U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Fact Sheet FS-008-98

January 1998

he Mineral Resources Program is the sole Federal provider of high-quality scientific information, objective resource assessments, and

unbiased research results on mineral potential, production, consumption, and environmental behavior. The Program provides 

national minerals information, objective assessments, and high-quality applied research on all aspects of the natural and human-made 

minerals cycle. Information generated by the Program is used by government decision makers to formulate national and domestic 

economic and environmental policy, by land 

managers to implement wise stewardship of 

public lands and resources, and by industry 

and academia to improve business and 

commerce and conduct research.

A staff of about 475 diverse specialists 

is organized into teams located in three 

regional centers and four field offices 

throughout the United States. Cooperative 

agreements between Program staff and 

universities, industry, and other governmental agencies provide opportunities for 

collaborative research and exchange of 

ideas and data.

Distribution of offices and specialties of personnel in the USGS Mineral Resources Program.

Mineral Statistical

Data Specialists

Geologists 13%

33%

Geochemists

7%

Geophysicists

7%

Physical

Scientists

13%

Other

2%

Technical

11%

Admin/Clerical

14%

Spokane

Field Office

Reno

Field Office

Denver

Center

Reston

Center

Menlo Park

Center

Tucson

Field Office

Anchorage

Field Office

Mineral issues are related to basic human 

needs for resources. Federal policy and 

regulatory activities reflect current attitudes 

on the balance between the need for 

nonrenewable resources and maintaining 

environmental quality.

inerals are chemical compounds abundant in the rocks, soil, and water around us and they have a

profound impact on the lives of all beings. Naturally occurring minerals define the landscape in 

which we live. They affect our ecosystems, influence the availability of nutrients that support biota, 

impact the distribution of vegetation, and may also contribute to contamination of the environment. 

Minerals are used in fertilizers for farming, in concrete and building materials for construction, in 

aggregate for roads, in steel for cars and all manner of transportation, and in materials crucial to the 

communications industry.

The USGS Mineral Resources Program addresses 

mineral issues that can be grouped into three broad 

categories related to basic human needs for resources. 

The three categories and how the Program addresses 

them can be summed up in the following manner: 

(1) Environment and public health—Sources of naturally 

occurring contamination from mineral deposits identified 

and environmental impacts of mining, smelting, use, and 

eventual disposal of mineral products examined. 

(2) Sustainability and societal need—Availability of 

mineral resources to sustain our standard of living 

without unacceptable degradation of the environment 

examined. (3) Economy and public policy—Information 

provided to government policy makers who balance the 

needs for economic supplies of minerals, environmental 

protection, responsible management of public lands, and 

national security.

USGS Mineral Resources Program 

 A National Perspective 

Program Mission and Personnel

T

M 
USGS Mineral Resources Program 

46°22'30"

46°7'30"

45°52'30"

112°30'

112°7'30"

Index Map

MONTANA

10

10 0

MILES

KILOMETERS 0 10

EXPLANATION

Hazard Potential

High

Low

P

T

rogram studies provide objective information and

assessments to aid in prioritization, mitigation, and 

restoration of environmentally contaminated sites, as well as 

regulatory policy formulation related to environmental quality. 

Development of baseline and background geochemical 

databases, studies of the movement of contaminants through 

the environment—source, transport, and ultimate deposition—

and the development of state-of-the-art remote sensing and 

geochemical techniques are all ways in which the Program 

provides scientific background for environmental decision 

makers. Current projects are focused in four major areas: 

Ecosystem Health 

Geochemistry and remote sensing techniques are 

used to find sources of nutrients and toxins and 

understand their distribution and effects on health

Abandoned Mine Land Assessments 

Ore deposit research, geochemical modeling, and 

remote sensing are used to understand the impact of 

historic mining and prioritize remediation

Natural and Mined Mercury (Hg) and Arsenic (As) 

Research on geologic processes related to natural 

and mined occurrences of Hg and As aids in the 

abatement of these toxic elements

Geochemical Baselines and Backgrounds 

Geochemistry and remote sensing data are used to 

characterize spatially and temporally both natural 

and manmade concentrations of chemical elements 

and compounds

Environment and Public Health

Map showing potential for hazardous mine drainage in the Boulder Creek, 

Montana, area created from analysis of geophysical, geochemical, and geologic 

digital databases. Scientific interpretation of data, understanding how deposits 

are formed, and evaluating the environmental contributions of minerals and 

mining are important Program components.

he National Research Council defines sustainability as “a growing concern about the adequacy of mineral resources to meet future demands and

to do so without unacceptable environmental degradation.” National databases for geochemistry, lithology, geophysics, mine locality, mineral 

production, consumption, use, and recycling are maintained by the Program as part of the effort to identify supplies. Building on the information 

stored in the databases, the Program works to develop new assessment methods and supports a range of applied earth science research. Resource 

studies are conducted in partnership with colleagues in industry, academia, and other governmental agencies. Current projects are focused in four 

major areas:

Infrastructure Resources 

Integrated research on availability, quality, and environmental impact of extracting basic resources (water, energy, and aggregate) needed 

for growth and renewal.

Assessment Methods 

Accurate and objective economic and environmental assessments of mineral potential

National Databases 

Compilation, analyses, interpretation, and dissemination of geologic, geochemical, geophysical, mineral locality and mine locality 

databases 

Life-Cycle Studies of Gold and Copper 

Integrated research on ore deposits from formation through production and disposal

Sustainability and Societal Need

USGS Mineral Resources Program 
A National Perspective 

Environment

Deposit

Formation

Commodity Use

Disposal Recycling

Erosion

Mining,

Processing,

Refining

Life Cycle Models of a Mineral Commodity

Genetic

models

Geoenvironmental

deposit models

Minerals information,

analysis, materials flow

100 lbs of Other Metals

925 lbs of Iron and Steel

1,900 lbs of Other

Industrial Metals

8,225 lbs of

Sand and Gravel

10,850 lbs of

Crushed Stone

(Estimates for 1996)

Annual consumption per person in the United States of selected 

mineral commodities. USGS Mineral Resources Program personnel 

compile data and distribute information from the U.S. and 190 

countries on more than 100 commodities.

The life cycle of a mineral commodity 

starts with the formation of a deposit that 

when eroded or mined may introduce 

minerals and elements (some toxic) into 

water and sediments. The USGS studies 

deposit formation and derives genetic 

models that describe the physical 

properties of deposit types, including 

grade and tonnage. Geoenvironmental 

models build on genetic models with 

information that can be used to forecast 

metal loadings, pH, and buffering capacity 

of mineral deposits based on geologic and 

climatological constraints. Mining, 

processing, and refining provide the 

interface between the natural mineral 

cycle and the human-derived part of the 

cycle in which mineral products are used, 

recycled, and ultimately disposed of, 

which may affect the environment. The 

USGS reports on mineral commodity use, 

analyzes economic trends, and studies the 

flow of materials through the environment 

and the economy.

Mid-Atlantic Geology and Infrastructure Case Study

ontinued population growth and urbanization in the urban

corridors of the eastern United States, where existing 

infrastructure needs improvement and expansion, will generate huge 

demand for construction materials.

Virtually all domestically mined aggregate is used locally. Over the 

last 30 years, competition between many possible uses for both lands 

and resources has become increasingly complex, and the aggregate 

industry has seen significant changes. However, we lack 

comprehensive analyses of changes to the industry and trends in 

sources, aggregate quality, haul distances, prices, and other factors 

that control aggregate availability.

The Baltimore-Washington urban corridor has been chosen as a

target area for these types of analyses because good resource 

information is available and it is one of the Nation's fastest growing 

metropolitan areas. Results of this study will help planners in other 

areas predict trends in availability, consumption, and use of 

aggregate resources, essential information for planning for future 

resource needs.

A National Perspective 

C
Land Stewardship and Surveys and Analysis 

Studies—Compilation, analyses, and dissemination of digital geologic, geochemical, and 

geophysical data for use in resource and environmental assessments to support stewardship of 

Federal lands, which comprise 60 percent of the 

State. Red line pattern indicates area of current 

geologic mapping and compilation in cooperation 

with the Alaska Division of Oil and Gas 

Environmental and Public Health Studies—Research 

on the bioavailability of arsenic and mercury in 

the environment, conducted with the USGS 

Biological Resources Division. Geochemical 

baseline assessments conducted in cooperation 

with the National Park Service. Life cycle studies 

of mercury deposits in partnership with Federal 

land management agencies, industry, and 

community stakeholders

Life Cycle Studies of Ore Deposits—Research on 

gold and massive sulfide deposits conducted in 

partnership with Federal land management 

agencies, Alaska Division of Geological and 

Geophysical Surveys, industry, and community 

stakeholders

Mineral data compilation and analysis in America’s last 

frontier is a major priority of the USGS Mineral 

Resources Program. Data are available on the Internet at 

http://minerals.er.usgs.gov/wr/alaska.html

n order to balance the demand for an abundant mineral supply with the desire to maintain environmental integrity and public health, government

policy makers need national and regional long-term data on mineral potential, production, use, and recycling. Analysis of the flow of mineral 

materials through the entire economic cycle is essential for effective mineral conservation and recycling, stewardship of Federal lands, and the 

development of environmental policy. Current projects are focused in four major areas:

Land Stewardship 

Studies conducted in coordination with Federal land 

management agencies focus on mineral potential 

and environmental quality and are used in the 

development of management plans

National and International Commodity Studies 

Collect, synthesize, analyze, and disseminate 

information on more than 100 commodities for 

more than 190 countries worldwide

Mineral Conservation and Materials Flow 

Collect, synthesize, analyze, and disseminate 

information on supply, consumption, production, 

trade, trends, use, reuse, disposal, and economic 

impacts for improved resource utilization

Special International Studies 

Working groups of international scientists address 

global issues related to mineral resources, the 

supply of mineral commodities, and environmental 

concerns

Economy and Public Policy

Text prepared by S.J. Kropschot. Graphics and design by Carol A. Quesenberry.

For More Information Contact:

Program Coordinator

U.S. Geological Survey

MS 913 National Center 

Reston, VA 20192

Phone (703) 648-6100; Fax (703) 648-6057

minerals@usgs.gov

See us on the Worldwide Web at

http://minerals.er.usgs.gov

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