GGP Seminar: Amber Steele, RG - Critical Mineral Resources and Missouri

GGP Seminar: Amber Steele, RG - Critical Mineral Resources and Missouri
Date and time
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, October 28, 2022
Description

Amber Steele, RG, is the geological survey program director for the Missouri Geological Survey. She has an MS in soil science and a BS in geology and environmental science. She has 18 years of experience in the areas of natural resources and environmental policy, including a variety of technical and regulatory positions with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources, along with expertise within the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Critical Mineral Resources and Missouri will talk about the advancement in technology that has led to the creation of new material applications, the increased technical performance, durability and reliability of products, and improved environmental and energy efficiency. However, many of the technologies require minerals that are not currently produced in the United States and are considered "critical and strategic." The U.S. imports the most critical commodities. Specifically, the U.S. is import-reliant (imports are greater than 50 percent of annual consumption) for 31 of the 35 minerals designated as critical by the Department of the Interior. Import dependence can lead to strategic vulnerability in both the economic and defense sectors.

Missouri has a long history of mineral production that includes significant deposits of iron oxide-copper-gold, which are found in the Southeast Missouri Lead District. These deposits are major sources of iron, lead, zinc, copper and silver. They contain resources of cobalt, nickel and heretofore unmined, rare earth elements. Missouri has potentially significant quantities of critical and strategic minerals, but knowledge of the geologic structure and Precambrian bedrock must be improved to fully understand the volume and extent of critical mineral resources in the deep subsurface.

The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) is a partnership among the U.S. Geological Survey, the State Geological Surveys and other federal, state and private-sector organizations with the goal of improving our knowledge of the geologic framework in the United States and identifying areas that have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources.

Event sponsor
Admission

Free

Open to public, alumni, current students, faculty, future students
Location