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Mineral Resources Program

We are the Nation’s primary source of scientific information about the full life cycle and supply chains of mineral resources. Our science is essential to responsibly managing natural resources and to procuring minerals needed to sustain and advance modern manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, and low-carbon energy production.  

News

Collaborative workshop spotlights machine learning to accelerate USGS critical mineral assessments

Collaborative workshop spotlights machine learning to accelerate USGS critical mineral assessments

U.S. Geological Survey marks progress tracking nation's supply of critical minerals

U.S. Geological Survey marks progress tracking nation's supply of critical minerals

Media Alert: Low-level airplane flights to image geology of Sioux Falls, larger tri-state region

Media Alert: Low-level airplane flights to image geology of Sioux Falls, larger tri-state region

Publications

Widespread occurrence of former anhydrite phenocrysts in Laramide-age magmas related to porphyry-skarn Cu mineralization at Santa Rita and Hanover-Fierro, New Mexico, USA

Reports of magmatic anhydrite are relatively rare, with only ~30 occurrences documented worldwide so far. However, magmatic anhydrite saturation is difficult to recognize because anhydrite decomposes rapidly in near-surface environments. In most cases, only anhydrite inclusions shielded within other phenocryst phases were able to survive. Alternatively, since anhydrite phenocrysts...
Authors
Andreas Audétat, Jia Chang, Sean Patrick Gaynor

Brittle regime slip partitioned damage and deformation mechanisms along the eastern Denali fault zone in southwestern, Yukon

Rare bedrock exposures of the eastern Denali fault zone in southwestern Yukon allow for the measurement, sampling, and analyses of brittle regime fault slip data and deformation mechanisms to explore relations to far field, oblique plate motions. Host rock lithologies and associated slip surfaces show episodic damage zone‐related deformation and calcite ± hematite ± chlorite related...
Authors
Jonathan Caine, Omero F. Orlandini, Frederick W. Vollmer, Heather A. Lowers

The chlorine evolution of arc magmas and the crustal water filter

Degassing of water from magmatic systems is key to transporting metals from magmas to form ore deposits, but elements like chlorine, through the formation of anion complexes, can be important in solubilizing and mobilizing these metals into water-rich fluids. Reconstructing the Cl systematics of evolving magmas is thus an important step towards understanding the origins of ore deposits...
Authors
Jackson Stone Borchardt, Cin-Ty Lee

Science

What are Critical Minerals?

Critical minerals are essential to the economy and national security of the Nation and have supply chains that are vulnerable to disruption. The USGS leads the government in developing the List of Critical Minerals and provides crucial and rich information about critical mineral availability, supply chains, and economic impacts. The USGS uses a cross-sectoral and data-driven approach to developing...
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What are Critical Minerals?

Critical minerals are essential to the economy and national security of the Nation and have supply chains that are vulnerable to disruption. The USGS leads the government in developing the List of Critical Minerals and provides crucial and rich information about critical mineral availability, supply chains, and economic impacts. The USGS uses a cross-sectoral and data-driven approach to developing...
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Earth MRI Progress

Earth MRI began in 2019. Scroll down to see what we have accomplished so far.
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Earth MRI Progress

Earth MRI began in 2019. Scroll down to see what we have accomplished so far.
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Earth MRI in Action

How is Earth MRI making an impact? Here are stories of Earth MRI in action.
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Earth MRI in Action

How is Earth MRI making an impact? Here are stories of Earth MRI in action.
Learn More
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