Alaska Resource Data File Active

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Descriptions of mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences in the Alaska Resource Data File (ARDF) are published for individual U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000-scale quadrangles in Alaska (see accompanying map or table) as USGS Open-File Reports and are available for downloading from this site.

These descriptions are divided into fields which describe each mine, prospect, or mineral occurrence. The records in the database are generally for metallic mineral commodities only but also may include certain high value industrial minerals such as barite and rare earth elements. Common industrial minerals such as sand and gravel, crushed stone, and limestone and energy minerals such as peat, coal, oil and gas are not included in this database.

The descriptions in the database were compiled using published literature, unpublished reports and data from various sources including the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the U.S. Geological Survey, and industry. Compilation of this database is an ongoing process and each report is a progress report. We would appreciate comments, corrections or additional information from database users. If one of the incomplete quadrangles is of interest to you, please select it in order to register your interest with the Western Region Mineral Resources Survey.

Sources/Usage: Public Domain.

Current ARDF Files

Updated March 2018

• Complete Database, multiple formats
  • Digital Composite ARDF File (.fmp12) (65.7MB)
  • Comma-separated-value (.csv) format (26.9MB)
  • Runtime version (.zip) (67.8MB)
  • Google Earth kmz file (4.9MB)
  • File Geodatabase format (4.8MB)
  • Geopackage format (5.34MB)
• Open-file Report (OFR) and database of updated records only
  V1.7 updated March 2018
  • OFR 2008-1225 V1.7.pdf (5MB)
  • OFR 2008-1225 V1.7.fmp12 (14.2MB)
  • OFR 2008-1225 V1.7.csv (5.03MB)

Additional Files

• Explanation
• Runtime Explanation
• ARDF Metadata