Critical minerals in devonian black shales of the midcontinent emri initiative cooperative agreement FY23PROJECT period: 06 22 2023 - 06 21 2026PURPOSE: the illinois state geological survey will…

The Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey awarded a $660,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (CFDA 15.073) to the University of Illinois. The purpose of the project is for the Illinois State Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Iowa, Indiana, and Kentucky State Geological Surveys, to collect new geochemical data on critical mineral concentrations in Devonian black shales across the Illinois Basin. The data will help evaluate ore mineralizing system models by documenting geochemical gradients, sedimentology, and characteristics of the black shale-enclosing strata. The project period runs from June 22, 2023 to June 21, 2026. The University of Iowa, University of Kentucky Research Foundation, and Trustees of Indiana University are also participating as sub-grantees on this collaborative research effort.

Critical minerals in devonian black shales of the midcontinent emri initiative cooperative agreement FY23PROJECT period: 06 22 2023 - 06 21 2026PURPOSE: the illinois state geological survey will provide leadership in this collaborative study of critical minerals within devonian black shales of the illinois basin. Collaborators include the iowa, indiana, and kentucky state geological surveys. The study area covers outcrop and subsurface occurrences in southeastern iowa, central to southern illinois, western indiana, and western kentuckyactivities: the objectives of this study are to collect new geochemical data on critical mineral concentrations of devonian black shales across the illinois basin and to map those concentrations by age of the deposits. Deliverables: this data will also help future evaluation of ORE mineralizing system models by documenting geochemical gradients, sedimentology, and characteristics of black shale-enclosing strata.