United States Critical Mineral Resources in a Global Context Completed
USGS updated a report on U.S. mineral resources for selected critical mineral commodites. This report updates USGS Professional Paper 820 (1973), which was published when many of the commodities that are covered in this new volume were only of minor importance. Today, advanced technologies have increased the demand for and production of mineral commodities for nearly all elements in the periodic table.
The problem:
A broad range of existing and emerging technologies are generating unprecedented demand for less-common commodities, such as
- lithium (Li),
- indium (In),
- tellurium (Te),
- gallium (Ga),
- antimony (Sb),
- beryllium (Be), and
- rare earth elements (REE).
These technologies range from new alternative energy sources to seemingly mundane routine uses. For a variety of reasons, supplies of these elements tend to lag significantly behind demand. One of the principal causes of this lag is the limited amount of exploration done in the last few decades for new sources of many critical minerals. To help ensure an adequate supply of these commodities requires answers to these questions:
- How important is the commodity to our present economy and standard of living?
- How much of it do we have and to what extent is it economically, environmentally, and technologically available? and
- How and where can more be found both in the United States and elsewhere?
What our project did:
USGS Professional Paper 1802 provides updates, for selected critical mineral commodities, of:
- the current state of knowledge of their geology;
- known resources, both U.S. and global;
- geoenvironmental issues related to their production and use; and
- geologic possibilities for finding additional deposits, both U.S. and global.
The final product is an update of the 1973 U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 820 United States Mineral Resources. The 1973 report presents a synthesis of the state of knowledge of the geology of both major and minor mineral commodities (major metals and industrial minerals as well as a number of commodities of lesser importance at that time) along with an appraisal of the known resources, and an examination of the geologic possibilities for finding additional deposits. Since this report was published, considerable advancements have been made concerning the geology of mineral deposits. In addition, several commodities considered of minor importance in 1973 have today become critical to the national economy and security. The revised professional paper provides updated information to inform government and the public on the status of critical mineral resource commodities in the United States in a global context.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project. The project also published fact sheets on various mineral commodities.
Critical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply
SummaryMineral commodities are vital for economic growth, improving the quality of life, providing for national defense, and the overall functioning of modern society. Minerals are being used in larger quantities than ever before and in an increasingly diverse range of applications. With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse suite of mineral commodities has come renewed recognition
Critical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply
SummaryMineral commodities are vital for economic growth, improving the quality of life, providing for national defense, and the overall functioning of modern society. Minerals are being used in larger quantities than ever before and in an increasingly diverse range of applications. With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse suite of mineral commodities has come renewed recognition
Graphite
Germanium and indium
Gallium
Fluorine
Cobalt
Beryllium
Barite (Barium)
Antimony
Environmental considerations related to mining of nonfuel minerals
Critical mineral resources of the United States—An introduction
Below are news stories associated with this project.
- Overview
USGS updated a report on U.S. mineral resources for selected critical mineral commodites. This report updates USGS Professional Paper 820 (1973), which was published when many of the commodities that are covered in this new volume were only of minor importance. Today, advanced technologies have increased the demand for and production of mineral commodities for nearly all elements in the periodic table.
The problem:
A broad range of existing and emerging technologies are generating unprecedented demand for less-common commodities, such as
- lithium (Li),
- indium (In),
- tellurium (Te),
- gallium (Ga),
- antimony (Sb),
- beryllium (Be), and
- rare earth elements (REE).
These technologies range from new alternative energy sources to seemingly mundane routine uses. For a variety of reasons, supplies of these elements tend to lag significantly behind demand. One of the principal causes of this lag is the limited amount of exploration done in the last few decades for new sources of many critical minerals. To help ensure an adequate supply of these commodities requires answers to these questions:
- How important is the commodity to our present economy and standard of living?
- How much of it do we have and to what extent is it economically, environmentally, and technologically available? and
- How and where can more be found both in the United States and elsewhere?
What our project did:
USGS Professional Paper 1802 provides updates, for selected critical mineral commodities, of:
- the current state of knowledge of their geology;
- known resources, both U.S. and global;
- geoenvironmental issues related to their production and use; and
- geologic possibilities for finding additional deposits, both U.S. and global.
The final product is an update of the 1973 U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 820 United States Mineral Resources. The 1973 report presents a synthesis of the state of knowledge of the geology of both major and minor mineral commodities (major metals and industrial minerals as well as a number of commodities of lesser importance at that time) along with an appraisal of the known resources, and an examination of the geologic possibilities for finding additional deposits. Since this report was published, considerable advancements have been made concerning the geology of mineral deposits. In addition, several commodities considered of minor importance in 1973 have today become critical to the national economy and security. The revised professional paper provides updated information to inform government and the public on the status of critical mineral resource commodities in the United States in a global context.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
- Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project. The project also published fact sheets on various mineral commodities.
Critical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply
SummaryMineral commodities are vital for economic growth, improving the quality of life, providing for national defense, and the overall functioning of modern society. Minerals are being used in larger quantities than ever before and in an increasingly diverse range of applications. With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse suite of mineral commodities has come renewed recognition
Filter Total Items: 23Critical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply
SummaryMineral commodities are vital for economic growth, improving the quality of life, providing for national defense, and the overall functioning of modern society. Minerals are being used in larger quantities than ever before and in an increasingly diverse range of applications. With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse suite of mineral commodities has come renewed recognition
Graphite
Graphite is a form of pure carbon that normally occurs as black crystal flakes and masses. It has important properties, such as chemical inertness, thermal stability, high electrical conductivity, and lubricity (slipperiness) that make it suitable for many industrial applications, including electronics, lubricants, metallurgy, and steelmaking. For some of these uses, no suitable substitutes are avAuthorsGilpin R. Robinson, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Donald W. OlsonGermanium and indium
Germanium and indium are two important elements used in electronics devices, flat-panel display screens, light-emitting diodes, night vision devices, optical fiber, optical lens systems, and solar power arrays. Germanium and indium are treated together in this chapter because they have similar technological uses and because both are recovered as byproducts, mainly from copper and zinc sulfides.TheAuthorsW.C. Pat Shanks, Bryn E. Kimball, Amy C. Tolcin, David E. GubermanGallium
Gallium is a soft, silvery metallic element with an atomic number of 31 and the chemical symbol Ga. Gallium is used in a wide variety of products that have microelectronic components containing either gallium arsenide (GaAs) or gallium nitride (GaN). GaAs is able to change electricity directly into laser light and is used in the manufacture of optoelectronic devices (laser diodes, light-emitting dAuthorsNora K. Foley, Brian W. Jaskula, Bryn E. Kimball, Ruth F. SchulteFluorine
Fluorine compounds are essential in numerous chemical and manufacturing processes. Fluorspar is the commercial name for fluorite (isometric CaF2), which is the only fluorine mineral that is mined on a large scale. Fluorspar is used directly as a fluxing material and as an additive in different manufacturing processes. It is the source of fluorine in the production of hydrogen fluoride or hydrofluoAuthorsTimothy S. Hayes, M. Michael Miller, Greta J. Orris, Nadine M. PiatakCobalt
Cobalt is a silvery gray metal that has diverse uses based on certain key properties, including ferromagnetism, hardness and wear-resistance when alloyed with other metals, low thermal and electrical conductivity, high melting point, multiple valences, and production of intense blue colors when combined with silica. Cobalt is used mostly in cathodes in rechargeable batteries and in superalloys forAuthorsJohn F. Slack, Bryn E. Kimball, Kim B. SheddBeryllium
Beryllium is a mineral commodity that is used in a variety of industries to make products that are essential for the smooth functioning of a modern society. Two minerals, bertrandite (which is supplied domestically) and beryl (which is currently supplied solely by imports), are necessary to ensure a stable supply of high-purity beryllium metal, alloys, and metal-matrix composites and beryllium oxiAuthorsNora K. Foley, Brian W. Jaskula, Nadine M. Piatak, Ruth F. SchulteBarite (Barium)
Barite (barium sulfate, BaSO4) is vital to the oil and gas industry because it is a key constituent of the mud used to drill oil and gas wells. Elemental barium is an additive in optical glass, ceramic glazes, and other products. Within the United States, barite is produced mainly from mines in Nevada. Imports in 2011 (the latest year for which complete data were available) accounted for 78 percenAuthorsCraig A. Johnson, Nadine M. Piatak, M. Michael MillerAntimony
Antimony is an important mineral commodity used widely in modern industrialized societies. The element imparts strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance to alloys that are used in many areas of industry, including in lead-acid storage batteries. Antimony’s leading use is as a fire retardant in safety equipment and in household goods, such as mattresses. The U.S. Government has considered antimoAuthorsRobert R. Seal, Klaus J. Schulz, John H. DeYoung,, David M. Sutphin, Lawrence J. Drew, James F. Carlin, Byron R. BergerEnvironmental considerations related to mining of nonfuel minerals
Throughout most of human history, environmental stewardship during mining has not been a priority partly because of the lack of applicable laws and regulations and partly because of ignorance about the effects that mining can have on the environment. In the United States, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, in conjunction with related laws, codified a more modern approach to mining, incAuthorsRobert R. Seal, Nadine M. Piatak, Bryn E. Kimball, Jane M. HammarstromCritical mineral resources of the United States—An introduction
Many changes have taken place in the mineral resource sector since the publication by the U.S. Geological Survey of Professional Paper 820, “United States Mineral Resources,” which is a review of the long-term United States resource position for 65 mineral commodities or commodity groups. For example, since 1973, the United States has continued to become increasingly dependent on imports to meet iAuthorsKlaus J. Schulz, John H. DeYoung, Robert R. Seal, Dwight C. Bradley - News
Below are news stories associated with this project.