Jamey Jones
Jamey is an Associate Center Director for Geology for the Alaska Science Center.
His research is focused on the bedrock geology, tectonic evolution, and mineral resources of Alaska and western North America. He specializes in field geology, structural geology, metamorphic petrology, and U-Pb geochronology. USGS areas of focus include the Mineral Resources Program and the National Cooperative Mapping Program. Past and ongoing projects are also focused on the Precambrian tectonic evolution of the southwestern United States.
Professional Experience
2022 - Present Associate Center Director for Geology, USGS Alaska Science Center
2011 - 2022 Research Geologist, USGS Alaska Science Center
2005 - 2011 Professor, University of Minnesota Morris and University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2005 University of Texas at Austin Geology
M.S. 1999 University of Wyoming Geology
B.S. 1997 University of the South Geology
Science and Products
U-Pb Isotopic Data and Ages of Titanite and Detrital Zircon from Selected Rocks from the Western Alaska Range, Alaska
U-Pb Isotopic Data and Ages of Detrital Zircon Grains, Whole Rock Major and Trace-element Geochemistry, and Whole Rock Isotopic Data from Selected Rocks from the Western Alaska Range, Medfra area, and Livengood area, Alaska
U-Pb Isotopic Data and Ages of Detrital Zircon Grains and Graptolite Fossil Data from Selected Rocks from the Western Alaska Range, Livengood area, and Seward Peninsula, Alaska - 2018
GIS and Data Tables for Focus Areas for Potential Domestic Nonfuel Sources of Rare Earth Elements
Exploring regional scale metamorphic fabrics in the Yukon Tanana terrane and environs using quantitative domain analyses
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
The US Geological Survey’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)—Providing framework geologic, geophysical, and elevation data to the nation’s critical mineral-bearing regions
Detrital zircon geochronology along a structural transect across the Kahiltna assemblage in the western Alaska Range: Implications for emplacement of the Alexander-Wrangellia-Peninsular terrane against North America
Links between tectonics, magmatism, and mineralization in the formation of Late Cretaceous porphyry systems in the Yukon-Tanana upland, eastern Alaska, USA
The Mystic subterrane (partly) demystified: New data from the Farewell terrane and adjacent rocks, interior Alaska
Neoproterozoic–early Paleozoic provenance evolution of sedimentary rocks in and adjacent to the Farewell terrane (interior Alaska)
Zirconium and hafnium
Detrital zircon geochronology of quartzose metasedimentary rocks from parautochthonous North America, east-central Alaska
Regional patterns of Mesozoic-Cenozoic magmatism in western Alaska revealed by new U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar ages
In support of regional geologic framework studies, we obtained 50 new argon-40/argon-39 (40Ar/39Ar) ages and 33 new uranium-lead (U-Pb) ages from igneous rocks of southwestern Alaska. Most of the samples are from the Sleetmute and Taylor Mountains quadrangles; smaller collections or individual samples are from the Bethel, Candle, Dillingham, Goodnews Bay, Holy Cross, Iditarod, Kantishna River, Lak
GIS-based identification of areas that have resource potential for critical minerals in six selected groups of deposit types in Alaska
Late Oligocene to present contractional structure in and around the Susitna basin, Alaska—Geophysical evidence and geological implications
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 16
U-Pb Isotopic Data and Ages of Titanite and Detrital Zircon from Selected Rocks from the Western Alaska Range, Alaska
This data set contains U-Pb isotopic data and associated ages of titanite from one sample and detrital zircon grains from 33 sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks collected from the western Alaska Range in south-central Alaska. The samples were collected as part of geological mapping and research conducted between 2010 and 2014 and funded by the Mineral Resources Program of the U.S. Geological SurU-Pb Isotopic Data and Ages of Detrital Zircon Grains, Whole Rock Major and Trace-element Geochemistry, and Whole Rock Isotopic Data from Selected Rocks from the Western Alaska Range, Medfra area, and Livengood area, Alaska
This data release contains 3 data sets, U-Pb isotopic data and associated ages of detrital zircon grains for 27 sedimentary rocks, whole rock major and trace-element geochemistry for 15 igneous or phosphatic rock samples, and whole rock Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic data for 6 igneous rock samples. The samples were collected from multiple localities across Alaska as part of geological mapping and researU-Pb Isotopic Data and Ages of Detrital Zircon Grains and Graptolite Fossil Data from Selected Rocks from the Western Alaska Range, Livengood area, and Seward Peninsula, Alaska - 2018
This data set contains two data sets. One data set is of U-Pb isotopic data and associated ages of detrital zircon grains from 16 sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks from the western Alaska Range, Livengood area and Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Two samples were collected from the York Mountains area of the Seward Peninsula of western Alaska. Three samples were collected from the Livengood quadranglGIS and Data Tables for Focus Areas for Potential Domestic Nonfuel Sources of Rare Earth Elements
In response to Executive Order 13817 of December 20, 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) coordinated with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to identify 35 nonfuel minerals or mineral materials considered critical to the economic and national security of the United States (U.S.). Acquiring information on possible domestic sources of these critical minerals is the basis of the USGS Earth Mappi - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 28
Exploring regional scale metamorphic fabrics in the Yukon Tanana terrane and environs using quantitative domain analyses
Metamorphic rock fabrics such as foliations and lineations provide a rock record of numerous deformational characteristics in the Earth’s crust. When spatial information is combined with fabric data collected at points on geologic maps, the nature and consistency of metamorphic fabrics can be explored through structural domain analysis. This is particularly useful in large regions where there is nAuthorsJonathan Caine, James V. JonesFocus 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 theAuthorsDouglas C. Kreiner, James V. JonesThe US Geological Survey’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)—Providing framework geologic, geophysical, and elevation data to the nation’s critical mineral-bearing regions
New detailed mapping of the geologic resources of the Nation has the potential to significantly close the gap in the essential data needed to fuel a modern era of economic development and technological innovation, while at the same time dramatically enhancing our understanding of the fundamental way geology impacts everyday life, from the domestic critical mineral resources that are necessary forAuthorsWarren C. Day, Benjamin J. Drenth, Anne E. McCafferty, Anjana K. Shah, David A. Ponce, James V. Jones, V. J. GrauchDetrital zircon geochronology along a structural transect across the Kahiltna assemblage in the western Alaska Range: Implications for emplacement of the Alexander-Wrangellia-Peninsular terrane against North America
The Kahiltna assemblage in the western Alaska Range consists of deformed Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous clastic strata that lie between the Alexander-Wrangellia-Peninsular (AWP) terrane to the south, and the Farewell and other peri-cratonic terranes to the north. Differences in detrital zircon populations and sandstone petrography allow geographic separation of the strata into two different successAuthorsStephen E. Box, Susan M. Karl, James V. Jones, Dwight C. Bradley, Peter J. Haeussler, Paul B. O'SullivanLinks 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 mineraAuthorsDouglas C. Kreiner, James V. Jones, Erin Todd, Christopher Holm-Denoma, Jonathan Caine, Jeff BenowitzThe Mystic subterrane (partly) demystified: New data from the Farewell terrane and adjacent rocks, interior Alaska
The youngest part of the Farewell terrane in interior Alaska (USA) is the enigmatic Devonian–Cretaceous Mystic subterrane. New U-Pb detrital zircon, fossil, geochemical, neodymium isotopic, and petrographic data illuminate the origin of the rocks of this subterrane. The Devonian–Permian Sheep Creek Formation yielded youngest detrital zircons of Devonian age, major detrital zircon age probability pAuthorsJulie A. Dumoulin, James V. Jones, Stephen E. Box, Dwight C. Bradley, Robert A. Ayuso, Paul B. O'SullivanNeoproterozoic–early Paleozoic provenance evolution of sedimentary rocks in and adjacent to the Farewell terrane (interior Alaska)
New detrital zircon U-Pb data from the Farewell terrane of interior Alaska illuminate its early provenance evolution and connections with other Alaskan terranes. Five samples come from Neoproterozoic units in the central Farewell terrane. Basal “ferruginous beds” and the overlying Windy Fork Formation have prominent detrital zircon age populations between 2000 and 1800 Ma, with the Windy Fork FormAuthorsJulie A. Dumoulin, James V. Jones, Dwight C. Bradley, Alison B. Till, Stephen E. Box, Paul B. O'SullivanZirconium and hafnium
Zirconium and hafnium are corrosion-resistant metals that are widely used in the chemical and nuclear industries. Most zirconium is consumed in the form of the main ore mineral zircon (ZrSiO4, or as zirconium oxide or other zirconium chemicals. Zirconium and hafnium are both refractory lithophile elements that have nearly identical charge, ionic radii, and ionic potentials. As a result, their geocAuthorsJames V. Jones, Nadine M. Piatak, George M. BedingerDetrital zircon geochronology of quartzose metasedimentary rocks from parautochthonous North America, east-central Alaska
We report eight new U-Pb detrital zircon ages for quartzose metasedimentary rocks from four lithotectonic units of parautochthonous North America in east-central Alaska: the Healy schist, Keevy Peak Formation, and Sheep Creek Member of the Totatlanika Schist in the northern Alaska Range, and the Butte assemblage in the northwestern Yukon-Tanana Upland. Excepting 1 of 3 samples from the Healy schisAuthorsCynthia Dusel-Bacon, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, James V. Jones, John N. Aleinikoff, James K. MortensenRegional patterns of Mesozoic-Cenozoic magmatism in western Alaska revealed by new U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar ages
In support of regional geologic framework studies, we obtained 50 new argon-40/argon-39 (40Ar/39Ar) ages and 33 new uranium-lead (U-Pb) ages from igneous rocks of southwestern Alaska. Most of the samples are from the Sleetmute and Taylor Mountains quadrangles; smaller collections or individual samples are from the Bethel, Candle, Dillingham, Goodnews Bay, Holy Cross, Iditarod, Kantishna River, Lak
AuthorsDwight C. Bradley, Marti L. Miller, Richard M. Friedman, Paul W. Layer, Heather A. Bleick, James V. Jones, Steven E. Box, Susan M. Karl, Nora B. Shew, Timothy S. White, Alison B. Till, Julie A. Dumoulin, Thomas K. Bundtzen, Paul B. O'Sullivan, Thomas D. UllrichGIS-based identification of areas that have resource potential for critical minerals in six selected groups of deposit types in Alaska
Alaska has considerable potential for undiscovered mineral resources. This report evaluates potential for undiscovered critical minerals in Alaska. Critical minerals are those for which the United States imports more than half of its total supply and which are largely derived from nations that cannot be considered reliable trading partners. In this report, estimated resource potential and certaintLate Oligocene to present contractional structure in and around the Susitna basin, Alaska—Geophysical evidence and geological implications
The Cenozoic Susitna basin lies within an enigmatic lowland surrounded by the Central Alaska Range, Western Alaska Range (including the Tordrillo Mountains), and Talkeetna Mountains in south-central Alaska. Some previous interpretations show normal faults as the defining structures of the basin (e.g., Kirschner, 1994). However, analysis of new and existing geophysical data shows predominantly (LatAuthorsRichard W. Saltus, Richard G. Stanley, Peter J. Haeussler, James V. Jones, Christopher J. Potter, Kristen A. Lewis - News