Michael L. Zientek, Ph.D
Michael L. Zientek is a research geologist at the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He received a PhD degree in geology from Stanford and a BS degree in geology from the University of Texas. Since joining the USGS in 1983, Michael has devoted his career to studying economic geology and mineral resource assessments and specializes in magmatic ore deposits.
Mike is an economic geologist who works at the USGS Spokane Office, Spokane, Washington. He provides expertise in economic geology, assessment methods, and analysis of global, national, and regional datasets needed to plan, conduct and direct research on a broad range of land-use and mineral-resource-related issues.
His recent resource assessment work includes the SaMiRA assessment for the BLM and the USGS Global Mineral Resource Assessment project.
Mike's research interests include the origin of magmatic ore deposits enriched in platinum-group elements, chromium, and nickel. As part of that effort, he organized and coordinated International Geological Correlation Programme Project 336 from 1992 to 1996, conducted topical studies on the Stillwater Complex in Montana and the Duluth Complex, Minnesota, and worked on projects in Albania, Russia, and Indonesia. He was the Scientist-in-Charge of the Spokane Field Office from 1994 to 1998.
Education and Certifications
PhD, Stanford University
BS, University of Texas
Science and Products
Thin section images of drill core from the Chrome Lake area in the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Thin section images of AMAX drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Stillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Cyprus in the Chrome Lake area, 1971 to 1980
Thin section images of drill core from the Crescent Creek area in the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Stillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Anaconda in the Benbow area, 1969 to 1973
Stillwater Complex, Montana - Logs of core drilled by AMAX, 1969 to 1977
Geochronologic data from xenoliths near the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Lithogeochemistry of selected surface and drill core samples from the Chrome and Iron Mountain areas of the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Stillwater Complex Strike and Dip Database (ver. 2.0, April 2024)
TIMA-X Bright Phase Analysis of Platinum-Group Minerals in Selected Samples from the Chrome and Iron Mountain areas of the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Titanium-vanadium deposits hosted in mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions and massif anorthosite intrusions from around the world
Previous mineral resource assessment data compilation for the U.S. Geological Survey Sagebrush Mineral Resource Assessment Project
Fractional crystallization-induced variations in sulfides from the Noril’sk-Talnakh mining district (polar Siberia, Russia)
Spatiotemporal analysis of changes in lode mining claims around the McDermitt Caldera, northern Nevada and southern Oregon
Undiscovered porphyry copper resources in the Urals—A probabilistic mineral resource assessment
Geology and mineral resources of the North-Central Montana Sagebrush Focal Area: Chapter D in Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming
Overview with methods and procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey mineral-resource assessment of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming: Chapter A in Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Mont
Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming
Spatial database for a global assessment of undiscovered copper resources: Chapter Z in Global mineral resource assessment
As part of the first-ever U.S. Geological Survey global assessment of undiscovered copper resources, data common to several regional spatial databases published by the U.S. Geological Survey, including one report from Finland and one from Greenland, were standardized, updated, and compiled into a global copper resource database. This integrated collection of spatial databases provides location, ge
Relationship between porphyry systems, crustal preservation levels, and amount of exploration in magmatic belts of the Central Tethys Region
Qualitative assessment of selected areas of the world for undiscovered sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits: Chapter Y in Global mineral resource assessment
Porphyry copper assessment of the Tethys region of western and southern Asia: Chapter V in Global mineral resource assessment
Assessment of undiscovered copper resources associated with the Permian Kupferschiefer, Southern Permian Basin, Europe
Porphyry copper assessment of East and Southeast Asia: Philippines, Taiwan (Republic of China), Republic of Korea (South Korea), and Japan
Science and Products
Thin section images of drill core from the Chrome Lake area in the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Thin section images of AMAX drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Stillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Cyprus in the Chrome Lake area, 1971 to 1980
Thin section images of drill core from the Crescent Creek area in the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Stillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Anaconda in the Benbow area, 1969 to 1973
Stillwater Complex, Montana - Logs of core drilled by AMAX, 1969 to 1977
Geochronologic data from xenoliths near the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Lithogeochemistry of selected surface and drill core samples from the Chrome and Iron Mountain areas of the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Stillwater Complex Strike and Dip Database (ver. 2.0, April 2024)
TIMA-X Bright Phase Analysis of Platinum-Group Minerals in Selected Samples from the Chrome and Iron Mountain areas of the Stillwater Complex, Montana
Titanium-vanadium deposits hosted in mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions and massif anorthosite intrusions from around the world
Previous mineral resource assessment data compilation for the U.S. Geological Survey Sagebrush Mineral Resource Assessment Project
Fractional crystallization-induced variations in sulfides from the Noril’sk-Talnakh mining district (polar Siberia, Russia)
Spatiotemporal analysis of changes in lode mining claims around the McDermitt Caldera, northern Nevada and southern Oregon
Undiscovered porphyry copper resources in the Urals—A probabilistic mineral resource assessment
Geology and mineral resources of the North-Central Montana Sagebrush Focal Area: Chapter D in Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming
Overview with methods and procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey mineral-resource assessment of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming: Chapter A in Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Mont
Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming
Spatial database for a global assessment of undiscovered copper resources: Chapter Z in Global mineral resource assessment
As part of the first-ever U.S. Geological Survey global assessment of undiscovered copper resources, data common to several regional spatial databases published by the U.S. Geological Survey, including one report from Finland and one from Greenland, were standardized, updated, and compiled into a global copper resource database. This integrated collection of spatial databases provides location, ge