Heather is a Geologist at the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. She received a BS in Geology from Eastern Washington University in 2009. She joined the USGS in 2008 and is currently at the Spokane, WA center location.
Professional Experience
2008 to present, Geologist, USGS, Spokane, WA
Education and Certifications
B.S. in Geology, Eastern Washington University, 2009
Science and Products
Below are science projects related to Heather's work
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.
Critical Commodity Studies, Stillwater Complex, Montana
Scientific research can make our resource assessments of critical minerals more effective. This project focuses on the Stillwater Complex, Montana, which has rocks enriched in platinum-group elements (PGE), chromium, cobalt, and nickel. Project objectives are to update databases, evaluate new mapping techniques, document new styles of mineralization, and document and support research on the...
Filter Total Items: 20
Thin section images of hand samples from the Crocodile Lake and Cucumber Lake Intrusions, Duluth Complex, Minnesota
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples collected from the Crocodile Lake and Cucumber Lake Intrusions, Duluth Complex, Minnesota, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the samples. The samples were collected in order to define copper-nickel-platinum-group element resources associated with the Crocodile Lake and Cucumber Lake Intrusions i
Thin section images of drill core and hand samples from the South Kawishiwi Intrusion, Duluth Complex, Minnesota
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples and drill core sourced from the South Kawishiwi Intrusion, Duluth Complex, Minnesota, along with two shapefiles representing the locations of the samples and drill hole collars. The samples were collected and core was drilled in order to define copper-nickel-platinum-group element resources associated with the Sou
Thin section images of drill core and hand samples from the Stillwater Mine area, Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples and drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the underground samples and drill hole collars. The samples were collected and core was drilled in order to define platinum-group element resources associated with the J-M Reef at the Stillwater Mine in the St
Thin section images of xenoliths from north of the Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections made from xenolith samples collected from the Sliderock Mountain and Susie Peak plutons, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the samples. The plutons are located north of the Stillwater Complex, Montana, which is exposed along the northern side of the Beartooth Mountains in Montana. To the north of the Stillwater
Stillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Anaconda in the Nye Basin area, 1968 to 1982
This dataset includes TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) images of graphic drill core logs showing associated drill core information, a TIFF image of the explanation for the lithology and structure sections of the logs, an Esri shapefile of the locations of the drill holes, and fourteen individual .csv files of tabular data that were compiled from handwritten drill core logs. The drill core is from t
Thin section images of drill core from the Chrome Lake area in the Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections of drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the drill holes. The core was drilled in order to study contact-type copper and nickel sulfide mineralization in the Stillwater Complex. The images of the entire thin section, both in plane- and cross-polarized light, were taken using a
Thin section images of AMAX drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic and micrographic images of thin sections of drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the drill holes. The core was drilled in order to study contact-type copper and nickel sulfide mineralization in the Stillwater Complex. See data release https://doi.org/10.5066/p9w5kp8u for accompanying drill log data.
Stillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Cyprus in the Chrome Lake area, 1971 to 1980
This dataset includes TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) images of graphic drill core logs showing associated drill core information, a TIFF image of the explanation for the lithology and structure sections of the logs, an Esri shapefile of the locations of the drill holes, and fourteen individual .csv files of tabular data that were compiled from handwritten drill core logs. The drill core is from t
Thin section images of drill core from the Crescent Creek area in the Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections of drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the location of the drill hole. The core was drilled in order to study contact-type copper and nickel sulfide mineralization in the Stillwater Complex. The images of the entire thin section, both in plane- and cross-polarized light, were taken using a h
Stillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Anaconda in the Benbow area, 1969 to 1973
This dataset includes pdf representations of drill core logs showing associated drill core information, a pdf of the explanation for the lithology and structure sections of the logs, a shapefile of the locations of the drill holes, and eleven individual .csv files of tabular data that was compiled from hand written drill core logs. The drill core is from the Stillwater Complex, Montana and was dri
Stillwater Complex, Montana - Logs of core drilled by AMAX, 1969 to 1977
This dataset includes pdf representations of drill core logs showing associated drill core information, a pdf of the explanation for the lithology and structure sections of the logs, a shapefile of the locations of the drill holes, and sixteen individual .csv files of tabular data that was compiled from hand written drill core logs. The drill core is from the Stillwater Complex, Montana and was dr
Geochronologic data from xenoliths near the Stillwater Complex, Montana
The Archean Stillwater Complex, a layered ultramafic-to-mafic intrusion, is exposed along the northern side of the Beartooth Mountains in Montana. To the north of the Stillwater outcrops, a gravity anomaly is located where Phanerozoic rocks may unconformably overlie the complex. These Phanerozoic rocks are intruded by Cretaceous plutons that have gabbroid inclusions that look like metamorphosed ro
Filter Total Items: 15
Assessment of undiscovered copper resources of the world, 2015
The U.S. Geological Survey completed the first-ever global assessment of undiscovered copper resources for the two most significant sources of global copper supply: porphyry copper deposits and sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits. The geology-based study identified 236 areas for undiscovered copper in 11 regions of the world. Estimated amounts of undiscovered copper resources are reported
Grade and tonnage model for tungsten skarn deposits—2020 update
This report presents an updated grade and tonnage model for tungsten skarn deposits. As a critical component of the U.S. Geological Survey’s three-part form of quantitative mineral resource assessment, robust grade and tonnage models are essential to transforming mineral resource assessments into effective tools for decision makers. Using the best data available at the time of publication, this re
Mapping the 3-D extent of the Stillwater Complex, Montana—Implications for potential platinum group element exploration and development
Geophysical models characterize the exposed and interpreted buried extent of the Stillwater Complex, critical for understanding the origin of the layered mafic intrusion and its associated high-grade platinum group element resources. The 3D models, constrained by gravity, magnetic, xenolith, seismic, borehole, and rock property data indicate that the likely maximum extent of the Stillwater Complex
The surface trace tool—Modeling complex planar interactions using ArcGIS
The surface trace tool comprises a Python script written for ArcGIS that will determine the line of intersection between a planar feature and a surface. Specifically, this tool was designed for geologic applications where geologic planar-feature orientations are reported as strike and dip, and the intersecting surface is the ground. The tool output will show how planar geologic layers intersect wi
Platinum-group elements
The platinum-group elements (PGEs)—platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium—are metals that have similar physical and chemical properties and tend to occur together in nature. PGEs are indispensable to many industrial applications but are mined in only a few places. The availability and accessibility of PGEs could be disrupted by economic, environmental, political, and social e
Geology and mineral resources of the North-Central Montana Sagebrush Focal Area: Chapter D in <em>Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming</em>
SummaryThe U.S. Department of the Interior has proposed to withdraw approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands from mineral entry (subject to valid existing rights) from 12 million acres of lands defined as Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming (for further discussion on the lands involved see Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089–A). The purpo
By
Energy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, National Minerals Information Center
Geology and mineral resources of the Southwestern and South-Central Wyoming Sagebrush Focal Area, Wyoming, and the Bear River Watershed Sagebrush Focal Area, Wyoming and Utah: Chapter E in <em>Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Monta
SummaryThe U.S. Department of the Interior has proposed to withdraw approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands from mineral entry (subject to valid existing rights) from 12 million acres of lands defined as Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming (for further discussion on the lands involved see Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089–A). The purpo
Spatial database for a global assessment of undiscovered copper resources: Chapter Z in <em>Global mineral resource assessment</em>
As part of the first-ever U.S. Geological Survey global assessment of undiscovered copper resources, data common to several regional spatial databases published by the U.S. Geological Survey, including one report from Finland and one from Greenland, were standardized, updated, and compiled into a global copper resource database. This integrated collection of spatial databases provides location, ge
Qualitative assessment of selected areas of the world for undiscovered sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits: Chapter Y in <i>Global mineral resource assessment</i>
A qualitative mineral resource assessment of sediment-hosted stratabound copper mineralized areas for undiscovered copper deposits was performed for 10 selected areas of the world. The areas, in alphabetical order, are (1) Belt-Purcell Basin, United States and Canada; (2) Benguela and Cuanza Basins, Angola; (3) Chuxiong Basin, China; (4) Dongchuan Group rocks, China; (5) Egypt–Israel–Jordan Rift,
Assessment of undiscovered copper resources associated with the Permian Kupferschiefer, Southern Permian Basin, Europe: Chapter U in <i>Global mineral resource assessment</i>
This study synthesizes available information and estimates the location and quantity of undiscovered copper associated with a late Permian bituminous shale, the Kupferschiefer, of the Southern Permian Basin in Europe. The purpose of this study is to (1) delineate permissive areas (tracts) where undiscovered reduced-facies sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits could occur within 2.5 kilometer
A geologic and mineral exploration spatial database for the Stillwater Complex, Montana
The Stillwater Complex is a Neoarchean, ultramafic to mafic layered intrusion exposed in the Beartooth Mountains in south-central Montana. This igneous intrusion contains magmatic mineralization that is variably enriched in strategic and critical commodities such as chromium, nickel, and the platinum-group elements. One deposit, the J-M Reef, is the sole source of primary production and reserves f
Sediment-hosted stratabound copper assessment of the Neoproterozoic Roan Group, central African copperbelt, Katanga Basin, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia
This study estimates the location, quality, and quantity of undiscovered copper in stratabound deposits within the Neoproterozoic Roan Group of the Katanga Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The study area encompasses the Central African Copperbelt, the greatest sediment-hosted copper-cobalt province in the world, containing 152 million metric tons of copper in greater than
Science and Products
- Science
Below are science projects related to Heather's work
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.Critical Commodity Studies, Stillwater Complex, Montana
Scientific research can make our resource assessments of critical minerals more effective. This project focuses on the Stillwater Complex, Montana, which has rocks enriched in platinum-group elements (PGE), chromium, cobalt, and nickel. Project objectives are to update databases, evaluate new mapping techniques, document new styles of mineralization, and document and support research on the... - Data
Filter Total Items: 20
Thin section images of hand samples from the Crocodile Lake and Cucumber Lake Intrusions, Duluth Complex, Minnesota
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples collected from the Crocodile Lake and Cucumber Lake Intrusions, Duluth Complex, Minnesota, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the samples. The samples were collected in order to define copper-nickel-platinum-group element resources associated with the Crocodile Lake and Cucumber Lake Intrusions iThin section images of drill core and hand samples from the South Kawishiwi Intrusion, Duluth Complex, Minnesota
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples and drill core sourced from the South Kawishiwi Intrusion, Duluth Complex, Minnesota, along with two shapefiles representing the locations of the samples and drill hole collars. The samples were collected and core was drilled in order to define copper-nickel-platinum-group element resources associated with the SouThin section images of drill core and hand samples from the Stillwater Mine area, Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections created from hand samples and drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the underground samples and drill hole collars. The samples were collected and core was drilled in order to define platinum-group element resources associated with the J-M Reef at the Stillwater Mine in the StThin section images of xenoliths from north of the Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections made from xenolith samples collected from the Sliderock Mountain and Susie Peak plutons, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the samples. The plutons are located north of the Stillwater Complex, Montana, which is exposed along the northern side of the Beartooth Mountains in Montana. To the north of the StillwaterStillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Anaconda in the Nye Basin area, 1968 to 1982
This dataset includes TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) images of graphic drill core logs showing associated drill core information, a TIFF image of the explanation for the lithology and structure sections of the logs, an Esri shapefile of the locations of the drill holes, and fourteen individual .csv files of tabular data that were compiled from handwritten drill core logs. The drill core is from tThin section images of drill core from the Chrome Lake area in the Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections of drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the drill holes. The core was drilled in order to study contact-type copper and nickel sulfide mineralization in the Stillwater Complex. The images of the entire thin section, both in plane- and cross-polarized light, were taken using aThin section images of AMAX drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic and micrographic images of thin sections of drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the locations of the drill holes. The core was drilled in order to study contact-type copper and nickel sulfide mineralization in the Stillwater Complex. See data release https://doi.org/10.5066/p9w5kp8u for accompanying drill log data.Stillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Cyprus in the Chrome Lake area, 1971 to 1980
This dataset includes TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) images of graphic drill core logs showing associated drill core information, a TIFF image of the explanation for the lithology and structure sections of the logs, an Esri shapefile of the locations of the drill holes, and fourteen individual .csv files of tabular data that were compiled from handwritten drill core logs. The drill core is from tThin section images of drill core from the Crescent Creek area in the Stillwater Complex, Montana
This dataset includes photographic images of thin sections of drill core from the Stillwater Complex, Montana, along with a shapefile representing the location of the drill hole. The core was drilled in order to study contact-type copper and nickel sulfide mineralization in the Stillwater Complex. The images of the entire thin section, both in plane- and cross-polarized light, were taken using a hStillwater Complex, Montana: Logs of core drilled by Anaconda in the Benbow area, 1969 to 1973
This dataset includes pdf representations of drill core logs showing associated drill core information, a pdf of the explanation for the lithology and structure sections of the logs, a shapefile of the locations of the drill holes, and eleven individual .csv files of tabular data that was compiled from hand written drill core logs. The drill core is from the Stillwater Complex, Montana and was driStillwater Complex, Montana - Logs of core drilled by AMAX, 1969 to 1977
This dataset includes pdf representations of drill core logs showing associated drill core information, a pdf of the explanation for the lithology and structure sections of the logs, a shapefile of the locations of the drill holes, and sixteen individual .csv files of tabular data that was compiled from hand written drill core logs. The drill core is from the Stillwater Complex, Montana and was drGeochronologic data from xenoliths near the Stillwater Complex, Montana
The Archean Stillwater Complex, a layered ultramafic-to-mafic intrusion, is exposed along the northern side of the Beartooth Mountains in Montana. To the north of the Stillwater outcrops, a gravity anomaly is located where Phanerozoic rocks may unconformably overlie the complex. These Phanerozoic rocks are intruded by Cretaceous plutons that have gabbroid inclusions that look like metamorphosed ro - Publications
Filter Total Items: 15
Assessment of undiscovered copper resources of the world, 2015
The U.S. Geological Survey completed the first-ever global assessment of undiscovered copper resources for the two most significant sources of global copper supply: porphyry copper deposits and sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits. The geology-based study identified 236 areas for undiscovered copper in 11 regions of the world. Estimated amounts of undiscovered copper resources are reportedGrade and tonnage model for tungsten skarn deposits—2020 update
This report presents an updated grade and tonnage model for tungsten skarn deposits. As a critical component of the U.S. Geological Survey’s three-part form of quantitative mineral resource assessment, robust grade and tonnage models are essential to transforming mineral resource assessments into effective tools for decision makers. Using the best data available at the time of publication, this reMapping the 3-D extent of the Stillwater Complex, Montana—Implications for potential platinum group element exploration and development
Geophysical models characterize the exposed and interpreted buried extent of the Stillwater Complex, critical for understanding the origin of the layered mafic intrusion and its associated high-grade platinum group element resources. The 3D models, constrained by gravity, magnetic, xenolith, seismic, borehole, and rock property data indicate that the likely maximum extent of the Stillwater ComplexThe surface trace tool—Modeling complex planar interactions using ArcGIS
The surface trace tool comprises a Python script written for ArcGIS that will determine the line of intersection between a planar feature and a surface. Specifically, this tool was designed for geologic applications where geologic planar-feature orientations are reported as strike and dip, and the intersecting surface is the ground. The tool output will show how planar geologic layers intersect wiPlatinum-group elements
The platinum-group elements (PGEs)—platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium—are metals that have similar physical and chemical properties and tend to occur together in nature. PGEs are indispensable to many industrial applications but are mined in only a few places. The availability and accessibility of PGEs could be disrupted by economic, environmental, political, and social eGeology and mineral resources of the North-Central Montana Sagebrush Focal Area: Chapter D in <em>Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming</em>
SummaryThe U.S. Department of the Interior has proposed to withdraw approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands from mineral entry (subject to valid existing rights) from 12 million acres of lands defined as Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming (for further discussion on the lands involved see Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089–A). The purpoByEnergy and Minerals, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, National Minerals Information CenterGeology and mineral resources of the Southwestern and South-Central Wyoming Sagebrush Focal Area, Wyoming, and the Bear River Watershed Sagebrush Focal Area, Wyoming and Utah: Chapter E in <em>Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Monta
SummaryThe U.S. Department of the Interior has proposed to withdraw approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands from mineral entry (subject to valid existing rights) from 12 million acres of lands defined as Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming (for further discussion on the lands involved see Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089–A). The purpoSpatial database for a global assessment of undiscovered copper resources: Chapter Z in <em>Global mineral resource assessment</em>
As part of the first-ever U.S. Geological Survey global assessment of undiscovered copper resources, data common to several regional spatial databases published by the U.S. Geological Survey, including one report from Finland and one from Greenland, were standardized, updated, and compiled into a global copper resource database. This integrated collection of spatial databases provides location, geQualitative assessment of selected areas of the world for undiscovered sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits: Chapter Y in <i>Global mineral resource assessment</i>
A qualitative mineral resource assessment of sediment-hosted stratabound copper mineralized areas for undiscovered copper deposits was performed for 10 selected areas of the world. The areas, in alphabetical order, are (1) Belt-Purcell Basin, United States and Canada; (2) Benguela and Cuanza Basins, Angola; (3) Chuxiong Basin, China; (4) Dongchuan Group rocks, China; (5) Egypt–Israel–Jordan Rift,Assessment of undiscovered copper resources associated with the Permian Kupferschiefer, Southern Permian Basin, Europe: Chapter U in <i>Global mineral resource assessment</i>
This study synthesizes available information and estimates the location and quantity of undiscovered copper associated with a late Permian bituminous shale, the Kupferschiefer, of the Southern Permian Basin in Europe. The purpose of this study is to (1) delineate permissive areas (tracts) where undiscovered reduced-facies sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits could occur within 2.5 kilometerA geologic and mineral exploration spatial database for the Stillwater Complex, Montana
The Stillwater Complex is a Neoarchean, ultramafic to mafic layered intrusion exposed in the Beartooth Mountains in south-central Montana. This igneous intrusion contains magmatic mineralization that is variably enriched in strategic and critical commodities such as chromium, nickel, and the platinum-group elements. One deposit, the J-M Reef, is the sole source of primary production and reserves fSediment-hosted stratabound copper assessment of the Neoproterozoic Roan Group, central African copperbelt, Katanga Basin, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia
This study estimates the location, quality, and quantity of undiscovered copper in stratabound deposits within the Neoproterozoic Roan Group of the Katanga Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The study area encompasses the Central African Copperbelt, the greatest sediment-hosted copper-cobalt province in the world, containing 152 million metric tons of copper in greater than