GEOCHEMISTRY AT THE NORTH CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: FROM CRITICAL MINERALS TO SOLVING MURDERS

The North Carolina Geological Survey (NCGS) serves the state’s residents through a variety of current and former geochemistry projects. For example, NCGS scientists utilized the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program data, resulting in over 30 NC-specific publications. The NURE data provided a springboard for future geochemical data collection to examine naturally occurring contaminants and the resulting NCGS products served as a foundation for projects by outside agencies.

Another important project involves the location and characterization of critical mineral deposits, which are vital to the United States’ economy and national security but have supply chains that are vulnerable to disruption. NCGS scientists have previously explored an important deposit of the critical mineral, tungsten, through collaborations with outside researchers. More recently, NCGS scientists have been mapping NC-based critical mineral deposits as part of the United States Geological Survey’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) and are prioritizing geochemistry moving forward. Using geochemistry, NCGS scientists will be better able to characterize potential critical mineral deposits in soils, sediments, and weathered rock across the state.

NCGS staff have also used geochemistry to aid law enforcement in solving and prosecuting murder cases helping to ensure potentially significant evidence did not go unanalyzed. By examining geologic materials on shoes, cars, etc., NCGS scientists determined the potential for physical links between a suspect and a crime scene and provided expert witness testimony when needed.

With increased staffing, the NCGS could implement additional geochemistry projects and interagency collaborations. Potential significant projects include expanded work on critical mineral deposit characterization, especially NC’s significant lithium resources; database creation to ensure data preservation and public access; the examination of naturally occurring contaminants, including radon and arsenic in groundwater; and increased use of geochemistry in ongoing NCGS mapping projects. Increased staffing could also revive the forensic geology program, which has been dormant since 2016, ensuring the NC law enforcement community has access to this valuable resource.