Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Members of the news media are invited to attend a media day at the Dubuque Regional Airport to see firsthand the aircraft and equipment that will be used to image geology during a U.S. Geological Survey Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) low-level airborne survey of the tristate region later this month. 

Read the full low-level flight advisory here

Media representatives will hear from both USGS and state geological surveys about how data will be collected and how the science will apply at the local and national level. Opportunities for soundbites and visuals of the equipment will be available, as well as other USGS resources about Earth MRI.  

What: Show-and-tell of aircraft and airborne electromagnetic equipment by USGS and state geologists 

 

When: Friday, October 25, 2024, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  

 

10 a.m. - Informational brief about the Earth MRI program, science, and equipment used in surveys  

 

11 a.m. - Experts available for interviews and questions  

 

Where: Dubuque Regional Airport, 10965 Aviation Drive, Dubuque, Iowa 52003 

 

Interested media should RSVP by contacting Lauren Russell, (978) 500-1420, lrussell@usgs.gov. More information about entry to the event will be provided upon RSVP. 

 

The following experts will be available:  

  • Paul Bedrosian, USGS research geophysicist: The lead USGS scientist heading the multi-state Earth MRI airborne electromagnetic survey who can speak to the program’s mission and the technical aspect of the surveys. Dr. Bedrosian can also outline how the data generated by this AEM survey, and other types of EMRI surveys, allow scientists to see below the surface to create publicly available cross sections and maps.  
  • Pat McLaughlin, Illinois State Geological Survey geologist: An expert in the scientific underpinning that encouraged additional EMRI surveys in this region. Dr. McLaughlin can speak to the state of rare earth element industry as it is now, and how this survey footprint was specifically identified and designed to give insight into its unique enrichment compared to other areas of potential in the region.  
  • Ryan Clark, Iowa Geological Survey geologist: An expert in Iowa’s bedrock geology and geologic mapping, with a focus on the Dubuque area. Having recently led a regional geochemical reconnaissance project to better understand the distribution of potential rare earth element-enriched phosphatic rocks and mine waste potential, Mr. Clark can speak to the specific application of the EMRI science to this region, including Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. 
  • XCalibur: A representative from XCalibur, the company contracted to pilot and fly the survey, may be available to answer questions about the technical equipment and other FAA regulations.  

Photo and video opportunities will include the scientists briefing the science, separate interviews, and visuals of the aircraft and equipment, including the electromagnetic sensors.   

Get Our News

These items are in the RSS feed format (Really Simple Syndication) based on categories such as topics, locations, and more. You can install and RSS reader browser extension, software, or use a third-party service to receive immediate news updates depending on the feed that you have added. If you click the feed links below, they may look strange because they are simply XML code. An RSS reader can easily read this code and push out a notification to you when something new is posted to our site.

Was this page helpful?