THE USGS EARTH MAPPING RESOURCES INITIATIVE (EARTH MRI): A PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS TO BETTER DEFINE THE NATION’S CRITICAL MINERAL RESOURCES

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is a partnership with the State Geological Surveys through the Association of American State Geologists (AASG). The goal of Earth MRI is to improve our knowledge of the geologic framework for areas having a potential to host undiscovered resources of vitally needed critical minerals. Earth MRI is taking a mineral systems approach to evaluate areas for deposit types that likely contain one or more critical mineral commodities as primary or co- and by-products, allowing for a more efficient evaluation of large regions of the Nation.

The first phase of Earth MRI concentrated on areas across the country with potential for hosting undiscovered rare earth element (REE)-bearing mineral systems. For the central and eastern regions of the U.S., northern Arkansas was selected for a new airborne magnetic and radiometric survey and accompanying geologic mapping by the Arkansas Geological Survey over areas with known REE-enriched phosphate sedimentary units. The Hicks Dome ultramafic intrusion and adjacent Illinois-Kentucky-Indiana fluorspar district also are the focus of a new USGS-designed airborne survey and geologic mapping by the Illinois and Kentucky Geological Surveys. Regolith-hosted REE deposit types are the focus of new mapping by the Maryland and Alabama Geological Surveys. South Carolina is the focus of two new airborne surveys and a geologic mapping effort by the South Carolina Geological Survey to highlight titanium-REE-zircon-bearing paleoplacer deposits. Virginia and North Carolina are conducting mapping campaigns for similar paleoplacer deposits having a potential to contain critical minerals. State Geological Surveys are being supported to make archived critical mineral data and drill core information publicly available online and participate in workshops with the USGS to define areas for future framework geoscience research and mapping efforts related to critical minerals. The vision is that through time our collaborative efforts will yield a new generation of data to better understand the location, economic potential, and genesis of critical mineral deposits to address the Nation’s need for information on critical mineral resources fundamental to the security of our economy and national defense.