Geological & Economic Survey, West Virginia

The West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES), a division of West Virginia's state government headquartered in Morgantown, is a geological research and data preservation entity that provides comprehensive geological mapping, sample analysis, and geospatial data services to support scientific research, economic development, and environmental assessment. As a state geological survey, WVGES maintains one of the most comprehensive and diverse publicly available geological sample collections in West Virginia, including rock cores, well cuttings, and various geological specimens accumulated over decades of survey operations. Through federal grant awards, WVGES delivers high-quality geological mapping products, critical minerals research support, geospatial databases, and data preservation services that advance the nation's understanding of subsurface geology and mineral resources while supporting the U.S. Geological Survey's broader geologic mapping and data initiatives.

WVGES has successfully executed a diverse portfolio of federal grant awards primarily funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) under multiple programs, including the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (STATEMAP, CFDA 15.810), the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (CFDA 15.814), and the Earth MRI critical minerals initiative. Recent prime grant awards have focused on bedrock geologic mapping at 1:24,000 scale across multiple West Virginia quadrangles to support seamless integration into the National Geologic Map Database and the U.S. GeoFramework Initiative, with cooperative agreements totaling over $800,000 for mapping programs (FY24 STATEMAP, FY25 STATEMAP). The organization has received substantial project grants for geological sample preservation and accessibility, including equipment purchases such as benchtop X-ray diffraction devices and handheld X-ray fluorescence instruments for critical minerals analysis, as well as infrastructure projects like the acquisition of a 15,000-25,000 square foot modern storage and viewing facility funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology under the Congressionally-Identified Projects program (CFDA 11.617). Additional specialized projects have included landslide hazard mapping and data standardization in partnership with the West Virginia GIS Technical Center, karst susceptibility mapping with sensitive data protection protocols, geochronological database development for stratigraphic correlation, and the creation of educational GIS resources such as ESRI StoryMaps documenting geological influences on regional cultural and industrial history. WVGES has also participated as a sub-grantee through arrangements with the Southern States Energy Board on the TriState CCS Hub project and with West Virginia University Research Corporation on the MAPP CORE initiative, demonstrating collaborative capacity in broader regional research efforts related to energy and geoscience applications.