Benjamin P. Magnin, Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI)
The USGS, in combination with Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Canada, formed the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) in 2019 to combine expertise and collaboratively conduct research on critical mineral resources.
Porphyry Copper Systems of the Boulder batholith, Montana
The project seeks to better understand the mineral systems of the Boulder batholith and surrounding region in Montana using new airborne geophysical data in conjunction with geologic mapping.
Geophysics of Precambrian Terranes, Upper Midwest and Rocky Mountains
The project objective is to provide follow-up geophysical ground data acquisition and interpretation for areas involving Precambrian geologic settings in the Upper Midwest and Rocky Mountains. The project is designed fill gaps and to complement the high-quality aeromagnetic acquired during the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI).
Domestic and international rock geochemistry of ore and host rocks generated by the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative Domestic and international rock geochemistry of ore and host rocks generated by the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative
Geochemical data included were generated as part of the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI). Individual samples are classified according to the Hofstra et al. (2021) CMMI deposit classification scheme. The goal of CMMI is to collaborate with Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Canada to build a global database of critical minerals in a variety of ore deposits. The...
Magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements in southwestern Montana, 2025 Magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements in southwestern Montana, 2025
This dataset includes rock magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements from 204 outcrops in southwest Montana during 2025. The measurements were collected to understand the causative sources of airborne magnetic and radiometric survey anomalies in the Idaho-Montana porphyry belt. Sixteen magnetic susceptibility measurements were collected at each analyzed site using a...
Airborne magnetic and radiometric survey of the Boulder Batholith region, Montana, Butte extension 2023 Airborne magnetic and radiometric survey of the Boulder Batholith region, Montana, Butte extension 2023
This data release provides digital flight line data for a high-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric survey over parts of Montana in the vicinity of the Boulder Batholith. The airborne survey was funded by the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative and was designed to meet complementary needs related to geologic mapping and characterization of mineral resource potential. A total of 45...
Magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements in southwestern Montana, 2023-2024 Magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements in southwestern Montana, 2023-2024
This dataset includes rock magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometer measurements from 243 outcrops in southwest Montana during 2023-2024. The measurements were collected to understand the causative sources of airborne magnetic and radiometric survey anomalies in the Idaho-Montana porphyry belt. Sixteen magnetic susceptibility measurements were collected at each analyzed site...
A global database of porphyry copper deposits and prospects A global database of porphyry copper deposits and prospects
Porphyry copper deposits are the world's primary source of copper and can also host a variety of secondary commodities identified as critical by the U.S. Geological Survey (U.S. Geological Survey, 2022). These deposits occur primarily along convergent plate margins, and their metal association and geochemical characteristics are reflective of whether the deposit formed in continental...
Thin section images, automated mineralogy scans, lithogeochemistry, and Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic analysis of samples from a mostly buried layered mafic intrusion, Wet Mountains, Colorado 2022-2024 Thin section images, automated mineralogy scans, lithogeochemistry, and Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic analysis of samples from a mostly buried layered mafic intrusion, Wet Mountains, Colorado 2022-2024
This dataset includes thin section images, automated mineralogy mineral maps, whole-rock geochemical data, and whole-rock Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic analysis of samples collected from nine mafic-ultramafic outcrops in the Wet Mountains, southern Colorado, during the summer of 2022. These data will accompany an upcoming journal publication and are intended to supplement recently collected airborne...
Magnetic susceptibility and density measurements in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, 2022 to 2023 Magnetic susceptibility and density measurements in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, 2022 to 2023
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected rock magnetic susceptibility and density measurements to understand the causative sources of airborne magnetic and ground gravity survey anomalies in the Wet Mountains, Colorado. A total of 609 magnetic susceptibility and 86 density measurements were collected from outcrops and hand samples, respectively, from July 2022 to June 2023. These...
Gravity data in the Wet Mountains area, southcentral Colorado, 2023 Gravity data in the Wet Mountains area, southcentral Colorado, 2023
The U.S. Geological Survey collected ground gravity data as part of a helicopter reconnaissance campaign of the Democrat Creek alkaline complex and Deer Peak quadrangle in the Wet Mountains, Colorado. A total of 60 measurements were collected using a LaCoste and Romberg gravity meter. High accuracy geographic coordinates and elevations were collected using a survey grade Leica GS16...
Geochemical data for stream water samples from streams around the Pogo Deposit and Black Mountain Au occurrences, Big Delta quadrangle, Alaska, 2021 Geochemical data for stream water samples from streams around the Pogo Deposit and Black Mountain Au occurrences, Big Delta quadrangle, Alaska, 2021
This data release is the result of a hydrogeochemical sampling campaign during summer 2021 to investigate whether high resolution geochemical analysis of waters for element chemistry can be used as an exploration tool for identifying gold-rich occurrences in parts of the Big Delta B-1 and B-2 quadrangles, within the Yukon-Tanana Upland region, Alaska. Historical USGS conventional stream...
Gravity data in the Wet Mountains area, southcentral Colorado, 2021 to 2022 Gravity data in the Wet Mountains area, southcentral Colorado, 2021 to 2022
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected gravity data in the Wet Mountains, CO from September 2021 to July 2022 to compliment newly collected airborne magnetic data for surface and subsurface geologic mapping. A total of 261 measurements were collected across two Ediacaran-Ordovician alkaline complexes (Gem Park and McClure Mountain) and gabbroic outcrops suspected Ediacaran...
Magnetic susceptibility measurements in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, 2021 to 2022 Magnetic susceptibility measurements in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, 2021 to 2022
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected rock magnetic susceptibility measurements to understand the causative sources of airborne magnetic survey anomalies in the Wet Mountains, Colorado. A total of 808 measurements were collected over 50 locations from August 2021 to June 2022 on rocks ranging from Paleoproterozoic to Oligocene age. These measurements aid the interpretation of newly...
Comparing magmatism and hydrothermal alteration using magnetic modelling and stable isotopes at the Clementine porphyry copper prospect, Montana, USA Comparing magmatism and hydrothermal alteration using magnetic modelling and stable isotopes at the Clementine porphyry copper prospect, Montana, USA
Recent mapping of the underexplored Clementine prospect in southwestern Montana has revealed evidence of hydrothermal alteration and mineralized breccia vein gossan interpreted to represent the upper expression of a Cretaceous, sediment-hosted copper porphyry system. The prospect is at the nexus of several Cretaceous granites, including the pre-mineralization Butte Granite and Big Hole...
Authors
Benjamin Magnin, Julia McIntosh, George Brimhall
Airborne radiometric data map alteration of porphyry copper systems in the Elkhorn district, MT Airborne radiometric data map alteration of porphyry copper systems in the Elkhorn district, MT
The Elkhorn district in southwestern Montana is known for past production of high-grade base and precious metals from skarn and carbonate replacement deposits. The district also hosts a porphyry Cu-Mo deposit. A radiometric survey flown over the district and surrounds provides maps of surficial concentrations of potassium, thorium, and uranium. Handheld gamma ray spectrometer...
Authors
Eric Anderson, Kaleb Scarberry, Kyle Eastman, Jonathan Funk, Benjamin Magnin, Joseph Clevenger, John Dilles, Jarred Zimmerman, Snir Attia, Michael Cosca
The Hardscrabble Creek complex: A newly discovered, mostly buried, Mesoproterozoic mafic-ultramafic pluton in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, USA The Hardscrabble Creek complex: A newly discovered, mostly buried, Mesoproterozoic mafic-ultramafic pluton in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, USA
The origin of prolific ca. 1.4 Ga ferroan magmatism between the southwestern USA and eastern Canada is enigmatic and has been explained by various models, including extensional, mantle plume, and convergent plate-margin models. Rare mafic plutons are associated with the ferroan plutons, which may help constrain their mantle source and tectonic setting. In the southwestern USA, only two...
Authors
Benjamin Magnin, Sandra Brake, Yvette Kuiper, Michael Mohr, Richard Hanson
The feasibility of using lidar-derived digital elevation models for gravity data reduction The feasibility of using lidar-derived digital elevation models for gravity data reduction
Gravity data require submeter elevation accuracy for data processing, and differential global navigation satellite system (dGNSS) equipment is commonly used to acquire three-dimensional positional data to achieve such accuracy. However, lidar (light detection and ranging) data are commonly used to develop digital elevation models (DEMs) of Earth’s surface. Therefore, using elevations...
Authors
Jacob T. Murchek, Benjamin Drenth, James J. Reitman, Eric D. Anderson, Benjamin Magnin, James M. DeGraff
Ediacaran-Ordovician magmatism and REE mineralization in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, USA: Implications for failed continental rifting Ediacaran-Ordovician magmatism and REE mineralization in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, USA: Implications for failed continental rifting
Structures associated with Ediacaran-Ordovician alkaline magmatism and the timing of rare earth element (REE) mineralization in the Wet Mountains, CO, were analyzed using field, geophysical, and U-Th-Pb isotope methods to interpret their tectonic setting in the context of previously proposed rift models. The Wet Mountains are known for thorium and REE mineralization associated with...
Authors
Benjamin Magnin, Yvette Kuiper, Eric D. Anderson
Investigating the mineral potential of the Boulder batholith Investigating the mineral potential of the Boulder batholith
Narrative about the ongoing Earth MRI efforts to understand the geologic framework of mineral deposits, both common and critical, in southwestern Montana.
Science and Products
Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI)
The USGS, in combination with Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Canada, formed the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) in 2019 to combine expertise and collaboratively conduct research on critical mineral resources.
Porphyry Copper Systems of the Boulder batholith, Montana
The project seeks to better understand the mineral systems of the Boulder batholith and surrounding region in Montana using new airborne geophysical data in conjunction with geologic mapping.
Geophysics of Precambrian Terranes, Upper Midwest and Rocky Mountains
The project objective is to provide follow-up geophysical ground data acquisition and interpretation for areas involving Precambrian geologic settings in the Upper Midwest and Rocky Mountains. The project is designed fill gaps and to complement the high-quality aeromagnetic acquired during the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI).
Domestic and international rock geochemistry of ore and host rocks generated by the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative Domestic and international rock geochemistry of ore and host rocks generated by the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative
Geochemical data included were generated as part of the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI). Individual samples are classified according to the Hofstra et al. (2021) CMMI deposit classification scheme. The goal of CMMI is to collaborate with Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of Canada to build a global database of critical minerals in a variety of ore deposits. The...
Magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements in southwestern Montana, 2025 Magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements in southwestern Montana, 2025
This dataset includes rock magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements from 204 outcrops in southwest Montana during 2025. The measurements were collected to understand the causative sources of airborne magnetic and radiometric survey anomalies in the Idaho-Montana porphyry belt. Sixteen magnetic susceptibility measurements were collected at each analyzed site using a...
Airborne magnetic and radiometric survey of the Boulder Batholith region, Montana, Butte extension 2023 Airborne magnetic and radiometric survey of the Boulder Batholith region, Montana, Butte extension 2023
This data release provides digital flight line data for a high-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric survey over parts of Montana in the vicinity of the Boulder Batholith. The airborne survey was funded by the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative and was designed to meet complementary needs related to geologic mapping and characterization of mineral resource potential. A total of 45...
Magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements in southwestern Montana, 2023-2024 Magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometry measurements in southwestern Montana, 2023-2024
This dataset includes rock magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray spectrometer measurements from 243 outcrops in southwest Montana during 2023-2024. The measurements were collected to understand the causative sources of airborne magnetic and radiometric survey anomalies in the Idaho-Montana porphyry belt. Sixteen magnetic susceptibility measurements were collected at each analyzed site...
A global database of porphyry copper deposits and prospects A global database of porphyry copper deposits and prospects
Porphyry copper deposits are the world's primary source of copper and can also host a variety of secondary commodities identified as critical by the U.S. Geological Survey (U.S. Geological Survey, 2022). These deposits occur primarily along convergent plate margins, and their metal association and geochemical characteristics are reflective of whether the deposit formed in continental...
Thin section images, automated mineralogy scans, lithogeochemistry, and Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic analysis of samples from a mostly buried layered mafic intrusion, Wet Mountains, Colorado 2022-2024 Thin section images, automated mineralogy scans, lithogeochemistry, and Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic analysis of samples from a mostly buried layered mafic intrusion, Wet Mountains, Colorado 2022-2024
This dataset includes thin section images, automated mineralogy mineral maps, whole-rock geochemical data, and whole-rock Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic analysis of samples collected from nine mafic-ultramafic outcrops in the Wet Mountains, southern Colorado, during the summer of 2022. These data will accompany an upcoming journal publication and are intended to supplement recently collected airborne...
Magnetic susceptibility and density measurements in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, 2022 to 2023 Magnetic susceptibility and density measurements in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, 2022 to 2023
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected rock magnetic susceptibility and density measurements to understand the causative sources of airborne magnetic and ground gravity survey anomalies in the Wet Mountains, Colorado. A total of 609 magnetic susceptibility and 86 density measurements were collected from outcrops and hand samples, respectively, from July 2022 to June 2023. These...
Gravity data in the Wet Mountains area, southcentral Colorado, 2023 Gravity data in the Wet Mountains area, southcentral Colorado, 2023
The U.S. Geological Survey collected ground gravity data as part of a helicopter reconnaissance campaign of the Democrat Creek alkaline complex and Deer Peak quadrangle in the Wet Mountains, Colorado. A total of 60 measurements were collected using a LaCoste and Romberg gravity meter. High accuracy geographic coordinates and elevations were collected using a survey grade Leica GS16...
Geochemical data for stream water samples from streams around the Pogo Deposit and Black Mountain Au occurrences, Big Delta quadrangle, Alaska, 2021 Geochemical data for stream water samples from streams around the Pogo Deposit and Black Mountain Au occurrences, Big Delta quadrangle, Alaska, 2021
This data release is the result of a hydrogeochemical sampling campaign during summer 2021 to investigate whether high resolution geochemical analysis of waters for element chemistry can be used as an exploration tool for identifying gold-rich occurrences in parts of the Big Delta B-1 and B-2 quadrangles, within the Yukon-Tanana Upland region, Alaska. Historical USGS conventional stream...
Gravity data in the Wet Mountains area, southcentral Colorado, 2021 to 2022 Gravity data in the Wet Mountains area, southcentral Colorado, 2021 to 2022
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected gravity data in the Wet Mountains, CO from September 2021 to July 2022 to compliment newly collected airborne magnetic data for surface and subsurface geologic mapping. A total of 261 measurements were collected across two Ediacaran-Ordovician alkaline complexes (Gem Park and McClure Mountain) and gabbroic outcrops suspected Ediacaran...
Magnetic susceptibility measurements in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, 2021 to 2022 Magnetic susceptibility measurements in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, 2021 to 2022
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected rock magnetic susceptibility measurements to understand the causative sources of airborne magnetic survey anomalies in the Wet Mountains, Colorado. A total of 808 measurements were collected over 50 locations from August 2021 to June 2022 on rocks ranging from Paleoproterozoic to Oligocene age. These measurements aid the interpretation of newly...
Comparing magmatism and hydrothermal alteration using magnetic modelling and stable isotopes at the Clementine porphyry copper prospect, Montana, USA Comparing magmatism and hydrothermal alteration using magnetic modelling and stable isotopes at the Clementine porphyry copper prospect, Montana, USA
Recent mapping of the underexplored Clementine prospect in southwestern Montana has revealed evidence of hydrothermal alteration and mineralized breccia vein gossan interpreted to represent the upper expression of a Cretaceous, sediment-hosted copper porphyry system. The prospect is at the nexus of several Cretaceous granites, including the pre-mineralization Butte Granite and Big Hole...
Authors
Benjamin Magnin, Julia McIntosh, George Brimhall
Airborne radiometric data map alteration of porphyry copper systems in the Elkhorn district, MT Airborne radiometric data map alteration of porphyry copper systems in the Elkhorn district, MT
The Elkhorn district in southwestern Montana is known for past production of high-grade base and precious metals from skarn and carbonate replacement deposits. The district also hosts a porphyry Cu-Mo deposit. A radiometric survey flown over the district and surrounds provides maps of surficial concentrations of potassium, thorium, and uranium. Handheld gamma ray spectrometer...
Authors
Eric Anderson, Kaleb Scarberry, Kyle Eastman, Jonathan Funk, Benjamin Magnin, Joseph Clevenger, John Dilles, Jarred Zimmerman, Snir Attia, Michael Cosca
The Hardscrabble Creek complex: A newly discovered, mostly buried, Mesoproterozoic mafic-ultramafic pluton in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, USA The Hardscrabble Creek complex: A newly discovered, mostly buried, Mesoproterozoic mafic-ultramafic pluton in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, USA
The origin of prolific ca. 1.4 Ga ferroan magmatism between the southwestern USA and eastern Canada is enigmatic and has been explained by various models, including extensional, mantle plume, and convergent plate-margin models. Rare mafic plutons are associated with the ferroan plutons, which may help constrain their mantle source and tectonic setting. In the southwestern USA, only two...
Authors
Benjamin Magnin, Sandra Brake, Yvette Kuiper, Michael Mohr, Richard Hanson
The feasibility of using lidar-derived digital elevation models for gravity data reduction The feasibility of using lidar-derived digital elevation models for gravity data reduction
Gravity data require submeter elevation accuracy for data processing, and differential global navigation satellite system (dGNSS) equipment is commonly used to acquire three-dimensional positional data to achieve such accuracy. However, lidar (light detection and ranging) data are commonly used to develop digital elevation models (DEMs) of Earth’s surface. Therefore, using elevations...
Authors
Jacob T. Murchek, Benjamin Drenth, James J. Reitman, Eric D. Anderson, Benjamin Magnin, James M. DeGraff
Ediacaran-Ordovician magmatism and REE mineralization in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, USA: Implications for failed continental rifting Ediacaran-Ordovician magmatism and REE mineralization in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, USA: Implications for failed continental rifting
Structures associated with Ediacaran-Ordovician alkaline magmatism and the timing of rare earth element (REE) mineralization in the Wet Mountains, CO, were analyzed using field, geophysical, and U-Th-Pb isotope methods to interpret their tectonic setting in the context of previously proposed rift models. The Wet Mountains are known for thorium and REE mineralization associated with...
Authors
Benjamin Magnin, Yvette Kuiper, Eric D. Anderson
Investigating the mineral potential of the Boulder batholith Investigating the mineral potential of the Boulder batholith
Narrative about the ongoing Earth MRI efforts to understand the geologic framework of mineral deposits, both common and critical, in southwestern Montana.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government