USGS Home Contact USGS Search USGS

Surveys and Analysis, Western Region

Project status is complete. Please check the project list for currently active projects

Ongoing project work and accomplishments:

Task 1: Digital Geologic Maps - Western Region:

Work will consist of completing and attributing the Utah and Idaho maps using new standards. Cooperators at DOGAMI will continue to attribute Oregon map, with help from USGS. The databases for California, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona are completed. This task includes work in cooperation with the Database and Information Exchange (DIA) project, to complete editing and correcting of the digital coverages of all seven states to prepare them for incorporation into the overall database, to be published as a digital files. The major focus will be on completing reattribution of western state maps, using new standards developed by the project.

• Preliminary Integrated Geologic Map Databases for the United States Western States: California, Nevada, Arizona, and Washington - By Steve Ludington, Barry C. Moring, Robert J. Miller, Kathryn Flynn, Melanie J. Hopkins, Paul Stone, David R. Bedford, and Gordon A. Haxel - U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1305
• Geologic database for digital geology of California, Nevada, and Utah - an application of the North American Data Model by Bedford, David R., Ludington, Steve, Stone, Paul A., Nutt, Constance J., Miller, David M., Miller, Robert J., Wagner, D.L., and Saucedo, G.J., 2003, U.S. Geological Survey Open-file report 03-135

Task 2: Digital Geologic Map of California:

The goal of Task 2, which has been achieved, has been to redesign the digital version of the Geologic Map of California, using a common data structure and a common data model that will make the map more useful for mineral resource and environmental assessment at scales of 1:500,000, 1:1,000,000, and smaller. By means of a cooperative agreement with the California Division of Mines and Geology, we hoped to produce successive updates of the map, starting with construction of a new map legend, followed by reassignment of polygons, and, eventually, creation of some new polygons. Due to budget restraints, this task has been abandoned.

Task 3: Geochemistry:

Thus far, results of the analyses of about 60,000 samples have been completed and released on the internet for use by federal and state agencies and the public. Collection of new samples for the National map is being coordinated by Andrew Grosz. Additional details of the geochemistry activities are described in the Eastern Region Surveys and Analysis Project. Activities in Western Region consist primarily of coordination and funding of analyses. This year will also see continuation of a major publication effort to interpret the regional geochemistry for Northern Nevada funded earlier by this project. Current year non-publication accomplishments and outcomes includes the implementation of the newest version of GEODAS software, making routine the creation of background surfaces for regional geochemistry data sets. Highlights of year are completion of website Open-file, to distribute highly sought-after northern Great Basin geochemical data.

Task 4: Geophysics:

The first goal for Western Region was reached. Coordination and publishing tasks remain, as well as coordination with geophysicists in Central and Eastern Region to complete an updated integrated gravity grid for the 48 conterminous states. In addition interpretations designed to support mineral resource assessment is being done under the aegis of the Integrated Great Basin Maps working group (IGBM). This group uses geophysical data to locate, define, and constrain large-scale deep crustal structures. Additional accomplishments include the following: the Integrated Great Basin Map (IGBM) working group has completed initial draft of the primary report for the group; production of derivative maps of gravity and magnetics (applying pseudogravity, residual, gradient, terracing, and wavelength filtering techniques); and construction of maps that show interpreted geophysical boundaries of geophysical domains associated with basement composition and structure.

Task 5: Mineral Deposits:

We will maintain cooperative agreements with the California Division of Mines, the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, and the Utah Geological Survey for creation of quality MRDS records for approximately 750 significant deposits (456 records for identified significant deposits of precious and base metals, an estimated 50 records for significant deposits of other metallic commodities, and an estimated 250 records for significant deposits of non-metallic commodities) in those states. We will continue to use an existing cooperative agreement with the Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources to create quality MRDS records for approximately 70 significant deposits. We will seek a cooperative agreement with the Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources, to improve records for about 115 Arizona deposits. We also have implemented a cooperative agreement with the Oregon Department of Geology to create quality MRDS records for approximately 24 significant deposits. In-house geologists, together with a contracted retired USGS geologist, will continue to create quality MRDS records for the approximately 160 significant deposits in the State of Idaho.

Planned products:

• Attributed lithologic maps for the 7 states in the project area for use in the National lithologic map
• Gravity and derivative maps that include the project area
• Aeromagnetic and derivative maps that include the project area
• Inferred buried pluton map for Utah; depth-to-basement map for California
• Updated descriptions of significant mineral deposits in the project area for MRDS
• Interpreted geochemical maps of northern Nevada
• Collection of new stream-sediment samples to cover areas not sampled by NURE program

Return to: Project Homepage | All Western Mineral Resources Projects | Western Mineral Resources Team Homepage