Home page for USGS research on the relationship of environment and health with links to fact sheets, reports, projects and programs, Human Health database and meeting and conferences.
Overview of project to develop and apply a variety of earth science methods to interpret the geologic links between mineral dusts such as silica and asbestos and human health problems with links to contacts, tasks, and products.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in rocks, soils, and the waters in contact with them. It is found in ground water as the result of minerals dissolving from weathered rocks and soils. This site links to data, maps, and more.
Report on asbestos, six types of mineral fibers belonging to two mineral groups, serpentines and amphiboles,with fiber morphology, crystal structure, analytical methods, properties, mining, milling, uses, and safety factors.(PDF file,28 pp.,4.5 MB)
Links to overview, major programs, products and publications on coal, oil & gas, environment & human health, and resource economics, and special applications (Geo-Data Explorer (GEODE) and Kidzone)
Links to USGS activities in the environment theme area, including anthropogenic and natural contaminants, ecosystems, energy, human health, global change, etc. Also includes links to environment-related fact sheets.
Research findings and examples of application to real problems--When can natural processes to reduce, or even destroy, contaminants at toxic waste sites be relied on?