Graham W. Lederer, Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Ultramafic lands: Sustainability Challenges and Resource Opportunities
Ultramafic lands are geologically and ecologically diverse areas that host naturally elevated concentrations of chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and scandium (Sc). While Cr is a potential carcinogen, Co, Mn, Ni, and Sc are considered critical minerals in the United States owing to their importance in current electric battery formulations. The research conducted...
21st Century Prospecting: AI-assisted Surveying of Critical Mineral Potential
The USGS Mineral Resources Program entered a partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). The partnership objective is to accelerate advances in science for understanding critical minerals, assessing unknown resources, and increase mineral security for the Nation so USGS can more efficiently assess critical mineral deposits within the United States.
Extracting data from maps: applying lessons learned from the AI for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition
This project will share techniques developed in two AI/ML competitions run in Fall 2022, Automated Map Georeferencing, and Automated Map Feature Extraction with USGS stakeholders. We will develop a strategy to operationalize successful approaches, benefiting any activity that uses legacy map data.
MinFrame - Methodological infrastructure needed for resource assessment, modeling, and evaluation
Assessing the mineral resources of the United States represents a core function of the Energy and Minerals Mission Area since the inception of the U.S. Geological Survey under the Organic Act of 1879. As reaffirmed by the Energy Policy Act of 2020, assessment of identified and undiscovered resources of critical mineral commodities continues to form a focal point of the Mineral Resources Program...
Mineral Resource Assessment Training
The USGS Mineral Resources Program conducts mineral resource assessments and is training USGS scientists in how to conduct these assessments for future work. As a practical exercise, the scientists will conduct an assessment for tungsten in the U.S.
Filter Total Items: 14
Data (VNIR-SWIR reflectance, TIR emissivity, XRD and ATR-FTIR) Supporting Analyses of NYF Pegmatite and Garnet-Biotite Gneiss Rocks from Amelia County, Virginia Data (VNIR-SWIR reflectance, TIR emissivity, XRD and ATR-FTIR) Supporting Analyses of NYF Pegmatite and Garnet-Biotite Gneiss Rocks from Amelia County, Virginia
This data set represents laboratory measurements conducted on a suite of select 53 pegmatite and host rock samples to better spectrally characterize complex pegmatite minerals. Of these 53 samples that were measured and analyzed, this includes 24 samples collected from the Morefield Mine, Amelia County, VA, six samples from the Martin-Marietta Amelia Quarry, Amelia County, VA, three...
Point locations for rare earth element leachate collection and precipitation tanks from ion-adsorption clay deposits in Burma (Myanmar) and China identified from satellite imagery between 2010 and 2025 Point locations for rare earth element leachate collection and precipitation tanks from ion-adsorption clay deposits in Burma (Myanmar) and China identified from satellite imagery between 2010 and 2025
Rare earth elements are critical mineral commodities typically extracted together as a group of 15 elements (lanthanides plus yttrium) from either 1) hard rock ores or 2) ion-adsorption clay deposits. The locations of hard rock mines targeting carbonatite and peralkaline magmatic rare earth deposits are well constrained and typically mined using conventional open-pit or underground...
Prospectivity and Extractability Modeling of Ni-Co Laterite in the Josephine Peridotite, California and Oregon, USA, from Historical and Modern Sources Prospectivity and Extractability Modeling of Ni-Co Laterite in the Josephine Peridotite, California and Oregon, USA, from Historical and Modern Sources
This dataset consists of a 200m raster suitability model for the extraction of nickel laterite in the northern California/southern Oregon, USA region. The primary model is composited from three equally weighted submodels: the relative probability of nickel laterite to be present within the study area (prospectivity); environmental and legal considerations associated with traditional...
Digital data for U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1300, wilderness mineral potential, volumes 1 and 2 Digital data for U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1300, wilderness mineral potential, volumes 1 and 2
This data release includes digital geographic information system (GIS) data which was extracted from the U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1300, volumes 1 and 2. Included are 14 shapefiles comprised of points, lines, and polygons representing the items shown in the page size figures from the reports, and one .lyrx symbology file for use in ArcGIS Pro. Also included are 364...
Visible and Near Infrared (VNIR) and Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) Spectra of Select Altered Mafic and Ultramafic Rock Samples from the Josephine Peridotite in CA and OR, the Yukon-Tanana region in Alaska, and from the Southern Appalachians in VA, NC, Visible and Near Infrared (VNIR) and Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) Spectra of Select Altered Mafic and Ultramafic Rock Samples from the Josephine Peridotite in CA and OR, the Yukon-Tanana region in Alaska, and from the Southern Appalachians in VA, NC,
These data are laboratory reflectance measurements conducted on a suite of altered mafic and ultramafic rocks. Visible-Near InfraRed (VNIR) and Short-Wave InfraRed (SWIR) reflectance measurements were made (~0.4 – 2.5 microns) using an artificial light source connected to an Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD) spectrometer. Spectra from a total of 91 samples were measured and analyzed...
Historical nickel laterite regions and assay samples in southern Oregon and northern California, USA Historical nickel laterite regions and assay samples in southern Oregon and northern California, USA
This dataset consists of 529 areas of identified nickel laterite in southern Oregon and northern California, compiled in vector shapefile format from six historical publications from 1956 to 1983. Sources include state and federal projects for geologic mapping and critical mineral exploration purposes and are attributed to each polygon. Five original, georeferenced maps are included in...
Geochemistry of mafic and ultramafic rocks in the Eastern Blue Ridge of Virginia and North Carolina (ver. 2.0, September 2025) Geochemistry of mafic and ultramafic rocks in the Eastern Blue Ridge of Virginia and North Carolina (ver. 2.0, September 2025)
This data release includes whole rock (WR) geochemical data for 92 samples. Whole rock geochemistry data were analyzed at Actlabs in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Rock samples were collected from 2020 to 2024 by Naomi Becker, Arthur Merschat, Mark Carter, and Kadie Steup. The whole rock geochemistry data characterize the composition of mafic and ultramafic (MUM) rocks in the Eastern Blue...
Locations of mines and prospects in Amelia County, Virginia Locations of mines and prospects in Amelia County, Virginia
Critical minerals are essential for the energy transition; to meet sustainability goals, production of these resources must significantly increase within the coming decades. For example, demand for lithium, an element essential for battery technologies found in many electronics and vehicles, is anticipated to increase by more than ten-fold by 2050 compared to current production. Critical...
Grade and tonnage data for tungsten vein and greisen deposits Grade and tonnage data for tungsten vein and greisen deposits
Tungsten is a mineral commodity critical for national security and the economy. Vein and greisen deposits host wolframite, a tungsten ore mineral that accounts for a significant portion of global mine production and resources. This data release contains updated resource information for globally distributed deposits that underpin grade and tonnage modeling efforts.
Grade and tonnage data for disseminated flake graphite deposits Grade and tonnage data for disseminated flake graphite deposits
Crystalline graphite is a primary material in lithium-ion battery anodes which are essential in moving towards green energy. Forecasts for 2040 anticipate an order of magnitude increase in graphite demand driven by sustainable development policies to reduce carbon emissions. Domestic production of graphite ceased in the 1980s after a steady decline post-World War I, meaning the United...
Training and validation data from the AI for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition (ver. 2.0, July 2025) Training and validation data from the AI for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition (ver. 2.0, July 2025)
Extracting useful and accurate information from scanned geologic and other earth science maps is a time-consuming and laborious process involving manual human effort. To address this limitation, the USGS partnered with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to run the AI for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition, soliciting innovative solutions for automatically...
Tungsten skarn mineral resource assessment of the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California - Geodatabase Tungsten skarn mineral resource assessment of the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California - Geodatabase
A mineral resource assessment for tungsten, a critical mineral commodity (see 'Related External Resources' section below) for the United States, was carried out by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for a portion of the Great Basin region, in western Nevada and eastern California, between latitudes 36N and 42N and longitudes 116W and 120W. This study (Lederer and others, in review)...
Filter Total Items: 19
Quantitative mineral resource assessment of lithium pegmatite deposits in the Appalachian Orogen, USA Quantitative mineral resource assessment of lithium pegmatite deposits in the Appalachian Orogen, USA
Lithium is classified as a U.S. critical mineral commodity, and its demand is projected to drastically increase through 2040, driven by electric vehicle production and energy storage applications (IEA 2021).Most global lithium production is not in the United States increasing vulnerability to a supply disruption. The U.S. Geological Survey is actively assessing domestic lithium deposits...
Authors
Niki E. Wintzer, Joshua Mark Rosera, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, Dalton M. McCaffrey, Kelsey Elizabeth Crocker, Joshua Aaron Coyan, Graham W. Lederer
Synergy between geology and geophysics in graphite mineral resource assessment Synergy between geology and geophysics in graphite mineral resource assessment
Graphite is designated as a critical mineral by the U.S. Government due to its essential role in modern technology and its vulnerability to supply chain disruption. To evaluate domestic graphite resources, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted two airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys as part of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) over prospective areas in the...
Authors
Patricia Grace Macqueen, George N.D. Case, Paul A. Bedrosian, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Susan M. Karl, Graham W. Lederer, Elizabeth M. Bollen, John Whitmore, Dane VanDervoort, Abraham M. Emond, Logan Fusso, Philip J. Brown, Gregory J. Walsh, Keith A. Labay, Martha Stokes, Andrew Arnold Stewart
Extracting data from maps: Lessons learned from the artificial intelligence for critical mineral assessment competition Extracting data from maps: Lessons learned from the artificial intelligence for critical mineral assessment competition
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA), NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and MITRE ran a 12-week machine learning competition aimed at accelerating development of AI tools for critical mineral assessments. The Artificial Intelligence for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition solicited innovative solutions for two challenges: 1)...
Authors
Margaret A. Goldman, Graham W. Lederer, Joshua Mark Rosera, Garth E. Graham, Asitang Mishra, Alice Yepremyan
USGS critical minerals review USGS critical minerals review
No abstract available.
Authors
Graham W. Lederer, James V. Jones, Darcy McPhee, Patricia J Loferski, Robert R. Seal, Paul A. Bedrosian, Patricia Grace Macqueen, V. J. S. Grauch, Federico Solano, Joshua Mark Rosera, David George Pineault
Statistical approaches for modeling correlated grade and tonnage distributions and applications for mineral resource assessments Statistical approaches for modeling correlated grade and tonnage distributions and applications for mineral resource assessments
Correlations between grade and tonnage exist in mineral resource data compiled from published reports, but they are not always addressed during quantitative assessment of undiscovered mineral resources. Failure to account for correlated grade and tonnage distributions can result in geologically unrealistic assessment results. Current software tools simulate univariate ore tonnage and...
Authors
Joshua Mark Rosera, Graham W. Lederer, John Schuenemeyer
Annual review 2023: Critical minerals Annual review 2023: Critical minerals
No abstract available.
Authors
Graham W. Lederer, James V. Jones, Darcy McPhee, Jeffrey L. Mauk, Robert R. Seal,, Kate M. Campbell, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Paul A. Bedrosian, Patricia Grace Macqueen, Garth E. Graham, Federico Solano, George N.D. Case, David George Pineault
Automated georeferencing and feature extraction of geologic maps and mineral sites Automated georeferencing and feature extraction of geologic maps and mineral sites
The predictive power of mineral prospectivity analysis depends on high quality, spatially accurate, analysis-ready datasets. Of paramount importance are geologic maps and mineral site data, but the state of readiness for utilizing these datasets remains sub-optimal for advanced computational techniques. As the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) fulfils its mission to map the distribution of...
Authors
Graham W. Lederer, Joshua Mark Rosera, Margaret A. Goldman, Garth E. Graham, Asitang Mishra, Amanda Towler, Brian Wilson, Dustin Graf, Michael Milano, Elizabeth Roberts, Gabrielle Hedrick, Carsten Oertel, Anastassios Dardas, Thomas McEntee
Applications of natural language processing to geoscience text data and prospectivity modelling Applications of natural language processing to geoscience text data and prospectivity modelling
Geological maps are powerful models for visualizing the complex distribution of rock types through space and time. However, the descriptive information that forms the basis for a preferred map interpretation is typically stored in geological map databases as unstructured text data that are difficult to use in practice. Herein we apply natural language processing (NLP) to geoscientific...
Authors
Christopher J.M. Lawley, Michael G. Gadd, Mohammad Parsa, Graham W. Lederer, Garth E. Graham, Arianne Ford
Rock-to-metal ratios of the rare earth elements Rock-to-metal ratios of the rare earth elements
The relative quantities of ore mined and waste rock (i.e., overburden) removed to produce the rare earth elements—their rock-to-metal ratios—were calculated for 21 individual operations or regions covering nearly all mine production in 2018. The results indicate that the rock-to-metal ratios for the total rare earth elements ranged from a low of 1.6 × 101 to a high of 3.6 × 103, with...
Authors
Nedal T. Nassar, Graham W. Lederer, Abraham J. Padilla, Joseph Gambogi, Daniel James Cordier, Jamie L. Brainard, Joseph D. Lessard, Ryan Charab
Rock-to-metal ratio: A foundational metric for understanding mine wastes Rock-to-metal ratio: A foundational metric for understanding mine wastes
The quantity of ore mined and waste rock (i.e., overburden or barren rock) removed to produce a refined unit of a mineral commodity, its rock-to-metal ratio (RMR), is an important metric for understanding mine wastes and environmental burdens. In this analysis, we provide a comprehensive examination of RMRs for 25 commodities for 2018. The results indicate significant variability across
Authors
Nedal T. Nassar, Graham W. Lederer, Jamie L. Brainard, Abraham J. Padilla, Joseph D. Lessard
USGS 2020 critical minerals review USGS 2020 critical minerals review
Concerns about the lack of domestic production and availability of essential mineral raw materials were a recurring theme throughout the 20th century, particularly in the periods around armed conflicts (Congressional Research Service, 2019). These concerns resulted in the designation of particular minerals as “strategic” or “critical,” terms that commonly depend on the perspective of the...
Authors
Steven M. Fortier, Nedal T. Nassar, Karen D. Kelley, Graham W. Lederer, Jeffrey L. Mauk, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Warren C. Day, Robert R. Seal,
Tungsten skarn mineral resource assessment of the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California Tungsten skarn mineral resource assessment of the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California
A new quantitative mineral resource assessment for tungsten, a critical mineral commodity with highly concentrated production and a moderate risk of global supply disruption, was conducted for the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California. This assessment was part of a larger effort focusing on three regions in the United States and represents the first study of...
Authors
Graham W. Lederer, Federico Solano, Joshua Aaron Coyan, Kevin Denton, Kathryn E. Watts, Celestine N. Mercer, Damon Bickerstaff, Matthew Granitto
Non-USGS Publications**
Cottle, J., Lederer, G., and Larson, K., 2019, The monazite record of pluton assembly: Mapping Manaslu using petrochronology: Chemical Geology, v. 530, p. 119309.
Langille, J.M., Jessup, M.J., Cottle, J.M., Lederer, G., and Ahmad, T., 2012, Timing of metamorphism, melting and exhumation of the Leo Pargil dome, northwest India: Journal of Metamorphic Geology, v. 30, no. 8, p. 769–791.
Larson, K., Cottle, J., Lederer, G., and Rai, S.M., 2017, Defining shear zone boundaries using fabric intensity gradients: An example from the east-central Nepal Himalaya: Geosphere, v. 13, no. 3, p. 771–781.
Larson, K.P., Kellett, D.A., Cottle, J.M., King, J., Lederer, G., and Rai, S.M., 2016, Anatexis, cooling, and kinematics during orogenesis: Miocene development of the Himalayan metamorphic core, east-central Nepal: Geosphere, v. 12, no. 5, p. 1575–1593.
Lederer, G.W., Cottle, J.M., Jessup, M.J., Langille, J.M., and Ahmad, T., 2013, Timescales of partial melting in the Himalayan middle crust: insight from the Leo Pargil dome, northwest India: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 166, no. 5, p. 1415–1441.
McKinney, S.T., Cottle, J.M., and Lederer, G.W., 2015, Evaluating rare earth element (REE) mineralization mechanisms in Proterozoic gneiss, Music Valley, California: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 127, no. 7/8, p. 1135–1152.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
MapMark4 Shiny: A self-contained implementation of the MapMark4 R package MapMark4 Shiny: A self-contained implementation of the MapMark4 R package
MapMark4 Shiny is a self-contained R Shiny app designed for quantitative mineral resource assessments. The target audience consists of practitioners of the three-part mineral resource assessment methodology (Singer and Menzie, 2010). The app performs calculations needed to combine information from grade-tonnage models with estimates of undiscovered deposits within permissive tracts. The...
Science and Products
Ultramafic lands: Sustainability Challenges and Resource Opportunities
Ultramafic lands are geologically and ecologically diverse areas that host naturally elevated concentrations of chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and scandium (Sc). While Cr is a potential carcinogen, Co, Mn, Ni, and Sc are considered critical minerals in the United States owing to their importance in current electric battery formulations. The research conducted...
21st Century Prospecting: AI-assisted Surveying of Critical Mineral Potential
The USGS Mineral Resources Program entered a partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). The partnership objective is to accelerate advances in science for understanding critical minerals, assessing unknown resources, and increase mineral security for the Nation so USGS can more efficiently assess critical mineral deposits within the United States.
Extracting data from maps: applying lessons learned from the AI for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition
This project will share techniques developed in two AI/ML competitions run in Fall 2022, Automated Map Georeferencing, and Automated Map Feature Extraction with USGS stakeholders. We will develop a strategy to operationalize successful approaches, benefiting any activity that uses legacy map data.
MinFrame - Methodological infrastructure needed for resource assessment, modeling, and evaluation
Assessing the mineral resources of the United States represents a core function of the Energy and Minerals Mission Area since the inception of the U.S. Geological Survey under the Organic Act of 1879. As reaffirmed by the Energy Policy Act of 2020, assessment of identified and undiscovered resources of critical mineral commodities continues to form a focal point of the Mineral Resources Program...
Mineral Resource Assessment Training
The USGS Mineral Resources Program conducts mineral resource assessments and is training USGS scientists in how to conduct these assessments for future work. As a practical exercise, the scientists will conduct an assessment for tungsten in the U.S.
Filter Total Items: 14
Data (VNIR-SWIR reflectance, TIR emissivity, XRD and ATR-FTIR) Supporting Analyses of NYF Pegmatite and Garnet-Biotite Gneiss Rocks from Amelia County, Virginia Data (VNIR-SWIR reflectance, TIR emissivity, XRD and ATR-FTIR) Supporting Analyses of NYF Pegmatite and Garnet-Biotite Gneiss Rocks from Amelia County, Virginia
This data set represents laboratory measurements conducted on a suite of select 53 pegmatite and host rock samples to better spectrally characterize complex pegmatite minerals. Of these 53 samples that were measured and analyzed, this includes 24 samples collected from the Morefield Mine, Amelia County, VA, six samples from the Martin-Marietta Amelia Quarry, Amelia County, VA, three...
Point locations for rare earth element leachate collection and precipitation tanks from ion-adsorption clay deposits in Burma (Myanmar) and China identified from satellite imagery between 2010 and 2025 Point locations for rare earth element leachate collection and precipitation tanks from ion-adsorption clay deposits in Burma (Myanmar) and China identified from satellite imagery between 2010 and 2025
Rare earth elements are critical mineral commodities typically extracted together as a group of 15 elements (lanthanides plus yttrium) from either 1) hard rock ores or 2) ion-adsorption clay deposits. The locations of hard rock mines targeting carbonatite and peralkaline magmatic rare earth deposits are well constrained and typically mined using conventional open-pit or underground...
Prospectivity and Extractability Modeling of Ni-Co Laterite in the Josephine Peridotite, California and Oregon, USA, from Historical and Modern Sources Prospectivity and Extractability Modeling of Ni-Co Laterite in the Josephine Peridotite, California and Oregon, USA, from Historical and Modern Sources
This dataset consists of a 200m raster suitability model for the extraction of nickel laterite in the northern California/southern Oregon, USA region. The primary model is composited from three equally weighted submodels: the relative probability of nickel laterite to be present within the study area (prospectivity); environmental and legal considerations associated with traditional...
Digital data for U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1300, wilderness mineral potential, volumes 1 and 2 Digital data for U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1300, wilderness mineral potential, volumes 1 and 2
This data release includes digital geographic information system (GIS) data which was extracted from the U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1300, volumes 1 and 2. Included are 14 shapefiles comprised of points, lines, and polygons representing the items shown in the page size figures from the reports, and one .lyrx symbology file for use in ArcGIS Pro. Also included are 364...
Visible and Near Infrared (VNIR) and Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) Spectra of Select Altered Mafic and Ultramafic Rock Samples from the Josephine Peridotite in CA and OR, the Yukon-Tanana region in Alaska, and from the Southern Appalachians in VA, NC, Visible and Near Infrared (VNIR) and Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) Spectra of Select Altered Mafic and Ultramafic Rock Samples from the Josephine Peridotite in CA and OR, the Yukon-Tanana region in Alaska, and from the Southern Appalachians in VA, NC,
These data are laboratory reflectance measurements conducted on a suite of altered mafic and ultramafic rocks. Visible-Near InfraRed (VNIR) and Short-Wave InfraRed (SWIR) reflectance measurements were made (~0.4 – 2.5 microns) using an artificial light source connected to an Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD) spectrometer. Spectra from a total of 91 samples were measured and analyzed...
Historical nickel laterite regions and assay samples in southern Oregon and northern California, USA Historical nickel laterite regions and assay samples in southern Oregon and northern California, USA
This dataset consists of 529 areas of identified nickel laterite in southern Oregon and northern California, compiled in vector shapefile format from six historical publications from 1956 to 1983. Sources include state and federal projects for geologic mapping and critical mineral exploration purposes and are attributed to each polygon. Five original, georeferenced maps are included in...
Geochemistry of mafic and ultramafic rocks in the Eastern Blue Ridge of Virginia and North Carolina (ver. 2.0, September 2025) Geochemistry of mafic and ultramafic rocks in the Eastern Blue Ridge of Virginia and North Carolina (ver. 2.0, September 2025)
This data release includes whole rock (WR) geochemical data for 92 samples. Whole rock geochemistry data were analyzed at Actlabs in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Rock samples were collected from 2020 to 2024 by Naomi Becker, Arthur Merschat, Mark Carter, and Kadie Steup. The whole rock geochemistry data characterize the composition of mafic and ultramafic (MUM) rocks in the Eastern Blue...
Locations of mines and prospects in Amelia County, Virginia Locations of mines and prospects in Amelia County, Virginia
Critical minerals are essential for the energy transition; to meet sustainability goals, production of these resources must significantly increase within the coming decades. For example, demand for lithium, an element essential for battery technologies found in many electronics and vehicles, is anticipated to increase by more than ten-fold by 2050 compared to current production. Critical...
Grade and tonnage data for tungsten vein and greisen deposits Grade and tonnage data for tungsten vein and greisen deposits
Tungsten is a mineral commodity critical for national security and the economy. Vein and greisen deposits host wolframite, a tungsten ore mineral that accounts for a significant portion of global mine production and resources. This data release contains updated resource information for globally distributed deposits that underpin grade and tonnage modeling efforts.
Grade and tonnage data for disseminated flake graphite deposits Grade and tonnage data for disseminated flake graphite deposits
Crystalline graphite is a primary material in lithium-ion battery anodes which are essential in moving towards green energy. Forecasts for 2040 anticipate an order of magnitude increase in graphite demand driven by sustainable development policies to reduce carbon emissions. Domestic production of graphite ceased in the 1980s after a steady decline post-World War I, meaning the United...
Training and validation data from the AI for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition (ver. 2.0, July 2025) Training and validation data from the AI for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition (ver. 2.0, July 2025)
Extracting useful and accurate information from scanned geologic and other earth science maps is a time-consuming and laborious process involving manual human effort. To address this limitation, the USGS partnered with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to run the AI for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition, soliciting innovative solutions for automatically...
Tungsten skarn mineral resource assessment of the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California - Geodatabase Tungsten skarn mineral resource assessment of the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California - Geodatabase
A mineral resource assessment for tungsten, a critical mineral commodity (see 'Related External Resources' section below) for the United States, was carried out by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for a portion of the Great Basin region, in western Nevada and eastern California, between latitudes 36N and 42N and longitudes 116W and 120W. This study (Lederer and others, in review)...
Filter Total Items: 19
Quantitative mineral resource assessment of lithium pegmatite deposits in the Appalachian Orogen, USA Quantitative mineral resource assessment of lithium pegmatite deposits in the Appalachian Orogen, USA
Lithium is classified as a U.S. critical mineral commodity, and its demand is projected to drastically increase through 2040, driven by electric vehicle production and energy storage applications (IEA 2021).Most global lithium production is not in the United States increasing vulnerability to a supply disruption. The U.S. Geological Survey is actively assessing domestic lithium deposits...
Authors
Niki E. Wintzer, Joshua Mark Rosera, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, Dalton M. McCaffrey, Kelsey Elizabeth Crocker, Joshua Aaron Coyan, Graham W. Lederer
Synergy between geology and geophysics in graphite mineral resource assessment Synergy between geology and geophysics in graphite mineral resource assessment
Graphite is designated as a critical mineral by the U.S. Government due to its essential role in modern technology and its vulnerability to supply chain disruption. To evaluate domestic graphite resources, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted two airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys as part of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) over prospective areas in the...
Authors
Patricia Grace Macqueen, George N.D. Case, Paul A. Bedrosian, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Susan M. Karl, Graham W. Lederer, Elizabeth M. Bollen, John Whitmore, Dane VanDervoort, Abraham M. Emond, Logan Fusso, Philip J. Brown, Gregory J. Walsh, Keith A. Labay, Martha Stokes, Andrew Arnold Stewart
Extracting data from maps: Lessons learned from the artificial intelligence for critical mineral assessment competition Extracting data from maps: Lessons learned from the artificial intelligence for critical mineral assessment competition
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA), NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and MITRE ran a 12-week machine learning competition aimed at accelerating development of AI tools for critical mineral assessments. The Artificial Intelligence for Critical Mineral Assessment Competition solicited innovative solutions for two challenges: 1)...
Authors
Margaret A. Goldman, Graham W. Lederer, Joshua Mark Rosera, Garth E. Graham, Asitang Mishra, Alice Yepremyan
USGS critical minerals review USGS critical minerals review
No abstract available.
Authors
Graham W. Lederer, James V. Jones, Darcy McPhee, Patricia J Loferski, Robert R. Seal, Paul A. Bedrosian, Patricia Grace Macqueen, V. J. S. Grauch, Federico Solano, Joshua Mark Rosera, David George Pineault
Statistical approaches for modeling correlated grade and tonnage distributions and applications for mineral resource assessments Statistical approaches for modeling correlated grade and tonnage distributions and applications for mineral resource assessments
Correlations between grade and tonnage exist in mineral resource data compiled from published reports, but they are not always addressed during quantitative assessment of undiscovered mineral resources. Failure to account for correlated grade and tonnage distributions can result in geologically unrealistic assessment results. Current software tools simulate univariate ore tonnage and...
Authors
Joshua Mark Rosera, Graham W. Lederer, John Schuenemeyer
Annual review 2023: Critical minerals Annual review 2023: Critical minerals
No abstract available.
Authors
Graham W. Lederer, James V. Jones, Darcy McPhee, Jeffrey L. Mauk, Robert R. Seal,, Kate M. Campbell, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Paul A. Bedrosian, Patricia Grace Macqueen, Garth E. Graham, Federico Solano, George N.D. Case, David George Pineault
Automated georeferencing and feature extraction of geologic maps and mineral sites Automated georeferencing and feature extraction of geologic maps and mineral sites
The predictive power of mineral prospectivity analysis depends on high quality, spatially accurate, analysis-ready datasets. Of paramount importance are geologic maps and mineral site data, but the state of readiness for utilizing these datasets remains sub-optimal for advanced computational techniques. As the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) fulfils its mission to map the distribution of...
Authors
Graham W. Lederer, Joshua Mark Rosera, Margaret A. Goldman, Garth E. Graham, Asitang Mishra, Amanda Towler, Brian Wilson, Dustin Graf, Michael Milano, Elizabeth Roberts, Gabrielle Hedrick, Carsten Oertel, Anastassios Dardas, Thomas McEntee
Applications of natural language processing to geoscience text data and prospectivity modelling Applications of natural language processing to geoscience text data and prospectivity modelling
Geological maps are powerful models for visualizing the complex distribution of rock types through space and time. However, the descriptive information that forms the basis for a preferred map interpretation is typically stored in geological map databases as unstructured text data that are difficult to use in practice. Herein we apply natural language processing (NLP) to geoscientific...
Authors
Christopher J.M. Lawley, Michael G. Gadd, Mohammad Parsa, Graham W. Lederer, Garth E. Graham, Arianne Ford
Rock-to-metal ratios of the rare earth elements Rock-to-metal ratios of the rare earth elements
The relative quantities of ore mined and waste rock (i.e., overburden) removed to produce the rare earth elements—their rock-to-metal ratios—were calculated for 21 individual operations or regions covering nearly all mine production in 2018. The results indicate that the rock-to-metal ratios for the total rare earth elements ranged from a low of 1.6 × 101 to a high of 3.6 × 103, with...
Authors
Nedal T. Nassar, Graham W. Lederer, Abraham J. Padilla, Joseph Gambogi, Daniel James Cordier, Jamie L. Brainard, Joseph D. Lessard, Ryan Charab
Rock-to-metal ratio: A foundational metric for understanding mine wastes Rock-to-metal ratio: A foundational metric for understanding mine wastes
The quantity of ore mined and waste rock (i.e., overburden or barren rock) removed to produce a refined unit of a mineral commodity, its rock-to-metal ratio (RMR), is an important metric for understanding mine wastes and environmental burdens. In this analysis, we provide a comprehensive examination of RMRs for 25 commodities for 2018. The results indicate significant variability across
Authors
Nedal T. Nassar, Graham W. Lederer, Jamie L. Brainard, Abraham J. Padilla, Joseph D. Lessard
USGS 2020 critical minerals review USGS 2020 critical minerals review
Concerns about the lack of domestic production and availability of essential mineral raw materials were a recurring theme throughout the 20th century, particularly in the periods around armed conflicts (Congressional Research Service, 2019). These concerns resulted in the designation of particular minerals as “strategic” or “critical,” terms that commonly depend on the perspective of the...
Authors
Steven M. Fortier, Nedal T. Nassar, Karen D. Kelley, Graham W. Lederer, Jeffrey L. Mauk, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Warren C. Day, Robert R. Seal,
Tungsten skarn mineral resource assessment of the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California Tungsten skarn mineral resource assessment of the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California
A new quantitative mineral resource assessment for tungsten, a critical mineral commodity with highly concentrated production and a moderate risk of global supply disruption, was conducted for the Great Basin region of western Nevada and eastern California. This assessment was part of a larger effort focusing on three regions in the United States and represents the first study of...
Authors
Graham W. Lederer, Federico Solano, Joshua Aaron Coyan, Kevin Denton, Kathryn E. Watts, Celestine N. Mercer, Damon Bickerstaff, Matthew Granitto
Non-USGS Publications**
Cottle, J., Lederer, G., and Larson, K., 2019, The monazite record of pluton assembly: Mapping Manaslu using petrochronology: Chemical Geology, v. 530, p. 119309.
Langille, J.M., Jessup, M.J., Cottle, J.M., Lederer, G., and Ahmad, T., 2012, Timing of metamorphism, melting and exhumation of the Leo Pargil dome, northwest India: Journal of Metamorphic Geology, v. 30, no. 8, p. 769–791.
Larson, K., Cottle, J., Lederer, G., and Rai, S.M., 2017, Defining shear zone boundaries using fabric intensity gradients: An example from the east-central Nepal Himalaya: Geosphere, v. 13, no. 3, p. 771–781.
Larson, K.P., Kellett, D.A., Cottle, J.M., King, J., Lederer, G., and Rai, S.M., 2016, Anatexis, cooling, and kinematics during orogenesis: Miocene development of the Himalayan metamorphic core, east-central Nepal: Geosphere, v. 12, no. 5, p. 1575–1593.
Lederer, G.W., Cottle, J.M., Jessup, M.J., Langille, J.M., and Ahmad, T., 2013, Timescales of partial melting in the Himalayan middle crust: insight from the Leo Pargil dome, northwest India: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 166, no. 5, p. 1415–1441.
McKinney, S.T., Cottle, J.M., and Lederer, G.W., 2015, Evaluating rare earth element (REE) mineralization mechanisms in Proterozoic gneiss, Music Valley, California: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 127, no. 7/8, p. 1135–1152.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
MapMark4 Shiny: A self-contained implementation of the MapMark4 R package MapMark4 Shiny: A self-contained implementation of the MapMark4 R package
MapMark4 Shiny is a self-contained R Shiny app designed for quantitative mineral resource assessments. The target audience consists of practitioners of the three-part mineral resource assessment methodology (Singer and Menzie, 2010). The app performs calculations needed to combine information from grade-tonnage models with estimates of undiscovered deposits within permissive tracts. The...