Publications
Here you will find publications, reports and articles produced by Energy and Mineral scientists. For a comprehensive listing of all USGS publications, click the button below.
Filter Total Items: 1326
Quantitative mineral resource assessment of lithium pegmatite deposits in the Appalachian Orogen, USA Quantitative mineral resource assessment of lithium pegmatite deposits in the Appalachian Orogen, USA
Lithium is classified as a U.S. critical mineral commodity, and its demand is projected to drastically increase through 2040, driven by electric vehicle production and energy storage applications (IEA 2021).Most global lithium production is not in the United States increasing vulnerability to a supply disruption. The U.S. Geological Survey is actively assessing domestic lithium deposits...
Authors
Niki Wintzer, Joshua Rosera, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, Dalton McCaffrey, Kelsey Elizabeth Crocker, Joshua Coyan, Graham Lederer
Petrogenesis and mineralization potential of the Bradley Peak komatiitic basalts, Wyoming Province Petrogenesis and mineralization potential of the Bradley Peak komatiitic basalts, Wyoming Province
The ca. 2.72 Ga Bradley Peak greenstone terrane in the Wyoming Province contains spinifex- and cumulate-textured komatiitic volcanic rocks that may host Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide mineralization. New whole rock geochemistry classifies these rocks as Al-undepleted komatiitic basalts derived from a parental melt with ~17 wt. % MgO. Isotopic data (Sm-Nd, Re-Os) and REE profiles suggest a plume...
Authors
Lisa Zieman, Michael Jenkins, Michael L. Zientek, Jacob Poletti, Alan D. Rooney
Gravity and magnetic surveys of the Skaergaard intrusion, East Greenland Gravity and magnetic surveys of the Skaergaard intrusion, East Greenland
Aeromagnetic and gravity surveys of the Skaergaard intrusion in East Greenland were carried out in July–August 1971 as part of a grant to the University of Oregon Center for Volcanology to refine the models of crystallization and differentiation of the intrusion, specifically to test whether the intrusion is underlain by dense rocks of a reservoir 20 kilometers (km) thick (referred to as...
Authors
Mark Gettings
Assimilation of reduced carbon triggers platinum alloy saturation in mafic and ultramafic magmas Assimilation of reduced carbon triggers platinum alloy saturation in mafic and ultramafic magmas
It is generally observed that magmatic sulfide ores have higher ratios of Pd/Pt than the mantle-like values of their parental magmas. This discrepancy has defied simple explanation because the partitioning behavior of both elements between sulfide and silicate liquids is very similar. Assimilation of sulfur- and carbon-rich country rocks by mafic and ultramafic magmas is considered a...
Authors
Ying Zhou Li, William Smith, Michael Jenkins, Zhuosen Yao, James Mungall
Enhanced geothermal systems electric-resource assessment for the Great Basin, southwestern United States Enhanced geothermal systems electric-resource assessment for the Great Basin, southwestern United States
The U.S. Geological Survey recently (2025) completed a provisional assessment of the geothermal-electric resources associated with high-temperature, low-permeability rock formations of the Great Basin, Southwestern United States. If sufficient technological advances to commercialize enhanced geothermal systems occur, then a current best provisional estimate for electric-power generation...
Authors
Erick R. Burns, Colin Williams, Jacob DeAngelo
USGS critical minerals review USGS critical minerals review
No abstract available.
Authors
Graham Lederer, James Jones, Darcy McPhee, Patricia J Loferski, Robert Seal, Paul Bedrosian, Patricia Macqueen, V. Grauch, Federico Solano, Joshua Rosera, David Pineault
Statistical approaches for modeling correlated grade and tonnage distributions and applications for mineral resource assessments Statistical approaches for modeling correlated grade and tonnage distributions and applications for mineral resource assessments
Correlations between grade and tonnage exist in mineral resource data compiled from published reports, but they are not always addressed during quantitative assessment of undiscovered mineral resources. Failure to account for correlated grade and tonnage distributions can result in geologically unrealistic assessment results. Current software tools simulate univariate ore tonnage and...
Authors
Joshua Rosera, Graham Lederer, John Schuenemeyer
Critical Minerals in Ores (CMiO) database Critical Minerals in Ores (CMiO) database
Critical minerals are commodities essential to modern industrial and strategic technologies and are highly vulnerable to supply chain disruption. The Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) is a collaboration among the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Geological Survey of Canada, and Geoscience Australia that aims to deepen global understanding of where critical minerals are...
Authors
George Case, Garth Graham, Christopher Lawley, Evgeniy Bastrakov, David Huston, Albert Hofstra, Vladimir Lisitsin, Steph Hawkins, Bronwen Wang
Tungsten skarn quantitative mineral resource assessment and gold, rare earth elements, graphite, and uranium qualitative assessments of the Kuldjuktau and Auminzatau Ranges, in the central Kyzylkum region, Uzbekistan Tungsten skarn quantitative mineral resource assessment and gold, rare earth elements, graphite, and uranium qualitative assessments of the Kuldjuktau and Auminzatau Ranges, in the central Kyzylkum region, Uzbekistan
A new quantitative mineral resource assessment for tungsten skarn was conducted for the Auminzatau and Kuldjuktau mountain ranges in Central Uzbekistan, along with qualitative assessments of orogenic gold, rare earth elements (REEs), amorphous graphite, and uranium. By integrating a variety of geological, geochemical, geophysical, and remote sensing data sets, estimates of undiscovered...
Authors
Joshua Coyan, Federico Solano, Cliff Taylor, Carol A. Finn, Steven Smith, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, Laura Pianowski, Kelsey Elizabeth Crocker, Rustam Mirkamalov, Fareed Divaev, Abdulla Baratov, Botir Khakimov, Jurabek Azimov, Akrom Goipov, Jamshid Avulov, Shokir Akhmadov, Nurbek Inatov, Xurshid Janiev, Nafisa Dulabova
Radiogenic strontium- and uranium-isotope tracers of water-rock interactions and hydrothermal flow in the Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field, USA Radiogenic strontium- and uranium-isotope tracers of water-rock interactions and hydrothermal flow in the Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field, USA
Natural radiogenic isotopes (primarily 87Sr/86Sr) from hot springs in the Upper Geyser Basin of the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field and associated rocks were used to evaluate groundwater flow patterns, water-rock reactions, and the extent of mixing between various groundwater sources. Thermal waters have very low uranium concentrations and 234U/238U activity ratios near 1.0, which...
Authors
James B. Paces, Shaul Hurwitz, Lauren Harrison, Jacob Lowenstern, R. Blaine McCleskey
Annual review 2023: Critical minerals Annual review 2023: Critical minerals
No abstract available.
Authors
Graham Lederer, James Jones, Darcy McPhee, Jeffrey Mauk, Robert R. Seal,, Kate Campbell, Jane Hammarstrom, Paul Bedrosian, Patricia Macqueen, Garth Graham, Federico Solano, George Case, David Pineault
Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST) pilot project progress toward an information management and technology plan Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST) pilot project progress toward an information management and technology plan
Executive SummaryThe U.S. Geological Survey carries out a wide variety of multidisciplinary science projects through the Bureau’s regions, mission areas, programs, and science centers. However, this structure can limit interactions among individual scientists, segregate data holdings, and make it difficult to apply holistic, interdisciplinary science. In addition, technological advances...
Authors
Eric D. Anderson, Jennifer Erxleben, Sharon Qi, Adrian P. Monroe, Katharine Dahm