The global economy is unprepared for the unprecedented growing demand for critical minerals. These materials are crucial for the proliferation of technologies and industries that have become vital for social and economic well-being the world over but they are vulnerable to supply disruption and have been of limited economic interest until recently. Given their importance, in December 2019 the geoscience organizations of Geoscience Australia (GA), the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) created the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) to advance understanding and foster development of critical mineral resources in their respective countries.

This forum is the first release of geoscience products by the CMMI and provides an opportunity to highlight how the CMMI relates to each survey’s critical minerals activities. The forum will primarily focus on filling the knowledge gap on the abundance of critical minerals in ores within a mineral systems framework. To this end, the CMMI compiled modern multielement geochemical data generated by each agency on ore samples, from historical and active mines as well as prospects around the world. To identify relationships between critical minerals, deposit types, deposit environments, and mineral systems, a unified deposit classification scheme was established. This new database will be released to the public at the forum through a new web-based portal. The database enables users to identify individual deposits or deposit types that are potential sources of critical minerals. It also underpins ongoing CMMI efforts to advance critical mineral potential mapping aimed at recognising new opportunities for critical minerals discovery.

View the next presentation in this event.

Please contact Karol Czarnota at karol.czarnota@ga.gov.au with any questions about this event.

Organized by the Geological Survey of Canada, Geoscience Australia, and the United States Geological Survey, and hosted by the American Geosciences Institute

Moderated by Marina Costelloe, Geoscience Australia, Australia

Speakers:

• Thomas Crafford, United States Geological Survey, USA
• Geneviève Marquis, Geological Survey of Canada, Canada
• Andrew Heap, Geoscience Australia, Australia
• Albert Hofstra, United States Geological Survey, USA
• David Huston, Geoscience Australia, Australia
• Christopher Lawley, Geological Survey of Canada, Canada

Event Materials

Visit the CMMI web portal at http://criticalminerals.org/

Presentation slides

Marina Costelloe
Thomas Crafford
Geneviève Marquis
Andrew Heap
Albert Hofstra
David Huston
Christopher Lawley

Download the event flyer

Geological Survey Organizations (GSOs) have been helping society face economic and environmental challenges for over 150 years. The technological transformation of geoscience is presenting new opportunities for GSOs, and the wider geoscience community, to respond to the societal challenges of our time, and lay the foundation for a sustainable future. Three-dimensional geological modelling is providing a valuable tool for informed decision making and risk reduction – from planning urban infrastructure, managing ground water resources, and sourcing renewable energy. To capitalize on this capability, new data infrastructures are required to share and integrate information across government and the private sector.

This two-part webinar will feature leaders in the field, presenting the latest developments, and will be of interest to students, academics, private sector practitioners, and other government agencies.

This webinar series is sponsored by the World Community of Geological Surveys (WCOGS).

Workshop Program

Part 1: Geological Survey Organizations support societal needs: 3D geoscience

November 17, 2020, 10h00 - 11h45 EST / 16h00 - 17h45 CET

Moderator: Harvey Thorleifson, Director, Minnesota Geological Survey

Program:

• Past, Present, and Future of Geological Modeling of the Subsurface, Keith Turner, Colorado School of Mines, CO, USA
• An Overview of Current 3D Modelling Activities at GSOs, Kelsey MacCormack, Alberta Geological Survey/Alberta Energy Regulator, AB, Canada
• Unlocking Value from Geospatial Data Beyond GSOs, Holger Kessler, Geospatial Commission, Cabinet Office, UK
• Enabling Societal Access and Use of Geoscience Data, Michiel van der Meulen, TNO, Geological Survey of the Netherlands, NL

Question and Answer session followed by Wrap-up

Part 2: Geological Survey Organizations support societal needs: 21st Century Challenges

November 19, 2020, 10h00 - 11h45 EST / 16h00 - 17h45 CET

Moderators: Kelsey MacCormack (Alberta Geological Survey/Alberta Energy Regulator) and Holger Kessler (Geospatial Commission, Cabinet Office, UK)

A panel discussion among experts regarding challenges in the 21st century.

Program:

• Environmental Modelling, Edward Sudicky, Aquanty Inc, Waterloo, ON, CA
• Engineering Geology, Helen Reeves, Jacobs, Leeds, UK
• Urban Applications, Scott Kuykendall, McHenry County Department of Planning and Development, Woodstock, IL, USA
• Groundwater Resources, Michael Kehinde, Groundwater and Hydrology Team, Environment Agency, Hertfordshire and North London Area, UK
• 3D Methods and Visualization, Roland Baumberger, Swiss Geological Survey, CH

Question and Answer session followed by Wrap-up

This webinar series is organized by the Geological Survey of Canada, Illinois State Geological Survey, British Geological Survey, Alberta Geological Survey, Minnesota Geological Survey, TNO, Geological Survey of the Netherlands.

Background

Two related developments have moved the use of radar imagery into the operational realm. The supply of available data has increased greatly, especially with the freely-available Sentinel-1 satellites. And the analysis algorithms are now tested and established, producing reliable and standardized Information Products. One application in particular has benefited greatly from these synergistic developments; centimeter-scale measurement of surface motion on a regional scale. The ability to produce time-series displacement maps with a high point density has revolutionized the monitoring, and mitigation, of subsidence due to subsurface extraction of resources such as water or hydrocarbons.

Our speakers are:

• Derrold Holcomb, Product Manager, Advanced Sensor Software, Hexagon Geospatial | Slides | Video | Application Demo
• Brian Conway, Geophysics Unit Supervisor, Arizona Department of Water Resources | Slides | Video

Additional Resources

•  View this webinar's Question & Answer session
• Answers to Additional Questions from Webinar Attendees

Media Partners

Thank you to our media partners:

• American Association of Geographers
• American Geophysical Union
• American Institute of Professional Geologists
• Geological Society of America

Media Sponsors

This webinar is generously sponsored by: