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
Filter Total Items: 20
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Balkhab: Points (2018) Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Balkhab: Points (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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Nuristan: Points (2017 to 2018) Inventory 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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Doshi-Shibar: Points (2018) Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Doshi-Shibar: Points (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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Panjshir Valley: Points (2017) Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Panjshir Valley: 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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Takhar: Points (2017 to 2018) 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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Badahkshan: Points (2017 to 2018) Inventory 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...
Filter Total Items: 23
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 71
Topographic and Hydrographic GIS Datasets for the Afghanistan Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey 2014 Mineral Areas of Interest Topographic and Hydrographic GIS Datasets for the Afghanistan Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey 2014 Mineral Areas of Interest
Mineral extraction and associated industries play an important role in the Afghan economy, particularly in the “transitional era” of declining foreign aid and withdrawal of foreign troops post 2014. In addition to providing a substantial source of government revenue, other potential benefits of natural resource development include boosted exports, employment opportunities, and...
Authors
Jessica D. DeWitt, Peter G. Chirico, Katherine C. Malpeli
Testing a small UAS for mapping artisanal diamond mining sites in Africa 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...
Authors
Katherine C. Malpeli, Peter G. Chirico
A sub-national scale geospatial analysis of diamond deposit lootability: the case of the Central African Republic A 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...
Authors
Katherine C. Malpeli, Peter G. Chirico
The role of conflict minerals, artisanal mining, and informal trading networks in African intrastate and regional conflicts The 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...
Authors
Peter G. Chirico, Katherine C. Malpeli
A methodological toolkit for field assessments of artisanally mined alluvial diamond deposits A 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...
Authors
Peter G. Chirico, Katherine C. Malpeli
Conflict diamonds as an example of natural resource conflict Conflict diamonds as an example of natural resource conflict
No abstract available.
Authors
Peter G. Chirico, Katherine C. Malpeli
Non-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.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 20
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Balkhab: Points (2018) Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Balkhab: Points (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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Nuristan: Points (2017 to 2018) Inventory 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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Doshi-Shibar: Points (2018) Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Doshi-Shibar: Points (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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Panjshir Valley: Points (2017) Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Panjshir Valley: 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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Takhar: Points (2017 to 2018) 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...
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Badahkshan: Points (2017 to 2018) Inventory 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...
Filter Total Items: 23
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 71
Topographic and Hydrographic GIS Datasets for the Afghanistan Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey 2014 Mineral Areas of Interest Topographic and Hydrographic GIS Datasets for the Afghanistan Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey 2014 Mineral Areas of Interest
Mineral extraction and associated industries play an important role in the Afghan economy, particularly in the “transitional era” of declining foreign aid and withdrawal of foreign troops post 2014. In addition to providing a substantial source of government revenue, other potential benefits of natural resource development include boosted exports, employment opportunities, and...
Authors
Jessica D. DeWitt, Peter G. Chirico, Katherine C. Malpeli
Testing a small UAS for mapping artisanal diamond mining sites in Africa 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...
Authors
Katherine C. Malpeli, Peter G. Chirico
A sub-national scale geospatial analysis of diamond deposit lootability: the case of the Central African Republic A 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...
Authors
Katherine C. Malpeli, Peter G. Chirico
The role of conflict minerals, artisanal mining, and informal trading networks in African intrastate and regional conflicts The 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...
Authors
Peter G. Chirico, Katherine C. Malpeli
A methodological toolkit for field assessments of artisanally mined alluvial diamond deposits A 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...
Authors
Peter G. Chirico, Katherine C. Malpeli
Conflict diamonds as an example of natural resource conflict Conflict diamonds as an example of natural resource conflict
No abstract available.
Authors
Peter G. Chirico, Katherine C. Malpeli
Non-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.