figure 29.—Red and green clastic sedimentary rocks of Neogene 

age intruded by a thin, sill-like dike of white carbonatite. Dike is 

marked by dashed line. (Traverse no. 2)

Figure 28.—Contact (dashed line) between coarse-grained alvikite 

agglomerate above fine-grained carbonatite lava cut by carbonatite 

dikes. (Traverse no. 2)

REFERENCES

Abdullah, S., and Chmyriov, V.M., eds., 1977, Map of mineral resources of Afghanistan: Kabul, Ministry of Mines and Industries of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, Department of Geological and Mineral Survey, scale 1:500,000. [Prepared by 

V/O Technoexport U.S.S.R.] 

Abdullah, S., Chmyriov, V.M., Stazhilo-Alekseev, K.F., Dronov, V.I., Gannon, P.J., 

Lubemov, B.K., Kafarskiy, A.K., and Malyarov, E.P., 1977, Mineral resources of 

Afghanistan, 2d ed.: Kabul, Ministry of Mines and Industries of the Democratic 

Republic of Afghanistan, Afghan Geological and Mines Survey, United Nations 

Development Programme Support Project AFG/74/12, 419 p. 

Castor, S.B., 2008, The Mountain Pass rare-earth carbonatite and associated ultrapotassic rocks, California: The Canadian Mineralogist, v. 46, no. 4, p. 779–806.

Cheremytsin, V.G., comp., 1976, Geological map of the Khanneshin carbonatite 

complex, in Cheremytsin, V.G., and Yeremenko, G.K., Report of the Khanneshin 

group on the results of prospecting and evaluational activity for 1976 [in Russian]: 

Kabul, Department of Mines and Geology Survey, report no. R1142, one sheet, scale 

1:10,000. [Prepared by V/O Technoexport U.S.S.R. for the Ministry of Mines and 

Industries of the Republic of Afghanistan, Department of Mines and Geology Survey, 

under contract no. 55-184/17500.]

Cheremytsin, V.G., and Yeremenko, G.K., 1976, Report of the Khanneshin group on 

the results of prospecting and evaluational activity for 1976 [in Russian]: Kabul, 

Department of Mines and Geology Survey, report no. R1142, 84 p. and 7 map pls. 

[Prepared by V/O Technoexport U.S.S.R. for the Ministry of Mines and Industries of 

the Republic of Afghanistan, Department of Mines and Geology Survey, under 

contract no. 55-184/17500.]

Nakamura, Noboru, 1974, Determination of REE, Ba, Fe, Mg, Na and K in carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 38, no. 5, p. 

757–775. 

Peters, S.G., Ludington, S.D., Orris, G.J., Sutphin, D.M., Bliss, J.D., and Rytuba, J.J., 

eds., and the U.S. Geological Survey–Afghanistan Ministry of Mines Joint Mineral 

Resource Assessment Team, 2007, Preliminary non-fuel mineral resource 

assessment of Afghanistan: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007–1214, 

810 p., 1 CD-ROM disk and 1 DVD-ROM disk; also available at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1214/.

Srivastava, R.K., 1993, Chemical classification of silica-rich carbonatites: Indian 

Journal of Geochemistry, v. 8, p. 15–24.

REFERENCES (continued)

Tucker, R.D., Belkin, H.E., Schulz, K.J., Peters, S.G., and Buttleman, K.P., 2011, Rare 

earth element mineralogy, geochemistry, and preliminary resource assessment of the 

Khanneshin carbonatite complex, Helmand Province, Afghanistan: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 2011–1207, 51 p.; also available at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1207/.

Woolley, A.R., and Kempe, D.R.C., 1989, Carbonatites; nomenclature, average 

chemical compositions, and element distribution, in Bell, Keith, ed., Carbonatites; 

genesis and evolution: London, Unwin Hyman, p. 1–14.

Yang Xiaoyong, Sun Weidong, Zhang Yuxu, and Zheng Yongfei, 2009, Geochemical 

constraints on the genesis of the Bayan Obo Fe-Nb-REE deposit in Inner Mongolia, 

China: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 73, no. 5, p. 1417–1435. 

Yuan Zhongxin, Bai Ge, Wu Chenyu, Zhang Zhongqin, and Ye Xianjiang, 1992, 

Geological features and genesis of the Bayan Obo REE ore deposit, Inner Mongolia, 

China: Applied Geochemistry, v. 7, no. 5, p. 429–442.

Q1-3a

Q1-3a

Q1-3a Q1-3b

Q1-3b

Q1-3b

Q1-3b

Q1-3b

Q1-3b

Q1-3b

N

N

N

N

N

Q2-3

Q1-3a

Q1-3b

Q1-3b

Q1-3b

Q1-3c

Q1-3c

Qisf

Qesf

Qr

Q1-2a

Q1-2b

Q1-1

Q1-2c

Q1-2c

Q1-2c

Q1-2c

Q4

Qt

N

N

Q2-3

Q1-2a

Q1-2b

Q1-2b

Q1-2a

Q1-1

Q1-1

Q1-1

Q1-1

Q4

Q4

Q4

Q4

Q4

Q4

Q4

Q4

Q4

Q4

Q4

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Qlp

Qlp

Qlp

Qlp

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qaa

Qesf

Qesf

Qisf

Qr

Qr

Qr

Qr

Qr

Q1-2b

Q1-2b

Q1-2b

Q1-2b

Q1-2b

Q1-2b

Q1-2b

Q1-2b

Q1-2b

Qt

Qt

Qt

Qt

Qt

Qt Qt

Q1-1

Q1-1

Q4

Q1-3a

Q1-3b Q1-3b

Qisf

Qisf

Qesf

Qesf

Qesf

Qr

Qr

Qaa

Q1-2a

Q1-2b

Q4 Q4 Q4

Q4

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Q1-3b Q1-3a

Q1-2b

Qlp

Qlp Qlp

Qaa

Q1-2b

Qt

Q1-3c

Q1-3c

Q1-3c

Q1-2c

Q1-2c

Q1-2c

Q1-3c

Q1-3c

Q1-3c

Q1-2c

N

N

63°39’0”E

63°39’0”E

63°37’1”E 63°37’59”E

63°37’1”E 63°37’59”E

63°34’59”E 63°36’0”E

63°34’59”E 63°36’0”E

63°34’1”E

63°34’1”E

63°33’0”E

63°33’0”E

30°28’1”N

30°28’1”N

30°27’0”N

30°27’0”N

30°28’59”N

30°28’59”N

30°30’0”N

30°30’0”N

30°31’1”N 30°31’1”N

Topography and shaded relief derived from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and 

Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) 30-meter Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) data, 

2009

Hydrography derived from ASTER GDEM data 

Projection and grid: Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), zone 42 north

World Geodetic System (WGS) 1984 Datum

Modified from original compilation of 

Cheremytsin, 1976; see References

Geologic Map of the Khanneshin Carbonatite Complex, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Modified From the 1976 Original Map Compilation of V.G. Cheremytsin

Compiled by

Robert D. Tucker, Stephen G. Peters, Klaus J. Schulz, Karine M. Renaud, Will R. Stettner, Linda M. Masonic, and Patricia H. Packard

2011

Prepared in cooperation with the 

Afghan Geological Survey

Under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Defense

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

OPEN-FILE REPORT 2011–1244

USGS Afghanistan Project Product No. 198

This map is available for sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, 

Box 25286, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225

For product and ordering information:

World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov; Telephone 1-888-ASK-USGS

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive 

purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government 

Printed on recycled paper 

1 .5 0 1 KILOMETER

1 1/2 0 1 MILE

NO VERTICAL EXAGGERATION Modified from original compilation

of Cheremytsin, 1976

NO VERTICAL EXAGGERATION Modified from original compilation

of Cheremytsin, 1976