USGS updates database of 1,271 critical mineral deposits across U.S.
The United States Geological Survey has updated its public database to include 1,271 known critical mineral deposits spread across 41 states and Puerto Rico. Compiled to support the ongoing Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, nearly one-third of these sites—amounting to 412 deposits—feature recognized critical mineral resources with no current production, highlighting significant domestic supply potential for advanced manufacturing and defense industries.
Targeting Critical Minerals for Domestic Production
Assistant Secretary of the Interior Andrea Travnicek stated that the updated database demonstrates an extraordinary domestic mineral endowment that can help reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. Nine of the ten critical minerals facing the greatest risk for supply chain disruption, including four rare-earth elements, are present within the United States.
The registry incorporates nine minerals added to the 2025 List of Critical Minerals by the USGS. These newly integrated commodities consist of boron, copper, lead, phosphate, potash, rhenium, silicon, silver, and uranium.
Role of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative
Launched following Executive Order 13817 in 2017, the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative directs the Department of the Interior and the USGS to analyze import reliance and map domestic resources. The initiative has re-mapped approximately one-third of the United States using airborne geophysical and topographic surveys, with a target to assess national critical mineral potential comprehensively by 2031.
USGS Director Ned Mamula noted that the refreshed database serves as a roadmap for achieving mineral independence. The mapping effort relies heavily on state geological surveys, academic institutions, and industry partnerships spanning 45 states. Through a collaborative program with NASA, the initiative has also gathered the largest-ever collection of terrestrial hyperspectral data, which maps light reflection from surface rocks to determine precise geologic composition.
Public Access and Industry Applications
The newly published map and interactive database put detailed geological information directly into the hands of industry operators, investors, and the public. To compile the records, USGS researchers aggregated deposits from multiple existing databases and classified them according to mineral systems, deposit types, published resource or reserve estimates, and historical production metrics where applicable.
Alongside critical mineral assessments, the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative provides foundational data to modernize maps of general geology, identify energy and groundwater resources, and evaluate natural hazards. Federal efforts to spur actual production from these mapped deposits also include expedited critical-mineral permitting through FAST-41 and initiatives to recover valuable materials from coal refuse, mine tailings, and abandoned uranium sites.