William Benzel
William Benzel is a Scientist Emeritus (Physical Scientist) with the Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center.
My graduate work focused on geologic membranes trying to understand fluid flow in basins and evaluate methods to isolate hazardous materials, such as nuclear wastes injected in deep wells. While working in the oil industry, I continued my studies in fluid flow through geologic materials working on methods to improve oil production. I moved on to work in the mining industry, supporting efforts to locate and process gold ore as well as studying world-wide talc deposits for hazardous contaminants. Since joining the USGS, I support two Teams (GGGSC and CERSC) providing mineralogy and material characterization. My research efforts are focused on improving quantitative mineralogy by combining and rectifying X-ray diffraction scans with chemical data sets.
Professional Experience
2024-present - Scientist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
2008-2024 - Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, X-ray Specialist
2000-2008 - Consultant, providing geochemical interpretations of laboratory data: including x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence and transmission/scanning electron microscopy as well as other test results
1986-Present - Qualified Inspector (QI082) State of Colorado, Department of Health, Radiation Control Division; specializing in industrial x-ray and radiography audits for compliance with Colorado Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Radiation Control
1990-2000 - Senior Geologist, Analytical Resources Department, Petroleum Technology Center, Marathon Oil Company, Littleton, CO
1990-2000 - Inorganic Geochemistry Program - designs and directs all studies of inorganic materials among Geology/Engineering/Refining Groups. Specialty areas include whole rock and clay mineralogy, catalysts, corrosion scale/deposits, crude oil characterization and sulfur in fuels. Chairman Radiation Protection Committee
1983-1990 - Research Geologist, Instrumental Analysis Section, Denver Research Center, Marathon Oil Company, Littleton, CO
1982-1983 - Geologist, Instrumental Analysis Section, Denver Research Center, Marathon Oil Company, Littleton, CO
1978-1982 - Geochemistry Research Assistant, Department of Geology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
1976-1978 - Chemistry Research Assistant, Illinois State Geological Survey, Physical Chemistry Section, Champaign, IL
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Department of Geology, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, 1982
M.S., Department of Geology, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, 1978
A.B., Geology and Chemistry double major, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, 1975
North Haven High School, North Haven, Connecticut, 1971
Science and Products
Sources, Forms, Extractability of Metals in Non-Ore Deposit Sources
This project explored potential recovery and environmental consequences of metals in mining and mineral processing wastes as a function of ore deposit geology, and in debris from demolished or burned buildings.
Filter Total Items: 20
Protein Phosphatase 2A screening of extracted sediments for samples collected for the Sediment-Bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response Strategy pilot study, northeastern United States, 2015
Coastal communities are uniquely vulnerable to sea-level rise and severe storms such as hurricanes. These events enhance the dispersion and concentration of natural and anthropogenic chemicals and pathogenic microorganisms that could adversely affect the health and resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems in subsequent years. The U.S. Geological Survey has developed the Sediment...
Volcanic ash geochemistry and leachate analyses from the 2008 opening of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi
On March 19, 2008, an explosive eruption occurred at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano for the first time since 1924. This event marked the beginning of a continuous summit eruption that lasted until the 2018 Kīlauea lower East Rift Zone eruption (Neal and others, 2019). The March 19 explosive eruption excavated a crater approximately 35 meters wide and scattered volcanic tephra over a 30...
Semiquantitative mineralogy results from powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of mineral scales from The Geysers geothermal field, California, USA
This data release provides semiquantitative mineralogy results from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of mineral scales from The Geysers vapor-dominated geothermal field in California. The mineral species and their abundances are reported in weight percent and values have been normalized to total 100 percent for each sample. The X-ray diffraction results show that the mineral samples from...
Geochemical Analysis of Bulk Dust and Human Respiratory Cells and Fluids in Research on Deployment-related Lung Injury
Multiple techniques including, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, laser diffraction particle analysis, and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry, were used to characterize the morphology and composition of dust used for biological studies as well as lung tissue from rats, personnel deployed to Southwest Asia, and control samples. The data presented in this release are...
Geochemical and mineralogical data for mine waste from Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, Lake County, California
This data release presents geochemical and mineralogical data from mine waste at Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM). This work is performed in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to characterize sources of contamination at the SBMM cleanup site. A total of 23 samples were collected: 15 samples were collected by USGS from various waste piles (14 composites from the...
Geochemical and mineralogic investigation of elevated arsenic and trace element concentrations in glauconitic soils and sediments of the New Jersey Inner Coastal Plain
The U.S. Geological Survey New Jersey Water Science Center (USGS NJWSC) in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has assembled this data release in support of ongoing USGS and NJDEP evaluations related to the occurrence and distribution of elevated trace elements, particularly arsenic (As) and vanadium (V), in Inner Coastal Plain soils and...
Grain size, mineralogic, and trace-element data from field samples near Hinkley, California
This data release is part of a study examining the occurrence of chromium and natural and anthropogenic hexavalent Chromium, Cr(VI) in groundwater. Data will be used to estimate naturally-occurring background Cr(VI) concentrations upgradient, near the plume margins, and downgradient from a mapped Cr(VI) contamination plume near Hinkley, CA (Izbicki and Groover, 2016). The data release...
Spectroscopy of Expanded Vermiculite Products and Insulation
This dataset contains descriptions and analytical data (i.e., electron microprobe, X-ray diffraction, spectral reflectance, and scanning electron microprobe analyses) for unexpanded and expanded vermiculite samples. These data are provided for 52 samples of vermiculite attic insulation, horticultural products, aggregate, and packing materials derived from mines near Enoree, South...
Mineralogical and Chemical Data for Heavy-Mineral Concentrate Samples Collected in the Taylor Mountains Quadrangle, Alaska, 2004-2008
Data for 819 pan concentrated stream-sediment samples, nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate (HMC) samples, and chemical data for 93 of HMC samples is presented in data file geology_mineralogy_geochemistry_TaylorMtns_Alaska_Wang.csv. The samples were collected in 2004-2008 as part of a reconnaissance geochemical geological survey of drainage basins mostly in the Taylor Mountains 1:250...
Mineralogical analyses of drill core samples from the Canyon uranium-copper deposit, a solution-collapse breccia pipe, Grand Canyon area, Coconino County, Arizona, USA
This data release compiles the X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy analyses of drill core samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey that were selected to typify the uranium-copper ore bodies of the Canyon deposit. The deposit is hosted by a solution-collapse breccia pipe, in which mineralization exists from about 650 to 2,100 ft (200 to 640 m) below the surface (Mathisen and...
Geochemical and mineralogical analyses of uranium ores from the Hack II and Pigeon deposits, solution-collapse breccia pipes, Grand Canyon region, Mohave and Coconino Counties, Arizona, USA
This data release compiles the whole-rock geochemistry, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy analyses of samples collected from the uranium ore bodies of two mined-out deposits in the Grand Canyon region of northwestern Arizona - the Hack II and Pigeon deposits. The samples are grab samples of ore collected underground at each mine by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) during the...
Geochemical and X-ray diffraction analyses of drill core samples from the Canyon uranium-copper deposit, a solution-collapse breccia pipe, Grand Canyon area, Coconino County, Arizona
This data release compiles the major and trace element analytical results of drill core samples that typify the uranium-copper ore bodies of the Canyon deposit, located about 6.1 miles (10 km) south-southeast of Tusayan, Arizona. The Canyon deposit lies from about 750 to 2,000 ft (230 to 610 m) below the surface at latitude 35.88333 North, longitude -112.09583 West (datum WGS 1984)...
Filter Total Items: 27
Solution-collapse breccia pipe uranium deposits of the southern Colorado Plateau, northwestern Arizona, USA
Some of the highest-grade uranium deposits in the United States occur in breccia pipes that formed by solution and collapse of sedimentary strata, which occur in the southern portion of the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona. The host breccia pipes are up to 1200 m in vertical extent, average about 90 m in diameter, and can cross-cut strata from their base in the Mississippian...
Authors
Bradley S. Van Gosen, Susan M. Hall, Craig A. Johnson, William Benzel
Chromium in minerals and selected aquifer materials
Between 1952 and 1964, hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), was released into groundwater from a Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) compressor station in Hinkley, California, in the western Mojave Desert 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. In 2015, the extent of anthropogenic Cr(VI) in groundwater in Hinkley and Water Valleys was uncertain, but some Cr(VI) in groundwater may be...
Authors
Krishangi D. Groover, John A. Izbicki, William Benzel, Jean Morrison, Andrea L. Foster
The dynamic floor of Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, USA: The last 14 k.y. of hydrothermal explosions, venting, doming, and faulting
Hydrothermal explosions are significant potential hazards in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. The northern Yellowstone Lake area hosts the three largest hydrothermal explosion craters known on Earth empowered by the highest heat flow values in Yellowstone and active seismicity and deformation. Geological and geochemical studies of eighteen sublacustrine cores provide the first...
Authors
Lisa Ann Morgan Morzel, Wayne (Pat) Shanks, Kenneth L. Pierce, Nels A. Iverson, Christopher Schiller, Sabrina Brown, Petra Zahajska, Rosine Cartier, Ron Cash, James Best, Cathy Whitlock, Sherilyn Fritz, William Benzel, Heather A. Lowers, D. A. Lovalvo, Joseph M. Licciardi
The presence of antibiotic resistance genes in coastal soil and sediment samples from the eastern seaboard of the USA
Infections from antibiotic resistant microorganisms are considered to be one of the greatest global public health challenges that result in huge annual economic losses. While genes that impart resistance to antibiotics (AbR) existed long before the discovery and use of antibiotics, anthropogenic uses of antibiotics in agriculture, domesticated animals, and humans are known to influence...
Authors
Dale Griffin, William Benzel, Shawn C. Fisher, Michael J. Focazio, Luke Iwanowicz, Keith Loftin, Timothy J. Reilly, Daniel K. Jones
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Utah Water Science Center
Characterizing the source of potentially asbestos-bearing commercial vermiculite insulation using in situ IR spectroscopy
Commercially produced vermiculite insulation from Libby, Montana, contains trace levels of asbestiform amphibole, which is known to cause asbestos-related diseases. When vermiculite insulation is found in a building, evaluation for its potential asbestos content traditionally involves collecting a sample from an attic or wall and submitting it for time-consuming analyses at an off-site...
Authors
Gregg A. Swayze, Heather A. Lowers, William Benzel, Roger N. Clark, Rhonda L. Driscoll, Zac S. Perlman, Todd M. Hoefen, M. Darby Dyar
Documenting mudstone heterogeneity by use of principal component analysis of X-ray diffraction and portable X-ray fluorescence data: A case study in the Triassic Shublik Formation, Alaska North Slope
Determining the chemical and mineralogical variability within fine-grained mudrocks poses analytical challenges but is potentially useful for documenting subtle stratigraphic differences in physicochemical environments that may influence petroleum reservoir properties and behavior. In this study, we investigate the utility of combining principal component analysis (PCA) of X-ray...
Authors
Adam Boehlke, Katherine J. Whidden, William Benzel
Modifications to EPA Method 3060A to Improve Extraction of Cr(VI) from Chromium Ore Processing Residue-Contaminated Soils
It has been shown that EPA Method 3060A does not adequately extract Cr(VI) from chromium ore processing residue (COPR). We modified various parameters of EPA 3060A toward understanding the transformation of COPR minerals in the alkaline extraction and improving extraction of Cr(VI) from NIST SRM 2701, a standard COPR-contaminated soil. Aluminum and Si were the major elements dissolved...
Authors
Christopher T. Mills, Carleton R. Bern, Ruth E. Wolf, Andrea L. Foster, Jean Morrison, William Benzel
Rare earth mineral potential in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain from integrated geophysical, geochemical, and geological approaches
We combined geophysical, geochemical, mineralogical, and geological data to evaluate the regional presence of rare earth element (REE)−bearing minerals in heavy mineral sand deposits of the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain. We also analyzed regional differences in these data to determine probable sedimentary provenance. Analyses of heavy mineral separates covering the region show strong...
Authors
Anjana K. Shah, Carleton R. Bern, Bradley S. Van Gosen, David L. Daniels, William Benzel, James R. Budahn, Karl J. Ellefsen, Adam T. Karst, Richard Davis
USGS Spectral Library Version 7
We have assembled a library of spectra measured with laboratory, field, and airborne spectrometers. The instruments used cover wavelengths from the ultraviolet to the far infrared (0.2 to 200 microns [μm]). Laboratory samples of specific minerals, plants, chemical compounds, and manmade materials were measured. In many cases, samples were purified, so that unique spectral features of a...
Authors
Raymond F. Kokaly, Roger N. Clark, Gregg A. Swayze, Keith E. Livo, Todd M. Hoefen, Neil C. Pearson, Richard K. Wise, William Benzel, Heather A. Lowers, Rhonda L. Driscoll, Anna J. Klein
Environmental implications of the use of sulfidic back-bay sediments for dune reconstruction — Lessons learned post Hurricane Sandy
Some barrier-island dunes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy's storm surges in October 2012 have been reconstructed using sediments dredged from back bays. These sand-, clay-, and iron sulfide-rich sediments were used to make berm-like cores for the reconstructed dunes, which were then covered by beach sand. In November 2013, we sampled and analyzed partially weathered materials...
Authors
Geoffrey S. Plumlee, William Benzel, Todd M. Hoefen, Philip L. Hageman, Suzette A. Morman, Timothy J. Reilly, Monique Adams, Cyrus J. Berry, Jeffrey Fischer, Irene J. Fisher
Discovery of alunite in Cross crater, Terra Sirenum, Mars: Evidence for acidic, sulfurous waters
Cross crater is a 65 km impact crater, located in the Noachian highlands of the Terra Sirenum region of Mars (30°S, 158°W), which hosts aluminum phyllosilicate deposits first detected by the Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, L’Eau, les Glaces et l’Activitié (OMEGA) imaging spectrometer on Mars Express. Using high-resolution data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, we examine Cross...
Authors
Bethany L. Ehlmann, Gregg A. Swayze, Ralph E. Milliken, John F. Mustard, Roger N. Clark, Scott L. Murchie, George N. Breit, James R. Wray, Brigitte Gondet, Francois Poulet, John Carter, Wendy M. Calvin, William Benzel, Kimberly D. Seelos
The distribution and composition of REE-bearing minerals in placers of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, USA
Rare earth element (REE) resources are currently of great interest because of their importance as raw materials for high-technology manufacturing. The REE-phosphates monazite (light REE enriched) and xenotime (heavy REE enriched) resist weathering and can accumulate in placer deposits as part of the heavy mineral assemblage. The Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains of the southeastern United...
Authors
Carleton R. Bern, Anjana K. Shah, William Benzel, Heather A. Lowers
Non-USGS Publications**
Benzel, William M., and Graf, Donald L., 1984, Studies of Smectite Membrane Behavior: Importance of Layer Thickness and Fabric in Experiments at 20°C: Geochimica et Comoshimica Acta, 48 (9), pp. 1769-1778, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(84)90031-0.
**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
Sources, Forms, Extractability of Metals in Non-Ore Deposit Sources
This project explored potential recovery and environmental consequences of metals in mining and mineral processing wastes as a function of ore deposit geology, and in debris from demolished or burned buildings.
Filter Total Items: 20
Protein Phosphatase 2A screening of extracted sediments for samples collected for the Sediment-Bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response Strategy pilot study, northeastern United States, 2015
Coastal communities are uniquely vulnerable to sea-level rise and severe storms such as hurricanes. These events enhance the dispersion and concentration of natural and anthropogenic chemicals and pathogenic microorganisms that could adversely affect the health and resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems in subsequent years. The U.S. Geological Survey has developed the Sediment...
Volcanic ash geochemistry and leachate analyses from the 2008 opening of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi
On March 19, 2008, an explosive eruption occurred at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano for the first time since 1924. This event marked the beginning of a continuous summit eruption that lasted until the 2018 Kīlauea lower East Rift Zone eruption (Neal and others, 2019). The March 19 explosive eruption excavated a crater approximately 35 meters wide and scattered volcanic tephra over a 30...
Semiquantitative mineralogy results from powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of mineral scales from The Geysers geothermal field, California, USA
This data release provides semiquantitative mineralogy results from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of mineral scales from The Geysers vapor-dominated geothermal field in California. The mineral species and their abundances are reported in weight percent and values have been normalized to total 100 percent for each sample. The X-ray diffraction results show that the mineral samples from...
Geochemical Analysis of Bulk Dust and Human Respiratory Cells and Fluids in Research on Deployment-related Lung Injury
Multiple techniques including, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, laser diffraction particle analysis, and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry, were used to characterize the morphology and composition of dust used for biological studies as well as lung tissue from rats, personnel deployed to Southwest Asia, and control samples. The data presented in this release are...
Geochemical and mineralogical data for mine waste from Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, Lake County, California
This data release presents geochemical and mineralogical data from mine waste at Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM). This work is performed in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to characterize sources of contamination at the SBMM cleanup site. A total of 23 samples were collected: 15 samples were collected by USGS from various waste piles (14 composites from the...
Geochemical and mineralogic investigation of elevated arsenic and trace element concentrations in glauconitic soils and sediments of the New Jersey Inner Coastal Plain
The U.S. Geological Survey New Jersey Water Science Center (USGS NJWSC) in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has assembled this data release in support of ongoing USGS and NJDEP evaluations related to the occurrence and distribution of elevated trace elements, particularly arsenic (As) and vanadium (V), in Inner Coastal Plain soils and...
Grain size, mineralogic, and trace-element data from field samples near Hinkley, California
This data release is part of a study examining the occurrence of chromium and natural and anthropogenic hexavalent Chromium, Cr(VI) in groundwater. Data will be used to estimate naturally-occurring background Cr(VI) concentrations upgradient, near the plume margins, and downgradient from a mapped Cr(VI) contamination plume near Hinkley, CA (Izbicki and Groover, 2016). The data release...
Spectroscopy of Expanded Vermiculite Products and Insulation
This dataset contains descriptions and analytical data (i.e., electron microprobe, X-ray diffraction, spectral reflectance, and scanning electron microprobe analyses) for unexpanded and expanded vermiculite samples. These data are provided for 52 samples of vermiculite attic insulation, horticultural products, aggregate, and packing materials derived from mines near Enoree, South...
Mineralogical and Chemical Data for Heavy-Mineral Concentrate Samples Collected in the Taylor Mountains Quadrangle, Alaska, 2004-2008
Data for 819 pan concentrated stream-sediment samples, nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate (HMC) samples, and chemical data for 93 of HMC samples is presented in data file geology_mineralogy_geochemistry_TaylorMtns_Alaska_Wang.csv. The samples were collected in 2004-2008 as part of a reconnaissance geochemical geological survey of drainage basins mostly in the Taylor Mountains 1:250...
Mineralogical analyses of drill core samples from the Canyon uranium-copper deposit, a solution-collapse breccia pipe, Grand Canyon area, Coconino County, Arizona, USA
This data release compiles the X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy analyses of drill core samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey that were selected to typify the uranium-copper ore bodies of the Canyon deposit. The deposit is hosted by a solution-collapse breccia pipe, in which mineralization exists from about 650 to 2,100 ft (200 to 640 m) below the surface (Mathisen and...
Geochemical and mineralogical analyses of uranium ores from the Hack II and Pigeon deposits, solution-collapse breccia pipes, Grand Canyon region, Mohave and Coconino Counties, Arizona, USA
This data release compiles the whole-rock geochemistry, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy analyses of samples collected from the uranium ore bodies of two mined-out deposits in the Grand Canyon region of northwestern Arizona - the Hack II and Pigeon deposits. The samples are grab samples of ore collected underground at each mine by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) during the...
Geochemical and X-ray diffraction analyses of drill core samples from the Canyon uranium-copper deposit, a solution-collapse breccia pipe, Grand Canyon area, Coconino County, Arizona
This data release compiles the major and trace element analytical results of drill core samples that typify the uranium-copper ore bodies of the Canyon deposit, located about 6.1 miles (10 km) south-southeast of Tusayan, Arizona. The Canyon deposit lies from about 750 to 2,000 ft (230 to 610 m) below the surface at latitude 35.88333 North, longitude -112.09583 West (datum WGS 1984)...
Filter Total Items: 27
Solution-collapse breccia pipe uranium deposits of the southern Colorado Plateau, northwestern Arizona, USA
Some of the highest-grade uranium deposits in the United States occur in breccia pipes that formed by solution and collapse of sedimentary strata, which occur in the southern portion of the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona. The host breccia pipes are up to 1200 m in vertical extent, average about 90 m in diameter, and can cross-cut strata from their base in the Mississippian...
Authors
Bradley S. Van Gosen, Susan M. Hall, Craig A. Johnson, William Benzel
Chromium in minerals and selected aquifer materials
Between 1952 and 1964, hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), was released into groundwater from a Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) compressor station in Hinkley, California, in the western Mojave Desert 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. In 2015, the extent of anthropogenic Cr(VI) in groundwater in Hinkley and Water Valleys was uncertain, but some Cr(VI) in groundwater may be...
Authors
Krishangi D. Groover, John A. Izbicki, William Benzel, Jean Morrison, Andrea L. Foster
The dynamic floor of Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, USA: The last 14 k.y. of hydrothermal explosions, venting, doming, and faulting
Hydrothermal explosions are significant potential hazards in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. The northern Yellowstone Lake area hosts the three largest hydrothermal explosion craters known on Earth empowered by the highest heat flow values in Yellowstone and active seismicity and deformation. Geological and geochemical studies of eighteen sublacustrine cores provide the first...
Authors
Lisa Ann Morgan Morzel, Wayne (Pat) Shanks, Kenneth L. Pierce, Nels A. Iverson, Christopher Schiller, Sabrina Brown, Petra Zahajska, Rosine Cartier, Ron Cash, James Best, Cathy Whitlock, Sherilyn Fritz, William Benzel, Heather A. Lowers, D. A. Lovalvo, Joseph M. Licciardi
The presence of antibiotic resistance genes in coastal soil and sediment samples from the eastern seaboard of the USA
Infections from antibiotic resistant microorganisms are considered to be one of the greatest global public health challenges that result in huge annual economic losses. While genes that impart resistance to antibiotics (AbR) existed long before the discovery and use of antibiotics, anthropogenic uses of antibiotics in agriculture, domesticated animals, and humans are known to influence...
Authors
Dale Griffin, William Benzel, Shawn C. Fisher, Michael J. Focazio, Luke Iwanowicz, Keith Loftin, Timothy J. Reilly, Daniel K. Jones
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Utah Water Science Center
Characterizing the source of potentially asbestos-bearing commercial vermiculite insulation using in situ IR spectroscopy
Commercially produced vermiculite insulation from Libby, Montana, contains trace levels of asbestiform amphibole, which is known to cause asbestos-related diseases. When vermiculite insulation is found in a building, evaluation for its potential asbestos content traditionally involves collecting a sample from an attic or wall and submitting it for time-consuming analyses at an off-site...
Authors
Gregg A. Swayze, Heather A. Lowers, William Benzel, Roger N. Clark, Rhonda L. Driscoll, Zac S. Perlman, Todd M. Hoefen, M. Darby Dyar
Documenting mudstone heterogeneity by use of principal component analysis of X-ray diffraction and portable X-ray fluorescence data: A case study in the Triassic Shublik Formation, Alaska North Slope
Determining the chemical and mineralogical variability within fine-grained mudrocks poses analytical challenges but is potentially useful for documenting subtle stratigraphic differences in physicochemical environments that may influence petroleum reservoir properties and behavior. In this study, we investigate the utility of combining principal component analysis (PCA) of X-ray...
Authors
Adam Boehlke, Katherine J. Whidden, William Benzel
Modifications to EPA Method 3060A to Improve Extraction of Cr(VI) from Chromium Ore Processing Residue-Contaminated Soils
It has been shown that EPA Method 3060A does not adequately extract Cr(VI) from chromium ore processing residue (COPR). We modified various parameters of EPA 3060A toward understanding the transformation of COPR minerals in the alkaline extraction and improving extraction of Cr(VI) from NIST SRM 2701, a standard COPR-contaminated soil. Aluminum and Si were the major elements dissolved...
Authors
Christopher T. Mills, Carleton R. Bern, Ruth E. Wolf, Andrea L. Foster, Jean Morrison, William Benzel
Rare earth mineral potential in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain from integrated geophysical, geochemical, and geological approaches
We combined geophysical, geochemical, mineralogical, and geological data to evaluate the regional presence of rare earth element (REE)−bearing minerals in heavy mineral sand deposits of the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain. We also analyzed regional differences in these data to determine probable sedimentary provenance. Analyses of heavy mineral separates covering the region show strong...
Authors
Anjana K. Shah, Carleton R. Bern, Bradley S. Van Gosen, David L. Daniels, William Benzel, James R. Budahn, Karl J. Ellefsen, Adam T. Karst, Richard Davis
USGS Spectral Library Version 7
We have assembled a library of spectra measured with laboratory, field, and airborne spectrometers. The instruments used cover wavelengths from the ultraviolet to the far infrared (0.2 to 200 microns [μm]). Laboratory samples of specific minerals, plants, chemical compounds, and manmade materials were measured. In many cases, samples were purified, so that unique spectral features of a...
Authors
Raymond F. Kokaly, Roger N. Clark, Gregg A. Swayze, Keith E. Livo, Todd M. Hoefen, Neil C. Pearson, Richard K. Wise, William Benzel, Heather A. Lowers, Rhonda L. Driscoll, Anna J. Klein
Environmental implications of the use of sulfidic back-bay sediments for dune reconstruction — Lessons learned post Hurricane Sandy
Some barrier-island dunes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy's storm surges in October 2012 have been reconstructed using sediments dredged from back bays. These sand-, clay-, and iron sulfide-rich sediments were used to make berm-like cores for the reconstructed dunes, which were then covered by beach sand. In November 2013, we sampled and analyzed partially weathered materials...
Authors
Geoffrey S. Plumlee, William Benzel, Todd M. Hoefen, Philip L. Hageman, Suzette A. Morman, Timothy J. Reilly, Monique Adams, Cyrus J. Berry, Jeffrey Fischer, Irene J. Fisher
Discovery of alunite in Cross crater, Terra Sirenum, Mars: Evidence for acidic, sulfurous waters
Cross crater is a 65 km impact crater, located in the Noachian highlands of the Terra Sirenum region of Mars (30°S, 158°W), which hosts aluminum phyllosilicate deposits first detected by the Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, L’Eau, les Glaces et l’Activitié (OMEGA) imaging spectrometer on Mars Express. Using high-resolution data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, we examine Cross...
Authors
Bethany L. Ehlmann, Gregg A. Swayze, Ralph E. Milliken, John F. Mustard, Roger N. Clark, Scott L. Murchie, George N. Breit, James R. Wray, Brigitte Gondet, Francois Poulet, John Carter, Wendy M. Calvin, William Benzel, Kimberly D. Seelos
The distribution and composition of REE-bearing minerals in placers of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, USA
Rare earth element (REE) resources are currently of great interest because of their importance as raw materials for high-technology manufacturing. The REE-phosphates monazite (light REE enriched) and xenotime (heavy REE enriched) resist weathering and can accumulate in placer deposits as part of the heavy mineral assemblage. The Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains of the southeastern United...
Authors
Carleton R. Bern, Anjana K. Shah, William Benzel, Heather A. Lowers
Non-USGS Publications**
Benzel, William M., and Graf, Donald L., 1984, Studies of Smectite Membrane Behavior: Importance of Layer Thickness and Fabric in Experiments at 20°C: Geochimica et Comoshimica Acta, 48 (9), pp. 1769-1778, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(84)90031-0.
**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.