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
Quantitative Mineral Resource Assessment of Copper, Molybdenum, Gold, and Silver in Undiscovered Porphyry Copper Deposits in the Andes Mountains of South America
Porphyry copper deposits of the world: Database and grade and tonnage models, 2008
Proceedings for a workshop on deposit modeling, mineral resource assessment, and their role in sustainable development
Porphyry Cu-Au and associated polymetallic Fe-Cu-Au deposits in the Beiya Area, western Yunnan Province, south China
A tectonic model for the spatial occurrence of porphyry copper and polymetallic vein deposits - applications to Central Europe
Geology and Nonfuel Mineral Deposits of Latin America and Canada
Geology and nonfuel mineral deposits of the United States
Porphyry copper deposits of the world: database, map, and grade and tonnage models
Geology and nonfuel mineral deposits of Greenland, Europe, Russia, and northern Central Asia
Geology and nonfuel mineral deposits of Asia and the Pacific
Significant Metalliferous and Selected Non-Metalliferous Lode Deposits, and Selected Placer Districts of Northeast Asia
The Global Mineral Resource Assessment Project
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
Quantitative Mineral Resource Assessment of Copper, Molybdenum, Gold, and Silver in Undiscovered Porphyry Copper Deposits in the Andes Mountains of South America
Porphyry copper deposits of the world: Database and grade and tonnage models, 2008
Proceedings for a workshop on deposit modeling, mineral resource assessment, and their role in sustainable development
Porphyry Cu-Au and associated polymetallic Fe-Cu-Au deposits in the Beiya Area, western Yunnan Province, south China
A tectonic model for the spatial occurrence of porphyry copper and polymetallic vein deposits - applications to Central Europe
Geology and Nonfuel Mineral Deposits of Latin America and Canada
Geology and nonfuel mineral deposits of the United States
Porphyry copper deposits of the world: database, map, and grade and tonnage models
Geology and nonfuel mineral deposits of Greenland, Europe, Russia, and northern Central Asia
Geology and nonfuel mineral deposits of Asia and the Pacific
Significant Metalliferous and Selected Non-Metalliferous Lode Deposits, and Selected Placer Districts of Northeast Asia
The Global Mineral Resource Assessment Project
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Below are partners associated with this project.