TECHNICAL ANNOUNCEMENT

FOR RELEASE: May 30, 1995                     CONTACT: Lee Scurry
                                                     202-208-3983

         GEORGIA ENVIRONMENTAL LITERATURE STUDY RELEASED

     The U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management
Service (MMS) and the Georgia Geologic Survey today announced the
completion of a report summarizing all previous environmental
research for the Georgia continental shelf.  The report,
"Assessment of Environmental Research and Nonmineral Resources
Offshore Georgia," was prepared by Battelle Ocean Sciences under
a contract with the Georgia Geologic Survey.

     The objectives of the study were to list and summarize each
publication relevant to the environmental impacts of the
potential mining of phosphate and heavy minerals offshore
Georgia.  In addition, the contractor identified data gaps in the
literature and proposed areas of future research to cover those
gaps.  Special emphasis was placed on the review of models which
might be applicable to future environmental studies in the area. 
Battelle identified more than 1600 applicable references.

     The assessment, funded by MMS, was conducted under the
advice of the Georgia-Federal Offshore Minerals Task Force.  The
task force consists of state and federal scientists and is
charged with assessing the mineral potential and possible
environmental impacts of extracting phosphate and heavy minerals
offshore Georgia.

     According to Georgia State Geologist Dr. William McLemore,
"Studies by the task force indicate that very large phosphate
deposits are present beneath the continental shelf of Georgia and
most of the deposits could be mined using current technology. 
Although heavy mineral deposits have not been found offshore
Georgia, they have been mined along the coast from Florida to New
Jersey."

     The report is available from the Georgia Geologic Survey, 19
Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, S.W., Atlanta, GA, 30334, (404)
656-3214.  Specify Project Report number 21.

                             --MMS--