Searching for Critical Minerals at the Colorado-Wyoming Border
“Thanks to years of close collaboration between the USGS, Colorado Geological Survey and Wyoming State Geological Survey, the resulting geophysical survey will provide geoscientists an unparalleled dataset in a region with promising critical and precious mineral potential,” said Erin Campbell, Wyoming State Geologist and director of the Wyoming State Geological Survey. “The dataset will also be invaluable for soil scientists and will integrate with studies aimed at understanding effects of fire at the shallow subsurface.”
The study will be funded and conducted through the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI), a partnership between the USGS and state geological surveys to modernize understanding of the nation’s fundamental geologic framework through new mapping and data collection. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law accelerates Earth MRI with additional funding over five years, with a focus on understanding domestic critical-mineral resources both still in the ground and in mine wastes. The new data and mapping will also inform planning for infrastructure and natural hazards such as earthquakes and management of energy- and water resources.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is advancing scientific innovation through a $510.7 million investment for the USGS to better map the Nation’s mineral resources both still in the ground and in mine wastes, to preserve historical geologic data and samples, and to construct a USGS energy and minerals research center in partnership with the Colorado School of Mines. Earlier this year, the USGS announced $74 million in mapping of critical minerals through the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative.
These airborne geophysical surveys will collect a combination of magnetic and radiometric data. These data can be used to map rocks from just beneath trees and grass to several miles underground. Magnetic data can be used to identify ancient faults, magma bodies and other geologic features. The radiometric data indicate the relative amounts of potassium, uranium and thorium in shallow rocks and soil. Scientists use this information to help map rocks that may contain mineral deposits, faults that may rupture during an earthquake, areas that may be prone to increased radon, and areas likely to contain groundwater- or energy resources.
The initial airborne geophysical survey will be followed by additional investments including new geologic maps, topographic surveys, geochemical sampling and other techniques to study the chemistry of mine wastes and surrounding lands.
The survey will look at the following critical-mineral commodities along the Colorado-Wyoming border:
- Antimony, used in batteries and flame retardants
- Arsenic, used in lumber preservatives, pesticides, and semi-conductors
- Beryllium, used as an alloying agent in aerospace and defense industries
- Bismuth, used in medical and atomic research
- Chromium, used primarily in stainless steel and other alloys
- Cobalt, used in rechargeable batteries and superalloys
- Fluorspar, used in the manufacture of aluminum, gasoline, and uranium fuel
- Gallium, used for integrated circuits and optical devices like LEDs
- Germanium, used for fiber optics and night vision applications
- Indium, mostly used in LCD screens
- Magnesium, used in furnace linings for manufacturing steel and ceramics
- Manganese, used in steelmaking
- Nickel: used for special alloys, stainless steel, and high-temperature applications
- Niobium, used mostly in steel alloys
- Platinum group metals, used for catalytic agents
- Rare earth elements group, primarily used in magnets and catalysts
- Scandium, used for alloys and fuel cells
- Tantalum, used in electronic components, mostly capacitors
- Tellurium, used in steelmaking and solar cells
- Tin, used as protective coatings and alloys for steel
- Vanadium, primarily used for titanium alloys
- Zirconium, used in the high-temperature ceramics industries
