USGS invests $3.8 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to map critical minerals across the Ozark Plateau

The data collection will be conducted through the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI), a partnership between the USGS and State geological surveys that is revolutionizing our understanding of the nation's geology, in particular its critical mineral resources, which are vital to the U.S. economy, national security and energy technology.

"We lack the high-quality data we need to understand our nation's geologic resources. Earth MRI is changing that by transforming and modernizing the Nation's geologic mapping and focusing current data collection in areas with potential critical minerals, including in mine wastes, as well as industrial minerals like sand and gravel," said David Applegate, USGS director.

This region has an extensive mining history associated with a variety of mineral commodities but is renowned for its world-class Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits, a specific type of mineral deposit characterized by the occurrence of lead and zinc ores.

Chelsea Amaral, lead USGS geophysicist for this survey, explained the data collected will image the concealed underground geology and lithology of the area, revealing details about both known and unknown mineral occurrences.

This survey footprint was designed in collaboration with officials from the respective state geological surveys to include coverage of two major critical mineral ore systems, granting scientists insight to both the local and regional geology.

"We can learn much from the data covering these deposits about why the systems develop the way they do," said Amaral.

Cheryl Seeger, chief of the Missouri Geologic Survey Geologic Investigations Unit, described the high-quality data generated through Earth MRI as "head and shoulders" above previous data sets and said the upcoming survey will be the first clear look at the state's geologic basement structures.

In addition to critical mineral potential, Earth MRI's foundational data can be applied to understand several other factors that impact the state, such as potential groundwater flow and potential seismic activity.

"We have small earthquakes in the area often, but we don't always know where the source is," said Seeger. "These geophysical data, specifically the deeper magnetic data, will help us pinpoint the location of potential structures that can move."

While most of the survey outline covers Missouri, it also includes the northwest corner of Arkansas which, when combined with previous Earth MRI surveys, will give scientists near complete coverage of the state.

"Such large coverage is very helpful and will complement our geochemical mapping efforts throughout the state," said Angela Chandler, assistant state geologist of Arkansas. "These data will also help us develop theories about how our continent was formed and why we see certain minerals in our rocks today."

The airborne geophysical surveys will collect a combination of magnetic and radiometric data. These data can be used to map rocks from just beneath vegetation and shallow sediment cover down to several miles underground. Magnetic data can be used to identify faults, lava flows, other geologic features and mineral deposits with distinct magnetic properties. Radiometric data indicate the relative amounts of potassium, uranium and thorium in shallow rocks and soil.

Scientists use this information to help map rocks that may contain mineral deposits, faults that may rupture during an earthquake, areas that may be prone to increased radon, and geologic features that affect groundwater or energy resources.

The initial airborne geophysical survey may be followed by additional investments, including new geologic mapping, geochemical sampling, and other techniques to better understand the region's geology.

Since 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has advanced scientific innovation through a \$320 million investment for the USGS to better map the Nation's mineral resources, both still in the ground and in mine wastes, and to preserve historical geologic data and samples. Through the end of fiscal year 2024, more than \$198 million has been obligated for Earth MRI initiatives, propelling efforts to make once-in-a-generation advancements in the nation's geologic and geophysical data collections and mapping.