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Mineral Statistics and Commodity Information

Information on domestic and international supplies and uses of mineral commodities essential to the U.S. economy and to national security

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Critical Mineral Resources

Research and assessment activities for current information on the nation and world's critical mineral resources

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Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)

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Assessments of Undiscovered Mineral Resources

Our scientists study existing mineral deposits in order to understand where potential deposits may occur

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Mineral System Life Cycles

Studies to promote sustainable development and responsible stewardship of our natural resources

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Mineral Resources Program

The USGS Mineral Resources Program (MRP) delivers unbiased science and information to increase understanding of ore formation, undiscovered mineral resource potential, production, consumption, and how minerals interact with the environment. MRP supports data collection and research on a wide variety of non-fuel mineral resources that are important to the Nation’s economic and national security.

Mineral Statistics and Commodity Information

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Statistics and information on minerals and materials essential to the U.S. economy, the national security, and the flow of materials through production, supply chains, recycling and sustainability.

Minerals Information

Mineral Resources Online Spatial Data

Example GIS data layers

Interactive maps and downloadable data for regional and global geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and mineral resources.

USMIN Mineral Deposit Database

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Science Priorities

We study geologic processes that concentrate known mineral resources at specific localities in the Earth's crust, and assess quantities, qualities, and areas of undiscovered mineral resources, or potential future supply.

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News

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Media Alert: Low-Level Flights to Image Geology over parts of Northeastern and Central Florida

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USGS multimillion-dollar science investments strengthen domestic supply chains for critical minerals

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Bipartisan Infrastructure Law helps fund new USGS facility at Colorado School of Mines, focused on energy and minerals research

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Publications

Critical minerals in subduction-related magmatic-hydrothermal systems of the United States

During the World War and Cold War eras (1910s–1990s), domestic consumption of numerous mineral commodities relied increasingly on imported supplies. Consumption reliance has since expanded to include 50 “critical minerals” (elements and mineral commodities) that are mostly to entirely imported and subject to curtailment by suppliers or supply chain disruption. New domestic supplies of critical min
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Peter Vikre, David John, Niki E. Wintzer, Fleetwood Koutz, Frederick Graybeal, Chris Dail, David C. Annis
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Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Stable isotope constraints on the source of ore fluids for the Hicks Dome REE+Y-HFSE-fluorspar deposit

Hicks Dome is comprised of coarse crystalline Mississippi Valley Type deposits at shallow levels and an enigmatic, fine-grained fluorite, rare earth elements, Y, high field strength elements, Be, and Ba rich deposit at deeper levels. Phyllosilicates from a lamprophyre dike and a breccia from two Hicks Dome drill cores were sampled to resolve the fluid history of the entire deposit using light stab
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Julia A. McIntosh, Craig A. Johnson, Allen K. Andersen, Albert H. Hofstra
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Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Can the mining industry meet global demand for critical minerals?

No abstract available.
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Jeffrey L. Mauk, Jonathan Andrew Funk, Nick Karl
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Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
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Science

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A newly emerged mayfly sits on a researcher's hand.

Increased Mercury, Reduced Insect Diversity, and Food Web impacts from Historical Mercury Mining

U.S. Geological Survey scientists are seeking to understand the impacts of mercury mining on headwater streams, organisms, and food webs, focused on potential effects from historical mining in central Idaho. Mercury associated with mine waste can leave a legacy of contamination that continues to impact stream health in culturally and ecologically important headwater streams after mining activities...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Energy and Minerals Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Mineral Resources Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Columbia Environmental Research Center
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Increased Mercury, Reduced Insect Diversity, and Food Web impacts from Historical Mercury Mining

U.S. Geological Survey scientists are seeking to understand the impacts of mercury mining on headwater streams, organisms, and food webs, focused on potential effects from historical mining in central Idaho. Mercury associated with mine waste can leave a legacy of contamination that continues to impact stream health in culturally and ecologically important headwater streams after mining activities...
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Half-meter-thick quartz veins cut across outcrops of granitic gneiss on Divide Mountain along the Alaska-Yukon border

Alaska Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)

Our objective is to provide a strategic framework for planning, coordination, and execution of the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) in Alaska. Earth MRI aims to improve knowledge of the U.S. geologic framework through new geological and geophysical mapping and to identify areas that have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources.
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Mineral Resources Program, Alaska Science Center, Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
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Alaska Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)

Our objective is to provide a strategic framework for planning, coordination, and execution of the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) in Alaska. Earth MRI aims to improve knowledge of the U.S. geologic framework through new geological and geophysical mapping and to identify areas that have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources.
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mine pit lake

Porphyry Copper Systems of the Boulder batholith, Montana

The project seeks to better understand the mineral systems of the Boulder batholith and surrounding region in Montana using new airborne geophysical data in conjunction with geologic mapping.
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Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
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Porphyry Copper Systems of the Boulder batholith, Montana

The project seeks to better understand the mineral systems of the Boulder batholith and surrounding region in Montana using new airborne geophysical data in conjunction with geologic mapping.
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