Michael L. Zientek is a research geologist at the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He received a PhD degree in geology from Stanford and a BS degree in geology from the University of Texas. Since joining the USGS in 1983, Michael has devoted his career to studying economic geology and mineral resource assessments and specializes in magmatic ore deposits.
Mike is an economic geologist who works at the USGS Spokane Office, Spokane, Washington. He provides expertise in economic geology, assessment methods, and analysis of global, national, and regional datasets needed to plan, conduct and direct research on a broad range of land-use and mineral-resource-related issues.
His recent resource assessment work includes the SaMiRA assessment for the BLM and the USGS Global Mineral Resource Assessment project.
Mike's research interests include the origin of magmatic ore deposits enriched in platinum-group elements, chromium, and nickel. As part of that effort, he organized and coordinated International Geological Correlation Programme Project 336 from 1992 to 1996, conducted topical studies on the Stillwater Complex in Montana and the Duluth Complex, Minnesota, and worked on projects in Albania, Russia, and Indonesia. He was the Scientist-in-Charge of the Spokane Field Office from 1994 to 1998.
Education and Certifications
PhD, Stanford University
BS, University of Texas
Science and Products
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Sandstone copper assessment of the Chu-Sarysu Basin, Central Kazakhstan: Chapter E in Global mineral resource assessment
Mineral resource assessments represent a synthesis of available information to estimate the location, quality, and quantity of undiscovered mineral resources in the upper part of the Earth’s crust. This report presents a probabilistic mineral resource assessment of undiscovered sandstone copper deposits within the late Paleozoic Chu-Sarysu Basin in central Kazakhstan by the U.S. Geological Survey
Magmatic ore deposits in layered intrusions - Descriptive model for reef-type PGE and contact-type Cu-Ni-PGE deposits
Layered, ultramafic to mafic intrusions are uncommon in the geologic record, but host magmatic ore deposits containing most of the world's economic concentrations of platinum-group elements (PGE) (figs. 1 and 2). These deposits are mined primarily for their platinum, palladium, and rhodium contents (table 1). Magmatic ore deposits are derived from accumulations of crystals of metallic oxides, or i
Aggregation of estimated numbers of undiscovered deposits: an R-script with an example from the Chu Sarysu Basin, Kazakhtan: Chapter B in Global mineral resource assessment
Mineral resource assessments completed by the U.S. Geological Survey during the past three decades express geologically based estimates of numbers of undiscovered mineral deposits as probability distributions. Numbers of undiscovered deposits of a given type are estimated in geologically defined regions. Using Monte Carlo simulations, these undiscovered deposit estimates are combined with tonnage
Magmatic sulfide-rich nickel-copper deposits related to picrite and (or) tholeiitic basalt dike-sill complexes: A preliminary deposit model
Magmatic sulfide deposits containing nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu), with or without (±) platinum-group elements (PGEs), account for approximately 60 percent of the world’s Ni production and are active exploration targets in the United States and elsewhere. On the basis of their principal metal production, magmatic sulfide deposits in mafic rocks can be divided into two major types: those that are su
An Index to PGE-Ni-Cr Deposits and Occurrences in Selected Mineral-Occurrence Databases
Databases of mineral deposits and occurrences are essential to conducting assessments of undiscovered mineral resources. In the USGS's (U.S. Geological Survey) global assessment of undiscovered resources of copper, potash, and the platinum-group elements (PGE), only a few mineral deposit types will be evaluated. For example, only porphyry-copper and sediment-hosted copper deposits will be consider
Relational database for the geology of the northern Rocky Mountains— Idaho, Montana, and Washington
A relational database was created to prepare and organize geologic map-unit and lithologic descriptions for input into a spatial database for the geology of the northern Rocky Mountains, a compilation of forty-three geologic maps for parts of Idaho, Montana, and Washington in U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2005-1235. Not all of the information was transferred to and incorporated in the sp
A compilation of spatial digital databases for selected U.S. Geological Survey nonfuel mineral resource assessments for parts of Idaho and Montana
This report compiles selected results from 13 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mineral resource assessment studies conducted in Idaho and Montana into consistent spatial databases that can be used in a geographic information system. The 183 spatial databases represent areas of mineral potential delineated in these studies and include attributes on mineral deposit type, level of mineral potential, cer
Copper-silver deposits of the Revett Formation, Montana and Idaho: Origin and resource potential
The Revett Formation of northern Idaho and western Montana contains major stratabound copper-silver deposits near Troy, Rock Creek, and Rock Lake, Montana. To help the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) meet its goal of integrating geoscience information into the land-planning process, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists recently completed a compilation of regional stratigraphy and mineralogy of the
Stratabound copper-silver deposits of the Mesoproterozoic Revett formation, Montana and Idaho
The western Montana copper belt in western Montana and northern Idaho contains several large stratabound copper-silver deposits in fine- to medium-grained quartzite beds of the Revett Formation of the Mesoproterozoic (1,470-1,401 Ma) Belt Supergroup. Production from the deposits at the Troy Mine and lesser production from the Snowstorm Mine has yielded 222,237 tons Cu and 1,657.4 tons Ag. Estimate
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Filter Total Items: 63
Sandstone copper assessment of the Chu-Sarysu Basin, Central Kazakhstan: Chapter E in Global mineral resource assessment
Mineral resource assessments represent a synthesis of available information to estimate the location, quality, and quantity of undiscovered mineral resources in the upper part of the Earth’s crust. This report presents a probabilistic mineral resource assessment of undiscovered sandstone copper deposits within the late Paleozoic Chu-Sarysu Basin in central Kazakhstan by the U.S. Geological SurveyMagmatic ore deposits in layered intrusions - Descriptive model for reef-type PGE and contact-type Cu-Ni-PGE deposits
Layered, ultramafic to mafic intrusions are uncommon in the geologic record, but host magmatic ore deposits containing most of the world's economic concentrations of platinum-group elements (PGE) (figs. 1 and 2). These deposits are mined primarily for their platinum, palladium, and rhodium contents (table 1). Magmatic ore deposits are derived from accumulations of crystals of metallic oxides, or iAggregation of estimated numbers of undiscovered deposits: an R-script with an example from the Chu Sarysu Basin, Kazakhtan: Chapter B in Global mineral resource assessment
Mineral resource assessments completed by the U.S. Geological Survey during the past three decades express geologically based estimates of numbers of undiscovered mineral deposits as probability distributions. Numbers of undiscovered deposits of a given type are estimated in geologically defined regions. Using Monte Carlo simulations, these undiscovered deposit estimates are combined with tonnageMagmatic sulfide-rich nickel-copper deposits related to picrite and (or) tholeiitic basalt dike-sill complexes: A preliminary deposit model
Magmatic sulfide deposits containing nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu), with or without (±) platinum-group elements (PGEs), account for approximately 60 percent of the world’s Ni production and are active exploration targets in the United States and elsewhere. On the basis of their principal metal production, magmatic sulfide deposits in mafic rocks can be divided into two major types: those that are suAn Index to PGE-Ni-Cr Deposits and Occurrences in Selected Mineral-Occurrence Databases
Databases of mineral deposits and occurrences are essential to conducting assessments of undiscovered mineral resources. In the USGS's (U.S. Geological Survey) global assessment of undiscovered resources of copper, potash, and the platinum-group elements (PGE), only a few mineral deposit types will be evaluated. For example, only porphyry-copper and sediment-hosted copper deposits will be considerRelational database for the geology of the northern Rocky Mountains— Idaho, Montana, and Washington
A relational database was created to prepare and organize geologic map-unit and lithologic descriptions for input into a spatial database for the geology of the northern Rocky Mountains, a compilation of forty-three geologic maps for parts of Idaho, Montana, and Washington in U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2005-1235. Not all of the information was transferred to and incorporated in the spA compilation of spatial digital databases for selected U.S. Geological Survey nonfuel mineral resource assessments for parts of Idaho and Montana
This report compiles selected results from 13 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mineral resource assessment studies conducted in Idaho and Montana into consistent spatial databases that can be used in a geographic information system. The 183 spatial databases represent areas of mineral potential delineated in these studies and include attributes on mineral deposit type, level of mineral potential, cerCopper-silver deposits of the Revett Formation, Montana and Idaho: Origin and resource potential
The Revett Formation of northern Idaho and western Montana contains major stratabound copper-silver deposits near Troy, Rock Creek, and Rock Lake, Montana. To help the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) meet its goal of integrating geoscience information into the land-planning process, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists recently completed a compilation of regional stratigraphy and mineralogy of theStratabound copper-silver deposits of the Mesoproterozoic Revett formation, Montana and Idaho
The western Montana copper belt in western Montana and northern Idaho contains several large stratabound copper-silver deposits in fine- to medium-grained quartzite beds of the Revett Formation of the Mesoproterozoic (1,470-1,401 Ma) Belt Supergroup. Production from the deposits at the Troy Mine and lesser production from the Snowstorm Mine has yielded 222,237 tons Cu and 1,657.4 tons Ag. Estimate - News