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Contributions to economic geology, 1918, Part I, Metals and nonmetals except fuel
The Survey's "Contributions to economic geology " have been published annually since 1902. In 1906 the increase in the number of papers coming under this (Classification made it necessary to divide the contributions into two parts, one including, papers on metals and nonmetals except fuels and the other including papers on mineral fuels. In 1915 the year included in the title was changed from the year in which the field work reported in these papers was done to the year of publication, and in consequence there was no volume entitled "Contributions to economic geology, 1914.” The subjoined table gives a summary of these bulletins. As the subtitle indicates, the papers included in these volumes are of two classes (1) short papers giving comparatively detailed descriptions of occurrences that have economic interest but are not of sufficient importance to warrant a more extended description; (2) preliminary reports on economic investigations the results of which are to be published later in more detailed form. These papers are such only as Have a direct economic bearing, all topics of purely scientific interest being excluded. Brief abstracts of the publications of the year are given in the annual report of the Director. The complete list of Survey publications affords, by means of finding lists of subjects and of authors, further aid in ascertaining the extent of the Survey's work in economic geology. The reports on work in Alaska have been printed in a separate series since 1904, the volumes so far issued being Bulletins 259, 284, 314, 345, 379, 442, 480, 520, 542, 592, 622, 642, and 662.
Contributions to economic geology (short papers and preliminary reports), 1927: Part I - Metals and nonmetals except fuels
The Geological Survey's "Contributions to economic geology" are published in two parts, one including papers on metals and nonmetals except fuels and the other including papers on mineral fuels. As the subtitle indicates, most of the papers in these volumes are of three classes (1) short papers describing as thoroughly as conditions will permit areas or deposits on which no other report is likely to be prepared; (2) brief notes on mining districts or economic deposits whose examination has been merely incidental to other work; and (3) preliminary reports on economic investigations the results of which are to be published later in more detailed form. Although these papers set forth mainly the practical results of economic investigations, they include brief theoretical discussions and summary statements of conclusions if these appear to require prompt publication.
Contributions to economic geology (short papers and preliminary reports), 1915: Part I. - metals and nonmetals except fuels
This volume is the thirteenth of a series that includes Bulletins 213, 225, 260, 285, 315, 340, 380, 430, 470, 530, 540, and 580, "Contributions to economic geology" for 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906 (Pt. I), 1907 (Pt. I), 1908 (Pt. I), 1909 (Pt. I), 1910 (P t. I), 1911 (Pt. I) , 1912 (Pt. I), and 1913 (Pt. I), respectively . These bulletins are prepared primarily to insure prompt publication of the economic results of investigations made by the United States Geological Survey. Beginning with the present volume the year included in the title will be the year of publication 1 instead of the year in which the field work reported was done. This volume is therefore dated 1915, and there will be no volume entitled "Contributions to economic geology, 1914." As the subtitle indicates, the papers included are of two classes -(1) short papers giving comparatively detailed description of occurrences that have economic interest but are not of sufficient importance to warrant a more extended description; (2) preliminary reports on economic investigations the results of which are to be published later in more detailed form. These papers are such only as have a direct economic bearing, all topic of purely scientific interest being excluded. Each paper has been issued as an advance chapter as soon as it was ready. Brief abstracts of the publications of the year are given in the annual report of the Director. The complete list of Survey publications affords, by means of finding list of subjects and of authors, further aid in ascertaining the extent of the Survey's work in economic geology. Since 1905 the annual economic bulletin has been printed in two parts, the second part comprising paper on mineral fuels. These volumes for 1906, 1907, 190 , 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, and 1913 are Bulletins 316, 341, 381, 431, 471, 531, 541, and 581. Bulletin 621 forms Part II of the "Contributions" for 1915. The reports on work in Alaska have been printed in a separate series since 1904, the volume so far issued being Bulletins 259, 284, 314, 345, 379, 442, 480, 520, 542, 592, and 622.
Book review: Economic geology: Principles and practice: Metals, minerals, coal and hydrocarbons—Introduction to formation and sustainable exploitation of mineral deposits
This volume, available in both hardcover and paperback, is an English translation of the fifth edition of the German language text Mineralische und Energie-Rohstoffe. The book provides an extensive overview of natural resources and societal issues associated with extracting raw materials. The comprehensive list of raw materials discussed includes metals, industrial minerals, coal, and hydrocarbons. The book is divided into four parts: (1) “Metalliferous ore deposits,” (2) “Nonmetallic minerals and rocks,” (3) “Practice of economic geology,” and (4) “Fossil energy raw materials—coal, oil, and gas.” These sections are bound by a brief introduction and an extensive list of up-to-date references as well as an index. Each chapter begins with a concise synopsis and concludes with a summary that contains useful suggestions for additional reading. All figures are grayscale images and line drawings; however, several have been grouped together and reproduced as color plates. Also included is a companion website ( www.wiley.com/go/pohl/geology ) that contains additional resources, such as digital copies of figures, tables, and an expanded index, all available for download in easy-to-use formats. Economic Geology: Principles and Practice: Metals, Minerals, Coal and Hydrocarbons—Introduction to Formation and Sustainable Exploitation of Mineral Deposits. Walter l. Pohl. 2011. Wiley-Blackwell. Pp. 663. ISBN 978-1-4443-3663-4 (paperback).
Secular variation in economic geology
The temporal pattern of ore deposits on a constantly evolving Earth reflects the complex interplay between the evolving global tectonic regime, episodic mantle plume events, overall changes in global heat flow, atmospheric and oceanic redox states, and even singular impact and glaciation events. Within this framework, a particular ore deposit type will tend to have a time-bound nature. In other words, there are times in Earth history when particular deposit types are absent, times when these deposits are present but scarce, times when they are abundant, and still other times for which we lack sufficient data. Understanding of such secular variation provides a critical first-order tool for exploration targeting, because rocks that have formed or were deformed during a certain time slice may be very permissive for a given deposit type, whereas identification of rocks of less favorable ages would help eliminate large areas during exploration programs. Secular analysis, therefore, is potentially a powerful tool for mineral resource assessment in poorly known terranes, providing a quick filter for favorability of a given deposit type using age of host rocks. Factors bearing on the known age distribution of a particular type of deposit include the following: (1) uneven preservation, (2) data gaps, (3) contingencies of plate motions, and (4) long-term secular changes in the Earth System. The present special issue of Economic Geology is focused on the latter factor, although all of these are interrelated. The selective preservation of certain mineral deposit types and the greater susceptibility for shallowly formed ores in tectonically active environments to be lost to erosion define a pattern that is superimposed on the secular formational trends (e.g., Groves et al., 2005a , b ; Kerrich et al., 2005 ). With improved geochronological methods and the availability of information on important mineral deposits from most parts of the world, data gaps for defining broad temporal distributions of ore types are becoming smaller. It has been increasingly recognized that ore deposit formation is also correlated with plate tectonic setting. Nevertheless, a complex Earth history of supercontinent assembly and breakup has led to the fragmentation of many Paleozoic and Precambrian mineral provinces. The use of plate reconstructions in economic geology, although extremely controversial and conjectural before the late Paleozoic, is critical for defining these provinces prior to the added complications resulting from post-ore plate motions. It is now well established that the temporal patterns of many types of mineral deposits (Fig. 1 1 ) reflect the formation or break-up of supercontinents and the preservation potential of deposits formed during these periods ( Barley and Groves, 1992 ; Titley, 1993 ; Kerrich et al., 2005 ; Goldfarb et al., 2009 ). Approximate time periods for such formation and break-up, respectively, include 2800–2500 and 2450–2100 Ma for Kenorland, 2100–1800 and 1600–1300 Ma for Nuna/Columbia, 1300–1100 and 850–600 Ma for Rodinia, and 600–300 Ma and 200–60 Ma for Gondwanaland-Pangea. A new supercontinent, Amasia, has begun to form during the past 250 m.y., thus overlapping Pangea break-up. Many of the formation-preservation patterns are themselves controlled by progressive cooling of Earth, the change from a mantle-plume buoyancy style to subduction-dominated tectonics, a decreasing buoyancy of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle, and depth of ore formation. In general, orogenic Au, volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS), epithermal Au-Ag, and porphyry Cu±Au and Mo porphyry deposits form in active margins during periods of supercontinent assembly. Numerous other ore deposit types show an association with supercontinent formation, but develop inland of the active margin. These include many of the MVT Pb-Zn deposits and unconformity-type U deposits. The Tertiary Carlin-type deposits within the deformed shelf sequences along the North American craton margin also appear to have formed during the ongoing growth of Amasia. Those ores associated with periods of supercontinent breakup or attempted breakup are more difficult to define. They probably include diamond, Bushveld-type Ni-Cu-PGE, IOCG, and clastic-dominated Pb-Zn (or SEDEX) deposits in intracontinental areas of failed rifting, and other clastic-dominated Pb-Zn deposits in areas of actual breakup. In all cases, however, these temporal/spatial distributions are ultimately controlled by the secular character of Earth history.
Contributions to economic geology, 1902
This bulletin has been prepared primarily with a view to securing prompt publication of the economic results of investigations by the United States Geological Survey. It is designed to meet the wants of the busy man, and is so condensed that he will be able to obtain results and conclusions with a minimum expenditure of time and energy. It also affords a better idea of the work which the Survey as an organization is-carrying on for the direct advancement of mining interests throughout the country than can readily be obtained from the more voluminous reports. Should this bulletin be favorably received by those interested in the development of the mineral industries of the United States, it is proposed to publish early in each calendar year a similar bulletin containing the results of the last year's field work in economic geology. In the preparation of the present volume, promptness of publication has been made secondary only to the economic utility of the material presented. The papers included are such only as have a direct economic bearing, all questions of purely scientific interest being excluded. The papers represent three classes : (1) Preliminary discussions of the results of extended economic investigations, which will later be published by the Survey in more detailed form; (2) comparatively detailed descriptions of occurrences of economic interest, noted by geologists of the Survey in the course of their field work, but not of sufficient importance to necessitate a later and more extended description; (3) abstracts of certain economic papers which have appeared in Survey publications during the last year, chiefly such as give a general account of the distribution and mode of occurrence of particular mineral deposits throughout the United States. The papers have been grouped according to the subjects treated. At the end of each section is given a list of previous publications on that subject by this Survey. These lists will be found serviceable by those who wish to ascertain what has been accomplished by the Survey in the investigation of any particular group of mineral products. They are generally confined to Survey publications, though a few titles of important papers published elsewhere by members of the Survey are included.
Geology and mining industry of the Tintic district, Utah: Section in Nineteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey to the Secretary of the Interior 1897 - 1898: Part III - Economic Geology
The field work upon which this report is based was begun in July, 1897, and continued without interruption until December of the same year. The area studied is approximately 15 miles square and contains 234 square miles. The topographic maps, which are two in number, were prepared under the direction of Mr. R. U. Goode, Mr. S. S. Gannett doing the triangulation and Messrs. Marshall and Griswold the topography in the fall of 1896 and summer of 1897. The mapping is done on two scales; the larger area, approximately 15 miles square, is mapped on a scale of 1: 62,500. This map is designed to form a part of the Geologic Atlas of the United States. The other map represents the portion of the larger area in which the majority of the mines are located. It is on a scale of 1: 9,600, and covers an area of 12 square miles. The work has been greatly facilitated through the assistance rendered by the mining men of the district, among whom special thanks are due to Messrs. G. H. Robinson, W. J. Craig, W. M. Nesbit, and C. H. Blanchard. The chemical work on the ores and country rocks from the district has been done in the laboratory of the Survey by Messrs. H. N. Stokes and George Steiger, and the determination of the fossils collected is to be credited to Mr. G. H. Girty, also of the Geological Survey. In the field work the authors have cooperated constantly on every phase of the varied problems. The same is true for the office work, except that the stratigraphic and economic problems have been the especial studies of Mr. Tower, while the petrologic and remaining problems have been the special studies of Mr. Smith. In pursuance of this system of work the introduction has been written conjointly, Chapter II of Part I and all of Part II have been written by Mr. Tower, and Chapters I and III to VII of Part I by Mr. Smith.
Eighteenth annual report of the United States Geological Survey to the Secretary of the Interior, 1896-1897: Part III - Economic geology
No abstract available.
Nineteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey to the Secretary of the Interior 1897 - 1898: Part III - Economic Geology
No abstract available.
A geological reconnaissance in northern Idaho and northwestern Montana, with notes on the economic geology
No abstract available.
Economic geology of the Bingham mining district, Utah
The field work of which this report represents the final results was first undertaken in the summer of the year 1900. This district had long been selected by the writer as worthy of special economic investigation, as well on account of the importance of its products as because of its geological structure and the peculiar relations of its ore deposits. It was not, however, until the summer mentioned above that the means at the disposal of the Survey, both pecuniary and scientific, justified its undertaking. As originally planned, the areal or surface geology was to have been worked out by Mr. Keith, who had already spent many years in unraveling the complicated geological structure of the Appalachian province, while Mr. Boutwell, who had more recently become attached to the Survey, was to have charge of the underground geology, or a study of the ore deposits, under the immediate supervision of the writer. When the time came for actually taking the field, it was found that the pressure of other work would not permit Mr. Keith to carry out fully the part allotted to him, and in consequence a part of his field work has fallen to Mr. Boutwell. Field work was commenced by the writer and Mr. Boutwell early in July, 1900. Mr. Keith joined the party on August 10, but was obliged to leave for other duties early in September. Mr. Boutwell carried on his field work continuously from July until December, taking up underground work after the snowfall had rendered work on the surface geology impracticable. The geological structure had proved to be unexpectedly intricate and complicated, so that, on the opening of the field season of 1901, it was found necessary to make further study in the light of results already worked out, and Mr. Boutwell spent some weeks in the district in the early summer of 1901. His field work that year, partly in California and partly in Arizona, as assistant to Mr. Waldemar Lindgren, lasted through the summer and winter and well into the spring of 1902, so that but little time , was left before he was obliged to take the field again in his study of the Park City district of Utah. Mr. Keith had been too closely occupied with his Appalachian work to complete his part,' and thus the publication of this report has been unusually delayed. While the delay is a cause for regret, this regret is much tempered by the consideration that had the report been published earlier many facts brought to light during the vigorous development of the region in late years, which have an important bearing upon the structure and genesis of the ore deposits, could not have been used in its preparation.
Economic geology and environmental characteristics of antimony deposits
Antimony is commonly listed as a critical mineral, particularly in the United States and European Union [1]. Its criticality, or supply risk, is derived from a combination of economic vulnerability, disruption potential of supply, and trade exposure [2].Disruption potential relates a country’s ability and willingness to supply a commodity. Commodities for which supply is concentrated in the fewest countries have the greatest potential for supply disruption, trade exposure, and economic vulnerability. In 2018, approximately 61% of the world production of antimony was mined from China, followed by Russia (20%) and Tajikistan (10%) [3] (Fig. 3.1). Several reviews of antimony as a critical mineral have been recently published [4, 5]. The uses of antimony can be divided into three main categories: metal products, non-metal uses, and flame retardants [5]. Most metallic antimony use is inlead-acid batteries. Antimony trioxide (Sb 2 O 3 ) combined with halogenated com-pounds is used as a fire retardant in plastics, fabrics, and other applications. Other non-metallic uses include as a catalyst for plastics, and in the glass industry. Emerging uses include data storage and novel photovoltaic cells. Recycling of batteries represents an important reuse of antimony, but other uses of antimony do not lend themselves to recycling. This chapter describes mineral deposit types that are primary sources of antimony, and environmental effects related to their mining. Antimony can be re-covered as either a primary commodity from some deposits or as a by product commodity from some gold or silver deposits. Environmental risks associated with antimony mining include those related to mining in general, such as the acid-generating potential of solid mine waste, and some issues specific to antimony, as described below.
Regional and economic geology of Pennsylvanian age coal beds of West Virginia
West Virginia is the only place in the United States where an entire section of Pennsylvanian age (Upper Carboniferous) strata can be seen. These strata occur within a wedge of rock that thins to the north and west from the southeastern part of the State. The progressive north-northwesterly termination of older Pennsylvanian geologic units beneath younger ones prominently outlines the center of the Appalachian basin of West Virginia. Over most of West Virginia, Lower and/or Middle Pennsylvanian strata unconformably overly Upper Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous) strata. Sediment deposition was accomplished by a complex system of deltas prograding north and west from an eastern and southeastern source area. More than 100 named coal beds occur within the Lower, Middle, and Upper Pennsylvanian rocks of West Virginia and at least 60 of these have been or are currently being mined commercially. Collectively, these coal beds account for original in-ground coal resources of almost 106.1×10 9 t (117×10 9 tons). West Virginia ranks fourth in the United States in demonstrated coal reserves. In 1988, West Virginia produced 131.4×10 6 t (144.9×10 6 T) of coal, third highest in the United States. Of this annual production, 75% was from underground mines. In 1988, West Virginia led the nation in the number of longwall mining sections currently in place. West Virginia's low-volatile coal beds are known worldwide as important metallurgical-grade coals, while the higher-volatile coal beds are utilized primarily for steam production.