The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is conducted in phases to identify areas for acquiring new geologic framework data to identify potential domestic resources of the 35 mineral materials designated as critical minerals for the United States. This report describes the data sources and summary results for 13 critical minerals evaluated in the conterminous United States and Puerto Rico during phase 3 of the study (antimony, barite, beryllium, chromium, fluorspar, hafnium, helium, magnesium, manganese, potash, uranium, vanadium, and zirconium). Phases 1 and 2 of the Earth MRI addressed aluminum, cobalt, graphite, lithium, niobium, platinum-group elements (PGEs), rare earth elements (REEs), tantalum, tin, titanium, and tungsten. Critical minerals in Alaska are covered in a separate report. No focus areas for phase 3 critical minerals are delineated for Hawaii.
The geologic, geochemical, topographic, and geophysical mapping provided by the Earth MRI documents geologic features that reflect the extent of individual mineral systems and provides information about critical mineral deposits that may not have been previously considered. The mineral-systems approach links critical mineral commodities to deposit types that represent the manifestations of large mineral systems.
Each of the 13 critical mineral commodities for phase 3 of the Earth MRI is discussed in terms of its importance to the Nation’s economy, modes of occurrence, mineral systems, and deposit types, and is accompanied by maps and tables listing examples of focus areas in the conterminous United States and Puerto Rico. Examples of important mineral systems for this group of 13 critical minerals include basin brine path systems for barite and fluorspar, Carlin-type systems and Coeur d’Alene systems for antimony, chemical weathering and volcanogenic seafloor systems for manganese, Climax-type systems for beryllium, mafic magmatic systems for chromium, marine evaporite systems for potash and magnesium, meteoric recharge systems for uranium, petroleum systems for helium, and placer systems for zirconium and hafnium.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Title | Focus areas for data acquisition for potential domestic resources of 13 critical minerals in the conterminous United States and Puerto Rico — Antimony, barite, beryllium, chromium, fluorspar, hafnium, helium, magnesium, manganese, potash, uranium, vanadiu |
| DOI | 10.3133/ofr20191023D |
| Authors | Jane M. Hammarstrom, Connie L. Dicken, Laurel G. Woodruff, Allen K. Andersen, Sean T. Brennan, Warren C. Day, Benjamin J. Drenth, Nora K. Foley, Susan Hall, Albert H. Hofstra, Anne E. McCafferty, Anjana K. Shah, David A. Ponce |
| Publication Type | Report |
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Series Title | Open-File Report |
| Series Number | 2019-1023 |
| Index ID | ofr20191023D |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center |
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GIS, supplemental data table, and references for focus areas of potential domestic resources of 13 critical minerals in the United States and Puerto Rico - antimony, barite, beryllium, chromium, fluorspar, hafnium, helium, magnesium, manganese, potash, ur
Allen Andersen, PhD
Research Geologist
Sean T. Brennan
Research Geologist
Warren C Day, Ph.D.
Earth MRI Science Coordinator / Research Geologist
Science Coordinator
Benjamin J Drenth, Ph.D.
Research Geophysicist
Nora Foley
Research Geologist
Albert H Hofstra
Research Geologist
Anne E McCafferty
Research Geophysicist
Anjana K Shah
Research Geophysicist
David Ponce
Research Geophysicist
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- Data
GIS, supplemental data table, and references for focus areas of potential domestic resources of 13 critical minerals in the United States and Puerto Rico - antimony, barite, beryllium, chromium, fluorspar, hafnium, helium, magnesium, manganese, potash, ur
In response to Executive Order 13817 of December 20, 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) coordinated with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to identify 35 nonfuel minerals or mineral materials considered critical to the economic and national security of the United States (U.S.) (https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2018/1021/ofr20181021.pdf). Acquiring information on possible domestic sources of these c - Connect
Allen Andersen, PhD
Research GeologistEmailPhoneSean T. Brennan
Research GeologistEmailPhoneWarren C Day, Ph.D.
Earth MRI Science Coordinator / Research GeologistScience CoordinatorEmailPhoneBenjamin J Drenth, Ph.D.
Research GeophysicistEmailPhoneNora Foley
Research GeologistEmailPhoneAlbert H Hofstra
Research GeologistEmailPhoneAnne E McCafferty
Research GeophysicistEmailPhoneAnjana K Shah
Research GeophysicistEmailPhoneDavid Ponce
Research GeophysicistEmailPhone