Correlation between basalt flows and radiochemical and chemical constituents in selected wells in the southwestern part of the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho
Roy C. Bartholomay, Mary K. V. Hodges, Duane E. Champion
2017, Scientific Investigations Report 2017-5148
Wastewater discharged to wells and ponds and wastes buried in shallow pits and trenches at facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have contributed contaminants to the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer in the southwestern part of the INL. This report describes the correlation between subsurface stratigraphy in...
An open repository of earthquake-triggered ground-failure inventories
Robert G. Schmitt, Hakan Tanyas, M. Anna Nowicki Jessee, Jing Zhu, Katherine M. Biegel, Kate E. Allstadt, Randall W. Jibson, Eric M. Thompson, Cees J. van Westen, Hiroshi P. Sato, David J. Wald, Jonathan W. Godt, Tolga Gorum, Chong Xu, Ellen Rathje, Keith L. Knudsen
2017, Data Series 1064
Earthquake-triggered ground failure, such as landsliding and liquefaction, can contribute significantly to losses, but our current ability to accurately include them in earthquake-hazard analyses is limited. The development of robust and widely applicable models requires access to numerous inventories of ground failures triggered by earthquakes that span a broad range...
P- and S-wave velocity models incorporating the Cascadia subduction zone for 3D earthquake ground motion simulations, Version 1.6—Update for Open-File Report 2007–1348
William J. Stephenson, Nadine G. Reitman, Stephen J. Angster
2017, Open-File Report 2017-1152
In support of earthquake hazard studies and ground motion simulations in the Pacific Northwest, three-dimensional P- and S-wave velocity (VP and VS, respectively) models incorporating the Cascadia subduction zone were previously developed for the region encompassed from about 40.2°N. to 50°N. latitude, and from about 122°W. to 129°W. longitude. This...
Assessment of undiscovered resources in calcrete uranium deposits, Southern High Plains region of Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, 2017
Susan M. Hall, Mark J. Mihalasky, Bradley S. Van Gosen
2017, Fact Sheet 2017-3078
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates a mean of 40 million pounds of in-place uranium oxide (U3O8) remaining as potential undiscovered resources in the Southern High Plains region of Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. This estimate used a geology-based assessment method specific to calcrete uranium deposits....
Community distance sampling models allowing for imperfect detection and temporary emigration
Yuichi Yamaura, J. Andrew Royle
2017, Ecosphere (8) 1-15
Recent developments of community abundance models (CAMs) enable us to analyze communities subject to imperfect detection. However, existing CAMs assume spatial closure, that is, that individuals are always present in the sampling plots, which is often violated in field surveys. Violation of this assumption, such as in the presence of...
Alaska and Yukon magnetic compilation, residual total magnetic field
W. Miles, Richard W. Saltus, Nathan Hayward, D. Oneschuk
2017, Open File 7862
This map is a compilation of aeromagnetic surveys over Yukon and eastern Alaska. Aeromagnetic surveys measure the total intensity of the earth's magnetic field. The field was measured by a magnetometer aboard an aircraft flown in parallel lines spaced at 200 m to 10000 m across the map area. The...
Visualization of groundwater withdrawals
Richard B. Winston, Daniel J. Goode
2017, Open-File Report 2017-1137
Generating an informative display of groundwater withdrawals can sometimes be difficult because the symbols for closely spaced wells can overlap. An alternative method for displaying groundwater withdrawals is to generate a “footprint” of the withdrawals. WellFootprint version 1.0 implements the Footprint algorithm with two optional variations that can speed up...
Selenium
Lisa L. Stillings
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-Q
Selenium (Se) was discovered in 1817 in pyrite from copper mines in Sweden. It is a trace element in Earth’s crust, with an abundance of three to seven orders of magnitude less than the major rock-forming elements. Commercial use of selenium began in the United States in 1910, when it...
Graphite
Gilpin R. Robinson Jr., Jane M. Hammarstrom, Donald W. Olson
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-J
Graphite is a form of pure carbon that normally occurs as black crystal flakes and masses. It has important properties, such as chemical inertness, thermal stability, high electrical conductivity, and lubricity (slipperiness) that make it suitable for many industrial applications, including electronics, lubricants, metallurgy, and steelmaking. For some of these...
Tellurium
Richard J. Goldfarb, Byron R. Berger, Micheal W. George, Robert R. Seal, II
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-R
Tellurium (Te) is a very rare element that averages only 3 parts per billion in Earth’s upper crust. It shows a close association with gold and may be present in orebodies of most gold deposit types at levels of tens to hundreds of parts per million. In large-tonnage mineral deposits,...
Manganese
William F. Cannon, Bryn E. Kimball, Lisa A. Corathers
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-L
Manganese is an essential element for modern industrial societies. Its principal use is in steelmaking, where it serves as a purifying agent in iron-ore refining and as an alloy that converts iron into steel. Although the amount of manganese consumed to make a ton of steel is small, ranging from...
Lithium
Dwight Bradley, Lisa L. Stillings, Brian W. Jaskula, LeeAnn Munk, Andrew D. McCauley
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-K
Lithium, the lightest of all metals, is used in air treatment, batteries, ceramics, glass, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, and polymers. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are particularly important in efforts to reduce global warming because they make it possible to power cars and trucks from renewable sources of energy (for example, hydroelectric, solar, or...
Germanium and indium
W.C. Pat Shanks III, Bryn E. Kimball, Amy C. Tolcin, David E. Guberman
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-I
Germanium and indium are two important elements used in electronics devices, flat-panel display screens, light-emitting diodes, night vision devices, optical fiber, optical lens systems, and solar power arrays. Germanium and indium are treated together in this chapter because they have similar technological uses and because both are recovered as byproducts,...
Rare-earth elements
Bradley S. Van Gosen, Philip L. Verplanck, Robert R. Seal, II, Keith R. Long, Joseph Gambogi
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-O
The rare-earth elements (REEs) are 15 elements that range in atomic number from 57 (lanthanum) to 71 (lutetium); they are commonly referred to as the “lanthanides.” Yttrium (atomic number 39) is also commonly regarded as an REE because it shares chemical and physical similarities and has affinities with the lanthanides....
Titanium
Laurel G. Woodruff, George M. Bedinger, Nadine M. Piatak
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-T
Titanium is a mineral commodity that is essential to the smooth functioning of modern industrial economies. Most of the titanium produced is refined into titanium dioxide, which has a high refractive index and is thus able to impart a durable white color to paint, paper, plastic, rubber, and wallboard. Because...
Fluorine
Timothy S. Hayes, M. Michael Miller, Greta J. Orris, Nadine M. Piatak
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-G
Fluorine compounds are essential in numerous chemical and manufacturing processes. Fluorspar is the commercial name for fluorite (isometric CaF2), which is the only fluorine mineral that is mined on a large scale. Fluorspar is used directly as a fluxing material and as an additive in different manufacturing processes. It is...
Tin
Robert J. Kamilli, Bryn E. Kimball, James F. Carlin Jr.
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-S
Tin (Sn) is one of the first metals to be used by humans. Almost without exception, tin is used as an alloy. Because of its hardening effect on copper, tin was used in bronze implements as early as 3500 B.C. The major uses of tin today are for cans and...
Platinum-group elements
Michael L. Zientek, Patricia J. Loferski, Heather L. Parks, Ruth F. Schulte, Robert R. Seal II
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-N
The platinum-group elements (PGEs)—platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium—are metals that have similar physical and chemical properties and tend to occur together in nature. PGEs are indispensable to many industrial applications but are mined in only a few places. The availability and accessibility of PGEs could be disrupted by...
Niobium and tantalum
Klaus J. Schulz, Nadine M. Piatak, John F. Papp
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-M
Niobium and tantalum are transition metals that are almost always found together in nature because they have very similar physical and chemical properties. Their properties of hardness, conductivity, and resistance to corrosion largely determine their primary uses today. The leading use of niobium (about 75 percent) is in the production...
Antimony
Robert R. Seal II, Klaus J. Schulz, John H. DeYoung, Jr., David M. Sutphin, Lawrence J. Drew, James F. Carlin Jr., Byron R. Berger
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-C
Antimony is an important mineral commodity used widely in modern industrialized societies. The element imparts strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance to alloys that are used in many areas of industry, including in lead-acid storage batteries. Antimony’s leading use is as a fire retardant in safety equipment and in household goods,...
Zirconium and hafnium
James V. Jones III, Nadine M. Piatak, George M. Bedinger
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-V
Zirconium and hafnium are corrosion-resistant metals that are widely used in the chemical and nuclear industries. Most zirconium is consumed in the form of the main ore mineral zircon (ZrSiO4, or as zirconium oxide or other zirconium chemicals. Zirconium and hafnium are both refractory lithophile elements that have nearly identical...
Critical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802
SummaryMineral commodities are vital for economic growth, improving the quality of life, providing for national defense, and the overall functioning of modern society. Minerals are being used in larger quantities than ever before and in an increasingly diverse range of applications. With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse...
Environmental considerations related to mining of nonfuel minerals
Robert R. Seal II, Nadine M. Piatak, Bryn E. Kimball, Jane M. Hammarstrom
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-B
Throughout most of human history, environmental stewardship during mining has not been a priority partly because of the lack of applicable laws and regulations and partly because of ignorance about the effects that mining can have on the environment. In the United States, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969,...
Vanadium
Karen D. Kelley, Clint Scott, Desiree E. Polyak, Bryn E. Kimball
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-U
Vanadium is used primarily in the production of steel alloys; as a catalyst for the chemical industry; in the making of ceramics, glasses, and pigments; and in vanadium redox-flow batteries (VRBs) for large-scale storage of electricity. World vanadium resources in 2012 were estimated to be 63 million metric tons, which...
Beryllium
Nora K. Foley, Brian W. Jaskula, Nadine M. Piatak, Ruth F. Schulte
Klaus J. Schulz, DeYoung Jr., Robert R. Seal, II, Dwight Bradley, editor(s)
2017, Professional Paper 1802-E
Beryllium is a mineral commodity that is used in a variety of industries to make products that are essential for the smooth functioning of a modern society. Two minerals, bertrandite (which is supplied domestically) and beryl (which is currently supplied solely by imports), are necessary to ensure a stable supply...
