DOES MICHIGAN HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SUPPORT THE NATIONAL NEED FOR ESSENTIAL CRITICAL MINERALS?

The Michigan Geological Survey (MGS) was fortunate to have received the first annual funding in over 30 years at a time when the United State through a 2018 Presidential Critical Minerals mandate. The United States needs to know if our country has the ability to have the minerals to support the national emphasis on green power and infrastructure, when the nation has not looked for minerals for tens of years? The Critical Minerals Mandate of 2018 triggered a nationwide evaluation of critical mineral potential including in the Precambrian/Archean terranes of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. With the support of the USGS, the DOE, Michigan Technological University, MGS and industry, we have identified reports and data that can quantify if Michigan has the potential for supporting the need for Critical Minerals in the United States. Michigan’s Precambrian geology has recently produced nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, gold and other minerals, using geologic data and limited geophysical data. Michigan and other Federal agencies have not been able to conduct detailed geophysical surveys of the Upper Peninsula for over 40 years and as a result there is very limited public data to assist in mapping much of the area covered by thin glacial sediments in the West and Paleozoic sediments in the East. Working with all those noted above, MGS has identified local areas of the Upper Peninsula that may have a potential for selective critical minerals including tellurium, bismuth, rare earths, copper, zinc, and graphite, with University, private industry and other entities, MGS will prepare the databases and present areas having the potential for these mineral products.