Mineral Resources Program Projects

Interest in revitalizing domestic production of critical minerals and continued interest in reclamation of legacy mine sites have raised the question of whether above-ground materials at mine sites in Alaska may be reprocessed to recover critical minerals. The goal of this study is to implement a multi-resource integrated assessment (MRIA) approach to evaluate benefit and risk scenarios within and...

In January 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey released the first ever digital geologic map of Alaska. This map reflects more than a century of work and provides a visual context for the abundant mineral and energy resources found throughout the state. The map also is available to use in three different formats: a professional GIS database, a public interactive version via a web browser, and an...

We provide GIS and database support for Alaska-based research projects, including database design, data capture, and maintenance, GIS analysis and display, and production of datasets and metadata for publication and data releases.

Our objective is to provide a strategic framework for planning, coordination, and execution of the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) in Alaska. Earth MRI aims to improve knowledge of the U.S. geologic framework through new geological and geophysical mapping and to identify areas that have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources.

The Alaska Resource Data File (ARDF) site provides descriptions of mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences for individual U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000-scale quadrangles in Alaska.

Critical minerals are essential to the U.S. economy and national security, have a supply chain that is vulnerable to disruption, and serve an essential function in the manufacturing of many products. Often, critical minerals are found as co- or by-products in deposits mined for precious or base metals. The projects described here develop an interdisciplinary (geological, societal, ecological) and...

Critical minerals have been identified in most Alaskan placers, yet little is known about the concentration of these phases. Historic and active placer mines have typically produced gold and are widespread across Alaska. Activity in the placer districts has resulted in gravel piles and sluice tailings that are products of gold mining. Gold has been the traditional target of placer mining; however...

Ultramafic lands are geologically and ecologically diverse areas that host naturally elevated concentrations of chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and scandium (Sc). While Cr is a potential carcinogen, Co, Mn, Ni, and Sc are considered critical minerals in the United States owing to their importance in current electric battery formulations. The research conducted...

Reliance on imports for many critical mineral commodities (including rare earth elements) puts the U.S. at high risk for supply disruption. Undiscovered deposits of some of these critical and strategic minerals undoubtedly exist in the United States, but a lack of modern geological, geophysical, and topographic data makes exploration challenging. This project plans to improve our knowledge of the...

The objective of this project is to provide targeted research results to benefit cooperators managing legacy mine land sites in the western U.S. by addressing three persistent scientific challenges: (1) determining the contribution of mining-related metal sources to water quality degradation when substantial natural background metal sources are also present; (2) adequately characterizing key...

The project seeks to better understand the mineral systems of the Boulder batholith and surrounding region in Montana using new airborne geophysical data in conjunction with geologic mapping.

The National Minerals Information Center produces reports on materials flow, recycling, supply chain, and sustainability. These publications describe the flow of materials from source to ultimate disposition to help better understand the economy, manage the use of natural resources, and protect the environment. Commodity Statistics and Information page lists statistical periodicals and special...

Our objective is to develop a national-scale, geospatial database that is the authoritative source of the most important mines, mineral deposits, and mineral districts of the United States.

Explore our active and completed projects to learn more about the scientific investigations we conduct. Use keywords and the available filters to narrow your search scope.

The National Minerals Information Center publishes statistics and information on the worldwide supply of, demand for, and flow of minerals and materials essential to the U.S. economy, the national security, and protection of the environment. The annual Mineral Commodity Summaries Report contains contains estimates covering nonfuel mineral industry data for over 90 individual minerals and materials...

The USGS, in combination with Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Canada, formed the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) in 2019 to combine expertise and collaboratively conduct research on critical mineral resources.

Many minerals critical for modern society are found only in a few places in the world. U.S. reliance on minerals imported from other countries can cause supply chain vulnerabilities. This project aims to evaluate critical commodities associated with mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks and highlight areas with mineral potential.

Alaska is dominated by a history of tectonic events that foster mobilization and concentration of a wide variety of mineral commodities that are critical to the US economy and are vital to national defense, renewable-energy, and emerging electronics technologies.

In this time of increased focus on renewable energy technologies, rare earth elements (REEs) are of critical importance. For example, neodymium (Nd) is a REE used in the generator and motor magnets of wind turbines and electric vehicles. Reliance on REE imports puts the U.S. at high risk for supply disruption. The project will integrate geology, geophysics, petrology, geochronology, and economic...

This project continues work on large magmatic systems in the U.S., where critical mineral commodities important to clean energy technologies can be concentrated. Modeling of large mafic intrusion extents will continue, and new geophysical methods will be applied to improve understanding of magmatic systems.

We will publish reports and interpretive papers on existing data from USGS internal mineral resource assessment collaborative work.