USMIN Mineral Deposit Database
Our objective is to develop a national-scale, geospatial database that is the authoritative source of the most important mines, mineral deposits, and mineral districts of the United States.
Prospect- and mine-related features on USGS topographic maps
Symbols indicating mining-related features digitized from historical USGS topographic maps in the western part of the conterminous US. Includes prospect pits, mine shafts and adits, quarries, open-pit mines, tailings piles and ponds, gravel and borrow pits, and other features.
Science Issue and Relevance
One of the key missions of the USGS Mineral Resources Program is the collection and dissemination of mineral resources information. This information is used by the USGS, other government agencies (State and Federal), private industry and the general public. An accurate, up-to-date mineral deposit database utilizing current geospatial technologies is needed to meet the needs of USGS research, state and federal land management agencies, private industry, and the general public.
In the 1960's, the USGS and the U.S. Bureau of Mines developed national-scale mine and mineral deposit databases. After the Bureau of Mine's 1996 closure, the USGS acquired custody of their Minerals Availability System (MAS) and Minerals Industry Location System (MILS) databases. In 2000, the MAS/MILS was merged with the USGS Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS) to form a single database. Much of the data initially captured in the Mineral Resource Data System was recorded prior to the development and widespread use of modern geospatial technologies. Additionally, differing data entry procedures of both Bureau of Mines and USGS resulted in different outcomes. Due to these issues, it was decided that the mineral resources database of the U.S. needed to be modernized.
An updated mineral deposit database will provide a high-quality, consistent mine and deposit inventory to support U.S. actions and policies on mineral resources and land management.
Methodology to Address the Issue
Our goal is to develop a national-scale, geospatial database that is the authoritative source of the most important mines, mineral deposits, and mineral districts of the United States. The initial focus was on the western states, with plans to collect data for all of the U.S. Our major tasks are:
-
Compile comprehensive mineral deposit data; focus since May 2017 has been critical minerals
-
Capture mine symbol data from USGS historic topographic maps at 3 scales and multiple versions
Return to Mineral Resources Program | Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data releases associated with this project.
Cobalt Deposits in the United States
Tungsten Deposits in the United States
Tellurium Deposits in the United States
Lithium Deposits in the United States
Rare Earth Element Occurrences in the United States
Reported historic asbestos mines, historic asbestos prospects, and other natural occurrences of asbestos in the conterminous United States
Rhenium Occurrences in the United States
Database of significant deposits of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in Alaska
Mines, Mineral Occurrences, and Mining Districts in the Carlin Area, Nevada
Digital maps of hydrothermal alteration type, key mineral groups, and green vegetation of the western United States derived from automated analysis of ASTER satellite data
USMIN Mineral Resource Data for the U.S. Geological Survey Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment Project
Below are publications associated with this project.
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Below are partners associated with this project.
Our objective is to develop a national-scale, geospatial database that is the authoritative source of the most important mines, mineral deposits, and mineral districts of the United States.
Prospect- and mine-related features on USGS topographic maps
Symbols indicating mining-related features digitized from historical USGS topographic maps in the western part of the conterminous US. Includes prospect pits, mine shafts and adits, quarries, open-pit mines, tailings piles and ponds, gravel and borrow pits, and other features.
Science Issue and Relevance
One of the key missions of the USGS Mineral Resources Program is the collection and dissemination of mineral resources information. This information is used by the USGS, other government agencies (State and Federal), private industry and the general public. An accurate, up-to-date mineral deposit database utilizing current geospatial technologies is needed to meet the needs of USGS research, state and federal land management agencies, private industry, and the general public.
In the 1960's, the USGS and the U.S. Bureau of Mines developed national-scale mine and mineral deposit databases. After the Bureau of Mine's 1996 closure, the USGS acquired custody of their Minerals Availability System (MAS) and Minerals Industry Location System (MILS) databases. In 2000, the MAS/MILS was merged with the USGS Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS) to form a single database. Much of the data initially captured in the Mineral Resource Data System was recorded prior to the development and widespread use of modern geospatial technologies. Additionally, differing data entry procedures of both Bureau of Mines and USGS resulted in different outcomes. Due to these issues, it was decided that the mineral resources database of the U.S. needed to be modernized.
An updated mineral deposit database will provide a high-quality, consistent mine and deposit inventory to support U.S. actions and policies on mineral resources and land management.
Methodology to Address the Issue
Our goal is to develop a national-scale, geospatial database that is the authoritative source of the most important mines, mineral deposits, and mineral districts of the United States. The initial focus was on the western states, with plans to collect data for all of the U.S. Our major tasks are:
-
Compile comprehensive mineral deposit data; focus since May 2017 has been critical minerals
-
Capture mine symbol data from USGS historic topographic maps at 3 scales and multiple versions
Return to Mineral Resources Program | Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data releases associated with this project.
Cobalt Deposits in the United States
Tungsten Deposits in the United States
Tellurium Deposits in the United States
Lithium Deposits in the United States
Rare Earth Element Occurrences in the United States
Reported historic asbestos mines, historic asbestos prospects, and other natural occurrences of asbestos in the conterminous United States
Rhenium Occurrences in the United States
Database of significant deposits of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in Alaska
Mines, Mineral Occurrences, and Mining Districts in the Carlin Area, Nevada
Digital maps of hydrothermal alteration type, key mineral groups, and green vegetation of the western United States derived from automated analysis of ASTER satellite data
USMIN Mineral Resource Data for the U.S. Geological Survey Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment Project
Below are publications associated with this project.
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Below are partners associated with this project.