Geology of the eastern Piedmont and upper Coastal Plain along the Fall Zone, Virginia to Georgia
Roanoke Rapids Graphite Schist, VA
Mineralized silicified cataclasite
Bedding-cleavage relations
OSL sample site in relation to three potential paleoliquefaction dikes
Large pavement outcrop of granite in the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia
This USGS NCGMP Project aims to fill the void in geologic map coverage along the Fall Zone from southeastern Virginia to central Georgia, for critical mineral research, earthquake hazards, and interstate correlation. We are also forging strong cooperative ties within the NCGMP by combining resources across all three Program components by supporting Virginia Energy (Virginia Geological Survey), the North Carolina Geological Survey, South Carolina Geological Survey, and the Georgia Geological Survey through the NCGMP STATEMAP component, and NCGMP EDMAP component, with targeted geologic mapping, geochronologic/geochemical framework support, and Interstate Correlation Working Group Projects at 1:24,000 to 1:100,000-scales.
Geologic map coverage across the U.S, at detailed scales (1:100,000+) is incomplete, typically out of date, and not fully reconciled across map borders (Brock et al., 2017). This is particularly true in southeastern Virginia, northeastern North Carolina, and central Georgia, where best available mapping ranges from 1:250,00-scale topical studies to 1:500,000-scale state geologic maps. Lack of adequate coverage equates to fundamental gaps in regional geologic framework knowledge, which hampers application of useable and reliable geologic information and data to geologic problems and issues. Each of these regions host valuable critical mineral resources in Piedmont bedrock, uppermost Coastal Plain sand and gravel deposits, or kaolin deposits along the southeastern US fall line. These regions are also prone to rare but potentially devastating earthquake hazards. Natural resource management on Federal Properties, including Piedmont and Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuges and Oconee National Forest lands, are also a very important issue to which this Project addresses.
The objectives of this Project are simple: To develop seamless geologic map databases based on detailed and reconnaissance geologic mapping and to improve our understanding of the tectonic evolution of the eastern Piedmont and uppermost Atlantic Coastal Plain through derivative geochronologic/geochemical studies, and interstate correlation work. This Project links on-going STATEMAP geologic mapping in the Richmond area by Virginia Energy, across the state line with commensurate work in northeastern North Carolina by the North Carolina Geological Survey, and our mapping in Georgia partners with the Georgia Geologic Survey. In all areas, we support our state geologic partners to acquire and use USGS Earth MRI airborne magnetic and radiometric survey data to the benefit of our mutual mapping efforts. The data we generate resolves state boundary edge-match issues and correlation problems and are used to develop source-to-sink models for commercial heavy mineral and Rare Earth Element deposits in uppermost Atlantic Coastal Plain units. Other specifically applied local and regional earth systems problems that our framework models address include seismic and other geologic hazard mitigation issues, source identification for naturally occurring arsenic and chromium at toxic levels in groundwater and soil, and groundwater modeling.
REFERENCE CITED:
Brock, J.C., and others, 2017, The 2018–2027 U.S. Geological Survey National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program Decadal Strategic Plan: U.S. Geological Survey, unpublished administrative report, 3 p.
This USGS NCGMP Project aims to fill the void in geologic map coverage along the Fall Zone from southeastern Virginia to central Georgia, for critical mineral research, earthquake hazards, and interstate correlation. We are also forging strong cooperative ties within the NCGMP by combining resources across all three Program components by supporting Virginia Energy (Virginia Geological Survey), the North Carolina Geological Survey, South Carolina Geological Survey, and the Georgia Geological Survey through the NCGMP STATEMAP component, and NCGMP EDMAP component, with targeted geologic mapping, geochronologic/geochemical framework support, and Interstate Correlation Working Group Projects at 1:24,000 to 1:100,000-scales.
Geologic map coverage across the U.S, at detailed scales (1:100,000+) is incomplete, typically out of date, and not fully reconciled across map borders (Brock et al., 2017). This is particularly true in southeastern Virginia, northeastern North Carolina, and central Georgia, where best available mapping ranges from 1:250,00-scale topical studies to 1:500,000-scale state geologic maps. Lack of adequate coverage equates to fundamental gaps in regional geologic framework knowledge, which hampers application of useable and reliable geologic information and data to geologic problems and issues. Each of these regions host valuable critical mineral resources in Piedmont bedrock, uppermost Coastal Plain sand and gravel deposits, or kaolin deposits along the southeastern US fall line. These regions are also prone to rare but potentially devastating earthquake hazards. Natural resource management on Federal Properties, including Piedmont and Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuges and Oconee National Forest lands, are also a very important issue to which this Project addresses.
The objectives of this Project are simple: To develop seamless geologic map databases based on detailed and reconnaissance geologic mapping and to improve our understanding of the tectonic evolution of the eastern Piedmont and uppermost Atlantic Coastal Plain through derivative geochronologic/geochemical studies, and interstate correlation work. This Project links on-going STATEMAP geologic mapping in the Richmond area by Virginia Energy, across the state line with commensurate work in northeastern North Carolina by the North Carolina Geological Survey, and our mapping in Georgia partners with the Georgia Geologic Survey. In all areas, we support our state geologic partners to acquire and use USGS Earth MRI airborne magnetic and radiometric survey data to the benefit of our mutual mapping efforts. The data we generate resolves state boundary edge-match issues and correlation problems and are used to develop source-to-sink models for commercial heavy mineral and Rare Earth Element deposits in uppermost Atlantic Coastal Plain units. Other specifically applied local and regional earth systems problems that our framework models address include seismic and other geologic hazard mitigation issues, source identification for naturally occurring arsenic and chromium at toxic levels in groundwater and soil, and groundwater modeling.
REFERENCE CITED:
Brock, J.C., and others, 2017, The 2018–2027 U.S. Geological Survey National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program Decadal Strategic Plan: U.S. Geological Survey, unpublished administrative report, 3 p.