Steese geologic mapping projectproject period: july 1, 2024-june 30, 2027THIS project builds understanding of the united states potential to host yet-to-be-discovered deposits of critical minerals,…

This $1,575,000 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) under the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (CFDA 15.073) will fund geologic mapping and mineral resource assessments in the Steese region of Alaska. The project will generate new geological data, including a geologic map, rock descriptions, chemical analyses, and age estimates for the targeted area. This information will be used to better understand the region's potential for critical mineral deposits, such as rare earth elements, as well as conventional resources like gold, silver, copper, and molybdenum. The geologic mapping and data collection will be conducted by a team of twelve geologists from the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys and the University of Alaska over the 3-year project period from July 2024 to June 2027. The resulting publications and data will support mineral resource estimates, mining exploration, and land management decisions.

Steese geologic mapping projectproject period: july 1, 2024-june 30, 2027THIS project builds understanding of the united states potential to host yet-to-be-discovered deposits of critical minerals, through geologic mapping of selected areas with known potential and limited available data. The project is part of the U.S. Geological surveys ongoing earth mapping resources initiative (earth MRI). The 2024 steese project area lies in the circle, livengood, fairbanks, and big delta quadrangles and encompasses fairbanks, circle hot springs, and lime peak.critical minerals are mineral commodities that are both critical to the U.S. Economy and national security and have a supply chain vulnerable to disruption. As of 2022, the U.S. Geological survey lists 50 such commodities. The U.S. Geological survey has identified the yukon-tanana upland (YTU) of alaska as prospective for rare-earth elements (REE), as well as many other critical minerals, including antimony, arsenic, bismuth, cobalt, graphite, indium, rhenium, selenium, tin, tellurium, tungsten, and the platinum-group elements. Conventional mineral resources include gold, silver, copper, and molybdenum. This project will generate new geologic data to better describe and understand this mineral-rich region. Geologic mapping produces a digital representation of the areas bedrock geology, including rock types, faults, and the orientations of layered rocks. The geologic map of the steese project area will be created by a team of twelve geologists from the state of alaska division of geological geophysical surveys and the university of alaska. Because most of the area is roadless and inaccessible, much of the work will be supported by helicopter. The geological team describe, measure, and sample bedrock, on foot, along traverses selected to fill gaps in geologic knowledge. In addition to the geologic map, the geologists will generate and publish field notes and photos, microscope-based rock descriptions, laboratory analyses of rock chemical composition, and estimates of rock ages based on chemical isotopes. Deliverables from this project will include a geologic map of the steese project area, including an accompanying description of map units, correlation of map units diagram, and bedrock cross sections. The map, accompanying booklet, and supporting analytical data releases will be published through the alaska division of geological geophysical surveys publications website by the end of the project period. The intended beneficiaries of this project include all parties with an interest in mineral resources and the bedrock geology of alaska. These data will be used in U.S. Geological survey mineral resource estimates, by mining companies seeking exploration opportunities, and by land management agencies seeking to make informed management decisions. These data will also be useful to scientific researchers working to understand the geology and geologic history of alaska, and in cross-disciplinary scientific research where bedrock type may be a factor, for example, ecology.