COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The U.S. Geological Survey and NASA are conducting high-altitude mineral surveys across the Western United States.
This collaborative effort, known as the Geological Earth Mapping Experiment, or GEMx, aims to map critical mineral deposits to improve environmental mining processes, enhance national security and boost the nation’s economy.
The surveys are part of the USGS’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, called Earth MRI, which partners with state geological surveys, educational institutions and industry. These initiatives seek to identify critical minerals that are commonly used in everyday products, such as laptops and cell phones. The project began in September 2023 and is scheduled to continue through Fall 2026.
The mission utilizes high-altitude aircraft, including NASA’s ER-2 and Gulfstream V, based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. A diverse team of engineers, pilots and scientists from NASA, USGS, and the University of Arizona supports the campaign.
The instruments mounted on the ER-2 and Gulfstream V include NASA’s AVIRIS (Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer), HyTes (Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer), and MASTER (MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator), which collect hyperspectral images that use color to show the geophysical complexities of Earth’s surface and atmosphere.
Measurements are collected over arid and semi-arid regions in parts of California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico Dean Riley, a collaborator on the GEMx project from the University of Arizona, highlighted the utility of the collected data.
The GEMx project aims to procure this modern geophysical data, which maps the constituents of Earth’s surface and atmosphere and tracks their changes over time between 2023 and 2026. Acquiring this data is intended to address the current gaps in knowledge regarding domestic mineral resources.
The Geological Earth Mapping Experiment is scheduled to continue its operations through Fall 2026.
KRDO13 will be attending a media briefing, and the landing of NASA’s ER-2 plane is scheduled for today, at JetCenters at Colorado Springs Airport, with the briefing set for 1:30 p.m.
This article will be updated.
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