Images

Infographic about critical mineral commodities use in renewable energy, published online by the USGS Office of Communications and Publishing in June 2019.

Graph showing electricity generated by hydropower, wind, solar, bioenergy, and geothermal renewable energy sources in the U.S. from 2000-2020

This image shows a 3d visualization of geophysical data collected over the Idaho Cobalt Belt by the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). 

This infographic shows some of the natural resources that the USGS Energy Resources Program studies, including oil and gas, geothermal, geologic hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide, wind, solar, coal, gas hydrates, uranium and water resources. 

Diagram of how a Hydrogen Fuel Cell functions, with inputs and outputs. Courtesy of the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration.

Jurassic rocks exposed in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope. In the subsurface farther north, these rocks may be reservoir rocks for natural gas.

The Kukpowruk River cuts through folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.

Geologist hikes across folded Cretaceous rocks in the central North Slope. These rocks were assessed by the USGS in 2017 and lie above the rocks assessed in the USGS 2021 Western North Slope assessment.

Bedding features in the core from the USGS Gulf Coast #4 Bonham borehole, in the Eagle Ford Group mudstones from a depth of about 401 feet, Fannin County, Texas. The Eagle Ford Group lies underneath the Austin Chalk and serves as the source rock for much of the Austin Chalk's petroleum.

USGS technicians at the USGS Gulf Coast #4 Bonham borehole in preparation for geophysical logging of the Austin Chalk Group and the Eagle Ford Group mudstones, Fannin County, Texas.

Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks are at the upper limit of oil preservations.

Overview of folded Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous rocks in southern part of Western North Slope.

Geologists discuss the geology of Jurassic rocks in thurst-faulted structures near the southern limit of Western North Slope.

Geologist examines f Faulted and folded petroleum source rocks in Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks (Kingak Shale, pebble shale unit, and gamma-ray zone of Hue Shale) in southern part of Western North Slope. Thermal maturity of these rocks is at the upper limit of oil preservations.

Oil-saturated sandstone in the Nanushuk Formation in westernmost National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). Oil in these rocks likely was generated beneath Western North Slope and migrated northeastward into NPR-A.

Geochemists use platinum, silica, and ceramic crucibles, shown here in a glass container called a desiccator.  Silica is used because it is resistant to extremely high temperatures and because it is chemically inert. Silicon, linked up with a pair of oxygen molecules as silicon dioxide, is known as silica. 

The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative and USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office, Natural Resources Conservation Services, and Bureau of Land Management have partnered to conduct airborne geophysical and 3DEP lidar surveys over parts of Nevada and California to collect information on undiscovered geothermal, criti

Oil, gas, and water separation vessels at a carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery operation, Horseshoe Atoll, Upper Pennsylvanian Wolfcampian play in the Permian Basin Province in Texas.

The Alaska North Slope is rich in gas hydrate-bearing formations which contain significant natural gas resources. The USGS has released a geologically based assessment for how much of these resources is technically recoverable.

To make America’s economy and defense more secure, the Administration has released “A Federal Strategy to Ensure Secure and Reliable Supplies of Critical Minerals.” Among other roles, these mineral commodities are vital to renewable energy infrastructure like solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries.

Blended photo of a wind and solar energy facilities.