SEARCH · Geology Reports

Results for “Ore and Energy Resource Geology”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

1,665 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

USGS2024

3-D geological modeling for numerical flow simulation studies of gas hydrate reservoirs at the Kuparuk State 7-11-12 Pad in the Prudhoe Bay Unit on the Alaska North Slope

Accurate reservoir evaluation requires reliable three-dimensional (3-D) geological models. This study conducted 3-D geological modeling for numerical flow simulation of the B1 sand gas hydrate reservoir at the Kuparuk State 7-11-12 pad, Prudhoe Bay Unit, Alaska North Slope. The model integrates well logs, core, and seismic data to address spatial heterogeneity in geological structures and reservoir properties. Two modeling types were performed: structural framework modeling and petrophysical property modeling. For structural framework modeling, seismic data and well log markers were used to reproduce subsurface structures characterized by a normal fault system. A volume-based modeling algorithm and stair-step gridding were applied. The resulting 3-D model comprised 2,640,000 grid cells across 264 layers, including seven fault grids. For petrophysical property modeling, total porosity was initially modeled using sequential Gaussian simulation with collocated cokriging. To reproduce the upward coarsening of the B1 sand, upscaled log-derived total porosity and a 3-D trend depicting total porosity variation were used as primary and secondary data, respectively. Gas hydrate saturation distribution was modeled similarly, with secondary data from estimated porosity distribution and seismic-derived acoustic impedance map enhancing accuracy. Results indicate higher gas hydrate saturation in the upper part of the B1 sand and areas with higher acoustic impedance. Intrinsic permeability was modeled from the total porosity and clay-bound water volume, and effective permeability was derived from the gas hydrate saturation and intrinsic permeability distributions based on the “Tokyo model”. Effective permeability distributions were influenced by the total porosity, gas hydrate saturation, and intrinsic permeability. Within the same layer, higher gas hydrate saturation leads to decreased effective permeability. In total, 100 sets of multiple scenarios were prepared, providing input data for dynamic flow simulations to evaluate the effects of lateral heterogeneity in reservoir properties and the hydraulic characteristics of faults on production behavior for preassessment before the long-term production test.

Alaska↗

USGS2026

Multiple-well monitoring site adjacent to the Midway- Sunset and Buena Vista Oil Fields, Kern County, California

Groundwater quality in and around oil fields in the Southern San Joaquin Valley is of interest to many California residents that rely heavily on groundwater for domestic, commercial, and agricultural use. To help assess the effects of historical oil-field activities and natural geologic sources on groundwater near the southwest margins of the Kern County Groundwater Subbasin, a multiple-well monitoring site was installed near the administrative boundary between the Midway-Sunset and Buena Vista Oil Fields in Kern County, California. The installation of the Midway-Sunset Buena Vista multiple-well monitoring site (MSBV) supports regional analysis of the relations of oil and gas sources to groundwater quality by providing information about the geology, hydrology, geophysical properties, and water quality of the alluvial and upper Tulare aquifers in areas where groundwater data were limited. Data collected from the site included drill cuttings, whole core samples, sidewall core samples, mud-gas analysis, borehole geophysical logs, depth to water measurements, and water quality samples. Whole cores were scanned using dual energy computed tomography. Subsamples of selected cores were analyzed for density, porosity, specific retention, and bulk minerology. Thin sections of the subsamples were prepared, photographed, and examined. Two samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscope technology to examine the microporosity of diatomite laden sediment. Instrumentation installed in the wells collect hourly depth to water measurements. Analysis of the data show there is 355 feet of alluvium overlying the Tulare Formation at the well site. The contact between the two formations is an aquitard resulting in a perched aquifer in the alluvium and unconfined aquifer in the Tulare Formation. The alluvium is more heterogenous and finer grained than the Tulare Formation resulting in markedly higher porosity in the alluvium compared to the Tulare Formation. Higher specific retention observed in the alluvium is attributed to the finer grained sediment and greater abundance of reworked diatomite (as represented by opal-CT [cristobalite-tridymite]) compared to the Tulare Formation. Total dissolved solids (TDS) approached or exceeded 10,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in the alluvium from approximately 176 to 242 feet below land surface and at the top of the Amnicola clay at approximately 670 feet below land surface within the Tulare Formation. Elevated TDS, chloride, and boron concentrations in the alluvium and on top of the Amnicola clay likely reflect groundwater that is mixed with oil-field water. Water chemistry and modern-aged groundwater in the alluvial monitoring well (MSBV #3) are consistent with the oil-field water in the alluvium being derived from documented historical surface disposal of oil-field water upslope (northwest) of the site. Water chemistry and pre-modern groundwater age in the deeper Tulare monitoring well (MSBV #1) on top of the Amnicola clay are consistent with oil-field fluids derived from upslope natural geologic sources or old oil wells that leak in the subsurface. Shallow groundwater in the Tulare (MSBV #2) is not affected by mixing with oil-field sources.

EarthArXiv↗

USGS2025

Assimilation of reduced carbon triggers platinum alloy saturation in mafic and ultramafic magmas

It is generally observed that magmatic sulfide ores have higher ratios of Pd/Pt than the mantle-like values of their parental magmas. This discrepancy has defied simple explanation because the partitioning behavior of both elements between sulfide and silicate liquids is very similar. Assimilation of sulfur- and carbon-rich country rocks by mafic and ultramafic magmas is considered a critical, if not essential, step in the formation of magmatic base metal sulfide deposits. Although there is general consensus that the assimilation of external sulfur and carbon promotes sulfide saturation, the effect of carbon assimilation on the solubilities of platinum-group elements in natural S-bearing silicate melt has been overlooked. In this study, we investigate the variations of platinum and palladium solubilities during assimilation of graphite and methane through thermodynamic modeling, in comparison with data from an array of highly distinctive magmatic sulfide ore systems representing ages from Archean to Paleozoic, melt compositions from komatiite to basalt, and magmatic settings including lavas, hypabyssal intrusions, plutonic continental arc roots, and plutonic layered intrusions, namely: Raglan, Norilsk-Talnakh, Lac des Iles, and the J-M Reef of the Stillwater Complex. We model assimilation-fractional crystallization processes to estimate the reduction of oxygen fugacity ( ⁠fO2⁠ ) of the melt due to incorporation of graphite and methane. The simulations show that although Pd remains highly soluble during the progressive assimilation of reduced carbon, Pt solubility decreases significantly as the silicate melt becomes increasingly reduced. With less than 8 % of sediment assimilation, Pt alloy may saturate and then deviate from sulfide-undersaturated silicate melts, concomitantly increasing the Pd/Pt value of the remaining melts of the Raglan and Norilsk-Talnakh systems. For the Lac des Iles and Stillwater systems, a higher extent of assimilation is needed to reach Pt saturation because of the relatively carbon-poor nature of the lower crustal rocks. The assimilation of methane volatiles is shown to be more effective than graphite assimilation, and it provides a pathway to Pt alloy fractionation in the absence of detectable amounts of bulk host-rock assimilation. High Pd/Pt values have been documented in many world-class magmatic sulfide deposits whose parental magmas have demonstrably experienced crustal contamination. Our model suggests that although anomalous Pd/Pt values may be explained by other mechanisms such as incongruent melting of preexisting sulfide or differences in the diffusivities of the metals within achieving equilibration, the assimilation of graphite or methane may play an important role in the global occurrence of magmatic sulfide ores with elevated Pd/Pt values.

Economic Geology↗

USGS2026

Revisiting the utility of regional-scale, high-quality geophysical data in mineral exploration - A case study featuring the Mammoth Magnetic Anomaly, Pinal County, Arizona

Regional aeromagnetic surveys passively measure the total magnetic intensity (TMI) and are a foundational tool used in mineral exploration (Airo, 2015). With the increased global demand and the number of critical mineral resources required for manufacturing high-tech devices, developing high-quality, regional-scale geophysical surveys could aid critical mineral exploration efforts and geologic mapping. In 2019, the U. S. Geological Survey launched the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) to modernize the geologic and geophysical mapping of regions that have the potential to contain critical mineral resources within the United States. In support of planning Earth MRI geophysical surveys, Drenth and Grauch (2019) defined five aeromagnetic data quality rankings (rank 1 through rank 5) applying them to the airborne geophysical survey inventory of the United States (Johnson et al., 2021). Rank 1 aeromagnetic surveys are of the highest quality, meeting modern standards and allowing best practices for qualitative and quantitative interpretation; whereas rank 5 aeromagnetic surveys are of the lowest quality, being useful only for qualitative interpretation of broad features. Through the Earth MRI effort, 48 high-quality, regional-scale rank 1 and 2 airborne magnetic and radiometric geophysical surveys have been planned, collected, or publicly release through May 2025 (U. S. Geological Survey, 2025). Here, a portion of a rank 1 Earth MRI aeromagnetic survey in southeast Arizona is presented and compared to a legacy rank 5 aeromagnetic survey over the Mammoth Magnetic Anomaly (MMA), demonstrating how modern, high-quality aeromagnetic data improves our view of crustal geology, aiding mineral exploration.

Arizona↗

USGS2026

Utilization of multiple geochronology techniques to constrain the age of laterization and mineralization of the world-class Mount Weld rare earth element deposit, Western Australia

Pervasive chemical weathering on stable cratons may form thick regoliths and elemental enrichment, but constraining the age of regolith formation is challenging. In this study we utilize multiple geochronological techniques on different minerals from the world-class Mount Weld rare earth element (REE) deposit, formed by lateritic weathering of a carbonatite, to constrain the age of formation and provide insight into landscape evolution. The oldest dates, ca. 100 to 38 Ma, are from Lu-Hf dating of churchite [HREE(PO 4 )·2(H 2 O)], a heavy REE phosphate mineral. Growth bands on individual minerals show a younging outwards. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar geochronology of cryptomelane [K(Mn 4+ ,Mn 2+ )₈O₁₆] yielded dates from ca. 40 to 27 Ma. Similarly, (U-Th)/He geochronology of goethite [FeO(OH)] yielded dates ranging from ca. 45 to 19 Ma. Integrating results into regional constraints, suggests 1) churchite formed by mineral saturation in a karst-like setting below the water table from ca. 100 to 40 Ma, 2) with minor uplift and erosion, cryptomelane and goethite formed at or near the water table between ca. 45 and 19 Ma, 3) after ca. 15 to 10 Ma chemical weathering within the profile had ended. Other studies document that the region experienced minimal uplift and a wet, warm climate from ca. 100 Ma to 15 Ma. These conditions and the high carbonate content of the carbonatite promote extensive chemical weathering, a deep weathering profile, and the preservation of the weathered section. This study highlights the use of multiple geochronological techniques utilizing different minerals to provide insight into how laterites form and to constrain the timing and history of the formation of this important mineral deposit.

Western Australia↗

USGS2025

Gulf Coast Basin CORE-CM initiative final report

The Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin (UT-BEG) is leading the Gulf Coast Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative to assess the potential to produce critical minerals (CMs), including rare earth elements (REEs) from coal, coal ash, and produced water related to oil and gas production, and related materials (alumina processing waste [red mud], heavy mineral sands, graphite, and zeolite) within the Gulf Coast Basin. This project represents the first phase in a long-term program and provides reconnaissance data that will be foundational for future work by assessing resources and suggesting plans to be conducted in future work and expanding stakeholder engagement. The project includes several tasks designed to identify, characterize, and assess several necessary aspects for development of CMs and REEs in the Gulf Coast Basin.

Gulf Coast basin↗

USGS2024

Deep syntectonic burial of the Anthracite belt, Eastern Pennsylvania

Fluid inclusion microthermometry and Raman spectroscopy of fluid inclusions in quartz veins from the Pennsylvanian rocks of the Anthracite belt, eastern Pennsylvania support a deep burial model of coalification in favor of focused orogenic hot fluid flow. High-temperature (250 to 255 °C) trapping of CH 4 ± CO 2 saturated aqueous fluids and CH 4 ± CO 2 inclusions indicate fluid trapping at depths of 11.5 to 13.4 km under a cover of Pennsylvanian to Permian(?) syntectonic load. In the folded rocks to the south of the Anthracite belt, CH 4 ± CO 2 fluid inclusions indicate a sediment load that was up to 16.3 km thick. Re -equilibrated aqueous fluid inclusions from veins in Silurian through Devonian rocks give the same range of trapping conditions but a wide range of fluid salinities suggesting that folding, fracturing, and meteoric recharge resulted in the intermixing of fluids from throughout the stratigraphic succession.

Pennsylvania↗

USGS2025

Preliminary depth to basement modeling at Salton Sea, California

The San Andreas Fault – Imperial Fault (SAF-IF) transtensional step-over zone along the southern margin of the Salton Sea hosts substantial geothermal production and lithium brine resources. Recent volcanism at the Salton Buttes and active seismicity along the SAFIF fault system highlight active tectonic and magmatic processes that pose natural hazards and may impact energy and mineral production. Characterizing the subsurface architecture and extent of concealed alteration associated with this tectono-magmatic system enhances understanding of these active processes, associated hazards, and resources. We have compiled a gravity database, consisting of new and re-processed existing data, from which we have constructed a new isostatic residual gravity anomaly map of the Salton trough. We have used this new gravity dataset together with a compilation of publicly available borehole data to develop new depth to basement inversion models for the region. These depth to basement models help to constrain basin geometries, inform alteration mapping, and reveal variations in basement rocks. Due to the concealed nature of the complex tectonic framework at the Salton trough, it is necessary to utilize geophysical methods for subsurface characterization. These new depth to basement models are a first step toward constructing 2D and 3D geophysical and geologic models of the Imperial Valley and Salton Sea geothermal area. This analysis complements other geophysical initiatives, including magnetotelluric (MT) modeling (Tokmakoff et al., 2024), magnetic mapping (Glen and Earney, 2023, 2024) and potential field modeling, and seismic studies focused on hazard and resource investigations in the Imperial Valley.

California↗

USGS2026

Conventional hydrothermal power-producing systems of the Great Basin, USA

As part of the update to the electric-grade conventional hydrothermal assessment of the Great Basin, USA, Monte Carlo analyses of identified resources within explored regions will be performed to make estimates of discovered resources and associated uncertainty. Analyses use conditional statistics where estimates are conditioned upon a hydrothermal favorability map, allowing for the likelihood that more resources exist in regions of higher hydrothermal favorability. For these analyses, a dataset of identified hydrothermal systems is compiled, and the new compilation is described herein. Recognizing that a single hydrothermal system may be developed with multiple power plants, and that the hydrothermal upflow zone may be several kilometers across with many measurements characterizing a single hydrothermal system, a procedure was developed and employed to create clusters of points (power plants, measurements, etc.) that are associated with a single system, and a new central point was defined as the best estimator of the center of the hydrothermal system. Hydrothermal systems were uniquely identified by grouping electric-grade hydrothermal measurements and operating power plants within a distance of 10 km. Groups that are >10 km apart are assumed to be different electric-grade hydrothermal systems. While 10 km was used as the threshold, most systems were significantly further apart, and most points within groups were typically within 5 km of each other. A well measurement was considered an electric-grade measurement of a hydrothermal system if it had two properties: a measured temperature of >85 °C and evidence of hydrothermal convection. Other points that were added to the dataset are locations of operating powerplants or locations that have been classified as an electric-grade hydrothermal resource by either the U.S Geological Survey (USGS) or the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy. After all points are assigned to systems, new points were computed with the goal of identifying the center of the throat of the hydrothermal upflow zone. If operating powerplants exist for a system, then the arithmetic average of all power plant locations is used. Otherwise, if USGS made an estimate, that location is used. In the absence of both powerplants or USGS estimates, the arithmetic average of all electric-grade measurement locations is used. An example is shown of how these newly compiled locations might be ranked for uncertainty analyses, where higher confidence is assumed if measured temperature is higher and there are many supporting measurements indicating an electric-grade resource. In summary, 28 systems have operating power plants, an additional 78 systems are known identified electric-grade hydrothermal resources, and 99 new systems were identified as probable electric-grade systems with varying levels of confidence. These 205 locations are shown as a function of a recent hydrothermal favorability map, conceptually illustrating the conditional statistics that can be used to make estimates of the undiscovered resources of the Great Basin. An accompanying data release provides summaries of developed capacity by system and USGS estimates of likely total capacity and associated uncertainty.

Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah↗

USGS2026

Sackung at Bald Eagle ridge, central Colorado: An updated interpretation of ridge-spreading movement, structures, and mechanisms from 50 years (1975–2025) of U.S. Geological Survey research

Slow gravitational failures of mountain peaks and ridges are poorly understood. Herein, we report on 50 years of studies at a slowly spreading castellate ridge in the Sawatch Range in central Colorado. The orientations of geomorphic-structural features indicate that the fractured Precambrian granitic rock underlying the ridge has extended and spread northwestward toward the formerly glacier-covered Busk Creek valley. Results from surveying, field-based geomorphic-structural mapping using lidar, rock mass quality measurements, a passive seismic survey, and satellite radar provide a major update to research started by U.S. Geological Survey researchers in the 1970s and 1980s. New insights include a recognition that the entire ridge has slowly moved by concurrent sliding along an inferred northwest dipping, compound basal-slip surface (or zone), and through the formation of multiple grabens by normal faulting and flexural toppling along sets of pre-existing fractures that dip moderately (∼45°) to the southeast. We were unable to distinguish the presence of a sudden and strong contrast in seismic velocity across the inferred slip surface. Movement during the 50-year study period has been episodic and gradually decreasing, in correspondence with decreasing cumulative annual precipitation and increasing mean annual air temperatures. The fastest moving area, just upslope from the glacier trimline, had an average horizontal velocity of 3 – 4 mm/yr. Evidence suggests that movement started as a paraglacial response mechanism, but because of the site’s proximity to the Rio Grande Rift, we cannot exclude earthquake shaking as a mechanism for initiation or enhancement of slope movement. An estimate of longer-term horizontal movement from the exposed basal-slip surface at the uphill side of the ridgetop graben is ∼1.1 mm/yr for the 13 – 14 ky post-glacial period. Broad implications of our work are that: (1) long-term measurements (decades or longer) of slope movement can add insights into how sackungen form and evolve through time; (2) the identification of thrust faults and toes in zones of compression near valley bottoms can be crucial for interpreting sackung failure mechanisms, and (3) the use of passive-seismic techniques to identify the depth to a slip surface may not be successful in granitic terrain dominated by planar fractures and subtle changes in rock-mass characteristics.

Colorado↗

USGS2024

Insights on gas hydrate formation and growth within an interbedded sand reservoir from well logging at the Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

Although variable well log resolution and its control on saturation estimation has been studied, it has not been directly applied to a specific location to explore the nature of gas hydrate within a sand reservoir. We applied in-situ measurements of resistivities, neutron porosity, and gamma ray at two sites in the Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea (QDN-W05–2021 and QDN-W08–2021) to investigate the reservoir parameters of a hydrate-bearing sand reservoir. Our results show that gas hydrate is distributed in 5 zones with a total thickness of 10.7 m and an average saturation of 69% at the QDN-W05–2021 site, while they are distributed in 2 zones with a total thickness of 4.3 m and an average saturation of 49% at the QDN-W08–2021 site. We found that variances in saturations estimated from lateral-extra deep button (RX), phase shift (P40H-P40L), and attenuation (A40H-A40L) resistivities within the laterally mapped continuous sand body were affected by the nature of gas hydrate occurrences. Results indicate gas hydrate forms and accumulates at the center of the sand layer and tends to be less or not present toward the top and base. Integrated with seismic data, the in-situ measurements provide insights in the evolution of a mushroom-shaped, hydrate-gas reservoir system. In the system, free gas is likely horizontally transported from the top-center of the gas chimney to the surrounding areas in the early stage dominated by a warm-gas environment, whereas hydrate forms in the opposite pathway starting from the surrounding areas in the following stage with temperature reducing. Our study suggests that high-resolution in-situ measurements not only are a tool to identify the physical properties, but also can be used to help explain the physical process of hydrate growth and accumulation.

Marine Geology↗

USGS2025

USGS—An Unparalleled Scientific Asset

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) delivers information critical to powering our economy, managing our natural resources, and keeping Americans safe and healthy. 1 Mapping the Nation $21B Geologic maps save users an estimated 15% in annual costs: a value of between $14B and $21B. $25.6B in annual value to users of imagery from Landsat satellites, which were codeveloped by NASA and the USGS and operated through their lifespans by the USGS. $13.5B in annual benefits is generated by the USGS's 3D Elevation Program. Securing America’s Energy Independence 44% USGS-identified undiscovered geothermal energy is equal to 44% of current U.S. electricity generation. 29.4B barrels of oil and 391.6 trillion cubic feet of gas in recoverable resources are available on U.S. public lands based on USGS assessments. Protecting Americans’ Health and Safety $424B in recent wildland fire damages highlight the need for USGS fire science, which supports efforts to protect communities and reduce risk. USGS earthquake, volcano, landslide, and coastal hazard monitoring and information save lives and minimize costs; for example, $2.8M can be saved because of USGS enhanced information about a Mauna Loa eruption. $4.5B is the estimated cost of annual flooding. Through a network of over 11,885 streamgages, the USGS supports public safety and enables forecasts, early warning systems, and management actions that protect lives and property. Supporting National Security $3.1B The USGS identified a $3.1B risk to the American economy if China restricts gallium imports. This is one example underscoring the importance of the USGS mapping critical minerals, investigating supply chains, and producing the Nation’s critical minerals list. Enhancing Our Lands and Waters $21B in estimated annual costs results from invasive species. The USGS’s invasive species research informs approaches used to reduce their effects on agriculture, water infrastructure, disease transmission, fisheries, and outdoor recreation. USGS innovations support early warnings for harmful algal blooms—over $2M in yearly benefits are provided to Kansas alone. $45B USGS science informs the management of big game (such as deer and elk). The big-game hunting industry contributes $45B to the U.S. economy. Fostering American Prosperity $4.1T Mineral commodities are necessary for the $4.1T in value added to the GDP by major industries that consume processed mineral materials and employ 1 million workers. Because of this, USGS data on mineral supply, demand, and trade are highly valued. 45,000 metric tons Rare earths power the growing technology economy, including cell phones, electric vehicles, and medical devices. For over 70 years, USGS work has supported the discovery of rare earth resources in California’s Mountain Pass area, which produced 45,000 metric tons of rare earth concentrates in 2024—over 11% of the global supply. Guarding American Food Security $70.2B USGS science informs early warning systems and management strategies to mitigate disease outbreaks in agriculture—critical research on highly pathogenic avian influenza, for example, helps safeguard the $70B value in poultry and egg production. $11.8B USGS groundwater tools are vital for agriculture; for example, in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, 65% of farming relies on groundwater to support its $11.8B annual industry. 1 Values throughout are given in billions (B), millions (M), and trillions (T) of U.S. dollars. GDP is “Gross Domestic Product.” Percentages are shown as %.

General Information Product↗

USGS2026

Geochemical geodatabase of sedimentary strata (coal, coal-adjacent rocks, tuffaceous oil shale, phosphate-rich rocks) and produced water in the Uinta region, Utah and Colorado

The Geochemical Geodatabase of Sedimentary Strata (Coal, Coal-adjacent Rocks, Tuffaceous Oil Shale, Phosphate-rich Rocks) and Produced Water in the Uinta Region, Utah and Colorado, consists of compiled datasets acquired as part of the Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Mineral (CORE-CM) Uinta Region assessment funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DEFE0032046, 2021–2024; Birgenheier et al., 2024). The CORE-CM assessment focused on providing comprehensive geological and geochemical characterization of current and prospective sedimentary-hosted resources including coal, oil shale, phosphatic limestone, and produced water from oil and gas targets present in eastern Utah and northwestern Colorado (Figure 1). This Data Series includes a geodatabase that consists of analytical geochemical data collected September 2021 through December 2024 via portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), and laboratory measured analyses produced by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The coal-related geochemical data are derived primarily from the Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation and Ferron Sandstone of Utah, and the Mesaverde Group of Colorado. Additional non-coal resources assessed include oil shale-bearing strata of the Eocene upper Green River Formation (Utah and Colorado), phosphate-rich limestone of the Permian Park City Formation (Utah) and produced water from oil and gas-bearing strata of the Eocene Green River and Wasatch Formations (Uinta Basin) and the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation (Paradox Basin) (Table 1). The CORE-CM assessment included a wide range of lithologies present in the coal, oil shale, and phosphate geologic resource systems whether or not the specific lithology has current economic value. Geochemical analyses of produced water from oil and gas wells focused on current and emerging hydrocarbon targets in the central Uinta Basin and northern Paradox Basin. A total of 13,092 geochemical analyses from these geologic systems is provided in the included geodatabase. A series of coal quality data (e.g., composition and maceral analyses) is also included in the database and was digitized from archived coal samples from the Utah Geological Survey (Appendix A).

Colorado, Utah↗

USGS2024

Three-dimensional temperature maps of the Williston Basin, USA: Implications for deep hot sedimentary and enhanced geothermal resources

As part of U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) efforts to identify and assess geothermal energy resources of the US, a three-dimensional (3D) geologic and thermal model has been constructed for the Williston Basin, USA. The geologic model consists of all sedimentary units above the Proterozoic and Archean crystalline rock (called basement herein), with a total sedimentary thickness of up to 5 km near the basin center. Twenty-nine geologic units were mapped from interpreted formation tops from 16,465 wells. A 3D temperature model was constructed to a depth of 7 km by constructing a 3D heat flow model for the sedimentary units, followed by estimating underlying temperature using a one-dimensional (1D) analytic solution for heat flow within the underlying crystalline basement. Using the sedimentary basin model, heat flow was simulated in 3D and was calibrated using three temperature datasets: 1) 24 high-confidence static temperature logs (equilibrium thermal profiles), 2) more than15,000 drill stem test (DST) measurements from >7,000 wells, and 3) more than 45,000 bottomhole temperature (BHT) measurements from >14,000 wells. The DST and BHT datasets provide broad spatial coverage, but are lower confidence, primarily because measurements were made prior to attaining thermal equilibrium. DST and BHT measurements were binned regionally to develop representative thermal profiles that generally agree with these lower quality data (hereafter called pseudowell temperature profiles). Layer properties (primarily thermal conductivity and compaction curves) were set to best estimate values, then the heat flow model was calibrated to fit pseudowell and static temperature logs primarily by adjusting basal heat flow to approximate the overall temperature profile. Minor adjustments to thermal conductivity allowed adjusting changes in slope at lithologic contacts. Resulting maps include 3D temperature and basal (bottom of sedimentary units) heat flow estimates, which are used as input for the temperature model of the basement. The crystalline basement temperature model uses an analytic 1D solution to the heat flow equation that requires estimates of heat flow and temperature at the upper boundary (i.e., the sediment/basement contact), radiogenic heat production within the crystalline basement, and reference thermal conductivity (i.e., uncorrected for temperature). Two regions of high heat flow are identified: 1) in western North Dakota along the North American Central Plains Conductivity Anomaly and 2) in eastern Montana near the Poplar dome. Within the sedimentary column in the center of the basin of the basin, an area of approximately 100,000 km2 is predicted to have moderate- to high-temperature geothermal resources (>90 °C) under the thickest sequences of sediments. Where thick insulation and high heat flow coincide, electric-grade resources can be less than 4 km deep. Assuming a maximum feasible drilling depth of 7 km, temperatures are predicted to be as high as 175 °C. The geologic model may be used to identify strata at sufficient temperatures that may have natural permeability or that may have conditions that favor development of enhanced/engineered geothermal systems resources.

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota↗

USGS2026

Deformed submarine terraces in Puget Sound, Pacific Northwest, indicate only one M >~7.5 earthquake on the Seattle fault zone in the past 11,000 yr

Submerged marine terraces in Puget Sound, deformed across the Seattle fault zone (SFZ), indicate that only one earthquake as large as M~7.5 has occurred in at least the past 11 kyr. Previous paleoseismic studies document a M~7.5 earthquake between 923–4 CE, which uplifted coastal marine terraces by as much as 8 m. We demonstrate that this earthquake was the only such event since ~11 ka by mapping and quantifying deformation of older marine terraces, now submerged in Puget Sound. The submerged terraces, attributed to a late-glacial sea-level lowstand, record both glacial isostatic rebound and tectonic deformation. Vertical offset of the ~11 ka terraces within the SFZ is comparable to that of the marine terraces uplifted in 923 CE, implying no additional large (M>~7.5) earthquake on the SFZ since ~11 ka. This result implies a longer recurrence interval than current hazard estimates, which assumes recurrence of M>7.1 events every 5 kyr. Our mapping of SFZ deformation since ~11 ka also supports fault segmentation and contiguous block uplift between the Seattle and Tacoma fault zones.

Washington↗

USGS2026

Seismic characteristics of the April 2024 eruption of Ruang Volcano, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

The two most recent eruptions of Ruang volcano, in 2002 and 2024, have been large (VEI 4) with very short precursory periods, 3 and 6 days, respectively. Background seismicity at Ruang volcano is generally low with 0–2 volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes per day. The 2024 eruptions were preceded by a notable increase in VT earthquakes from 11 to 15 April with a rapid escalation from 16 to 17 April in the form of increased VT swarms, and the appearance of low frequency earthquakes and short bursts of VT drumbeats shortly before the eruption. Similar VT seismic unrest was recorded in March 2015, May 2016, and April 2022, although none of these episodes culminated in an eruption. A comparison of seismic energy release between April 2022 and April 2024 shows distinct differences. In 2024, cumulative seismic energy reached its peak within 5 days, just before the onset of eruption on 17 April. In contrast, during the 2022-episode, energy release followed a more gradual increase over 8 days peaking on 16 April, then declining gradually without leading to eruption. Notably, low frequency (LF) and drumbeat earthquakes were absent in non-eruptive unrest episodes. The transition to proximal LFs in 2024 likely signals pressure fluctuations, intensified magma degassing, and conduit formation, acting as an important precursor to eruption. Additionally, the occurrence of short bursts of drumbeat seismicity likely reflects the onset of the shallow magma ascent and was an important short-term precursor to the eruption. Finally, we examine the potential influence of regional tectonic earthquakes on the escalation of precursory unrest in 2024.

North Sulawesi, Ruang volcano↗

USGS2025

Estimating the hypothetical endowment of critical minerals and other commodities in porphyry copper mine waste in the Four Corners states, USA

Society is fundamentally dependent upon commodities that are used in end-use products for the aerospace, defense, energy, telecommunication, and transportation sectors, resulting in centuries of mining to supply these commodities and materials. Waste from these mining operations can remain on the landscape indefinitely, but there is a lack of national understanding of the distribution and scale of such waste features. The renewable energy transition will continue to increase demand for critical minerals and will result in increasing volumes of mine waste on the Earth’s surface. Reprocessing mine waste can reduce environmental risks and recover needed commodities to match growing demand for societal growth. Therefore, understanding the approximate abundance of commodities that may be available for recovery within mine waste features can be an important piece of domestic critical mineral supply.

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah↗

USGS2026

Detecting snow avalanche activity using infrasound: Hooker Valley, New Zealand

Snow avalanches pose considerable hazards to people and infrastructure in alpine environments. Traditional avalanche monitoring relies on meteorological data and visual observations, which can be limited in scope and timeliness. Infrasound offers a promising complementary monitoring tool by detecting the low-frequency sound waves generated by avalanches. Here, we present infrasound and camera observations during a 50-day field campaign in the Hooker Valley of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand. Our study detected seven avalanches with the cameras, whereas the infrasound system identified only one of these events, which was the largest and occurred under conditions that likely favoured infrasound propagation. The infrasound system recorded numerous other events not captured by the cameras, indicating the benefit of further investigation to determine their sources. These findings highlight the potential of infrasound technology for detecting avalanches and providing broad spatial coverage, capturing events in areas not monitored by cameras, while also showcasing limitations in infrasound capabilities. The limited detection of smaller avalanches underscores the opportunity for further research to enhance detection capabilities and understand environmental influences such as snow cover and wind noise. Overall, this study emphasises the utility of multidisciplinary monitoring techniques to improve avalanche detection in alpine environments.

Hooker Valley↗