In response to the growing demand for information on the global mineral-resource base, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed assessments for undiscovered resources of porphyry and sediment-hosted copper, platinum-group elements, and potash.
Understanding the global distribution of nonfuel mineral resources
The USGS conducts national and global assessments of renewable and nonrenewable resources to support decision making. Mineral resource assessments provide a synthesis of available information about where mineral deposits are known and suspected in the Earth's crust, what commodities may be present, and amounts of undiscovered resources.
After completing the first quantitative national mineral resource assessment in the 1990s, the USGS conducted a feasibility study to determine whether a global assessment was possible with current knowledge and technology. That study demonstrated that the work would be possible, if conducted in partnership with geological surveys and other interested organizations worldwide. The Global Mineral Resource Assessment Project started in 2002 as a cooperative international effort to assess the world's undiscovered nonfuel mineral resources.
The purposes of the study were to provide
- the first globally consistent and comprehensive analysis of selected types of undiscovered nonfuel mineral resources, and
- all nations with a regional and global context for evaluating their mineral resources, planning for new mineral exploration and anticipating the economic, environmental, and social impacts of mineral development, and making land use decisions.
The results of this global project are reported in the form of
- maps showing regions in which it is likely that there are undiscovered resources of copper, platinum-group elements (PGE), and potash,
- compilations of known deposits of these important commodities,
- descriptions of the characteristics of the known deposits, and
- estimates of the probable amounts of undiscovered copper, PGEs, and potash to depths of 1 to 3 kilometers below the Earth's surface.
The products of this assessment can be used as the foundation for
- potential mineral supply/sustainable mineral supply and development,
- environmental planning/anticipate potential impacts,
- land use planning/biodiversity, land-use conflicts, and
- economic planning/jobs, poverty reduction, economic development.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Global mineral resource assessment
Dzhezkazgan and associated sandstone copper deposits of the Chu-Sarysu basin, Central Kazakhstan
Porphyry copper assessment of the Mesozoic of East Asia: China, Vietnam, North Korea, Mongolia, and Russia: Chapter G in Global mineral resource assessment
Porphyry copper assessment of the Tibetan Plateau, China: Chapter F in Global mineral resource assessment
Economic filters for evaluating porphyry copper deposit resource assessments using grade-tonnage deposit models, with examples from the U.S. Geological Survey global mineral resource assessment: Chapter H in Global mineral resource assessment
Sandstone copper assessment of the Chu-Sarysu Basin, Central Kazakhstan: Chapter E in Global mineral resource assessment
Quick-start guide for version 3.0 of EMINERS - Economic Mineral Resource Simulator
Porphyry copper assessment of British Columbia and Yukon Territory, Canada: Chapter C in Global mineral resource assessment
Global mineral resource assessment: porphyry copper assessment of Mexico: Chapter A in Global mineral resource assessment
Spatial Databases of Geological, Geophysical, and Mineral Resource Data Relevant to Sandstone-Hosted Copper Deposits in Central Kazakhstan
Spectral assessment of new ASTER SWIR surface reflectance data products for spectroscopic mapping of rocks and minerals
Global mineral resource assessment
An Index to PGE-Ni-Cr Deposits and Occurrences in Selected Mineral-Occurrence Databases
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Below are partners associated with this project.
In response to the growing demand for information on the global mineral-resource base, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed assessments for undiscovered resources of porphyry and sediment-hosted copper, platinum-group elements, and potash.
Understanding the global distribution of nonfuel mineral resources
The USGS conducts national and global assessments of renewable and nonrenewable resources to support decision making. Mineral resource assessments provide a synthesis of available information about where mineral deposits are known and suspected in the Earth's crust, what commodities may be present, and amounts of undiscovered resources.
After completing the first quantitative national mineral resource assessment in the 1990s, the USGS conducted a feasibility study to determine whether a global assessment was possible with current knowledge and technology. That study demonstrated that the work would be possible, if conducted in partnership with geological surveys and other interested organizations worldwide. The Global Mineral Resource Assessment Project started in 2002 as a cooperative international effort to assess the world's undiscovered nonfuel mineral resources.
The purposes of the study were to provide
- the first globally consistent and comprehensive analysis of selected types of undiscovered nonfuel mineral resources, and
- all nations with a regional and global context for evaluating their mineral resources, planning for new mineral exploration and anticipating the economic, environmental, and social impacts of mineral development, and making land use decisions.
The results of this global project are reported in the form of
- maps showing regions in which it is likely that there are undiscovered resources of copper, platinum-group elements (PGE), and potash,
- compilations of known deposits of these important commodities,
- descriptions of the characteristics of the known deposits, and
- estimates of the probable amounts of undiscovered copper, PGEs, and potash to depths of 1 to 3 kilometers below the Earth's surface.
The products of this assessment can be used as the foundation for
- potential mineral supply/sustainable mineral supply and development,
- environmental planning/anticipate potential impacts,
- land use planning/biodiversity, land-use conflicts, and
- economic planning/jobs, poverty reduction, economic development.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Global mineral resource assessment
Dzhezkazgan and associated sandstone copper deposits of the Chu-Sarysu basin, Central Kazakhstan
Porphyry copper assessment of the Mesozoic of East Asia: China, Vietnam, North Korea, Mongolia, and Russia: Chapter G in Global mineral resource assessment
Porphyry copper assessment of the Tibetan Plateau, China: Chapter F in Global mineral resource assessment
Economic filters for evaluating porphyry copper deposit resource assessments using grade-tonnage deposit models, with examples from the U.S. Geological Survey global mineral resource assessment: Chapter H in Global mineral resource assessment
Sandstone copper assessment of the Chu-Sarysu Basin, Central Kazakhstan: Chapter E in Global mineral resource assessment
Quick-start guide for version 3.0 of EMINERS - Economic Mineral Resource Simulator
Porphyry copper assessment of British Columbia and Yukon Territory, Canada: Chapter C in Global mineral resource assessment
Global mineral resource assessment: porphyry copper assessment of Mexico: Chapter A in Global mineral resource assessment
Spatial Databases of Geological, Geophysical, and Mineral Resource Data Relevant to Sandstone-Hosted Copper Deposits in Central Kazakhstan
Spectral assessment of new ASTER SWIR surface reflectance data products for spectroscopic mapping of rocks and minerals
Global mineral resource assessment
An Index to PGE-Ni-Cr Deposits and Occurrences in Selected Mineral-Occurrence Databases
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Below are partners associated with this project.