Denver Microbeam Laboratory: Mineral Resources Research Support Active
The USGS Denver Microbeam Laboratory provides chemical analysis and characterization of rocks, minerals, and environmental samples in support of a wide variety of USGS projects related to mineral resources, including research projects funded by the USGS Mineral Resources Program. The research applications for these projects range from mineral resource research and assessments, to geologic mapping and geochronology, to geologic hazards and radioactive waste disposal, to the environment and human health.
Additional Information
For additional information on the laboratory facilities and equipment, visit the Denver Microbeam Laboratory site.
The Denver Microbeam Laboratory has provided support to these Mineral Resources Program projects:
Development and Validation of Hyperspectral Imager for Field and Lab Scanning
USGS High Resolution Spectral Library
Heavy-Mineral Sand Resources in the Southeastern U.S.
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Below are publications associated with this project.
Pre-eruptive conditions of the Hideaway Park topaz rhyolite: Insights into metal source and evolution of magma parental to the Henderson porphyry molybdenum deposit, Colorado
Characterisation of a natural quartz crystal as a reference material for microanalytical determination of Ti, Al, Li, Fe, Mn, Ga and Ge
Evaluation of selected static methods used to estimate element mobility, acid-generating and acid-neutralizing potentials associated with geologically diverse mining wastes
Assessment of the geoavailability of trace elements from selected zinc minerals
Mapping advanced argillic alteration at Cuprite, Nevada, using imaging spectroscopy
Linking geology and health sciences to assess childhood lead poisoning from artisanal gold mining in Nigeria
Mineralogical, chemical, and crystallographic properties of supergene jarosite-group minerals from the Xitieshan Pb-Zn sulfide deposit, northern Tibetan Plateau, China
The nature of porosity in organic-rich mudstones of the Upper Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay Formation, North Sea, offshore United Kingdom
Geologic and mineralogic controls on acid and metal-rich rock drainage in an alpine watershed, Handcart Gulch, Colorado
Multiple age components in individual molybdenite grains
Preparation and characterization of "Libby Amphibole" toxicological testing material
A new basaltic glass microanalytical reference material for multiple techniques
Below are news stories associated with this project.
- Overview
The USGS Denver Microbeam Laboratory provides chemical analysis and characterization of rocks, minerals, and environmental samples in support of a wide variety of USGS projects related to mineral resources, including research projects funded by the USGS Mineral Resources Program. The research applications for these projects range from mineral resource research and assessments, to geologic mapping and geochronology, to geologic hazards and radioactive waste disposal, to the environment and human health.
Additional Information
For additional information on the laboratory facilities and equipment, visit the Denver Microbeam Laboratory site.
- Science
The Denver Microbeam Laboratory has provided support to these Mineral Resources Program projects:
Filter Total Items: 27Development and Validation of Hyperspectral Imager for Field and Lab Scanning
The Mineral Resources Program has advanced methods of imaging spectroscopy (hyperspectral remote sensing) that are now used routinely by the earth science and remote sensing communities for mineral mapping, soil quality mapping, hazard mitigation, and other terrestrial and planetary applications. The USGS is highly qualified to advance this technology based on its world class expertise in mineral...USGS High Resolution Spectral Library
The USGS Spectral Library contains reflectance spectra, including samples of minerals, rocks, soils, physically constructed as well as mathematically computed mixtures, plants, vegetation communities, microorganisms, and man-made materials. The samples and spectra collected were assembled for the purpose of using spectral features for the remote detection of these and similar materials. The latest...Heavy-Mineral Sand Resources in the Southeastern U.S.
We are assessing the extent of industrial mineral resources hosted by heavy-mineral sands in the coastal plain of the southeastern United States. “Heavy-mineral sands" (HMS) is a term commonly used in industry and geologic literature to describe layered sediments deposited in coastal environments that contain dense (“heavy") minerals of economic value. The heavy minerals extracted from these... - Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
- Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 52Pre-eruptive conditions of the Hideaway Park topaz rhyolite: Insights into metal source and evolution of magma parental to the Henderson porphyry molybdenum deposit, Colorado
The Hideaway Park tuff is the only preserved extrusive volcanic unit related to the Red Mountain intrusive complex, which produced the world-class Henderson porphyry Mo deposit. Located within the Colorado Mineral Belt, USA, Henderson is the second largest Climax-type Mo deposit in the world, and is therefore an excellent location to investigate magmatic processes leading to Climax-type Mo mineralAuthorsCelestine N. Mercer, Albert H. Hofstra, Todor I. Todorov, Julie Roberge, Alain Burgisser, David T. Adams, Michael A. CoscaCharacterisation of a natural quartz crystal as a reference material for microanalytical determination of Ti, Al, Li, Fe, Mn, Ga and Ge
A natural smoky quartz crystal from Shandong province, China, was characterised by laser ablation ICP-MS, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and solution ICP-MS to determine the concentration of twenty-four trace and ultra trace elements. Our main focus was on Ti quantification because of the increased use of this element for titanium-in-quartz (TitaniQ) thermobarometry. Pieces of a uniform growtAuthorsAndreas Audetat, Dieter Garbe-Schonberg, Andreas Kronz, Thomas Pettke, Brian G. Rusk, John J. Donovan, Heather LowersEvaluation of selected static methods used to estimate element mobility, acid-generating and acid-neutralizing potentials associated with geologically diverse mining wastes
A comparison study of selected static leaching and acid–base accounting (ABA) methods using a mineralogically diverse set of 12 modern-style, metal mine waste samples was undertaken to understand the relative performance of the various tests. To complement this study, in-depth mineralogical studies were conducted in order to elucidate the relationships between sample mineralogy, weathering featureAuthorsPhilip L. Hageman, Robert R. Seal, Sharon F. Diehl, Nadine M. Piatak, Heather LowersAssessment of the geoavailability of trace elements from selected zinc minerals
This assessment focused on five zinc-bearing minerals. The minerals were subjected to a number of analyses including quantitative X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, leaching tests, and bioaccessibility and toxicity studies. Like a previous comprehensive assessment of five copper-bearing minerals, the purpose of this assessment was to obtain structural and chemical information and to characteriAuthorsRhonda L. Driscoll, Phillip L. Hageman, William Benzel, Sharon F. Diehl, Suzette Morman, LaDonna M. Choate, Heather LowersMapping advanced argillic alteration at Cuprite, Nevada, using imaging spectroscopy
Mineral maps based on Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data were used to study late Miocene advanced argillic alteration at Cuprite, Nevada. Distributions of Fe-bearing minerals, clays, micas, sulfates, and carbonates were mapped using the Tetracorder spectral-shape matching system. The Al content of white micas increases toward altered areas and near intrusive rocks. AlunitAuthorsGregg A. Swayze, Roger N. Clark, Alexander F.H. Goetz, K. Eric Livo, George N. Breit, Fred A. Kruse, Stephen J. Sutley, Lawrence W. Snee, Heather A. Lowers, James L. Post, Roger E. Stoffregen, Roger P. AshleyLinking geology and health sciences to assess childhood lead poisoning from artisanal gold mining in Nigeria
Background: In 2010, Médecins Sans Frontières discovered a lead poisoning outbreak linked to artisanal gold processing in northwestern Nigeria. The outbreak has killed approximately 400 young children and affected thousands more. Objectives: Our aim was to undertake an interdisciplinary geological- and health-science assessment to clarify lead sources and exposure pathways, identify additional toAuthorsGeoffrey S. Plumlee, James T. Durant, Suzette A. Morman, Antonio Neri, Ruth E. Wolf, Carrie A. Dooyema, Philip L. Hageman, Heather Lowers, Gregory L. Fernette, Gregory P. Meeker, William Benzel, Rhonda L. Driscoll, Cyrus J. Berry, James G. Crock, Harland L. Goldstein, Monique Adams, Casey L. Bartrem, Simba Tirima, Behbod Behrooz, Ian von Lindern, Mary Jean BrownMineralogical, chemical, and crystallographic properties of supergene jarosite-group minerals from the Xitieshan Pb-Zn sulfide deposit, northern Tibetan Plateau, China
Supergene jarosite-group minerals are widespread in weathering profiles overlying Pb-Zn sulfide ores at Xitieshan, northern Tibetan Plateau, China. They consist predominantly of K-deficient natrojarosite, with lesser amounts of K-rich natrojarosite and plumbojarosite. Electron microprobe (EMP) analyses, scanning electron microcopy (SEM) investigation, and X-ray mapping reveal that the jarosite-groAuthorsLei Chen, Jian-Wei Li, Robert O. Rye, William H. Benzel, H.A. Lowers, Ming-Zhong HeThe nature of porosity in organic-rich mudstones of the Upper Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay Formation, North Sea, offshore United Kingdom
Analyses of organic-rich mudstones from wells that penetrated the Upper Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay Formation, offshore United Kingdom, were performed to evaluate the nature of both organic and inorganic rock constituents and their relation to porosity in this world-class source rock. The formation is at varying levels of thermal maturity, ranging from immature in the shallowest core samples to maturAuthorsNeil S. Fishman, Paul C. Hackley, Heather Lowers, Ronald J. Hill, Sven O. Egenhoff, Dennis D. Eberl, Alex E. BlumGeologic and mineralogic controls on acid and metal-rich rock drainage in an alpine watershed, Handcart Gulch, Colorado
The surface and subsurface geology, hydrothermal alteration, and mineralogy of the Handcart Gulch area was studied using map and drill core data as part of a multidisciplinary approach to understand the hydrology and affects of geology on acid-rock drainage in a mineralized alpine watershed. Handcart Gulch was the locus of intense hydrothermal alteration that affected an area of nearly 3 square kiAuthorsDana J. Bove, Jonathan S. Caine, Heather LowersMultiple age components in individual molybdenite grains
Re–Os geochronology of fractions composed of unsized, coarse, and fine molybdenite from a pod of unusual monazite–xenotime gneiss within a granulite facies paragneiss, Hudson Highlands, NY, yielded dates of 950.5 ± 2.5, 953.8 ± 2.6, and 941.2 ± 2.6 Ma, respectively. These dates are not recorded by co-existing zircon, monazite, or xenotime. SEM–BSE imagery of thin sections and separated grains reveAuthorsJohn N. Aleinikoff, Robert A. Creaser, Heather Lowers, Charles W. Magee, Richard I. GrauchPreparation and characterization of "Libby Amphibole" toxicological testing material
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) began work in Libby, Mont. in 1999 when an Emergency Response Team was sent to investigate local concern and media reports regarding asbestos-contaminated vermiculite. Since that time, the site has been granted Superfund status and site remediation to a safe level of asbestos has been ongoing. The amphibole asbestos from the Vermiculite Mountain verAuthorsHeather Lowers, Stephen A. Wilson, Todd M. Hoefen, William Benzel, Gregory P. MeekerA new basaltic glass microanalytical reference material for multiple techniques
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been producing reference materials since the 1950s. Over 50 materials have been developed to cover bulk rock, sediment, and soils for the geological community. These materials are used globally in geochemistry, environmental, and analytical laboratories that perform bulk chemistry and/or microanalysis for instrument calibration and quality assurance testing. TAuthorsSteve Wilson, Alan Koenig, Heather Lowers - News
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