Geologists pulled a list of “important minerals” from a collection of 50 mined items from other countries, including some states that are now hostile to the United States.
The first nationwide US geological survey in a generation may reveal much-needed critical mineral reserves. Science informs about this.
Geological relief is very diverse. It was built from the remains of volcanic islands that collided with North America hundreds of millions of years ago. Experts plan to explore large-scale regions for the presence of “essential minerals” – a collection of 50 mined items currently mainly from other countries.
Several themes generate strong bipartisan support in Washington. The USGS list includes 17 rare earth elements predominantly produced in China, as well as known materials such as zinc used to make steel. There is cobalt, which is used in electric vehicle batteries.
“These products are essential for everything. They’re also a source of conflict,” said Sarah Riker, deputy director of energy and minerals at the USGS.
According to him, new discoveries can trigger violent production. Ecologists do not perceive this initiative positively. Experts believe that in the case of the invention of promising mining systems, companies must prove that they can develop them safely and with minimal impact on the environment.
With flights as low as 100 meters above the surface, aerial MRI surveys of Earth will add much more detail and create the next generation of more accurate geological maps. With $320 million from Congress, the USGS funds air and field campaigns to explore rocks likely to contain minerals important for renewable energy and electronics, such as lithium and rare earth elements.
The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) campaign is the country’s first major assessment of mineral wealth in nearly half a century. It uses different methods depending on the geology of each region.
Recall that on May 31, IFLScience reported that on top of a volcanic island stones were found that shouldn’t be there. The volcanic island of Anjouan formed in an ocean basin when tectonic plates broke apart, causing magma to rise and solidify, forming basalt that formed the island.
Source: Focus
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