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Douglas C Kreiner

Doug Kreiner is a Research Geologist at the Alaska Science Center.

Doug joined the USGS in late 2016 following 5 and a half years in the mineral exploration industry. His research involves field-based studies of fluid-rock interactions in the upper crust and the time-space genesis of mineral deposits with a particular interest in the links between regional scale tectonic processes and metallogenesis of Cu and Au dominant systems. Current projects focus on the metallogenic evolution of eastern interior Alaska, characterization, documentation and geochronology of porphyry deposits across Alaska, developing a mineral systems framework for Alaska, and attempting to understand where, how, and why critical mineral enrichments occur in Alaska mineral systems. Kreiner earned a BS in Geosciences and Environmental Studies at Northland College (2004), his M.S. from Colorado State University (2006) and his PhD from University of Arizona (2011).

Professional Experience

  • 2016 - Present    Research Geologist, USGS Alaska Science Center

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D.   2011   University of Arizona

  • M.S.    2006  Colorado State University

  • B.S.    2004   Northland College  Geosciences and Environmental Studies

Science and Products

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Half-meter-thick quartz veins cut across outcrops of granitic gneiss on Divide Mountain along the Alaska-Yukon border

Alaska Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)

Our objective is to provide a strategic framework for planning, coordination, and execution of the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) in Alaska. Earth MRI aims to improve knowledge of the U.S. geologic framework through new geological and geophysical mapping and to identify areas that have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources.
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Mineral Resources Program, Alaska Science Center
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Alaska Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)

Our objective is to provide a strategic framework for planning, coordination, and execution of the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) in Alaska. Earth MRI aims to improve knowledge of the U.S. geologic framework through new geological and geophysical mapping and to identify areas that have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources.
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Half-meter-thick quartz veins cut across outcrops of granitic gneiss on Divide Mountain along the Alaska-Yukon border

Tectonic and Metallogenic Evolution of the Yukon-Tanana Upland, Alaska

The Yukon-Tanana upland in eastern interior Alaska is a geologically complex block containing deposits of base-metal, platinum-group-element, and gold-silver-copper mineralization. It also hosts numerous mineral systems that are known or suspected to contain critical minerals.
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Mineral Resources Program, Alaska Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
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Tectonic and Metallogenic Evolution of the Yukon-Tanana Upland, Alaska

The Yukon-Tanana upland in eastern interior Alaska is a geologically complex block containing deposits of base-metal, platinum-group-element, and gold-silver-copper mineralization. It also hosts numerous mineral systems that are known or suspected to contain critical minerals.
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Darby Mountain outcrop of quartz monzonite towards the contact between the pluton and Paleozoic marbles

Petrology, Tectonic Setting, and Potential for Concentration of Rare Earth Elements (REE) and High Field Strength Elements (HFSE) in the High-K Darby and Kachauik Plutons, Seward Peninsula, Alaska

One of the geologic environments that host rare earth and other critical and strategic element deposits are alkaline intrusive rocks.
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Mineral Resources Program, Alaska Science Center
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Petrology, Tectonic Setting, and Potential for Concentration of Rare Earth Elements (REE) and High Field Strength Elements (HFSE) in the High-K Darby and Kachauik Plutons, Seward Peninsula, Alaska

One of the geologic environments that host rare earth and other critical and strategic element deposits are alkaline intrusive rocks.
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Data and results for GIS-based identification of areas that have resource potential for lode gold deposits in Alaska

This data release contains the analytical results and evaluated source data files of geospatial analyses for identifying areas in Alaska that may be prospective for different types of lode gold deposits, including orogenic, reduced-intrusion-related, epithermal, and gold-bearing porphyry. The spatial analysis is based on queries of statewide source datasets of aeromagnetic surveys, Alaska Geochemi
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Alaska Science Center

GIS-based identification of areas that have resource potential for lode gold in Alaska

Several comprehensive, data-driven geographic information system (GIS) analyses were conducted to assess prospectivity for lode gold in Alaska. These analyses use available geospatial datasets of lithologic, geochemical, mineral occurrence, and geophysical data to build models for recognizing different types of gold deposits within physiographic units defined by stream drainage basins that are app
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Ecosystems, Alaska Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Deposit classification scheme for the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative Global Geochemical Database

A challenge for the global economy is to meet the growing demand for commodities used in today’s advanced technologies. Critical minerals are commodities (for example, elements, compounds, minerals) deemed vital to the economic and national security of individual countries that are vulnerable to supply disruption. The national geological agencies of Australia, Canada, and the United States recentl
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Systems-deposits-commodities-critical minerals table for the earth mapping resources initiative

To define and prioritize focus areas across the United States with resource potential for 35 critical minerals in a few years’ time, the U.S Geological Survey Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) required an efficient approach to streamline workflow. A mineral systems approach based on current understanding of how ore deposits that contain critical minerals form and relate to broader geo
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Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Tectonic and magmatic controls on the metallogenesis of porphyry deposits in Alaska

Porphyry Cu and Mo deposits and occurrences are found throughout Alaska; they formed episodically during repeated subduction and arc-continent collisions spanning the Silurian to Quaternary. Porphyry systems occur in continental-margin and island arcs, which are broadly grouped into pre-accretionary or post-accretionary arcs. Pre-Mesozoic occurrences formed in continental or island arcs prior to a
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Ecosystems, Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Mineral Resources Program, Climate Adaptation Science Center, Alaska Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, North Central Climate Science Center

Focus areas for data acquisition for potential domestic resources of 11 critical minerals in Alaska—Aluminum, cobalt, graphite, lithium, niobium, platinum group elements, rare earth elements, tantalum, tin, titanium, and tungsten, chap. C of U.S. Geologic

Phase 2 of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) focuses on geologic belts that are favorable for hosting mineral systems that may contain select critical minerals. Phase 1 of the Earth MRI program focused on rare earth elements (REE), and phase 2 adds aluminum, cobalt, graphite, lithium, niobium, platinum-group metals, tantalum, tin, titanium, and tungsten. This report describes the
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Energy and Minerals, Mineral Resources Program, Alaska Science Center

Evaluation of the analytical methods used to determine the elemental concentrations found in the stream geochemical dataset compiled for Alaska

A recent U.S. Geological Survey data compilation of stream-sediment geochemistry for Alaska contains decades of analyses collected under numerous Federal and State programs. The compiled data were determined by various analytical methods. Some samples were reanalyzed by a different analytical method than the original, resulting in some elements having concentrations reported by multiple analytical
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Ecosystems, Alaska Science Center

Links between tectonics, magmatism, and mineralization in the formation of Late Cretaceous porphyry systems in the Yukon-Tanana upland, eastern Alaska, USA

Cretaceous-Paleocene porphyry Cu(±Mo±Au) occurrences are scattered throughout the Yukon-Tanana upland in eastern Alaska. Known occurrences in eastern Alaska are poorly characterized, despite a resurgence in exploration. Porphyry deposits in the upland are emplaced into structurally complex metamorphic rocks representing a variety of tectonic environments, resulting in diverse alteration and minera
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Alaska Science Center

Book review: Discovery of Oyu Tolgoi: A case study of mineral and geological exploration

No abstract available.
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Alaska Science Center

Pre-USGS Publications

Kreiner, Douglas C., and Mark D. Barton. "Sulfur-poor intense acid hydrothermal alteration: A distinctive hydrothermal environment." Ore Geology Reviews 88 (2017): 174-187.
Kreiner, Douglas C., and Mark D. Barton. "High-level alteration in iron-oxide (-Cu-Au)(’IOCG’) vein systems, examples near Copiapó Chile." Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits, 11th, Antofagasta, Chile, Extended Abstracts (2011): 497-499.
Barton, Mark D., James D. Girardi, Douglas C. Kreiner, Eric Seedorff, Lukas Zurcher, John H. Dilles, Gordon B. Haxel, David A. Johnson, R. C. Steininger, and W. M. Pennell. "Jurassic igneous-related metallogeny of southwestern North America." Great Basin Evolution and Metallogeny: Reno, Nevada, Geological Society of Nevada (2011): 373-396.

Science and Products