U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program

Mineral Resource Science—

Supporting Informed Decisionmaking

The United States is one of the world’s largest users of 

mineral resources. We use minerals to build our homes 

and cities, fertilize our food crops, and create wealth 

that allows us to buy goods and services. Individuals 

rarely use nonfuel mineral resources in their natural 

state—we buy light bulbs, not the silica used to 

create the glass bulb; we buy cell phones, not the 

rare earth elements used in tiny magnets for speakers 

and vibration; we buy cars, not the steel used to build 

the chassis. 

The USGS Mineral Resources Program (MRP) 

delivers unbiased science and information to 

increase understanding of mineral resource potential, 

production, and consumption, and how mineral 

resources interact with the environment. The MRP is 

the Federal Government’s sole source for this mineral 

resource science and information.

Program Goals

1 Increase Understanding of 

Mineral Resource Formation

2 Provide Mineral Resource 

Inventories and Assessments

3 Broaden Knowledge of the Effects of 

Mineral Resources on the Environment 

and Society 

4 Provide Analysis on the Availability 

and Reliability of Mineral Supplies

Specimen of stibnite, an ore mineral 

of antimony. Antimony compounds 

help to prevent skin burns, increase 

battery life, and refine the glass used in cell-phone screens.

Folded, faulted, and altered sedimentary rocks in the western 

Alaska Range, where mineral resource potential is being evaluated.

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2016–3034

September 2016
1

Increase Understanding of Mineral Resource 

Formation

The MRP supports research on how and where 

mineral deposits form, as well as research on methods to 

predict the location and estimate the amount of potential 

mineral resources (also known as undiscovered mineral 

resources). Such research decreases uncertainty in assessments of undiscovered mineral resources.

Most undiscovered mineral resources are not exposed 

at the Earth’s surface. Instead, they are concealed by 

dense vegetation or are buried by unmineralized rocks and 

sediments. The MRP is continually developing and applying geophysical tools and techniques to allow us to see 

geologic units and structures on and beneath the Earth’s 

surface and build three-dimensional models of an area to 

understand how mineral resources are distributed. 

The MRP is also developing and applying innovative remote sensing and geochemical tools and methods to 

identify Earth surface signatures of undiscovered mineral 

resources.

MRP scientists study mineral resources at all 

scales—from continental scale, to understand which 

regional geologic processes are controlling the distribution of mineralizing systems—to microscopic scale, to 

understand more local controls and mineral-to-mineral 

associations.

One way scientists study mineral resource formation is through microscopic 

images. The image above is a photomicrograph of a thin section of hornfels 

through which polarized light transmits in a microscope to show diagnostic 

optical properties of individual minerals like plagioclase (white, and gray 

and white stripes), olivine (pink, yellow, and purple), amphibole (brownred [at top of image]), and sulfides (dark-gray pockets surrounded by 

amphibole). The width of the field of view is 4.7 millimeters.

2

Provide Mineral Resource Inventories and Assessments

Before we can produce sound, objective, geologically based mineral resource 

assessments for undiscovered mineral 

resources, we must develop an inventory 

of known mineral resources and an understanding of the geologic controls on their 

distribution. 

MRP scientists conduct research 

to understand the geologic history and 

characteristics of the assessment region, 

define what processes formed the known 

mineral deposits, and identify criteria for 

predicting the likelihood of undiscovered deposits. Teams of experts analyze 

available information, identify signatures 

that suggest the presence of undiscovered 

mineral deposits, outline mineral potential 

areas for specific deposit types, and estimate the quality and quantity of undiscovered mineral deposits in the mineral potential area. Federal, State, Tribal, and local 

government agencies use mineral resource 

assessments to advise mineral policy and 

land management decisionmaking.

EXPLANATION

Copper tracts

Sediment-hosted copper

Porphyry copper

Map from first-ever global assessment of undiscovered copper resources, conducted 

by the U.S. Geological Survey. Areas shown are likely to contain different types of 

undiscovered copper deposits that will feed future global copper supply.
3

Broaden Knowledge of the Effects of Mineral Resources on the Environment and Society

The MRP supports research to understand what 

happens when mineral deposits weather naturally 

or are mined. MRP scientists use this information 

to establish baseline conditions prior to mineral 

resource development and to anticipate environmental challenges associated with developing new 

mineral deposits, such as the potential release of 

contaminants that could impact human and ecosystem health. 

Understanding baseline conditions in a predevelopment setting is essential to making informed 

policy and resource management decisions. Understanding potential environmental impacts and 

mitigating processes promotes sustainable development of the mineral materials that society needs and 

promotes responsible stewardship of our natural 

resources.

Stream affected by runoff from mineralized areas 

and abandoned-mine drainage, Animas River 

watershed, Colorado.

4

Provide Analysis on the Availability and Reliability of Mineral Supplies

Information on domestic and international 

supplies and uses of mineral commodities is essential to the U.S. economy and to national security. 

Public and private organizations rely on this current, 

objective information to understand the importance 

of mineral materials to the economy, make informed 

decisions, and forecast future mineral supply and 

demand.

The MRP collects data on mineral production, consumption, recycling, inventory, and shipments from the U.S. mining and mineral processing 

industry. In addition, the MRP compiles and analyzes 

production data, trade data, and other information 

for more than 100 mineral commodities from about 

180 countries. MRP specialists then use this information to assess national and global mineral materials 

flow through supply-chain analysis. 

Supply-chain analysis characterizes the complexity of mineral commodity supply chains and 

documents vulnerabilities that could lead to supplychain disruption. This information is essential in 

planning for and mitigating the impacts of potential 

disruptions to mineral commodity supply, whether 

caused by natural hazards or by human activities.

MILLIMETERS

0 2

“Frac sand” is essential in the hydraulic fracturing process that has 

revolutionized oil and natural gas production in the United States. This pure 

quartz sand is found only in certain areas of the U.S. and must be mined and 

transported to areas of oil and gas production, which is one example of how 

materials must flow from source to use through a network of supply chains.
Current Major Areas of Study

Critical Mineral Resources 

Research to better understand the genesis and regional 

controls on the distribution of mineralized systems containing critical mineral resources. Smartphones and other 

high-tech devices are made with many critical minerals.

Alaska as a Mineral Resource Frontier 

Geologic investigations as a foundation for documenting 

mineral resource potential. 

ALASKA

The Midcontinent Rift of the United States

Multidisciplinary studies to image and characterize the 

mineral resource potential of this significant crustal feature (dark-green areas on map).

KANSAS

NEBRASKA

SOUTH

DAKOTA

ILLINOIS

NORTH

DAKOTA

OHIO

IOWA MICHIGAN

CANADA

MISSOURI

MINNESOTA

WISCONSIN

INDIANA

Hyperspectral Imaging and 

Other Geophysical 

Investigations

State-of-the-art tools used for 

mineral resource and mineral 

environmental investigations. 

Different colors in the illustration represent individual 

mineral types.

Materials Flow Studies 

Investigations to address 

supply-chain analysis 

(including risk analysis) and 

sustainable mineral supplies. 

Map shows major import 

sources of nonfuel mineral 

commodities for which the 

United States was greater than 

50 percent net import reliant 

in 2015.

Number of commodities, 

 2015

0

1 to 3

4 to 6

7 to 12

13 to 18

19 to 24

EXPLANATION

By Aleeza M. Wilkins and 

Jeff L. Doebrich

For more information, contact: 

Mineral Resources Program Coordinator 

U.S. Geological Survey 

913 National Center

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive 

Reston, VA 20192 

Phone: 703-648-6100 

Email: minerals@usgs.gov

Or visit the USGS Mineral Resources 

Web site at http://minerals.usgs.gov

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: 

@usgsminerals ISSN 2327-6916 (print)

ISSN 2327-6932 (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20163034

Excavator image by 

http://www.freevectorarchive.com