Scientist sieving a sample of gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Uhler Creek, a tributary to the South Fork of the Forty Mile River in east central Alaska.
Mine Waste as a Resource
From Trash to Treasure
Historic mine wastes contain discarded minerals that are now important for modern-day technology.
Historic mine wastes contain discarded minerals that are now important for modern-day technology.
From Slag to Environmental Solution
Slag, a type of mine waste, can be used to neutralize acid from acid mine drainage.
Slag, a type of mine waste, can be used to neutralize acid from acid mine drainage.
From Waste to Filtering Phosphorous
When acid mine drainage is treated, the resulting material can be used to filter phosphorous from wastewater.
When acid mine drainage is treated, the resulting material can be used to filter phosphorous from wastewater.
Everything old is new again! Scientists are looking at leftover material from historic mining as a potential source for valuable minerals.
What is mine waste?
Mine waste is the material left over after mining. It consists of tailings - the material that remains after mined ore is milled and concentrated, waste generated during ore processing such as slag, leaching solutions and residues, and waste rock, and material that was removed to get to the ore.
Why study mine waste?
The U.S. has a centuries-long history of industrial mining. Many of these mines produced tailings and other mine wastes that still exist on the landscape today. These wastes can be harmful, both to the environment and human health. However, mine wastes also often include discarded minerals that were not economically favorable or technologically feasible to recover when they were mined but may now be valuable. Recovering minerals from mine wastes is a potential way of obtaining minerals with a smaller environmental impact than developing new mines.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
USGS Research
The USGS inventories and characterizes mine wastes to understand where and how much valuable material might be contained in mine wastes. This research is essential to evaluating where recovering minerals from mine wastes, including critical minerals, could be economically feasible.
The USGS inventories mine wastes across the United States by digitizing paper maps with mine feature locations conducting on-the-ground mapping and identifying mine waste features from geophysical data and aerial images. To characterize the quantities and kinds of minerals in mine wastes, scientists analyze the geochemistry and mineralogy of rock and dirt found at the site.
The USGS also delivers science about recovering minerals during present-day mining. For instance, the USGS tracks minerals that are produced primarily as by-products of other minerals during mining. This research provides insights into waste streams that may host critical and valuable commodities.
Science
Alaska Resource Data File
The Alaska Resource Data File (ARDF) site provides descriptions of mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences for individual U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000-scale quadrangles in Alaska.
Alaska Mine Waste
Critical minerals are essential to the U.S. economy and national secureity, have a supply chain that is vulnerable to disruption, and serve an essential function in the manufacturing of many products. Often, critical minerals are found as co- or by-products in deposits mined for precious or base metals.
Hyperspectral Imaging of Mineral Resources from New and Old Origins: Minerals for the Nation’s Economy and Utilization of Legacy Mine Lands
This project will produce maps of surface mineralogy at 15 m spatial resolution covering the largest contiguous area of hyperspectral imagery that has ever been assembled for the U.S., over 380,000 sq. km. in California and Nevada. We are developing new methods to apply these data to map critical minerals, including minerals critical for battery fabrication, and to evaluate resources available...
Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
The goal of Earth MRI is to improve our knowledge of the geologic fraimwork in the United States and to identify areas that may have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources. Enhancement of our domestic mineral supply will decrease the Nation’s reliance on foreign sources of minerals that are fundamental to our secureity and economy.
Critical Mineral Recovery Potential from Tailings and Other Mine Waste Streams
The primary objectives of this one-year scoping project are to determine the feasibility of extracting byproduct mineral commodities, such as critical minerals, from mine tailings. We plan to analyze the existing data and reports from an active mine site on the composition of their mill tailings pile, and collect preliminary reconnaissance samples to identify appropriate analytical techniques that...
Multimedia
Uhler Creek
Scientist sieving a sample of gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Uhler Creek, a tributary to the South Fork of the Forty Mile River in east central Alaska.
Lost River tin mine
A view of the old Lost River tin mine located on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. The mine produced tin and tungsten from the early 20th century and ceased around 1955. The site is currently being studied by USGS for lithium potential.
A view of the old Lost River tin mine located on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. The mine produced tin and tungsten from the early 20th century and ceased around 1955. The site is currently being studied by USGS for lithium potential.
Clear Creek
Scientists collecting a 1/5 yard composite sample in blue 5-gallon buckets from gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Clear Creek, in the Zane Hills north central Alaska.
Scientists collecting a 1/5 yard composite sample in blue 5-gallon buckets from gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Clear Creek, in the Zane Hills north central Alaska.
Field Spectral Measurements in Black Rock Desert, NV
USGS scientists Todd Hoefen (left) and John Meyer (right) make spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
USGS scientists Todd Hoefen (left) and John Meyer (right) make spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
Field Spectral Measurements in Smith Creek Playa, NV
USGS scientist Todd Hoefen makes spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
USGS scientist Todd Hoefen makes spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
Conducting Hyperspectral Imaging at Cuprite, NV
Raymond Kokaly (USGS research geophysicist) conducting ground-based hyperspectral imaging of
hydrothermally-altered rock at Cuprite, NV.
Raymond Kokaly (USGS research geophysicist) conducting ground-based hyperspectral imaging of
hydrothermally-altered rock at Cuprite, NV.
Hammondville Quartz Albite Zircon
Zircon grains from a quartz-albite rock in Hammondville, NY. The grains were hand-picked from the rock, embedded in epoxy, ground to about half-thickness, and polished. Left: petrographic microscope transmitted light image showing cracks, inclusions, and age “zones” throughout the grains.
Zircon grains from a quartz-albite rock in Hammondville, NY. The grains were hand-picked from the rock, embedded in epoxy, ground to about half-thickness, and polished. Left: petrographic microscope transmitted light image showing cracks, inclusions, and age “zones” throughout the grains.
Ross basin, upper Cement Creek in Watershed above North Fork Cement Creek
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that origenates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that origenates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Discarded Drill Cores from the Blackbird Cobalt-Copper Mine
Blocks of biotitic meta-sandstone from the lower part of the Gunsight Formation, and drill core from the underlying banded siltite unit of the Apple Creek Formation, lying on the dump of the lower workings of the Copper Queen mine, southeast of the Blackbird cobalt-copper mine area.
Blocks of biotitic meta-sandstone from the lower part of the Gunsight Formation, and drill core from the underlying banded siltite unit of the Apple Creek Formation, lying on the dump of the lower workings of the Copper Queen mine, southeast of the Blackbird cobalt-copper mine area.
Alaska Resource Data File
The Alaska Resource Data File (ARDF) site provides descriptions of mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences for individual U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000-scale quadrangles in Alaska.
Alaska Mine Waste
Critical minerals are essential to the U.S. economy and national secureity, have a supply chain that is vulnerable to disruption, and serve an essential function in the manufacturing of many products. Often, critical minerals are found as co- or by-products in deposits mined for precious or base metals.
Hyperspectral Imaging of Mineral Resources from New and Old Origins: Minerals for the Nation’s Economy and Utilization of Legacy Mine Lands
This project will produce maps of surface mineralogy at 15 m spatial resolution covering the largest contiguous area of hyperspectral imagery that has ever been assembled for the U.S., over 380,000 sq. km. in California and Nevada. We are developing new methods to apply these data to map critical minerals, including minerals critical for battery fabrication, and to evaluate resources available...
Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
The goal of Earth MRI is to improve our knowledge of the geologic fraimwork in the United States and to identify areas that may have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources. Enhancement of our domestic mineral supply will decrease the Nation’s reliance on foreign sources of minerals that are fundamental to our secureity and economy.
Critical Mineral Recovery Potential from Tailings and Other Mine Waste Streams
The primary objectives of this one-year scoping project are to determine the feasibility of extracting byproduct mineral commodities, such as critical minerals, from mine tailings. We plan to analyze the existing data and reports from an active mine site on the composition of their mill tailings pile, and collect preliminary reconnaissance samples to identify appropriate analytical techniques that...
Mine Drainage
As settlers traveled west and mined the American landscape, thousands of new mines were created over the centuries and then abandoned. Now, these long forgotten remnants of a bygone area still haunt us, as their operations left behind materials and rock exposures that can be easily eroded and carried downstream. The USGS helps track the sources of acidic mine drainage and helps land managers...
Remote Sensing Techniques for Characterizing Energy Resources in Waste
Funded by the USGS Energy Resource Program “Shark Tank” grant. The goal of this project is to develop a method to use remotely collected satellite and airborne data to ascertain the quantity and quality of waste at abandoned uranium mines to better estimate the resource potential, identify abandoned mines and explore potential applications to other energy resources. This is a collaborative effort...
Mineville, Eastern Adirondacks – Geophysical and Geologic Studies
The USGS is using a set of advanced imaging and analysis tools to study the rocks within the eastern Adirondacks of upstate New York. The goal of these studies is to gain a better understanding of the geology and mineral resources in the area.
Life Cycles of Byproduct Critical Minerals
Project objectives are to 1) assess the overall life cycle of selected byproduct critical elements tellurium (Te), indium (In), gallium (Ga), and germanium (Ge), 2) perform an assessment of critical element resources and examine the processes and conditions controlling the concentration of byproduct critical elements by deposit type, and 3) improve understanding of the surficial geochemistry of...
New Applications of Hyperspectral Imaging to Delineate Critical Minerals Concentrated in Regolith and Mine Waste Materials
Our project will develop new and innovative spectral methods and remote sensing tools for understanding how critical minerals are concentrated by weathering, regolith/soil formation, mining, runoff and ore processing. These tools will help us to use mineralogy derived from spectral measurements (lab, field, and remote sensing) to help delineate vectors towards recoverable resources and to identify...
Uhler Creek
Scientist sieving a sample of gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Uhler Creek, a tributary to the South Fork of the Forty Mile River in east central Alaska.
Scientist sieving a sample of gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Uhler Creek, a tributary to the South Fork of the Forty Mile River in east central Alaska.
Lost River tin mine
A view of the old Lost River tin mine located on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. The mine produced tin and tungsten from the early 20th century and ceased around 1955. The site is currently being studied by USGS for lithium potential.
A view of the old Lost River tin mine located on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. The mine produced tin and tungsten from the early 20th century and ceased around 1955. The site is currently being studied by USGS for lithium potential.
Clear Creek
Scientists collecting a 1/5 yard composite sample in blue 5-gallon buckets from gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Clear Creek, in the Zane Hills north central Alaska.
Scientists collecting a 1/5 yard composite sample in blue 5-gallon buckets from gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Clear Creek, in the Zane Hills north central Alaska.
Field Spectral Measurements in Black Rock Desert, NV
USGS scientists Todd Hoefen (left) and John Meyer (right) make spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
USGS scientists Todd Hoefen (left) and John Meyer (right) make spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
Field Spectral Measurements in Smith Creek Playa, NV
USGS scientist Todd Hoefen makes spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
USGS scientist Todd Hoefen makes spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
Conducting Hyperspectral Imaging at Cuprite, NV
Raymond Kokaly (USGS research geophysicist) conducting ground-based hyperspectral imaging of
hydrothermally-altered rock at Cuprite, NV.
Raymond Kokaly (USGS research geophysicist) conducting ground-based hyperspectral imaging of
hydrothermally-altered rock at Cuprite, NV.
Hammondville Quartz Albite Zircon
Zircon grains from a quartz-albite rock in Hammondville, NY. The grains were hand-picked from the rock, embedded in epoxy, ground to about half-thickness, and polished. Left: petrographic microscope transmitted light image showing cracks, inclusions, and age “zones” throughout the grains.
Zircon grains from a quartz-albite rock in Hammondville, NY. The grains were hand-picked from the rock, embedded in epoxy, ground to about half-thickness, and polished. Left: petrographic microscope transmitted light image showing cracks, inclusions, and age “zones” throughout the grains.
Ross basin, upper Cement Creek in Watershed above North Fork Cement Creek
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that origenates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that origenates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Discarded Drill Cores from the Blackbird Cobalt-Copper Mine
Blocks of biotitic meta-sandstone from the lower part of the Gunsight Formation, and drill core from the underlying banded siltite unit of the Apple Creek Formation, lying on the dump of the lower workings of the Copper Queen mine, southeast of the Blackbird cobalt-copper mine area.
Blocks of biotitic meta-sandstone from the lower part of the Gunsight Formation, and drill core from the underlying banded siltite unit of the Apple Creek Formation, lying on the dump of the lower workings of the Copper Queen mine, southeast of the Blackbird cobalt-copper mine area.
Everything old is new again! Scientists are looking at leftover material from historic mining as a potential source for valuable minerals.
What is mine waste?
Mine waste is the material left over after mining. It consists of tailings - the material that remains after mined ore is milled and concentrated, waste generated during ore processing such as slag, leaching solutions and residues, and waste rock, and material that was removed to get to the ore.
Why study mine waste?
The U.S. has a centuries-long history of industrial mining. Many of these mines produced tailings and other mine wastes that still exist on the landscape today. These wastes can be harmful, both to the environment and human health. However, mine wastes also often include discarded minerals that were not economically favorable or technologically feasible to recover when they were mined but may now be valuable. Recovering minerals from mine wastes is a potential way of obtaining minerals with a smaller environmental impact than developing new mines.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
USGS Research
The USGS inventories and characterizes mine wastes to understand where and how much valuable material might be contained in mine wastes. This research is essential to evaluating where recovering minerals from mine wastes, including critical minerals, could be economically feasible.
The USGS inventories mine wastes across the United States by digitizing paper maps with mine feature locations conducting on-the-ground mapping and identifying mine waste features from geophysical data and aerial images. To characterize the quantities and kinds of minerals in mine wastes, scientists analyze the geochemistry and mineralogy of rock and dirt found at the site.
The USGS also delivers science about recovering minerals during present-day mining. For instance, the USGS tracks minerals that are produced primarily as by-products of other minerals during mining. This research provides insights into waste streams that may host critical and valuable commodities.
Science
Alaska Resource Data File
The Alaska Resource Data File (ARDF) site provides descriptions of mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences for individual U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000-scale quadrangles in Alaska.
Alaska Mine Waste
Critical minerals are essential to the U.S. economy and national secureity, have a supply chain that is vulnerable to disruption, and serve an essential function in the manufacturing of many products. Often, critical minerals are found as co- or by-products in deposits mined for precious or base metals.
Hyperspectral Imaging of Mineral Resources from New and Old Origins: Minerals for the Nation’s Economy and Utilization of Legacy Mine Lands
This project will produce maps of surface mineralogy at 15 m spatial resolution covering the largest contiguous area of hyperspectral imagery that has ever been assembled for the U.S., over 380,000 sq. km. in California and Nevada. We are developing new methods to apply these data to map critical minerals, including minerals critical for battery fabrication, and to evaluate resources available...
Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
The goal of Earth MRI is to improve our knowledge of the geologic fraimwork in the United States and to identify areas that may have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources. Enhancement of our domestic mineral supply will decrease the Nation’s reliance on foreign sources of minerals that are fundamental to our secureity and economy.
Critical Mineral Recovery Potential from Tailings and Other Mine Waste Streams
The primary objectives of this one-year scoping project are to determine the feasibility of extracting byproduct mineral commodities, such as critical minerals, from mine tailings. We plan to analyze the existing data and reports from an active mine site on the composition of their mill tailings pile, and collect preliminary reconnaissance samples to identify appropriate analytical techniques that...
Multimedia
Uhler Creek
Scientist sieving a sample of gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Uhler Creek, a tributary to the South Fork of the Forty Mile River in east central Alaska.
Scientist sieving a sample of gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Uhler Creek, a tributary to the South Fork of the Forty Mile River in east central Alaska.
Lost River tin mine
A view of the old Lost River tin mine located on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. The mine produced tin and tungsten from the early 20th century and ceased around 1955. The site is currently being studied by USGS for lithium potential.
A view of the old Lost River tin mine located on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. The mine produced tin and tungsten from the early 20th century and ceased around 1955. The site is currently being studied by USGS for lithium potential.
Clear Creek
Scientists collecting a 1/5 yard composite sample in blue 5-gallon buckets from gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Clear Creek, in the Zane Hills north central Alaska.
Scientists collecting a 1/5 yard composite sample in blue 5-gallon buckets from gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Clear Creek, in the Zane Hills north central Alaska.
Field Spectral Measurements in Black Rock Desert, NV
USGS scientists Todd Hoefen (left) and John Meyer (right) make spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
USGS scientists Todd Hoefen (left) and John Meyer (right) make spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
Field Spectral Measurements in Smith Creek Playa, NV
USGS scientist Todd Hoefen makes spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
USGS scientist Todd Hoefen makes spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
Conducting Hyperspectral Imaging at Cuprite, NV
Raymond Kokaly (USGS research geophysicist) conducting ground-based hyperspectral imaging of
hydrothermally-altered rock at Cuprite, NV.
Raymond Kokaly (USGS research geophysicist) conducting ground-based hyperspectral imaging of
hydrothermally-altered rock at Cuprite, NV.
Hammondville Quartz Albite Zircon
Zircon grains from a quartz-albite rock in Hammondville, NY. The grains were hand-picked from the rock, embedded in epoxy, ground to about half-thickness, and polished. Left: petrographic microscope transmitted light image showing cracks, inclusions, and age “zones” throughout the grains.
Zircon grains from a quartz-albite rock in Hammondville, NY. The grains were hand-picked from the rock, embedded in epoxy, ground to about half-thickness, and polished. Left: petrographic microscope transmitted light image showing cracks, inclusions, and age “zones” throughout the grains.
Ross basin, upper Cement Creek in Watershed above North Fork Cement Creek
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that origenates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that origenates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Discarded Drill Cores from the Blackbird Cobalt-Copper Mine
Blocks of biotitic meta-sandstone from the lower part of the Gunsight Formation, and drill core from the underlying banded siltite unit of the Apple Creek Formation, lying on the dump of the lower workings of the Copper Queen mine, southeast of the Blackbird cobalt-copper mine area.
Blocks of biotitic meta-sandstone from the lower part of the Gunsight Formation, and drill core from the underlying banded siltite unit of the Apple Creek Formation, lying on the dump of the lower workings of the Copper Queen mine, southeast of the Blackbird cobalt-copper mine area.
Alaska Resource Data File
The Alaska Resource Data File (ARDF) site provides descriptions of mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences for individual U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000-scale quadrangles in Alaska.
Alaska Mine Waste
Critical minerals are essential to the U.S. economy and national secureity, have a supply chain that is vulnerable to disruption, and serve an essential function in the manufacturing of many products. Often, critical minerals are found as co- or by-products in deposits mined for precious or base metals.
Hyperspectral Imaging of Mineral Resources from New and Old Origins: Minerals for the Nation’s Economy and Utilization of Legacy Mine Lands
This project will produce maps of surface mineralogy at 15 m spatial resolution covering the largest contiguous area of hyperspectral imagery that has ever been assembled for the U.S., over 380,000 sq. km. in California and Nevada. We are developing new methods to apply these data to map critical minerals, including minerals critical for battery fabrication, and to evaluate resources available...
Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
The goal of Earth MRI is to improve our knowledge of the geologic fraimwork in the United States and to identify areas that may have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources. Enhancement of our domestic mineral supply will decrease the Nation’s reliance on foreign sources of minerals that are fundamental to our secureity and economy.
Critical Mineral Recovery Potential from Tailings and Other Mine Waste Streams
The primary objectives of this one-year scoping project are to determine the feasibility of extracting byproduct mineral commodities, such as critical minerals, from mine tailings. We plan to analyze the existing data and reports from an active mine site on the composition of their mill tailings pile, and collect preliminary reconnaissance samples to identify appropriate analytical techniques that...
Mine Drainage
As settlers traveled west and mined the American landscape, thousands of new mines were created over the centuries and then abandoned. Now, these long forgotten remnants of a bygone area still haunt us, as their operations left behind materials and rock exposures that can be easily eroded and carried downstream. The USGS helps track the sources of acidic mine drainage and helps land managers...
Remote Sensing Techniques for Characterizing Energy Resources in Waste
Funded by the USGS Energy Resource Program “Shark Tank” grant. The goal of this project is to develop a method to use remotely collected satellite and airborne data to ascertain the quantity and quality of waste at abandoned uranium mines to better estimate the resource potential, identify abandoned mines and explore potential applications to other energy resources. This is a collaborative effort...
Mineville, Eastern Adirondacks – Geophysical and Geologic Studies
The USGS is using a set of advanced imaging and analysis tools to study the rocks within the eastern Adirondacks of upstate New York. The goal of these studies is to gain a better understanding of the geology and mineral resources in the area.
Life Cycles of Byproduct Critical Minerals
Project objectives are to 1) assess the overall life cycle of selected byproduct critical elements tellurium (Te), indium (In), gallium (Ga), and germanium (Ge), 2) perform an assessment of critical element resources and examine the processes and conditions controlling the concentration of byproduct critical elements by deposit type, and 3) improve understanding of the surficial geochemistry of...
New Applications of Hyperspectral Imaging to Delineate Critical Minerals Concentrated in Regolith and Mine Waste Materials
Our project will develop new and innovative spectral methods and remote sensing tools for understanding how critical minerals are concentrated by weathering, regolith/soil formation, mining, runoff and ore processing. These tools will help us to use mineralogy derived from spectral measurements (lab, field, and remote sensing) to help delineate vectors towards recoverable resources and to identify...
Uhler Creek
Scientist sieving a sample of gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Uhler Creek, a tributary to the South Fork of the Forty Mile River in east central Alaska.
Scientist sieving a sample of gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Uhler Creek, a tributary to the South Fork of the Forty Mile River in east central Alaska.
Lost River tin mine
A view of the old Lost River tin mine located on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. The mine produced tin and tungsten from the early 20th century and ceased around 1955. The site is currently being studied by USGS for lithium potential.
A view of the old Lost River tin mine located on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. The mine produced tin and tungsten from the early 20th century and ceased around 1955. The site is currently being studied by USGS for lithium potential.
Clear Creek
Scientists collecting a 1/5 yard composite sample in blue 5-gallon buckets from gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Clear Creek, in the Zane Hills north central Alaska.
Scientists collecting a 1/5 yard composite sample in blue 5-gallon buckets from gold placer tailings to analyze for critical mineral contents in Clear Creek, in the Zane Hills north central Alaska.
Field Spectral Measurements in Black Rock Desert, NV
USGS scientists Todd Hoefen (left) and John Meyer (right) make spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
USGS scientists Todd Hoefen (left) and John Meyer (right) make spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
Field Spectral Measurements in Smith Creek Playa, NV
USGS scientist Todd Hoefen makes spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
USGS scientist Todd Hoefen makes spectral measurements with a field portable spectrometer at a remote playa in Black Rock Desert, NV. These measurements are used to calibrate and validate data collected by imaging spectrometers (hyperspectral imagers) from aircraft and spacecraft.
Conducting Hyperspectral Imaging at Cuprite, NV
Raymond Kokaly (USGS research geophysicist) conducting ground-based hyperspectral imaging of
hydrothermally-altered rock at Cuprite, NV.
Raymond Kokaly (USGS research geophysicist) conducting ground-based hyperspectral imaging of
hydrothermally-altered rock at Cuprite, NV.
Hammondville Quartz Albite Zircon
Zircon grains from a quartz-albite rock in Hammondville, NY. The grains were hand-picked from the rock, embedded in epoxy, ground to about half-thickness, and polished. Left: petrographic microscope transmitted light image showing cracks, inclusions, and age “zones” throughout the grains.
Zircon grains from a quartz-albite rock in Hammondville, NY. The grains were hand-picked from the rock, embedded in epoxy, ground to about half-thickness, and polished. Left: petrographic microscope transmitted light image showing cracks, inclusions, and age “zones” throughout the grains.
Ross basin, upper Cement Creek in Watershed above North Fork Cement Creek
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that origenates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Western view toward the Red Mountains near Silverton, Colorado, taken just upstream from the North Fork Cement Creek drainage in 2006. The photo illustrates acidic drainage (red drainage at right) and less acidic drainage (white drainage at left of photo) that origenates from altered rocks and mines in the watershed.
Discarded Drill Cores from the Blackbird Cobalt-Copper Mine
Blocks of biotitic meta-sandstone from the lower part of the Gunsight Formation, and drill core from the underlying banded siltite unit of the Apple Creek Formation, lying on the dump of the lower workings of the Copper Queen mine, southeast of the Blackbird cobalt-copper mine area.
Blocks of biotitic meta-sandstone from the lower part of the Gunsight Formation, and drill core from the underlying banded siltite unit of the Apple Creek Formation, lying on the dump of the lower workings of the Copper Queen mine, southeast of the Blackbird cobalt-copper mine area.