Publications
Listed below are publication products directly associated with the Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center:
Filter Total Items: 1166
Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources: Oligocene Frio and Anahuac Formations, United States Gulf of Mexico coastal plain and State waters
The Oligocene Frio and Anahuac Formations were assessed as part of the 2007 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessment of Tertiary strata of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Basin onshore and State waters. The Frio Formation, which consists of sand-rich fluvio-deltaic systems, has been one of the largest hydrocarbon producers from the Paleogene in the Gulf of Mexico. The Anahuac Formation, an extensive trans
Authors
Sharon M. Swanson, Alexander W. Karlsen, Brett J. Valentine
A deposit model for magmatic iron-titanium-oxide deposits related to Proterozoic massif anorthosite plutonic suite
This descriptive model for magmatic iron-titanium-oxide (Fe-Ti-oxide) deposits hosted by Proterozoic age massif-type anorthosite and related rock types presents their geological, mineralogical, geochemical, and geoenvironmental attributes. Although these Proterozoic rocks are found worldwide, the majority of known deposits are found within exposed rocks of the Grenville Province, stretching from s
Authors
Laurel G. Woodruff, Suzanne W. Nicholson, David L. Fey
Spatial and temporal variations in landscape evolution: historic and longer-term sediment flux through global catchments
Sediment generation and transport through terrestrial catchments influence soil distribution, geochemical cycling of particulate and dissolved loads, and the character of the stratigraphic record of Earth history. To assess the spatiotemporal variation in landscape evolution, we compare global compilations of stream gauge–derived () and cosmogenic radionuclide (CRN)–derived (predominantly 10Be; )
Authors
Jacob A. Covault, William H. Craddock, Brian W. Romans, Andrea Fildani, Mayur Gosai
A comparison of data-driven groundwater vulnerability assessment methods
Increasing availability of geo-environmental data has promoted the use of statistical methods to assess groundwater vulnerability. Nitrate is a widespread anthropogenic contaminant in groundwater and its occurrence can be used to identify aquifer settings vulnerable to contamination. In this study, multivariate Weights of Evidence (WofE) and Logistic Regression (LR) methods, where the response var
Authors
Alessandro Sorichetta, Cristiano Ballabio, Marco Masetti, Gilpin R. Robinson, Simone Sterlacchini
Fate(s) of injected CO2 in a coal-bearing formation, Louisiana, Gulf Coast Basin: Chemical and isotopic tracers of microbial-brine-rock-CO2 interactions
Coal beds are one of the most promising reservoirs for geologic carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration, as CO₂ can strongly adsorb onto organic matter and displace methane; however, little is known about the long-term fate of CO₂ sequestered in coal beds. The "2800' sand" of the Olla oil field is a coal-bearing, oil and gas-producing reservoir of the Paleocene–Eocene Wilcox Group in north-central Loui
Authors
Jenna L. Shelton
Chalcopyrite—bearer of a precious, non-precious metal
The mineral chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) is the world's most abundant source of copper, a metal component in virtually every piece of electrical equipment. It is the main copper mineral in several different ore deposit types, the most important of which are porphyry deposits. Chalcopyrite is unstable at the Earth's surface, so it weathers from sulphide outcrops and mine waste piles, contributing acid and
Authors
Bryn E. Kimball
Mineralogy and environmental geochemistry of historical iron slag, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Pennsylvania, USA
The Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Pennsylvania, which features an Fe smelter that was operational in the 18th and 19th centuries, is dominated by three slag piles. Pile 1 slag, from the Hopewell Furnace, and pile 2 slag, likely from the nearby Cornwall Furnace, were both produced in cold-blast charcoal-fired smelters. In contrast, pile 3 slag was produced in an anthracite
Authors
Nadine M. Piatak, Robert Seal
Distribution of regional pressure in the onshore and offshore Gulf of Mexico basin, USA
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has created a comprehensive geopressure-gradient model of the regional pressure system spanning the onshore and offshore portions of the Gulf of Mexico, USA. The model was used to generate ten maps: five contour maps (Maps 1A - 5A) characterize the depth to the surface defined by the first occurrence of isopressure-gradients ranging from 0.60 psi/ft to 1.00 psi/ft
Authors
Lauri A. Burke, Scott A. Kinney, Russell F. Dubiel, Janet K. Pitman
Regional map of the 0.70 psi/ft pressure gradient and development of the regional geopressure-gradient model for the onshore and offshore Gulf of Mexico basin, USA
Characterization of the regional pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico basin is critical for assessing the occurrence of undiscovered petroleum resources, evaluating areas with potential pressure-related production, identifying potential pressure-related geohazard issues, evaluating hydrocarbon reservoir-seal integrity, and determining the feasibility of geological sequestration and long-term cont
Authors
Lauri A. Burke, Scott A. Kinney, Russell F. Dubiel, Janet K. Pitman
Gold deposits of the Carolina Slate Belt, southeastern United States--Age and origin of the major gold producers
Gold- and iron sulfide-bearing deposits of the southeastern United States have distinctive mineralogical and geochemical features that provide a basis for constructing models of ore genesis for exploration and assessment of gold resources. The largest (historic) deposits, in approximate million ounces of gold (Moz Au), include those in the Haile (~ 4.2 Moz Au), Ridgeway (~1.5 Moz Au), Brewer (~0.2
Authors
Nora K. Foley, Robert A. Ayuso
Porphyry copper assessment of the Tibetan Plateau, China: Chapter F in Global mineral resource assessment
The U.S. Geological Survey collaborated with the China Geological Survey to conduct a mineral-resource assessment of resources in porphyry copper deposits on the Tibetan Plateau in western China. This area hosts several very large porphyry deposits, exemplified by the Yulong and Qulong deposits, each containing at least 7,000,000 metric tons (t) of copper. However, large parts of the area are unde
Authors
Steve Ludington, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Gilpin R. Robinson, John L. Mars, Robert J. Miller
Using simulated maps to interpret the geochemistry, formation and quality of the Blue Gem Coal Bed, Kentucky, USA
This study presents geostatistical simulations of coal-quality parameters, major oxides and trace metals for an area covering roughly 812 km2 of the Blue Gem coal bed in southeastern Kentucky, USA. The Blue Gem, characterized by low ash yield and low sulfur content, is an important economic resource. Past studies have characterized the Blue Gem's geochemistry, palynology and petrography and inferr
Authors
Nicholas J. Geboy, Ricardo A. Olea, Mark A. Engle, Jose Antonio Martin-Fernandez