A recent report points out where the United States is most dependent on mineral imports and highlights some ways for reducing this dependence.
mining
Posted inNews
Administration Plan Would Cut USGS Budget by More Than 20%
The plan emphasizes priorities such as energy and mineral independence and security. However, the sharp funding drop means that the agency won’t be able to support its full scientific portfolio.
Posted inNews
Deep-Seabed Mining May Come Soon, Says Head of Governing Group
New regulations could open the door for sustainable mining, says the head of the International Seabed Authority. However, he and others pointed to environmental, financial, and technical challenges.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Where and How Can We Find New Sources of Oil and Gas?
The editors of a new book on oil and gas exploration describe developments in methods for identifying oil and gas fields, and for making accurate predictions about their extractive potential.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Global Drought Clustering Could Mean Big Losses for Mining
Long-term climate records could help mining companies and their investors assess the financial risk of water shortages.
Posted inNews
It’s Not Just Fracking: New Database of Human-Induced Quakes
In the largest compilation of anthropogenically induced earthquakes, causes range from building water reservoirs to mining.
Posted inNews
New Law Puts the Squeeze on the Arizona Geological Survey
Arizona state services at risk include a program to map Earth fissures; the state's earthquake-monitoring network; and the Survey's mineral resources program.
Posted inNews
Salty Secret Might Aid Carbon Impact of Restored Wetlands
Research on a surprising way rainfall affected the salinity of a boreal peatland might help restorers of such wetlands wrecked by tar sands mining maximize carbon absorption of reclaimed marshes.
Posted inNews
New Reactive Barrier May Protect Groundwater from Mine Waste
Researchers are developing a porous concrete filter to pull harmful dissolved metals out of water.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Microbial Communities Form Iron Shells in Abandoned Mines
Fungi and bacteria deposit metal ions on steel objects left behind by miners. These metals form strange clam-like shells on the steel surfaces.