Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Welcome to the Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center (GGGSC) located in Lakewood, Colorado on the Denver Federal Center. At GGGSC, we apply expertise in geology, geophysics, and geochemistry to interdisciplinary efforts in support of the USGS mission to address the Nation’s important earth science issues, with an emphasis on rare earth mineral resources.
Laboratories
Laboratories
Our center has several laboratories, ranging from geophysics to geochemistry to spectroscopy to scanning electron microscopes.
Science Branches
Science Branches
Our strong science portfolio integrates regional and economic geology with a broad range of geophysical, geochemical, analytical expertise. Our center has four scientific branches:
News
Department of the Interior launches effort to recover critical minerals from mine waste
Department of the Interior launches effort to recover critical minerals from mine waste
Low-Level Flights to Image Geology Over Parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Illinois
Low-Level Flights to Image Geology Over Parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Illinois
Recently completed geophysical survey will help protect critical infrastructure from geomagnetic storms and space weather
Recently completed geophysical survey will help protect critical infrastructure from geomagnetic storms and space weather
Publications
The petrogenesis of Þingmúli volcano, East Fjords; Iceland The petrogenesis of Þingmúli volcano, East Fjords; Iceland
In this work we revisit Þingmúli volcano (Þ = Th), a classic locality known as an example of a complete tholeiitic differentiation. Þingmúli is a ~ 9.5 Ma extinct central volcano located in the East Fjords of Iceland, in which the whole compositional spectrum from basalt to rhyolites have erupted. These volcanic products have been previously considered as petrogenetically related by an...
Estimating paleotemperature using stable isotopes of soil-formed phyllosilicates from paleosols: A review Estimating paleotemperature using stable isotopes of soil-formed phyllosilicates from paleosols: A review
Fossilized soils, or paleosols, contain soil-formed phyllosilicates whose stable isotopic compositions may be used to calculate paleotemperature and thus reconstruct ancient terrestrial environments. Though paleosols are common in the geologic record, the use of phyllosilicates as paleotemperature proxies is limited in the literature owing to difficulties with selecting optimal paleosols
Constraining the onset of carboniferous cyclicity in the Arkoma Basin of the Midcontinent, North America: Implications for calibrating a globally significant latest Bashkirian transgression Constraining the onset of carboniferous cyclicity in the Arkoma Basin of the Midcontinent, North America: Implications for calibrating a globally significant latest Bashkirian transgression
Cyclothems are defined by the repeat juxtaposition of littoral and open marine successions over short stratigraphic distances (meters to 10's of meters) and are interpreted to be driven by glacioeustatic forcing of sea level during the late Paleozoic Ice Age. The concept of cyclothems was defined in the Midcontinent region of the United States. However, correlating the Midcontinent...
Science
USMIN Mineral Deposit Database
The USMIN Mineral Deposit Database Project develops national-scale geospatial databases that provide authoritative information on the most significant mines, mineral deposits, and mining districts in the United States. These resources advance the understanding of domestic mineral resources and are available through the output of digital data products, journal articles, presentations, and other...
USMIN: Mineral Deposit Database
USMIN provides geospatial databases of publicly available information on U.S. mineral deposits with reported production and (or) resource estimates of mineral commodities. These databases provide location, geology, production, and resource details to support research and mineral exploration. This work advances the Federal strategic objective of securing reliable supplies of critical minerals by...
USMIN: Abandoned Mine Lands Inventory
USMIN is building a national inventory of abandoned hardrock mine features for the United States. This inventory will enhance risk assessment, inform land management decisions, and support physical and environmental hazard mitigation, and ecosystem restoration.