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At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

USGS2011

Identification of mineral resources in Afghanistan—Detecting and mapping resource anomalies in prioritized areas using geophysical and remote sensing (ASTER and HyMap) data

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) natural resources revitalization activities in Afghanistan (Peters and others, 2011), three new datasets have been collected, compiled, and analyzed. These data have been used to more fully evaluate the areas of interest (AOIs; fig. 1 ) where, on the basis of previous U.S.S.R. and Afghanistan studies, the opportunity for early economic development of a number of different mineral, commodity, and deposit types had been identified (Peters and others, 2007; Peters and others, 2011). The new data compilations include (1) regional magnetic and gravity data for use in the characterization of subsurface composition and structure (Sweeney and others, 2006a,b; Ashan and others, 2007; Sweeney and others, 2007; Ashan and others, 2008; Shenwary and others, 2011), (2) Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data to identify and evaluate surficial alteration patterns related to industrial minerals and other selected targets, and (3) HyMap imaging spectrometer data for characterization and mapping of surficial mineralogy (Cocks and others, 1998; Kokaly and others, 2008; Peters and others, 2011). These datasets have served as fundamental building blocks for the resource evaluation by Peters and others (2011). During the independent analysis of the geophysical, ASTER, and imaging spectrometer (HyMap) data by USGS scientists, previously unrecognized targets of potential mineralization were identified using evaluation criteria most suitable to the individual dataset. These anomalous zones offer targets of opportunity that warrant additional field verification. This report describes the standards used to define the anomalies, summarizes the results of the evaluations for each type of data, and discusses the importance and implications of regions of anomaly overlap between two or three of the datasets.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2012

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources: Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana: Chapter A in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act ( Public Law 110–140 ) directs the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The methodology used for the national CO 2 assessment follows that of previous USGS work. The methodology is non-economic and intended to be used at regional to subbasinal scales. This report identifies and contains geologic descriptions of twelve storage assessment units (SAUs) in six separate packages of sedimentary rocks within the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming and Montana and focuses on the particular characteristics, specified in the methodology, that influence the potential CO 2 storage resource in those SAUs. Specific descriptions of the SAU boundaries as well as their sealing and reservoir units are included. Properties for each SAU such as depth to top, gross thickness, net porous thickness, porosity, permeability, groundwater quality, and structural reservoir traps are provided to illustrate geologic factors critical to the assessment. Although assessment results are not contained in this report, the geologic information included here will be employed, as specified in the methodology of earlier work, to calculate a statistical Monte Carlo-based distribution of potential storage space in the various SAUs. Figures in this report show SAU boundaries and cell maps of well penetrations through the sealing unit into the top of the storage formation. Wells sharing the same well borehole are treated as a single penetration. Cell maps show the number of penetrating wells within one square mile and are derived from interpretations of incompletely attributed well data, a digital compilation that is known not to include all drilling. The USGS does not expect to know the location of all wells and cannot guarantee the amount of drilling through specific formations in any given cell shown on cell maps.

Wyoming, Montana↗

USGS2012

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources: Hanna, Laramie, and Shirley Basins, Wyoming: Chapter C in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110-140) directs the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The methodology used for the national CO 2 assessment is non-economic and intended to be used at regional to subbasinal scales. This report identifies and contains geologic descriptions of twelve storage assessment units (SAUs) in six separate packages of sedimentary rock within the Hanna, Laramie, and Shirley Basins of Wyoming. It focuses on the particular characteristics, specified in the methodology, that influence the potential CO 2 storage resource in those SAUs. Specific descriptions of SAU boundaries as well as their sealing and reservoir units are included. Properties for each SAU, such as depth to top, gross thickness, net porous thickness, porosity, permeability, groundwater quality, and structural reservoir traps are provided to illustrate geologic factors critical to the assessment. Although assessment results are not contained in this report, the geologic information included herein will be employed, as specified in the methodology, to calculate a statistical Monte Carlo-based distribution of potential storage space in the various SAUs. Figures in this report show SAU boundaries and cell maps of well penetrations through the sealing unit into the top of the storage formation. Cell maps show the number of penetrating wells within one square mile and are derived from interpretations of incompletely attributed well data in a digital compilation that is known not to include all drilling. The USGS does not expect to know the location of all wells and cannot guarantee the amount of drilling through specific formations in any given cell shown on cell maps.

Wyoming↗

USGS2022

Compilation of existing data for sand resource studies in Federal and California State Waters of the San Francisco, Oceanside, and Silver Strand littoral cell study areas along the continental shelf of California—Strategy for field studies and sand resource assessment

Executive Summary The Sand Resources Project was established through collaborative agreements between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) with the purpose of evaluating sand and gravel resources in Federal and California State Waters for potential use in future beach-nourishment projects. Project partners worked in collaboration with California Coastal Sediment Management Workgroup (CSMW) members to define priority study areas for this work based on the potential for finding sand within the broader region and the needs for this sand as shown by beach erosion areas of concern in the adjacent littoral cells. The final study areas were defined to be (1) the San Francisco Littoral Cell, (2) the Oceanside Littoral Cell, and (3) the Silver Strand Littoral Cell. A two-stage approach was used to assess the study areas. This report addresses the initial stage, which is a synthesis of the existing geophysical and sediment-sampling data in each area. This allowed for evaluations of the data availability, data gaps, and general patterns of sediment thickness and grain size. This report provides a description of the methods and results of this synthesis. The findings from this work were used to refine study area boundaries and develop sampling plans for stage two of the project. Stage two of the project, the results of which will be published separately, will be the collection, processing, and synthesis of new data, including high-resolution geophysical surveys and sediment cores within the three study areas. The data collected will provide new information about the three study areas including sediment thickness, grain-size distributions, and total organic carbon. The description and results of stage two of the work is included in another USGS report (Warrick and others, 2022).

California↗

USGS1992

Mineral and energy resources of the BLM Roswell Resource Area, east-central New Mexico

The sedimentary formations of the Roswell Resource Area have significant mineral and energy resources. Some of the pre-Pennsylvanian sequences in the Northwestern Shelf of the Permian Basin are oil and gas reservoirs, and Pennsylvanian rocks in Tucumcari basin are reservoirs of oil and gas as well as source rocks for oil and gas in Triassic rocks. Pre-Permian rocks also contain minor deposits of uranium and vanadium, limestone, and associated gases. Hydrocarbon reservoirs in Permian rocks include associated gases such as carbon dioxide, helium, and nitrogen. Permian rocks are mineralized adjacent to the Lincoln County porphyry belt, and include deposits of copper, uranium, manganese, iron, polymetallic veins, and Mississippi-valley-type (MVT) lead-zinc. Industrial minerals in Permian rocks include fluorite, barite, potash, halite, polyhalite, gypsum, anhydrite, sulfur, limestone, dolomite, brine deposits (iodine and bromine), aggregate (sand), and dimension stone. Doubly terminated quartz crystals, called "Pecos diamonds" and collected as mineral specimens, occur in Permian rocks along the Pecos River. Mesozoic sedimentary rocks are hosts for copper, uranium, and small quantities of gold-silver-tellurium veins, as well as significant deposits of oil and gas, COa, asphalt, coal, and dimension stone. Mesozoic rocks contain limited amounts of limestone, gypsum, petrified wood, dinosaur remains, and clays. Tertiary rocks host ore deposits commonly associated with intrusive rocks, including platinum group elements, iron skarns, manganese, uranium and vanadium, molybdenum, polymetallic vein deposits, gold-silver- tellurium veins, and thorium-rare earth veins. Museum-quality quartz crystals in Lincoln County were formed in association with intrusive rocks in the Lincoln County porphyry belt. Industrial minerals in Tertiary rocks include fluorite, vein- and bedded-barite, caliche, limestone, and aggregate. Tertiary and Quaternary sediments host important placer deposits of gold and titanium, and minor silver, uranium occurrences, as well as important industrial commodities, including caliche, limestone and dolomite, and aggregate (sand). Quaternary basalt contains sub-ore-grade uranium, scoria, and clay deposits.

New Mexico↗

USGS1993

Integrated mineral-resource and mineral-environmental assessments of public lands: Applications for land management and resource planning

Mineral-deposit geology is an important control on natural contamination from unmined mineral deposits, and on the environmental effects of mining and mineral processing. The U. S. Geological Survey, Office of Mineral Resources (USGS/OMR) is now integrating geology-based environmental assessments into its mineral resource assessments of public and other lands. This report presents prototype mineralenvironmental assessments of the State of Colorado and the San Juan National Forest. The following pages will show examples of how geologic information can be used to help predict and prevent adverse environmental effects of mineralresource development.

Colorado↗

USGS2015

Final project memorandum: sea-level rise modeling handbook: resource guide for resource managers, engineers, and scientists

Coastal wetlands of the Southeastern United States are undergoing retreat and migration from increasing tidal inundation and saltwater intrusion attributed to climate variability and sea-level rise. Much of the literature describing potential sea-level rise projections and modeling predictions are found in peer-reviewed academic journals or government technical reports largely suited to reading by other Ph.D. scientists who are more familiar or engaged in the climate change debate. Various sea-level rise and coastal wetland models have been developed and applied of different designs and scales of spatial and temporal complexity for predicting habitat and environmental change that have not heretofore been synthesized to aid natural resource managers of their utility and limitations. Training sessions were conducted with Federal land managers with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserves as well as state partners and nongovernmental organizations across the northern Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas to educate and to evaluate user needs and understanding of concepts, data, and modeling tools for projecting sea-level rise and its impact on coastal habitats and wildlife. As a result, this handbook was constructed from these training and feedback sessions with coastal managers and biologists of published decision-support tools and simulation models for sea-level rise and climate change assessments. A simplified tabular context was developed listing the various kinds of decision-support tools and ecological models along with criteria to distinguish the source, scale, and quality of information input and geographic data sets, physical and biological constraints and relationships, datum characteristics of water and land elevation components, utility options for setting sea-level rise and climate change scenarios, and ease or difficulty of storing, displaying, or interpreting model output. The handbook is designed to be a primer to understanding sea-level rise and a practical synthesis of the current state of knowledge and modeling tools as a resource guide for DOl land management needs and facilitating Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) research and conservation initiatives.

Conference Paper↗

USGS1996

Behavioral avoidance as evidence of injury to fishery resources: Applications to natural resource damage assessment

Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) provisions enacted under Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) empower natural resource trustees to seek compensation for environmental injury resulting from the release of oil or hazardous substances. Under NRDA regulations promulgated under CERCLA, fish avoidance behavior is recognized as an accepted injury, and may be used to support damage claims. In support of an ongoing damage assessment, tests were conducted to determine if avoidance of ambient metals concentrations may contribute to reductions in local salmonid populations. In laboratory tests, rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) and brown trout ( Salmo trutta ) avoided mixtures of metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) at concentrations that occur in impacted river reaches at a contaminated site (Clark Fork River, MT). Avoidance of metal contamination may contribute to population reductions and preclude restoration of instream populations by prohibiting movement of fish into contaminated areas of the river from uncontaminated tributaries. Laboratory avoidance tests were performed at two testing facilities. The similar avoidance responses observed at the two laboratories demonstrated the reproducibility of avoidance measures.

Book chapter↗

USGS1984

Ground-water resources of the Mattapoisett River aquifer, Plymouth County, Massachusetts: Summary for water-resource managers

Proposed increases in municipal pumpage in the Mattapoisett River valley will triple ground-water withdrawals in the next two decades. Because of State and local concern about the long-term effects of these withdrawals on ground-water levels and streamflow, a digital ground-water-flow model was developed to assist water-resource management. Ten development scenarios representing existing and proposed withdrawals were simulated using drought conditions. Under conditions simulating 1965, the driest year of record, predicted water levels in the aquifer are as much as 9 feet lower than average. Under severely dry conditions, simulating only enough recharge to keep the river flowing with no pumping, the predicted water levels are as much as 19 feet lower than average. During the greatest pumping demands, the predicted drawdown in five wells could cause well failure. Simulated pumping demands in six scenarios use all available ground-water discharge. Under severely dry conditions, it is predicted that the downstream half of the river will stop flowing under most pumping plans. (USGS)

Massachusetts↗

USGS2014

Organizing phenological data resources to inform natural resource conservation

Changes in the timing of plant and animal life cycle events, in response to climate change, are already happening across the globe. The impacts of these changes may affect biodiversity via disruption to mutualisms, trophic mismatches, invasions and population declines. To understand the nature, causes and consequences of changed, varied or static phenologies, new data resources and tools are being developed across the globe. The USA National Phenology Network is developing a long-term, multi-taxa phenological database, together with a customizable infrastructure, to support conservation and management needs. We present current and potential applications of the infrastructure, across scales and user groups. The approaches described here are congruent with recent trends towards multi-agency, large-scale research and action.

Biological Conservation↗

USGS2013

Analysis of 20th century rainfall and streamflow to characterize drought and water resources in Puerto Rico

During the period from 1990 to 1997, annual rainfall accumulation averaged 87% of normal at the 12 stations with the longest period of record in Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island with a 1999 population of 3.8 million. Streamflow in rivers supplying the La Plata and Loíza reservoirs, the principal water supply of the San Juan metropolitan area, was at or below the 10th flow percentile for 27% to 50% of the time between December 1993 and May 1996. Diminished reservoir levels in 1994 and 1995 affected more than 1 million people in the San Juan metropolitan area. Water rationing was implemented during this period and significant agricultural losses, valued at $165 million, were recorded in 1994. The public endured a year of mandatory water rationing in which sections of the city had their water-distribution networks shut off for 24 to 36 hours on alternate days. During the winter and spring of 1997–1998, water was rationed to more than 200,000 people in northwestern Puerto Rico because water level in the Guajataca reservoir was well below normal for two years because of rainfall deficits. The drought period of 1993–1996 was comparable in magnitude to a drought in 1966–1968, but water rationing was more severe during the 1993–1996 period, indicating that water management issues such as demand, storage capacity, water production and losses, and per capita consumption are increasingly important as population and development in Puerto Rico expand. [Key words: drought, streamflow, water resources, Caribbean, Puerto Rico, rainfall, water supply.]

Physical Geography↗

USGS1988

Geology and mineral resources of the Port Moller region, western Alaska Peninsula, Aleutian arc: A section in USGS research on mineral resources - 1989: Program and abstracts

Geologic mapping of the Port Moller, Stepovak Bay, and Simeonof Island quadrangles was begun under the auspices of the Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program (AMRAP) in 1983 . Two important mineral deposits are located in the Port Moller quadrangle; the Pyramid prospect is the largest copper porphyry system in the Aleutian Arc, and the Apollo Mine is the only gold mine to reach production status in the Aleutian Arc.

Alaska↗

USGS1993

Nonfuel mineral resources in the United States-Mexico border region: A progress report on information available from the Center for Inter-American Mineral Resource Investigations (CIMRI)

The exploitation of minerals has played a significant role in population growth and development of the U.S.Mexico border region. Recent proposed changes in regulations related to mining in the United States and changes in mining and investment regulations in Mexico have led to increased mineral exploration and development in Mexico, especially in the border region. As a preliminary step in the study of the mineral industry of this area, the Center for Inter-American Mineral Resource Investigations (CIMRI) of the U.S. Geological Survey has compiled mine and occurrence data for nonfuel minerals in the border region. Analysis of this information indicates that a wide variety of metallic and industrial mineral commodities are present which can be used in agriculture, infrastructure, environmental improvement, and other industries. Therefore, mining will continue to play a significant role in the economy of this region.

Circular↗

USGS1998

Front Range Infrastructure Resources Project--Biological Resources

Riparian (streamside) vegetation communities are of interest in the context of the Front Range Infrastructure Resources Project (FRIRP) because they are often a focal point for conflicting societal demands. The cottonwoods and willows comprising these communities are structurally complex compared to the surrounding landscape and support diverse assemblages of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. However, riparian areas are also primary sites for water development, agriculture, grazing, sand and gravel mining, and recreation, each of which may limit other uses. Direct and indirect impacts of these activities have led to exploration of new opportunities and techniques for restoring disturbed riparian habitats and to greater concern for some of the scarce species that inhabit them.

Colorado, Wyoming↗

USGS2021

Earth Resources Observation and Science Center—Keeping watch over Earth's resources

The Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center is the largest facility of its kind within the U.S. Geological Survey. As both a science and data center, EROS serves a unique and critical role in shaping our understanding of a changing planet. EROS opened its doors in 1973 as a receiving station, data archive, and data distribution hub for the USGS Landsat series of Earth observing satellites. In the nearly five decades since, EROS has grown into a globally recognized leader in land change science.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS1999

An evaluation of sand and gravel resources in and near the Prescott National Forest in the Verde Valley, Arizona, with a section on evaluation of sand and gravel resources using selected engineering variables

This study was based on available published literature. Although no field investigation was conducted in the Prescott National Forest to the west of the Verde River, a field investigation was conducted in the summer of 1994 by this author on the Coconino National Forest, to the east of the Verde River, where units of surficial materials of the same age and similar character are found (Cox, 1995). The intent of this evaluation of sand and gravel resources in the Prescott National Forest and adjacent areas in the Verde Valley, is to provide the land managers of the U.S. Forest Service with a map that delineates sand- and gravel-bearing geologic units. The map distinguishes (1) sand-and gravel-bearing units that are limited to channels from those that are not, (2) sand-and gravel-bearing units that are thin (generally less than 40 feet thick which is one contour interval on the topographic maps) from those that are locally thick (generally 40 feet or more), (3) sand- and gravel-bearing units that are poorly sorted from those that are well-sorted4, (4) sand- and gravel-bearing units that have little or no soil development from those that have greater degrees of soil development and lithification, (5) and sand- and gravel-bearing units that support riparian vegetation from those that do not. These distinctive characteristics are related to the geologic age or depositional setting of the rock materials and can be distinguished where areas are mapped in detail.

Arizona↗

USGS1999

Environmental issues associated with fossil fuel resources; an evaluation of research opportunities for the U.S. Geological Survey's Energy Resources Program

Fossil fuel consumption in the United States has nearly tripled within the last 50 years (fig. 1), and is expected to continue increasing. As our knowledge and awareness of environmental consequences related to fossil fuel extraction and use grow, we as a nation, face the challenge of balancing our energy requirements with a desire for environmentally cleaner fuel. To help meet this challenge, the Energy Resources Program (ERP) of the Geologic Division (GD), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) sponsored three internal workshops and a World Wide Web (WWW) workshop. The primary goal of these workshops was to identify those environmental issues that are related to fossil fuels, are national in scope, and are within the purview of the USGS as an earth-science government agency. Those issues so identified will be prioritized according to ERP's future research plan and according to the extent they provide an environmental framework for ERP's petroleum and coal assessments. The purpose of this paper is to provide the results of the internal and WWW workshops as proposed topics of research for future ERP work, delineate studies to answer the questions related to each proposed research area, and link the studies to the seven science goals of the Geologic Division. The information provided herein will be used in preparing the USGS Geologic Division's FY2000 prospectus and ERP's next five-year strategic plan. Acknowledgements. The authors wish to acknowledge information on ERP environmental projects provided by Les Magoon, Paul Lillis, Keith Kvenvolden, Tom Lorenson, and Bob Rosenbauer. Peter Schweitzer was instrumental in providing the software for the WWW workshop, Cheryl Adkisson for constructing the workshop web pages, and Laura Friedrich for constructing the web pages summarizing the internal workshops. Stan Mroczkowski, Jim Otton, Donna Read, and Dorothy Tanti provided notes of or logistical assistance for the internal workshops. This report reflects the collective input of numerous USGS managers and scientists their participation in the workshops is greatly appreciated.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2017

Methodology for assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources for the 2008 Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal

The methodological procedures used in the geologic assessments of the 2008 Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal (CARA) were based largely on the methodology developed for the 2000 U.S. Geological Survey World Petroleum Assessment. The main variables were probability distributions for numbers and sizes of undiscovered accumulations with an associated risk of occurrence. The CARA methodology expanded on the previous methodology in providing additional tools and procedures more applicable to the many Arctic basins that have little or no exploration history. Most importantly, geologic analogs from a database constructed for this study were used in many of the assessments to constrain numbers and sizes of undiscovered oil and gas accumulations.

Professional Paper↗