NORTHERN PART OF THE WASHAKIE WILDERNESS AND NEARBY ROADLESS AREAS, WYOMING.

The northern part of the Washakie Wilderness and nearby roadless areas, Wyoming were found to contain areas with probable and substantiated resource potential for base and precious metals, and probable resource potential for natural gas and oil on the basis of a mineral survey. Geologic and geochemical evidence was found in many of the areas indicating copper-molybdenum porphyry systems, with associated veins of base and precious metals. Resources of oil and gas may exist in the sedimentary rocks that lie below the volcaniclastic rocks that cover nearly all of the wilderness, except for areas in the vicinity of the intrusive igneous centers. Data to distinguish favorable areas from those lacking favorable structures are not presently available. Based on gravity studies, the Younts Basin in the southwest corner of the area has a probable oil and gas resource potential.