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Publications

Results from our Program’s research and minerals information activities are published in USGS publications series as well as in outside journals.  To follow Minerals Information Periodicals, subscribe to the Mineral Periodicals RSS feed.

Filter Total Items: 2539

Mineral resource of the month: cesium Mineral resource of the month: cesium

The article offers information on cesium, a golden alkali metal derived from the Latin word caesium which means bluish gray. It mentions that cesium is the first element discovered with the use of spectroscopy. It adds that the leading producer and supplier of cesium is Canada and there are 50,000 kilograms of cesium consumed of the world in a year. Moreover, it states that only 85% of...
Authors
Marc A. Angulo

Fire clay Fire clay

Statistics on fire clay consumption, production, prices, and trade in 2009 are presented. Information on the outlook for the fire clay sector is provided.
Authors
R.L. Virta

Lithium Lithium

In 2009, lithium consumption in the United States was estimated to have been about 1.2 kt (1,300 st) of contained lithium, a 40-percent decrease from 2008. The United States was estimated to be the fourth largest consumer of lithium, and remained the leading importer of lithium carbonate and the leading producer of value-added lithium materials. Only one company, Chemetall Foote Corp. (a
Authors
B.W. Jaskula

Industrial diamond Industrial diamond

A general overview of the industrial diamond industry in 2009 is presented. Topics discussed are consumption, prices, imports and exports, government stockpiles, and the outlook for 2010.
Authors
D.W. Olson

Nitrogen Nitrogen

Ammonia was produced by 13 companies at 23 plants in 16 states during 2009. Sixty percent of all U.S. ammonia production capacity was centered in Louisiana. Oklahoma and Texas because of those states' large reserves of natural gas, the dominant domestic feedstock. In 2009, U.S. producers operated at about 83 percent of their rated capacity (excluding plants that were idle for the entire...
Authors
L.E. Apodaca

Mineral resource of the month: fluorspar Mineral resource of the month: fluorspar

The article features the industrial mineral fluorspar, used in the manufacture of fluorochemicals, aluminum and steel. It defines fluorspar as crude or beneficiated material, mined or milled for the non-metallic mineral fluorite or calcium fluoride. Applications of acid-grade fluorspar in the U.S. are presented, including production of hydrofluoric acid for chemical production of...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey

J is for jack J is for jack

The early days of drilling created a test of strength and endurance for miners.
Authors
W. H. Langer

Estimating natural background groundwater chemistry, Questa molybdenum mine, New Mexico Estimating natural background groundwater chemistry, Questa molybdenum mine, New Mexico

This 2 1/2 day field trip will present an overview of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) project whose objective was to estimate pre-mining groundwater chemistry at the Questa molybdenum mine, New Mexico. Because of intense debate among stakeholders regarding pre-mining groundwater chemistry standards, the New Mexico Environment Department and Chevron Mining Inc. (formerly Molycorp) agreed...
Authors
Phillip L. Verplanck, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Bruce M. Walker

Ground-motion modeling of Hayward fault scenario earthquakes, part I: Construction of the suite of scenarios Ground-motion modeling of Hayward fault scenario earthquakes, part I: Construction of the suite of scenarios

We construct kinematic earthquake rupture models for a suite of 39 Mw 6.6-7.2 scenario earthquakes involving the Hayward, Calaveras, and Rodgers Creek faults. We use these rupture models in 3D ground-motion simulations as discussed in Part II (Aagaard et al., 2010) to provide detailed estimates of the shaking for each scenario. We employ both geophysical constraints and empirical...
Authors
Brad T. Aagaard, Robert W. Graves, David P. Schwartz, David A. Ponce, Russell W. Graymer

The age of the Steens reversal and the Columbia River Basalt Group The age of the Steens reversal and the Columbia River Basalt Group

The Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) eruptions have a well-defined relative magnetostratigraphy but have not been definitively correlated to the geomagnetic polarity time scale. 40Ar/39Ar ages are presented from lavas erupted in the R0 through N1magnetozones of the CRBG and in the transition between R0 and N0. Four ages from transitionally magnetized lava flows at Steens Mountain...
Authors
Nicholas A. Jarboe, Robert S. Coe, Paul R. Renne, Jonathan M. G. Glen
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