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Selected mineral specimen images and videos about Program activities.
From Maybe to Mineable
Scientists use different terms to communicate the strength of evidence - or uncertainty - for mineable minerals.
On a scale from less information and higher uncertainty to more information and lower uncertainty:
From Maybe to Mineable
Scientists use different terms to communicate the strength of evidence - or uncertainty - for mineable minerals.
On a scale from less information and higher uncertainty to more information and lower uncertainty:
The life cycle of molybdenum, from primary material to downstream products.
The life cycle of molybdenum, from primary material to downstream products.
NASA’s ER‑2 high‑altitude research aircraft touches down in Colorado Springs May 11, 2026, after completing a hyperspectral survey flight for the joint USGS–NASA effort to map critical minerals across the western United States.
NASA’s ER‑2 high‑altitude research aircraft touches down in Colorado Springs May 11, 2026, after completing a hyperspectral survey flight for the joint USGS–NASA effort to map critical minerals across the western United States.
Graph of U.S. production (in millions of metric tons) of materials from 1900 to 2020, adapted from Materials flow in the United States—A global context, 1900–2020.
Graph of U.S. production (in millions of metric tons) of materials from 1900 to 2020, adapted from Materials flow in the United States—A global context, 1900–2020.
Infographic flowchart summarizing the USGS methodology for technical input to the 2025 List of Critical Minerals. The full methodology is found here: Methodology and technical input for the 2025 U.S.
Infographic flowchart summarizing the USGS methodology for technical input to the 2025 List of Critical Minerals. The full methodology is found here: Methodology and technical input for the 2025 U.S.
Mine wastes are produced at each stage of mineral production - mine wastes that can contain critical and other minerals, and could potentially be reprocessed. This infographic shows three kinds of mine wastes produced during mineral production, and a sense of scale of how much waste is produced:
Mine wastes are produced at each stage of mineral production - mine wastes that can contain critical and other minerals, and could potentially be reprocessed. This infographic shows three kinds of mine wastes produced during mineral production, and a sense of scale of how much waste is produced:
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across the Western United States and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across the Western United States and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across the Eastern United States and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across the Eastern United States and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across the Western United States and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across the Western United States and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across the Eastern United States and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across the Eastern United States and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across Alaska and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across Alaska and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across Alaska and the nation.
The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is accelerating modern geological and geophysical mapping across Alaska and the nation.