Media Alert: Low-level helicopter flights to image geology over parts of north central Colorado
USGS Low-level Helicopter Surveys Begin in August
Editor: In the public interest and in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the USGS is announcing this low-level airborne project. Your assistance in informing the local communities is appreciated.
RESTON, Va. – Low-level helicopter flights are planned over a broad region in north central Colorado to image geology using airborne geophysical technology. Flying will begin in mid-August 2024 and is slated to last up to three months, weather and wildfire restrictions permitting.
Flights will cover portions of Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Eagle, Gilpin, Grand, Jefferson, Lake, Larimer, Park, and Summit counties.
Initial flights will be based out of regional airports in Leadville and Longmont, Colorado. The survey base and flight locations are subject to change with little warning to other parts of the survey area as necessary to minimize ferrying distances and avoid adverse flying conditions.
The purpose of the survey is to provide images that expand the fundamental knowledge of geology underpinning a broad series of historic mining districts known as the Colorado Mineral Belt. The belt hosts multiple types of mineral commodities, including critical minerals that are vital to the nation’s security and economy.
The new geophysical data, along with geologic mapping by the Colorado Geological Survey and USGS, will be combined to develop high-resolution three-dimensional representations of bedrock composition and structure to depths more than 3,280 feet (1 kilometer) below the surface.
The 3D models and maps are important for improving our understanding of critical mineral resource potential, water resources, groundwater pathways near legacy mining areas, parameters for infrastructure and land use planning, and potential risks of naturally occurring radon. They also address scientific questions about Colorado’s 2-billion-year-old geologic history and why multiple mineralizing events concentrated in one region over millions of years.
The USGS is contracting with NV5 Geospatial, Edcon-PRJ, and Precision GeoSurveys to collect the data.
The helicopter will fly along pre-planned fight paths relatively low to the ground at about 300 feet (100 meters) above the surface. The ground clearance will be increased to 1,000 feet (300+ meters) over populated areas and will comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. lights will follow north-south lines spaced about 3,280 feet (1 km) apart and east-west lines about 650 feet (200 meters) apart.
The survey will use a helicopter equipped with an elongated “stinger” mounted to the underside of the cabin extending forward of the helicopter. Instruments in the stinger and inside the cabin will measure variations in the Earth’s magnetic field and natural low-level radiation created by different rock types.
The scientific instruments on the helicopter are completely passive with no emissions that pose a risk to humans, animals, or plant life. No photography or video data will be collected. The data collected will be made freely available to the public once complete. The aircraft will be flown by experienced pilots who are specially trained and approved for low-level flying. The company works with the FAA to ensure flights are safe and in accordance with U.S. law. The surveys will be conducted during daylight hours only.
The survey fits into a broader effort by the USGS, the CGS and many other state geological surveys and other partners, including private companies, academics and State and Federal agencies to modernize our understanding of the Nations’ fundamental geologic framework and knowledge of mineral resources. This effort is known as the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, and it includes airborne geophysical surveys like this one, geochemical reconnaissance surveys, topographic mapping using LiDAR technology, hyperspectral surveys, and geologic mapping projects.
This survey is one of three airborne surveys mapping the Colorado Mineral Belt. A southwestern block was completed in 2023, and a central block survey is ongoing following a hiatus over the winter months.
To read more about this project and others, visit our newsroom.
More information about the USGS Earth Mapping Resource Initiative (Earth MRI) can be found here. To learn more about how the USGS is investing the resources from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, visit our website. To learn more about USGS mineral-resource and commodity information, please visit our website.
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