Large Magmatic Systems for Minerals Active

Science Issue and Relevance

Several mineral commodities important to clean energy technologies can be concentrated in large magmatic systems. These commodities include those used in batteries (lithium, cobalt, nickel, and vanadium) and fuel cells (the platinum-group elements - PGEs). The elements are also critical materials because supply for the U.S. primarily comes from a few foreign countries and could be vulnerable to supply disruptions. Exploring for these elements in large magnetic systems relies heavily on understanding the geophysical signature of the entire magmatic system, from regional to detailed scales. Previous USGS studies developed the approaches of employing a variety of geophysical methods for delineating the extent and layering in ultramafic-to-mafic layered intrusions and their application to mineral prospectivity. Workflows were developed to constrain 3D modeling of intrusions, lower crustal staging chambers and identifying layering and sedimentary basins from geophysical data.

Methods to Address Issue

This project will build on the previous work, extending the work done on intrusions in the United States, and broadening the scope by investigating intrusions in other countries and their relation to sedimentary basins in collaboration with geophysicists in Australia, Canada, Finland, and South Africa. 

• Continue modeling the extents of large mafic intrusions, including potential magma staging chambers in the lower crust with gravity and magnetic data constrained by other geophysical and geological data.  

• Apply new methods to understanding the magmatic systems of platinum group elements (PGE) deposits: seismic receiver functions to estimate crustal thickness, critical to gravity modeling.