USGS critical minerals review

Abstract

The US Geological Survey (USGS) provides scientific information for the Department of Interior and the nation, consistent with its original mission expressed in the Organic Act of 1879 (43 U.S.C. 31): "the classification of the public lands and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain." Recent legislation such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 USC 311) and executive actions (Executive Orders 14154,14153,14241 Secretarial Orders 3417,3418,3422) continue to focus the mission on critical mineral resources. The 2022 Final List of Critical Minerals includes 50 commodities (US Geological Survey, 2022a); the list is supported by a published, peer-reviewed methodology (Nassar and Forticr, 2021; Nassar et al., 2020), and is subject to revision on a three-year cycle according to the Energy Act of 2020 (30 US.C. 1606). The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 USC 311) directed the USGS Mineral Resources Program and its Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) to complete an initial comprehensive national modern surface and subsurface mapping and data integration effort. The initiative emphasizes the domestic critical mineral resources in surface or subsurface deposits and prioritizes mapping and critical mineral assessments.