Name of state geological survey: oklahoma geological surveyproposal title: phosphatic nodules and their associated black shale units in oklahomaproject period: 09 01 2024 through 08 31 2027AWARD…

The University of Oklahoma was awarded a $329,994 Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) under the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (CFDA 15.073) program. The three-year project aims to complete a detailed geochemical survey of phosphate nodules and associated shale units located in northeast-eastern Oklahoma. Key deliverables include a comprehensive geochemical database containing location and stratigraphic details, geochemical analyses from USGS testing, portable XRF data, and electron microprobe analyses. A summary report with geospatial and geochemical maps will be published in a peer-reviewed publication and made publicly available. The primary beneficiaries of the geochemical data and mapping products will be state government agencies and the public.

Name of state geological survey: oklahoma geological surveyproposal title: phosphatic nodules and their associated black shale units in oklahomaproject period: 09 01 2024 through 08 31 2027AWARD purpose: the oklahoma geological survey (OGS) proposes an earthmri-fundedgeochemical survey of the phosphate nodules and their associated shale units located innortheast-eastern oklahoma. Phosphate nodules are a well-known feature of the devonian-mississippian woodford shale that deserves further scrutiny to explain their source, growth, andabundance. The formation of these nodules is thought to be the result of interaction withdiagenetic fluids, but their exact cause still remains largely debated. Shales with phosphaticnodules are part of a broader shale facies, which are geochemically prone toward enrichment inrare-earth elements (rees) and other critical minerals. These shale units occur both in thedevonian-mississippian sections, and in other sections, such as the ordovician shales focused onby the illinois state survey, which only conducted limited work within oklahoma. The fundingof this project will allow for a more complete GEO-sampling of the phosphate nodules and shalesin this area, which should give US a better understanding of their potential for critical mineralenrichment and the overall critical mineral distribution of this entire area.activities: this three-year project aims to complete a detailed geochemical survey of thephosphate nodules and their associated shale units located in northeast-eastern oklahoma. Thesample set will include not only samples collected from the field, but also samples from corealready in the OGS-oklahoma petroleum information center (opic) core repository. Sampleswill be selected for petrographic thin sections, as well as prepped for shipment to USGS forgeochemical analysis. The well-documented geochemical database (with correspondinggeospatial maps) will include geochemical data from USGS, in-house OGS electronmicroprobe SEM analysis and pxrf.deliverables outcomes: deliverables will be reconnaissance geochemical data of phosphatenodules and their associated shales from northeast-eastern oklahoma. The data will be compiledinto a geochemical database containing: 1) location and stratigraphic descriptions (includingfield pictures) of the entire sample set 2) geochemical analyses obtained from samples sent tousgs 3) portable XRF analyses of each sample prior to submittal to USGS, and 4) qualitative(EDS) and quantitative (WDS) geochemical data from in-house probe SEM analysis of selectedsamples. A comprehensive summary report (including geospatial and geochemical maps) will besubmitted at the completion of the project and published in a peer-reviewed publication that willbe available to the public. Progress reports as dictated in the nofo will also be prepared every 6MONTHS for the duration of the project.beneficiaries: the primary beneficiaries of the proposed database will be state governmentagencies and the public.