Small-scale miners operating a cannibalized river dredge searching for gold in the Bonsa River in Ghana, Africa, in 2009.
Peter George Chirico
Pete Chirico is the Associate Director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Geology and Paleoclimate Science Center in Reston, VA. He also leads the USGS Special Studies project as a research scientist focused on terrain analysis and geomorphological mapping.
Pete Chirico is the Associate Director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Geology and Paleoclimate Science Center in Reston, VA. In over 20 years at USGS, he has focused his research on the geography and geomorphology of illicit small-scale mining of diamonds and mineral deposits in conflict zones and during complex emergencies. He has worked extensively with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Agency for International Development, the United Nations, and the Kimberley Process to understand how diamonds and other natural resource exploitation contribute to funding conflicts. While his regional expertise is Sub-Saharan Africa, he has led or been a member of more than 30 field expeditions throughout Central America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa. He is author or co-author of over 50 peer reviewed scientific reports and journal articles in the fields of geography, geomorphology, remote sensing, and natural resources in conflict zones. Pete also serves as scientific and technical advisor to the Office of Threat Finance Countermeasures in the Department of State's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.
Science and Products
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Takhar: Points (2017 to 2018)
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Nuristan: Points (2017 to 2018)
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Badahkshan: Points (2017 to 2018)
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Zarkashan: Points (2014, 2017 to 2018)
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Nangarhar: Points (2017)
Small-scale miners operating a cannibalized river dredge searching for gold in the Bonsa River in Ghana, Africa, in 2009.
Site manager of an artisanal and small-scale mining site showing a collection of diamonds recovered along the Birim River in Ghana, Africa, in 2009.
Site manager of an artisanal and small-scale mining site showing a collection of diamonds recovered along the Birim River in Ghana, Africa, in 2009.
Testing a small UAS for mapping artisanal diamond mining sites in Africa
A sub-national scale geospatial analysis of diamond deposit lootability: the case of the Central African Republic
The role of conflict minerals, artisanal mining, and informal trading networks in African intrastate and regional conflicts
A methodological toolkit for field assessments of artisanally mined alluvial diamond deposits
Conflict diamonds as an example of natural resource conflict
Reconnaissance investigation of the rough diamond resource potential and production capacity of Côte d’Ivoire
The influence of geomorphology on the role of women at artisanal and small-scale mine sites
Reconnaissance investigation of the alluvial gold deposits in the North Takhar Area of Interest, Takhar Province, Afghanistan
Reconnaissance investigation of the placer gold deposits in the Zarkashan Area of Interest, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan
Topographic and hydrographic GIS datasets for the Afghan Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey 2013 mineral areas of interest
Preventing the trade of conflict diamonds and supporting artisanal mining
Late Pleistocene and Holocene uplift history of Cyprus: implications for active tectonics along the southern margin of the Anatolian microplate
Non-USGS Publications**
**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.
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Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Takhar: Points (2017 to 2018)
Afghanistan is endowed with a broad range of mineral resources. Currently, the majority of mining throughout the country is comprised of informal and undocumented artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. The exact scope of excavation operations depends largely on the mineral commodity produced. In the case of gemstones, such as emeralds and rubies, small teams of miners use manual equipmInventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Nuristan: Points (2017 to 2018)
Afghanistan is endowed with a broad range of mineral resources. Currently, the majority of mining throughout the country is comprised of informal and undocumented artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. The exact scope of excavation operations depends largely on the mineral commodity produced. In the case of gemstones, such as emeralds and rubies, small teams of miners use manual equipmInventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Badahkshan: Points (2017 to 2018)
Afghanistan is endowed with a broad range of mineral resources. Currently, the majority of mining throughout the country is comprised of informal and undocumented artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. The exact scope of excavation operations depends largely on the mineral commodity produced. In the case of gemstones, such as emeralds and rubies, small teams of miners use manual equipmInventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Zarkashan: Points (2014, 2017 to 2018)
Afghanistan is endowed with a broad range of mineral resources. Currently, the majority of mining throughout the country is comprised of informal and undocumented artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. The exact scope of excavation operations depends largely on the mineral commodity produced. In the case of gemstones, such as emeralds and rubies, small teams of miners use manual equipmInventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Nangarhar: Points (2017)
Afghanistan is endowed with a broad range of mineral resources. Currently, the majority of mining throughout the country is comprised of informal and undocumented artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. The exact scope of excavation operations depends largely on the mineral commodity produced. In the case of gemstones, such as emeralds and rubies, small teams of miners use manual equipm - Maps
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Filter Total Items: 23USGS Scientists Help Address Conflict Mining
Small-scale miners operating a cannibalized river dredge searching for gold in the Bonsa River in Ghana, Africa, in 2009.
Small-scale miners operating a cannibalized river dredge searching for gold in the Bonsa River in Ghana, Africa, in 2009.
USGS Scientists Help Address Conflict MiningSite manager of an artisanal and small-scale mining site showing a collection of diamonds recovered along the Birim River in Ghana, Africa, in 2009.
Site manager of an artisanal and small-scale mining site showing a collection of diamonds recovered along the Birim River in Ghana, Africa, in 2009.
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Filter Total Items: 66
Testing a small UAS for mapping artisanal diamond mining sites in Africa
Remote sensing technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate. At the forefront of the new technological developments are unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The advent of small, lightweight, low-cost, and user-friendly UAS is greatly expanding the potential applications of remote sensing technology and improving the set of tools available to researchers seeking to map and monitor terrain from abovAuthorsKatherine C. Malpeli, Peter G. ChiricoA sub-national scale geospatial analysis of diamond deposit lootability: the case of the Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR), a country with rich diamond deposits and a tumultuous political history, experienced a government takeover by the Seleka rebel coalition in 2013. It is within this context that we developed and implemented a geospatial approach for assessing the lootability of high value-to-weight resource deposits, using the case of diamonds in CAR as an example. According to cAuthorsKatherine C. Malpeli, Peter G. ChiricoThe role of conflict minerals, artisanal mining, and informal trading networks in African intrastate and regional conflicts
The relationship between natural resources and armed conflict gained public and political attention in the 1990s, when it became evident that the mining and trading of diamonds were connected with brutal rebellions in several African nations. Easily extracted resources such as alluvial diamonds and gold have been and continue to be exploited by rebel groups to fund their activities. Artisanal andAuthorsPeter G. Chirico, Katherine C. MalpeliA methodological toolkit for field assessments of artisanally mined alluvial diamond deposits
This toolkit provides a standardized checklist of critical issues relevant to artisanal mining-related field research. An integrated sociophysical geographic approach to collecting data at artisanal mine sites is outlined. The implementation and results of a multistakeholder approach to data collection, carried out in the assessment of Guinea’s artisanally mined diamond deposits, also are summarizAuthorsPeter G. Chirico, Katherine C. MalpeliConflict diamonds as an example of natural resource conflict
No abstract available.AuthorsPeter G. Chirico, Katherine C. MalpeliReconnaissance investigation of the rough diamond resource potential and production capacity of Côte d’Ivoire
Ethnic and political conflict developed into open civil war in Côte d’Ivoire in 2002, leading to a de facto partitioning of the country into the government-controlled south and the rebel-controlled north. Côte d’Ivoire’s two main diamond mining areas, Séguéla and Tortiya, are located in the north, under what was, until recently, rebel-controlled territory. In an effort to prevent proceeds from diaAuthorsPeter G. Chirico, Katherine C. MalpeliThe influence of geomorphology on the role of women at artisanal and small-scale mine sites
The geologic and geomorphic expressions of a mineral deposit determine its location, size, and accessibility, characteristics which in turn greatly influence the success of artisans mining the deposit. Despite this critical information, which can be garnered through studying the surficial physical expression of a deposit, the geologic and geomorphic sciences have been largely overlooked in artisanAuthorsKatherine C. Malpeli, Peter G. ChiricoReconnaissance investigation of the alluvial gold deposits in the North Takhar Area of Interest, Takhar Province, Afghanistan
This study is a reconnaissance assessment of the alluvial gold deposits of the North Takhar Area of Interest (AOI) in Takhar Province, Afghanistan. Soviet and Afghan geologists collected data and calculated the gold deposit reserves in Takhar Province in the 1970s, prior to the development of satellite-based remote-sensing platforms and new methods of geomorphic mapping. The purpose of this studyAuthorsPeter G. Chirico, Katherine C. Malpeli, Thomas W. MoranReconnaissance investigation of the placer gold deposits in the Zarkashan Area of Interest, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan
This study is a reconnaissance investigation of the placer gold deposits in the Zarkashan Area of Interest (AOI) in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Detailed investigations of the Zarkashan gold deposits were conducted by Soviet and Afghan geologists in the 1960s and 1970s, prior to the development of satellite-based remote-sensing platforms and new methods of geomorphic mapping. The purpose of thisAuthorsKatherine C. Malpeli, Peter G. Chirico, Isabel H. McLoughlinTopographic and hydrographic GIS datasets for the Afghan Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey 2013 mineral areas of interest
Afghanistan is endowed with a vast amount of mineral resources, and it is believed that the current economic state of the country could be greatly improved through investment in the extraction and production of these resources. In 2007, the “Preliminary Non-Fuel Resource Assessment of Afghanistan 2007” was completed by members of the U.S. Geological Survey and Afghan Geological Survey (Peters andAuthorsBrittany N. Casey, Peter G. ChiricoPreventing the trade of conflict diamonds and supporting artisanal mining
Because of this association between the richness of a deposit and its geomorphology, high-resolution DEMs are a critical dataset in developing alluvial geomorphic models of the deposit zones.AuthorsPeter G. Chirico, Katherine C. MalpeliLate Pleistocene and Holocene uplift history of Cyprus: implications for active tectonics along the southern margin of the Anatolian microplate
The nature of the southern margin of the Anatolian microplate during the Neogene is complex, controversial and fundamental in understanding active plate-margin tectonics and natural hazards in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Our investigation provides new insights into the Late Pleistocene uplift history of Cyprus and the Troodos Ophiolite. We provide isotopic (14C) and radiogenic (luminescence)AuthorsR. W. Harrison, E. Tsiolakis, B. D. Stone, A. Lord, J. P. McGeehin, S. A. Mahan, P. ChiricoNon-USGS Publications**
Chirico, P.G., 1997, GIS--The bedrock of geologic mapping: Geo Info Systems, v. 7, no. 10, p. 26-31.**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.
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