Project Grant G23AP00272

PROJECT TITLE: ALASKA SAMPLE AND MAP RESCUE, HYPERSPECTRAL SCANNING PROCESS DEVELOPMENT, AND COMPILATION OF MINERAL INDUSTRY RECORDSPERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 7 1 2023 THROUGH 6 30 2025AWARD PURPOSE: PRESERVE A VARIETY OF MATERIALS AND DATA OF HIGH VALUE TO ALASKA STAKEHOLDERS.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: PROPOSED PRIORITY I DATA PRESERVATION EFFORTS INCLUDE THREE OBJECTIVES: (1) THE RESCUE AND ACCESSION OF RARE AND GEOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT SAMPLES COLLECTED BY UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS STUDENTS AND FACULTY (2) THE RESCUE AND PUBLICATION OF A LARGE BODY OF SIGNIFICANT UNPUBLISHED GEOLOGIC MAPPING AND DATA COLLECTED IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA BY GEOLOGIST AND GEOCHRONOLOGIST GEORGE GEHRELS AND (3) UPDATES TO DGGS NATIONAL DIGITAL CATALOG METADATA AND COLLECTION RECORDS TO MEET THE NEW REGISTRY OF SCIENTIFIC COLLECTIONS REQUIREMENTS. PROPOSED PRIORITY 2 DATA PRESERVATION EFFORTS RELATED TO DIGITAL OR PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WILL INVOLVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRODUCTION WORKFLOW FOR THE NEW HYPERSPECTRAL SCANNER TO BE HOUSED AT THE GEOLOGIC MATERIALS CENTER. PROPOSED PRIORITY 3 EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON THE PRESERVATION OF CRITICAL-MINERAL-RESOURCES DATA RELATED TO MORE THAN 35 YEARS OF ALASKA MINERAL RESOURCES AND INDUSTRY TRACKING. DATA TO BE PRESERVED INCLUDES COMPANY PRESS RELEASES AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT CONTAIN VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT DEPOSIT RESOURCES AND GEOLOGIC INTERPRETATIONS.DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: PRIORITY 1 - ACCESS TO THE UNIVERSITY S SAMPLES, NEW GEOLOGIC MAPPING IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA, AND UPDATED METADATA RECORDS WILL HELP DISCOVERY OF NEW OR ADDITIONAL OIL AND GAS RESERVES, REGIONS OF VIABLE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY, OR NEW ECONOMIC MINERAL DEPOSITS, AS WELL AS LEAD TO INCREASED UNDERSTANDING AND MITIGATION OF GEOLOGIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS IN ALASKA THAT AFFECT THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THE STATE S INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMY, AND CITIZENS. PRIORITY 2 - THE CURRENT PHASE OF HYPERSPECTRAL SCANNER PROJECT DEVELOPMENT IS PLANNED TO OPTIMIZE THE ENTIRE CORE SCANNING PROCESS, FROM CORE HANDLING TO DATA MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION OF ELEMENTAL AND MINERAL INFORMATION ON THE BOREHOLE CORES HELD AT THE FACILITY. THE NEW DATA STREAM WILL ENCOURAGE INDUSTRY INVESTMENT IN ALASKA S OIL GAS AND MINERAL RESOURCES. PRIORITY 3 - PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE MINERAL INDUSTRY AND RESOURCE INFORMATION WILL ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA S CRITICAL-MINERAL RESOURCES AND OTHER POTENTIAL COMMODITIES.INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): DATA AND SAMPLES FROM DGGS COLLECTIONS ARE EXAMINED FREQUENTLY BY PRIVATE EXPLORATION AND ENGINEERING COMPANIES, UNIVERSITIES, AND STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AS A CRITICAL STEP IN RESEARCH, RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, AND LAND MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE MODERN SOPHISTICATED ANALYSIS OF ARCHIVED SAMPLES AND DATA IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS A COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO THE TREMENDOUS EXPENSE OF CORE DRILLING, SAMPLING, AND DATA COLLECTION IN OFTEN REMOTE AREAS OF ALASKA.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: N A