Project abstract summaryproject title: kuskokwim-seward geophysical surveysproject period: december 15, 2024 to december 14, 2027THIS project builds understanding of the united states potential to…

This Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Geological Survey under the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (CFDA 15.073) will provide $3,650,000 to conduct geophysical surveys in the Kuskokwim River and Seward Peninsula regions of Alaska. The project will collect high-quality airborne magnetic and radiometric data to enhance geologic mapping and mineral resource evaluations in these prospective areas for critical minerals such as rare earth elements, tin, tungsten, and platinum group elements. The resulting geophysical data will be made publicly available to support scientific research, land management, and mineral exploration efforts by federal and state agencies, Alaska Native corporations, and other stakeholders. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources will serve as the prime awardee, coordinating with airborne geophysical contractors, aviation service providers, and local businesses to execute the project over the 3-year performance period from December 2024 to December 2027.

Project abstract summaryproject title: kuskokwim-seward geophysical surveysproject period: december 15, 2024 to december 14, 2027THIS project builds understanding of the united states potential to host yet-to-be-discovered deposits of critical mineral resources through geophysical surveying 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 kuskokwim-seward geophysical surveys project covers multiple regions of western alaska.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 identified the kuskokwim river region of alaska as prospective for rare-earth elements (REE), tin-tungsten systems, platinum group elements as well as other critical and non-critical mineral resources in multiple permissible mineral-system types. On the seward peninsula, the U.S. Geological survey has identified high potential for tin-tungsten-tantalum-fluorspar, copper-cobalt-silver-germanium-gallium, REE-thorium-yttrium-niobium systems, as well as other critical and conventional mineral resources. Airborne magnetic and radiometric data will be collected in the kuskokwim river and seward peninsula regions of alaska. The resulting high-quality geophysical data will provide the framework for enhancing future alaska division of geological geophysical surveys and U.S. Geological survey geological mapping and mineral-resource evaluations. Geophysical data are routinely used in geoscience investigations to map the spatial distribution of an area s geologic features in 2D and 3D space, and to guide scientific studies, geologic mapping, mineral-resource evaluations, and exploration efforts. Magnetic data are useful for distinguishing various magnetic units and for correlating geology through areas covered by vegetation and surficial deposits. Radiometric data are useful for distinguishing igneous rock suites with varying uranium, thorium, and potassium contents, and differentiating igneous rocks with varying mineral-resource potential.deliverables from this project will include the raw and processed magnetic and radiometric geophysical data. These data will be available to the public and will be published in a variety of digital data formats suitable to users of all levels, enhancing data uptake and usability. The intended beneficiaries of this project include all parties with an interest in mineral resources and the bedrock geology of alaska, including state and federal land managers, mineral exploration companies, alaska native claims settlement act (ancsa) corporations, scientific researchers, and the interested public.anticipated subrecipients of this award will be airborne geophysical contractors, aviation service providers, and supporting business in the communities in which these surveys will be based out of.