Geology topics

Annie Scott

Publications and source records attributed to Annie Scott.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2023

I Am A...Science careers book for kids

This activity book is an illustrative guide designed to introduce young minds about the exciting world of science careers. From ichthyologists to wildlife biologists, this book showcases a variety of science-based professions through fun and engaging activities. Each section of the book features a different science career and includes information about how the job got its name and what a typical day in the life of someone in that profession might look like. Readers will also have a chance to color, test their knowledge with trivia, and play a few games along the way. The I Am A...Science Careers Book for Kids is a fun and colorful way for kids to learn about the many exciting career opportunities available in the world of science.

General Information Product↗

USGS2022

A methodology to assess the historical environmental footprint of in-situ recovery (ISR) of uranium: A demonstration in the Goliad Sand in the Texas Coastal Plain, USA

In-situ recovery (ISR) has been the only technique used to extract uranium from sandstone-hosted uranium deposits in the Pliocene Goliad Sand in the Texas Coastal Plain. Water plays a crucial role throughout the ISR lifecycle of production and groundwater restoration yet neither the water use nor other environmental footprints have been well documented. The goal of this study is to examine historical records for all six ISR operations completed in the Goliad Sand to identify and quantify parameters that indicate the surface and aquifer disturbances, water use, and radon emissions. Overall, the average mine area was 0.00023 ± 0.00006 acres per pound (ac/lb) U 3 O 8 . The average mine pore volume was 48.9 ± 50 gal/lb U 3 O 8 with a minimum affected aquifer volume of 0.51 ± 0.08 cubic feet per pound (cu ft/lb) U 3 O 8. An average of 258 ± 40 gallons (gal) of fluid were disposed per pound (lb) U 3 O 8 , with an average of 169 ± 26 gal/lb U 3 O 8 attributed to restoration and 89 ± 36 gal/lb U 3 O 8 attributed to the uranium production phase. The average radon emitted was 1.06 × 10 −3 ± 7.4 × 10 −4 curies per pound (Ci/lb) U 3 O 8 . Goodness-of-fit ( R 2 ) values are ≥0.79 for linear regressions of the amount of uranium produced versus mine area, mine pore volumes, mine aquifer volumes, water pumped, and total water disposed. The R 2 value for radon emitted was 0.68. However, the water disposed only during the uranium production phase is more strongly correlated to the number of production days ( R 2 = 0.96) than to uranium production ( R 2 = 0.84), whereas the volume of water disposed during restoration is more strongly correlated to the “pore volume” ( R 2 = 0.97) than to uranium production ( R 2 = 0.90). Pore volume is an industry term used to describe the amount of fluid circulated through the aquifer during the uranium production period and stipulated in bond agreements in order to satisfy groundwater restoration requirements. Models constructed in this study can be used to estimate probable water use and the extent of surface and aquifer disturbances associated with ISR-amenable undiscovered uranium resources in the Goliad Sand. The historical perspective offered by the data compiled and correlations may prove useful to both industry and regulators.

Texas↗

USGS2021

Geochemical data for Illinois Basin coal samples, 2015–2018

Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and their collaborators conducted a study of the geochemical properties of coals currently produced for electric power generation in the Illinois Basin in Illinois and Indiana. The study follows from recommendations by an expert panel for the USGS to investigate the distribution and controls of trace constituents such as mercury (Hg) in Illinois Basin coals and the behavior of these constituents in coal preparation. A total of 72 new samples were collected by USGS collaborators between 2015 and 2017. These samples include raw coals, prepared coals, and waste coals from coal preparation. To understand the geochemistry and cleaning behavior of these coals, these samples were subjected to an integrated series of analyses described here, including microanalysis of coal constituents and bulk sample chemical analysis. Of the procedures used, whole-sample Hg analysis quantified overall mercury contents and its reduction by coal preparation. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) of pyrite in coal quantified Hg and other potentially harmful elements contained in pyrite, the most likely host of these constituents. Trace elements investigated include those whose emissions are regulated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. This report and the corresponding data release, serve as an archive for geochemical data obtained in our study of the geochemistry of Illinois Basin coals. Material included in this report also define approaches used by the USGS over the period of study to characterize coal samples, requiring combined use of results from USGS and non-USGS laboratories.

Illinois↗

USGS2020

The 150th anniversary of the 1869 Powell expedition—USGS participation in the Sesquicentennial Colorado River Exploring Expedition and reflections from the ~1,000-mile journey down the Green and Colorado Rivers

In 1869, John Wesley Powell completed the first well-recorded scientific river journey to explore an extensive region of the Colorado River Basin. Powell later helped to establish the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and served as its second director (1881–94), cementing his position in the folklore of the Survey. In 2019, the USGS marked the 150th anniversary of Powell’s first expedition with a broad-scale educational campaign as an opportunity to highlight current USGS science in the region through the lens of an exciting river expedition, with the goal of inspiring the next generation of USGS scientists. The project included a partnership with the Sesquicentennial Colorado River Exploring Expedition (SCREE), which traveled the length of the original route for ~1,000 river miles from Green River, Wyoming, to Lake Mead, Nevada, including the Grand Canyon. Small, interdisciplinary groups of USGS employees joined each segment of the journey, gathered data to be used for educational purposes, participated in community outreach events, and upon return shared their experiences with their local communities. This report documents a photographic journey of the expedition, personal vignettes from the USGS participants, Science Stories to explain the scope of the experiments, and Then and Now articles (which were published online during the expedition), to explore some of the changes that have occurred since the first expedition.

Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming↗