Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center

Comprehensive, Interdisciplinary Research and Surveys

Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Scientists within the GEMSC represent a breadth of programs focused on the USGS mission; Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, and Environmental Health Programs. GEMSC conducts comprehensive, interdisciplinary research and surveys of the origin, occurrence, distribution, quantity, and composition of oil, gas, coal, minerals, and more.

What We Provide

GEMSC conducts comprehensive, interdisciplinary research and surveys of the origin, occurrence, distribution, quantity, and composition of oil, gas, coal, minerals, and associated deposits. We provide up-to-date, publicly available, scientific data.

Explore Our Science

What We Address

GEMSC was established in 2020 through the merger of the Eastern Energy Resources and the Eastern Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Centers. Our work is broadly applicable to current and emerging geology, energy, and minerals issues.

About The Center

Science Priorities

News

June 18, 2026

USGS: Lithium in Carolinas Could Replace Imports for a Century or More

April 28, 2026

Lithium in Eastern States Could Replace Imports for a Century or More

August 28, 2025

USGS Unveils New National Geologic Map

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Publications

September 17, 2026

Release and recapture: Limited carbon mobilization in sediment adjacent to Central Atlantic Magmatic Province sills, Florida, USA Release and recapture: Limited carbon mobilization in sediment adjacent to Central Atlantic Magmatic Province sills, Florida, USA

Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) are associated with dramatic changes to the Earth system; their rapid release of carbon may initiate catastrophic climatic changes causing mass extinction. This carbon release is often associated with volcanic emissions, yet metamorphic carbon production is poorly constrained. Metamorphic carbon devolatilization occurs as intrusions interact with host...

Authors

Lindsi Allman, E.M. Stewart, Kanwa Sengupta, Mainak Mookherjee, Miles Kelsey, Paul C. Hackley, Ryan J. McAleer, Aaron M. Jubb, Rebecca Stokes

Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

August 3, 2026

Regional characterization of coal resources in the Gulf Coast Coal Region—In support of coal as a potential source for critical minerals and rare earth elements Regional characterization of coal resources in the Gulf Coast Coal Region—In support of coal as a potential source for critical minerals and rare earth elements

There is increasing interest in extracting critical minerals (CM), including rare earth elements (REE), from coals in the United States to address the overreliance on imported REE. The Gulf Coast and the Fort Union regions are the two major lignite-bearing regions within the United States. Recent REE and CM studies of the lignite in these regions have indicated that the coals may be a...

Authors

Peter D. Warwick, Robert C. Reedy, Bridget R. Scanlon

Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

July 17, 2026

Structural evolution of iron coordination in proteins across Earth’s oxygenation history Structural evolution of iron coordination in proteins across Earth’s oxygenation history

Protein metal-binding sites support essential biological functions shaped by protein fold, subunit interactions, and cofactor chemistry. Because these sites encode both biochemical function and environmental constraint, they offer a route to connect protein evolution with changes in Earth’s surface environment through time. Of particular interest is iron (Fe), the most widely used metal...

Authors

Benjamin I. Jelen, Beth A. Christensen, Elisha Kelly Moore

Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area, Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

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