The objective of this project is to use high-resolution state-of-the-art airborne and regional ground geophysical methods to map an underexplored region of the southern Midcontinent that is important to economic and critical mineral deposits.
Science Issue and Relevance
The southern Midcontinent is a frontier region for mineral exploration. The region is largely underexplored because most of the geology that is important to economic mineral deposits is concealed. Sedimentary cover over and structural relief on buried igneous basement can be substantial. Consequently, conventional surface mapping methods are poorly suited to map covered geologic systems. Subsurface mapping using geophysical techniques is required to characterize the geology and place it in a broader tectonic and mineral systems context.
Methods to Address Issue
The overall objective of this project is to collect, model and interpret high-resolution airborne and ground geophysical data to better understand the concealed geologic systems host to critical metal mineralization. Interpretation of the geophysical data will be supported by drill core examination of concealed geology where available. We are coordinating ground and airborne geophysical efforts across USGS Program and Mission areas including projects funded by the Mineral Resources Program, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, and Water Mission Area. We plan to meet these objectives via three tasks.
- Airborne Magnetic and Radiometric Framework: task objectives are to oversee the collection, processing, and interpretation of several airborne geophysical surveys occurring in the southern Midcontinent
- Electrical Resistivity Framework- Airborne Electromagnetics (EM) and Ground Magnetotellurics (MT): task objective is to use recently collected MT data over the southern Midcontinent to create 3D inversions of the crust underlying important critical mineral deposits in the southern Midcontinent
- Proterozoic geologic framework of southeast Missouri: task objective is to finalize a new 1:250,000-scale geologic map of the St. Francois Mountains and provide geologic framework information critical for support of the geophysical surveys and resulting models and interpretations core to this new project
Data collected as part of our project will be made public and used by the USGS and other federal, state, and industry partners to guide more detailed geologic mapping at local scales. When the data analysis is complete, results will provide state-of-the-art, subsurface maps that will contribute to a wide range of 3D representations of the nations exposed and concealed geology.
Return to Mineral Resources Program | Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Ozark Dome-Arkoma Basin-Ouachita Transect
Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
Unconventional Stratabound Critical Mineral Deposits of the Midcontinent: Linkages Between Mineralization in Marine Epicontinental Sedimentary Basin Systems
Systems Approach to Critical Minerals Inventory, Research, and Assessment
Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP): Water Use and Availability Program
Data releases from our project.
Airborne horizontal magnetic gradient and radiometric survey over parts of southeast Missouri, southern Illinois and western Kentucky - The Gap survey, 2021
Magnetotelluric data from Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, and Kentucky, 2016-2019
Airborne Geophysical Survey Inventory of the Conterminous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico (ver. 3.0, November 2021)
Below are publications associated with this project.
Geoelectric constraints on the Precambrian assembly and architecture of southern Laurentia
Focus areas for data acquisition for potential domestic resources of 11 critical minerals in the conterminous United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico—Aluminum, cobalt, graphite, lithium, niobium, platinum-group elements, rare earth elements, tantalum, tin,
Data-driven prospectivity modelling of sediment-hosted Zn-Pb mineral systems and their critical raw materials
Below are news stories associated with this project.
- Overview
The objective of this project is to use high-resolution state-of-the-art airborne and regional ground geophysical methods to map an underexplored region of the southern Midcontinent that is important to economic and critical mineral deposits.
Science Issue and Relevance
The southern Midcontinent is a frontier region for mineral exploration. The region is largely underexplored because most of the geology that is important to economic mineral deposits is concealed. Sedimentary cover over and structural relief on buried igneous basement can be substantial. Consequently, conventional surface mapping methods are poorly suited to map covered geologic systems. Subsurface mapping using geophysical techniques is required to characterize the geology and place it in a broader tectonic and mineral systems context.
Methods to Address Issue
The overall objective of this project is to collect, model and interpret high-resolution airborne and ground geophysical data to better understand the concealed geologic systems host to critical metal mineralization. Interpretation of the geophysical data will be supported by drill core examination of concealed geology where available. We are coordinating ground and airborne geophysical efforts across USGS Program and Mission areas including projects funded by the Mineral Resources Program, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, and Water Mission Area. We plan to meet these objectives via three tasks.
- Airborne Magnetic and Radiometric Framework: task objectives are to oversee the collection, processing, and interpretation of several airborne geophysical surveys occurring in the southern Midcontinent
- Electrical Resistivity Framework- Airborne Electromagnetics (EM) and Ground Magnetotellurics (MT): task objective is to use recently collected MT data over the southern Midcontinent to create 3D inversions of the crust underlying important critical mineral deposits in the southern Midcontinent
- Proterozoic geologic framework of southeast Missouri: task objective is to finalize a new 1:250,000-scale geologic map of the St. Francois Mountains and provide geologic framework information critical for support of the geophysical surveys and resulting models and interpretations core to this new project
Data collected as part of our project will be made public and used by the USGS and other federal, state, and industry partners to guide more detailed geologic mapping at local scales. When the data analysis is complete, results will provide state-of-the-art, subsurface maps that will contribute to a wide range of 3D representations of the nations exposed and concealed geology.
Map indicating flight area for tri-state low-level flight survey. The flights will cover 23 counties in Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana, and are included within the red rectangle. Flights began in October and are expected to conclude in December, 2019. Flight area map for northern Arkansas low-level flight. Survey will occur in northwest portion of state over parts of 15 counties. Area to be flown indicated by red outline. Return to Mineral Resources Program | Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Ozark Dome-Arkoma Basin-Ouachita Transect
The Ozark Dome-Arkoma Basin-Ouachita Transect (ODABOuT) project examines the three-dimensional geology of a transect of the southern orogenic margin of North America in its best surface exposure in western Arkansas. The Ozark Dome and Arkoma Basin represent a foreland uplift and foreland basin that formed as a result of the impinging Ouachita orogenic belt. Understanding the geometry and evolution...Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
The goal of Earth MRI is to improve our knowledge of the geologic framework in the United States and to identify areas that may have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources. Enhancement of our domestic mineral supply will decrease the Nation’s reliance on foreign sources of minerals that are fundamental to our security and economy.Unconventional Stratabound Critical Mineral Deposits of the Midcontinent: Linkages Between Mineralization in Marine Epicontinental Sedimentary Basin Systems
This project will evaluate and characterize the critical mineral potential of midcontinent stratabound "Bathtub Rim" deposits for rare earth elements, cobalt, lithium, and associated critical mineral prospectivity and to develop and test new ore genesis models.Systems Approach to Critical Minerals Inventory, Research, and Assessment
This project supports the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (EarthMRI) by developing a mineral systems approach for defining focus areas. This project is investigating domestic sources of critical minerals in three sequential stages: inventory, research, and assessment. 1) Inventory the abundance of critical minerals in ore, minerals, and processed materials from major deposits in each system...Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP): Water Use and Availability Program
The Mississippi Alluvial Plain is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the Nation and depends on groundwater for irrigation. The MAP area constitutes the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the United States. The area is approximately 29,000 square miles (19 million acres) and includes parts of the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.The U.S... - Data
Data releases from our project.
Airborne horizontal magnetic gradient and radiometric survey over parts of southeast Missouri, southern Illinois and western Kentucky - The Gap survey, 2021
This publication provides digital flight line data for a high-resolution horizontal magnetic gradient and radiometric survey over an area of southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, and western Kentucky. The survey was conducted in collaboration with the Missouri Geological Survey as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Mapping Resource Initiative (Earth MRI) effort (Day, 2019). Earth MRIMagnetotelluric data from Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, and Kentucky, 2016-2019
This dataset consists of 127 wideband and 21 long-period magnetotelluric (MT) stations collected from 2016-2019 across parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, and Kentucky. The U.S. Geological Survey acquired these data as part of regional investigations into the geologic and tectonic framework of the area and to support mineral resource and geologic hazard investigations. These data havAirborne Geophysical Survey Inventory of the Conterminous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico (ver. 3.0, November 2021)
This data release is a compilation of the locations of airborne geophysical surveys in the United States. The inventory documents public airborne geophysical surveys primarily flown by or contracted by the USGS from 1943 to present. In addition, surveys from the State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (DGGS): Airborne GeophysWeb, the Bureau - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Geoelectric constraints on the Precambrian assembly and architecture of southern Laurentia
Using images from an updated and expanded three-dimensional electrical conductivity synthesis model for the contiguous United States (CONUS), we highlight the key continent-scale geoelectric structures that are associated with the Precambrian assembly of southern Laurentia. Conductivity anomalies are associated with the Trans-Hudson orogen, the Penokean suture, the ca. 1.8–1.7 Ga Cheyenne belt andFocus areas for data acquisition for potential domestic resources of 11 critical minerals in the conterminous United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico—Aluminum, cobalt, graphite, lithium, niobium, platinum-group elements, rare earth elements, tantalum, tin,
In response to a need for information on potential domestic sources of critical minerals, the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) was established to identify and prioritize areas for acquisition of new geologic mapping, geophysical data, and elevation data to improve our knowledge of the geologic framework of the United States. Phase 1 of Earth MRI concentrated on those geologic terraneData-driven prospectivity modelling of sediment-hosted Zn-Pb mineral systems and their critical raw materials
Demand for critical raw materials is expected to accelerate over the next few decades due to continued population growth and the shifting consumption patterns of the global economy. Sedimentary basins are important sources for critical raw materials and new discoveries of sediment–hosted Mississippi Valley–type (MVT) and/or clastic–dominated (CD) Zn–Pb deposits are likely required to mitigate futu - News
Below are news stories associated with this project.