Priority 1: compilation of mine waste materials in baker county, NE oregon

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Office of Acquisitions and Grants awarded $347,869 to the Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) under the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (CFDA 15.073) on August 30, 2025, for a two-year performance period through August 29, 2027. The award supports two prioritized mine waste characterization projects in Oregon: (1) compilation of mine waste materials and critical commodity data for historic mining sites in Baker County, northeastern Oregon, and (2) detailed characterization of mine waste at the Hanna Mine located on Nickel Mountain in southwestern Oregon's Malheur County, with specific focus on assessing critical mineral occurrences including cobalt, chromium, gallium, palladium, and platinum.

DOGAMI will deliver a comprehensive database and report characterizing the critical commodity potential of mine waste sites in Baker County, including identification of commodity types, potential grade and tonnage estimates, and material characteristics relevant to commodity recovery. Additionally, DOGAMI will produce a final interpretive report on the Hanna Mine investigation—published through DOGAMI's Special Paper or Interpretive Map Series—containing site descriptions, methodology documentation, geospatial data for waste piles and sample sites, analytical datasets for critical mineral resource estimates, and mine waste inventory data. Project activities include compiling historic mine records, mapping waste feature distribution, interpreting digital imagery, conducting field sampling, and analyzing solid waste and water samples according to established USGS waste sampling protocols.

Activities

Compile mine waste records in baker county, oregon, and map the size and distribution of mine waste features associated with historic mining, focusing on critical commodities. Map the distribution and critical mineral content of waste piles at the hanna mine, SW oregon, using historic mine maps and records, interpretation of digital images, and field work. Describe, collect, analyze, and provide data for samples of existing solid wastes and perpetual water sources at hanna mine, and source ORE bodies in line with established USGS waste sampling methods.deliverables and expected outcomes: a database and short report that characterizes the critical commodity potential of mine waste sites in baker county, oregon, including the types of critical commodities present, potential grade or tonnage of commodities, and a discussion of the characteristics of the material that may influence commodity recovery. A final interpretive report for the hanna mine investigation, published in dogamis special paper or interpretive map series, including site descriptions, methods and datasets used for resource estimates for critical minerals and other mineral resources, geospatial data for waste piles, sample sites, and mine waste inventory data. Archives including field sheets and digital field data, descriptions, and geochemical data for any collected ORE-body hand-samples, and a geodatabase including geospatial information describing waste-feature boundaries, sample sites, and locations of geochemical (solid and water) data.

Intended beneficiaries

The people of oregon, the public at-large, and local, state and federal decision-makers. Academic and industry partners with ongoing interest in critical minerals, and metallic and non-metallic commodities. Academic and other geoscience professionals interested in understanding the geologic and associated mineralization history in oregon.