Project abstract summary project title: new (see 1-pager): characterization of tertiary nonmarine sedimentary and volcanic deposits for lithium potential in southeastern caproject period: 10 01…

The California Department of Conservation is awarded a $456,954.10 Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Geological Survey under the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (CFDA 15.073) to conduct geological mapping and geochemical analysis in areas with potential for lithium resources in southeastern California. The project aims to produce 1:24,000-scale digital geologic maps for portions of the western Cady Mountains and the Daggett 7.5 quadrangle. These mapping activities, along with compiling existing geologic data and geochemical analyses, will help identify and characterize sedimentary and volcanic deposits with elevated lithium concentrations to support the USGS's critical mineral resource assessments and mapping initiatives. The project period is from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2026.

Project abstract summary project title: new (see 1-pager): characterization of tertiary nonmarine sedimentary and volcanic deposits for lithium potential in southeastern caproject period: 10 01 2023-09 30 2026PURPOSE the motivation for this project is the documented occurrence of lithium in fine-grained sedimentary units within the miocene barstow formation and equivalent age units. Average lithium concentrations in sedimentary rocks can range from 40-66 parts per million (PPM) (bradley and others, 2017). Samples collected by previous USGS researchers of barstow formation in the MUD hills and the calico mountains yielded lithium concentrations of up to 2,000 PPM (figure 2 USGS, 2008). The occurrence of elevated lithium concentrations within both sedimentary bedrock and sediments is significant, but the existing sample coverage is not dense enough to determine the lateral extent or potential geologic controls of the lithium concentrations. Activities to be performedcgs geologists will begin with the compilation and georeferencing of existing published and unpublished geologic maps and reports. Where lidar data is available, IT will be processed for shaded relief, slope, and elevation contours for analysis. Lidar combined with high-resolution color imagerywill be used as GIS base layers for digital mapping of bedrock geology, faults, and structural trends. The USGS mineral resources data system (mrds) and internal CGS historical mining data will be used to identify areas of known mineralization, with special attention on mines and prospects that targeted borates, strontium, gypsum, clays, and zeolite deposits. Data from the USGS national geochemical database (ngdb) will also be used to identify areas of potential mineralization, with preference given to areas containing samples with lithium concentrations above the average for sedimentary rocks (bradley and others, 2017). The geologic mapping and geochemistry leads (see project personnel section below) will collaborate on compilation, desktop analysis, and interpretation of all geochemistry data. These reference data along with topographic base maps and available imaging spectrometer data (e.g., aviris) will be compiled into a GIS geodatabase for use in planning and conducting field work.deliverables the geologic map deliverables for the proposed project are two-dimensional, digital gemscompliant geodatabases and high quality digital portable document format (geopdf) file of the following maps: Q3 FY 2024-2025: geologic map sheet of a portion of the western cady mountains, at 1:24,000-scale. Q4 FY 2025-2026: preliminary geologic map of the daggett 7.5 quadrangle, at 1:24,000- scale.beneficiaries new detailed geologic mapping and geochemical reconnaissance will help support earth mapping resources initiative (earth MRI) and national cooperative geologic mapping program (ncgmp) objectives through:1. Providing new integrated geologic and geochemical mapping of an area with critical mineral resource potential, AND2. Providing new interpretations of above-ground geologic and geochemical data as IT relates to mineral resource potential for future subsurface correlation.