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Publications

Results from our Program’s research and minerals information activities are published in USGS publications series as well as in outside journals.  To follow Minerals Information Periodicals, subscribe to the Mineral Periodicals RSS feed.

Filter Total Items: 2294

Synthesis of geological, structural, and geochronologic data (phase V, deliverable 53)

This report is a companion to the new Geologic Map of Mauritania (Bradley and others, 2015; referred to herein as “Deliverable 51”) and the new Structural Geologic Map of Mauritania (Bradley and others, 2015a; referred to herein as “Deliverable 52”). Section 1 contains explanatory information for these two digital maps. Section 2 covers the analytical methods used in obtaining new U-Pb ages from 9
Authors
Dwight Bradley, Paul O'Sullivan, Michael A. Cosca, Holly Motts, John D. Horton, Cliff D. Taylor, Georges Beaudoin, Gregory K. Lee, Jahan Ramezani, Daniel N. Bradley, James V. Jones, Samuel Bowring

Hydrogeologic map of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (phase V, deliverable 56), Synthesis of hydrologic data (phase V, deliverable 57), and chemical hydrologic map of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (added value)

A hydrogeologic study was conducted to support mineral-resource assessment activities in Mauritania, Africa. Airborne magnetic depth estimates reveal two primary groundwater basins: the porous coastal Continental Terminal Basin (fill deposits); and the interior, fractured interior Taoudeni Basin. In the Continental Terminal Basin, there is uniform vertical recharge and localized discharge that is
Authors
Michael J. Friedel, Carol A. Finn, John D. Horton

Reported industrial minerals occurrences and permissive areas for other occurrences in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, (phase V, deliverable 89)

Previous PRISM reports discuss a variety of industrial minerals. Gypsum, phosphate, salt, stone, sulfur, and ilmenite command the majority of the attention in the earlier geologic reports. (Ilmenite is evaluated in a separate U.S. Geological Survey report in the current study). Asbestos, arsenic, barite, fluorite, and kaolin are listed in indices (occurrence datasets) as potential mineral resource
Authors
William H. Langer

Algoma-, Superior-, and oolitic-type iron deposits of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (phase V, deliverable 83)

High-grade hematitic iron ores (or HIF, containing 60–65 percent Fe) have been mined in Mauritania from Superior-type iron deposits since 1952. Depletion of the high grade ores in recent years has resulted in a number of new projects focused on lower grade magnetite ores in Algoma-type banded iron formation (or BIF, containing approximately 35 percent Fe). Large deposits of oolitic-type iron ores
Authors
Cliff D. Taylor, Carol A. Finn, Eric D. Anderson, M. Y. Joud, M. A. Taleb, John D. Horton

Mineral potential for volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, (phase V, deliverable 77)

Potential for base- and precious-metal-bearing volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits (VMS) exists in Mauritania in the greenstone belts of the southwestern Rgueïbat Shield and in the allochthonous portions of the central and southern Mauritanides. Additional potential exists for VMS deposits within the Tiris Complex of the central Rgueïbat Shield. Volcanosedimentary successions of Paleoproterozoic
Authors
Cliff D. Taylor, Stuart A. Giles

Mineral potential for sediment-hosted copper deposits in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (phase V, deliverable 75)

The presence of Neoproterozoic through Cambrian, continental, siliciclastic sedimentary rocks interbedded with dolomitic carbonates, shales, and glacial tillites similar to the Katanga Supergroup host rocks of the Central African Copperbelt and other sediment-hosted copper-bearing Proterozoic sequences worldwide, is first order criteria for consideration of the Neoproterozoic units of the Taoudeni
Authors
Cliff D. Taylor, Stuart A. Giles

Permissive tracts for sediment-hosted lead-zinc-silver deposits in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (phase V, deliverable 73)

Although Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits have not been recognized in Mauritania there are permissive tracts for these deposits in the regionally extensive Proterozoic carbonate rocks of the Taoudeni Basin. Permissive tracts for undiscovered MVT Pb-Zn-Ag deposits in the Proterozoic carbonate units are supported by the occurrences of MVT mineral and alteration assemblages, presence of evapori
Authors
Jeffrey L. Mauk

Database creation, data quality assessment, and geochemical maps (phase V, deliverable 59)—Final report on compilation and validation of geochemical data

Under the World Bank-funded Second Projet de Renforcement Institutionnel du Secteur Minier de la Republique Islamique de Mauritanie (PRISM-II), this Phase V geochemistry report follows earlier Phase I and Phase II summary reports on geochemical data (U.S. Geological Survey, 2007 and Eppinger, 2007; respectively). All the reports are based on evaluations of geochemical data collected in 1999-2004 u
Authors
Robert G. Eppinger, Stuart A. Giles, Gregory K. Lee, Steven M. Smith

Truncorotalia crassaformis from its type locality: Comparison with Caribbean plankton and Pliocene relatives

Truncorotalia crassaformis has been identified in Pliocene-Holocene assemblages globally but there has been little analysis of specimens from its type locality at Lomita Quarry, California. This has led to confusion about some diagnostic criteria, particularly the presence of a peripheral keel. To better understand variation specimens are studied from the type locality (Pleistocene, c. 400–600 ka)
Authors
George H. Scott, James C. Ingle, Brendan McCane, Charles L. Powell, Robert C. Thunell

Concealed basalt-matrix diatremes with Cu-Au-Ag-(Mo)-mineralized xenoliths, Santa Cruz Porphyry Cu-(Mo) System, Pinal County, Arizona

The Santa Cruz porphyry Cu-(Mo) system near Casa Grande, Arizona, includes the Sacaton mine deposits and at least five other concealed, mineralized fault blocks with an estimated minimum resource of 1.5 Gt @ 0.6% Cu. The Late Cretaceous-Paleocene system has been dismembered and rotated by Tertiary extension, partially eroded, and covered by Tertiary-Quaternary basin-fill deposits. The mine and min
Authors
Peter G. Vikre, Frederick Graybeal, Fleetwood R. Koutz

Magmatism, metasomatism, tectonism, and mineralization in the Humboldt Range, Pershing County, Nevada

Introduction The Humboldt Range, Pershing County, Nevada, predominantly consists of Mesozoic igneous and sedimentary rocks that were modified several times by magmatism, metasomatism, and tectonism, and contain a variety of metallic (Ag, Au, Pb, Zn, Sb, W, Hg) and non-metallic (dumortierite, pinite, fluorite) mineral deposits (Knopf, 1924; Kerr and Jenney, 1935; Kerr, 1938; Cameron, 1939; Campbe
Authors
Peter G. Vikre

Lateritic, supergene rare earth element (REE) deposits

Intensive lateritic weathering of bedrock under tropical or sub-tropical climatic conditions can form a variety of secondary, supergene-type deposits. These secondary deposits may range in composition from aluminous bauxites to iron and niobium, and include rare earth elements (REE). Over 250 lateritic deposits of REE are currently known and many have been important sources of REE. In southeastern
Authors
Mark D. Cocker