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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.

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Cobalt—Styles of deposits and the search for primary deposits Cobalt—Styles of deposits and the search for primary deposits

Cobalt (Co) is a potentially critical mineral. The vast majority of cobalt is a byproduct of copper and (or) nickel production. Cobalt is increasingly used in magnets and rechargeable batteries. More than 50 percent of primary cobalt production is from the Central African Copperbelt. The Central African Copperbelt is the only sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform copper district that...
Authors
Murray Hitzman, Arthur Bookstrom, John Slack, Michael Zientek

Impact-related microspherules in Late Pleistocene Alaskan and Yukon “muck” deposits signify recurrent episodes of catastrophic emplacement Impact-related microspherules in Late Pleistocene Alaskan and Yukon “muck” deposits signify recurrent episodes of catastrophic emplacement

Large quantities of impact-related microspherules have been found in fine-grained sediments retained within seven out of nine, radiocarbon-dated, Late Pleistocene mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) and bison (Bison priscus) skull fragments. The well-preserved fossils were recovered from frozen “muck” deposits (organic-rich silt) exposed within the Fairbanks and Klondike mining districts of...
Authors
Jonathan Hagstrum, Richard Firestone, Allen West, James Weaver, Ted Bunch

The hyper-enrichment of V and Zn in black shales of the Late Devonian-Early Mississippian Bakken Formation (USA) The hyper-enrichment of V and Zn in black shales of the Late Devonian-Early Mississippian Bakken Formation (USA)

Black shales of the Late Devonian to Early Mississippian Bakken Formation are characterized by high concentrations of organic carbon and the hyper-enrichment (> 500 to 1000s of mg/kg) of V and Zn. Deposition of black shales resulted from shallow seafloor depths that promoted rapid development of euxinic conditions. Vanadium hyper-enrichments, which are unknown in modern environments, are...
Authors
Clint Scott, John Slack, Karen Kelley

Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance

Successful delivery of the United Nations sustainable development goals and implementation of the Paris Agreement requires technologies that utilize a wide range of minerals in vast quantities. Metal recycling and technological change will contribute to sustaining supply, but mining must continue and grow for the foreseeable future to ensure that such minerals remain available to...
Authors
Saleem Ali, Damien Giurco, Nicholas Arndt, Edmund Nickless, Graham Brown, Alecos Demetriades, Ray Durrheim, Maria Enriquez, Judith Kinnaird, Anna Littleboy, Lawrence Meinert, Roland Oberhansli, Janet Salem, Richard Schodde, Gabi Schneider, Olivier Vidal, Natalia Yakovleva

Introduction to the 2008 Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal (CARA) professional paper Introduction to the 2008 Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal (CARA) professional paper

The amount of yet-to-find oil and gas in the high northern latitudes is one of the great uncertainties of future energy supply. The possibility of extensive new petroleum developments in the Arctic Ocean is of interest to the Arctic nations, to petroleum companies, and to those concerned with the delicate and changing Arctic environment. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 2008 Circum...
Authors
Donald Gautier, Thomas Moore

Comparing measurement response and inverted results of electrical resistivity tomography instruments Comparing measurement response and inverted results of electrical resistivity tomography instruments

In this investigation, we compare the results of electrical resistivity measurements made by six commercially available instruments on the same line of electrodes to determine if there are differences in the measured data or inverted results. These comparisons are important to determine whether measurements made between different instruments are consistent. We also degraded contact...
Authors
Andrew Parsekian, Niels Claes, Kamini Singha, Burke Minsley, Bradley Carr, Emily Voytek, Ryan Harmon, Andy Kass, Austin Carey, Drew Thayer, Brady Flinchum

High-precision 41K/39K measurements by MC-ICP-MS indicate terrestrial variability of δ41K High-precision 41K/39K measurements by MC-ICP-MS indicate terrestrial variability of δ41K

Potassium is a major component in continental crust, the fourth-most abundant cation in seawater, and a key element in biological processes. Until recently, difficulties with existing analytical techniques hindered our ability to identify natural isotopic variability of potassium isotopes in terrestrial materials. However, measurement precision has greatly improved and a range of K...
Authors
Leah Morgan, Danielle Santiago Ramos, Brett Davidheiser-Kroll, John Faithfull, Nicholas Lloyd, Rob Ellam, John Higgins

Characteristics and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of the Erdenet Cu-Mo deposit, Mongolia Characteristics and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of the Erdenet Cu-Mo deposit, Mongolia

The Early to Middle Triassic Erdenet porphyry Cu-Mo deposit, in northern Mongolia, developed in a continent-continent arc collision zone, within the Central Asian orogenic belt. The porphyry system is related to multiple intrusions of crystal-crowded biotite granodiorite porphyry, which formed a composite stock about 900 m in diameter, with multiple porphyritic microgranodiorite dikes...
Authors
Imants Kavalieris, Bat-Erdene Khashgerel, Leah Morgan, Alexander Undrakhtamir, Adiya Borohul

Marine geology and tectonics--What is under all that water? Marine geology and tectonics--What is under all that water?

This chapter is divided into two main sections. The first section is on Marine Geology Seascapes (what earth scientists call bathymetry). The second section is on Tectonics of Marine Areas.
Authors
David Scholl, Warren Nokleberg

Regional geology and tectonics Regional geology and tectonics

This chapter describes the regional geology and tectonic origins of the major geologic units for the Northern Cordillera. The goals of the chapter are to: (1) provide a summary and regional overview of this vast region that contains a complicated geologic history; and (2) describe the major geologic units and tectonic events that cover a broad geologic time span from the Proterozoic to...
Authors
Warren Nokleberg
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