Critical Mineral Research for Sustainability

A challenge for the energy transition away from fossil fuels is the limited supply of critical minerals needed for advanced technology that cannot be fulfilled by recycling alone. Part of this challenge is the very low probability of success for finding economic mineral deposits. A key to sustainable mineral exploration is the application of the holistic mineral systems approach, which improves our understanding of the processes that lead to the formation of economically viable deposits, thus increasing the probability of success. The U.S. Geological Survey has developed a mineral system framework for the U.S., which forms the basis of the critical mineral research at the Kentucky Geological Survey. Initial goals are to identify and characterize the components of each mineral system that has the potential to host critical minerals in Kentucky. Of particular interest are areas with multiple types of deposits that formed as a result of overlapping mineral systems, such as the Illinois–Kentucky Fluorspar District.

This research has been supported by multiple grants from the USGS through the Earth MRI and Data Preservation programs.