Our Impact
Earth MRI is making an impact across the Nation. These are stories of Earth MRI in action.
Earth MRI is making an impact across the Nation. These are stories of Earth MRI in action.
Our Partners
Partnerships are central to Earth MRI. Learn how they benefit the Nation.
Partnerships are central to Earth MRI. Learn how they benefit the Nation.
Connect with Us
Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
Earth MRI is modernizing mapping of the Nation's surface and subsurface. We deliver high-quality data needed to understand our Nation's geology, find new critical and other mineral resources, and inform decisions about how the Nation will meet its evolving needs.
What is Earth MRI?
What is Earth MRI?
Earth MRI is an initiative within the USGS Mineral Resources Program.
Mapping and Science
Mapping and Science
We collect multiple types of data across the full extent of the Nation.
Explore our Data
Explore our Data
Explore Earth MRI mapping areas and data through this interactive web-tool.
News
Publications
Critical minerals in mine waste Critical minerals in mine waste
Introduction Critical minerals are commodities with vulnerable supply chains that play a vital role in supporting the United States’ economy, national defense and security, emerging technologies, and energy independence. The prosperity of our Nation depends on generating a resilient supply of domestic critical minerals; mine waste may be an untapped source of these commodities. Mine...
National- to continental-scale governmental geophysical efforts for critical mineral mapping, USA National- to continental-scale governmental geophysical efforts for critical mineral mapping, USA
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has established robust collaborations with domestic state and international geological surveys to provide geophysical and other types of earth science data that act to underpin critical mineral research efforts across the United States, Canada, and Australia. The Earth Mapping Resource Initiative (EMRI) is a national-scale collaborative effort with state...
Rift basins and intraplate earthquakes: New high-resolution aeromagnetic data provide insights into buried structures of the Charleston, South Carolina seismic zone Rift basins and intraplate earthquakes: New high-resolution aeromagnetic data provide insights into buried structures of the Charleston, South Carolina seismic zone
The delineation of faults that pose seismic risk in intraplate seismic zones and the mapping of features associated with failed rift basins can help our understanding of links between the two. We use new high-resolution aeromagnetic data, previous borehole sample information, and reprocessed seismic reflection profiles to image subsurface structures and evaluate recent fault activity...
Science
Earth MRI Progress
Earth MRI is a national effort to map critical mineral resources needed to drive the U.S. economy and national security, searching below ground and in tailings from old mines. As directed by the Energy Act of 2020, the U.S. Geological Survey has identified 50 critical minerals essential to the U.S. economy and national security, with a supply chain vulnerable to disruption. We partner on this...
Earth MRI in Action
How is Earth MRI making an impact? Here are stories of Earth MRI in action.
Geologic Map of Alaska
In January 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey released the first ever digital geologic map of Alaska. This map reflects more than a century of work and provides a visual context for the abundant mineral and energy resources found throughout the state. The map also is available to use in three different formats: a professional GIS database, a public interactive version via a web browser, and an...