Updated land subsidence maps for Arizona posted online

Brian Conway reports that the Arizona Dept. of Water Resources has updated their land subsidence maps, using interferometry (InSAR) data acquired through May, 2011.

The subsidence is principally the result of pumping of ground water faster than it is replaced, resulting in compaction of basin sediments.

Geothermal energy bills introduced for exploration and production

The American Geological Institute reports in its monthly Government Affairs Report that "Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced the Geothermal Exploration and Technology Act of 2011 (S.1142). This bill supports mapping and development of U.S. geothermal resources through the establishment of a federal direct loan program focused mainly on high risk exploration wells. The bill would amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140) to expand use of geothermal energy. The Geothermal Production Expansion Act of 2011 (S.1149) was introduced by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) to expand geothermal production on federal land. Both bills have been referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. the National Geothermal Data System of the Department of Energy." [right, Geothermal Map of North America by David Blackwell, SMU. Credit, AAPG]

One provision of S1142 is that data from all exploratory wells that are carried out under the program will have to be included in the National Geothermal Data System of the Department of Energy. AZGS is helping develop, deploy, and populate the NGDS under two DOE contracts (www.stategeothermaldata.org).

Near-record number of drilling permits issued

The Arizona Oil & Gas Conservation Commission issued 77 drilling permits in FY2011 – 74 for potash coreholes and 3 for CO2 development wells. This was exceeded once before when ~90 shallow geothermal gradient holes (only a couple hundred feet depth) were drilled a couple of decades ago. [right, potash coring near Holbrook. Credit, Passport Potash]

The Commissioners are appointed by the Governor and serve without pay. AZGS provides all the technical and administrative support for the Commission, as it does not have any staff of its own.

The Commission permits potash core holes because they penetrate potential oil, gas, and helium zones, which are regulated.

Asteroid's almost close encounter

On June 27, at about 1 pm, the 5-20 meter diameter asteroid 2011 MD came within 7,400 miles of the Earth, making a 'u-turn' over the Southern Hemisphere before heading back into space. The short video clip was forwarded by a colleague without further explanation of its source.

Reducing hospital infections with copper

"Clinical evidence to be unveiled Friday is expected to show hospitals can reduce infections by using copper touch-surfaces for everything from intravenous poles to over-the-patient tables, bed rails, door knobs and the nurse's call button," according to a story on Mineweb.com. They say that hospital-acquired infections are the fourth biggest cause of death in the United States behind heart disease, strokes and cancer. [photo credit, USGS]

Expect to see results from a 4-year study at 3 major hospitals. Copper producers report that anti-bacterial uses could consume up to one million tonnes of copper per year, about 5% of the world production. This could drive up demand which would benefit Arizona copper mines which produce about 2/3 of all the copper used in the U.S.

BLM closes federal lands to mining, in favor of industrial-scale solar projects

BLM, in order to evaluate federal lands as to their "environmental and resource suitability for utility-scale solar energy development," has issued "a Notice of Segregation of Public Lands for approximately 677,000 acres in six Western states. With this notice, 24 tracts of BLM-administered land located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah will be temporarily segregated from the location of mining claims or other land appropriations for a two-year period."

"To allow for continued analysis of these lands, the BLM published a notice in the Federal Register proposing a five-year withdrawal on April 21, 2011." [right, BLM solar study areas in western Arizona. Credit, BLM]

A concern raised earlier is that speculators were filing mining claims in areas of high potential for large industrial solar energy operations, in expectations of being able to sell the claims to solar companies for a big profit.

Canadian-funded research could open up Arizona manganese resource

Larry Reaugh, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Manganese Inc. passed along the news that the company has signed an agreement with the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) "to continue the successful development of a hydrometallurgical process to extract and recover high purity manganese from lower grade domestic resources within North America," which they believe will be applicable to the Artillery Peak manganese deposits in western Arizona. The company announcement concludes that "The result will be a more robust, complete flow sheet with reduced operating costs to recover manganese from lower grade resources."

The Company is working with Kemetco Research Inc. of Richmond B.C. (“Kemetco”) to continue the development of a hydrometallurgical process which is intended to yield high purity manganese metal and/or manganese dioxide at low cost from North American known resources.

Larry included some interesting background on manganese that explains the growing interest in the Arizona deposits:

China controls electrolytic manganese production (EMM) supplying and producing 97.44% of the world’s needs (3.1 billion pounds per year).

There is no substitute for manganese in steel (total manganese market greater than 30 billion pounds per year, fourth largest traded metal).

Manganese is the most critical metal at risk to supply and restriction in the United States as there is no US production. EMM’s greatest uses are the upgrading of specialty steel (47%), and the manufacture of aluminum alloys (32%) and electronics (14%).

China has a 20% export duty on EMM and the US has a 14% import duty; (US Price $1.80/lb) the current world price for Electrolytic Manganese Metal is about $1.53/lb. Manganese resources are declining in China especially carbonate ores for production of EMM, forcing Chinese companies to seek production offshore.

The overall manganese market grew at 8% per year to 30 billion pounds up to 2008. EMM market grew at 26% per year from 2003 – 2008 to 2.6 billion pounds per year.

AZGS will be doing detailed mapping in the Artillery Mountains to better characterize the geology of the area and characterize the mineral deposits. This was a priority recommendation of the Survey's Geologic Mapping Advisory Committee for use of USGS StateMap cooperative funds. [right, schematic stratigraphic column of Artillery district manganese deposits, from Arizona Geology newsletter, v21, #3, Fall, 1991, by Jon Spencer]