Media-Alert: Low-level Flights to Image Geology over Eastern Kansas

The flights are a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Mapping Resources Initiative and the Kansas Geological Survey. The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative is an effort to modernize the nation's maps of geology and mineral resources, and to identify energy and groundwater resources and natural hazards.

"Partnership with state surveys helps accomplish national goals like mapping the critical minerals the U.S. needs. The Kansas Geological Survey is helping with the work of the nation-and adding to state knowledge crucial to water resources, hazards and the resource economy," said Jamey Jones, science coordinator for the U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Mapping Resources Initiative.

"Earth MRI datasets are an integral piece of critical mineral and geologic hydrogen subsurface resource assessments by the Kansas Geological Survey. We are excited that the program has added the Kansas Nemaha Uplift area to this year's plan and look forward to integrating the new results with several ongoing research efforts, including our Kansas Borders to Basement initiative," said Brendan Bream, associate director of energy research at the Kansas Geological Survey.

The survey is designed to facilitate geologic mapping of rocks across the Nemaha Uplift and its surroundings. The Nemaha Uplift is a large ridge that extends from southern Nebraska to central Oklahoma.

This region is a known resource for coal, petroleum, geologic hydrogen, and rocks with critical mineral potential. The area has been mined for magnesium and may host additional critical minerals like niobium, yttrium, and hafnium. And rocks associated with coal deposits may hold rare earth elements and a variety of other critical minerals. The survey will also cover the Humboldt Fault Zone, a seismically active fault system that runs alongside the uplift. Data from the survey are important for improving our understanding of mineral resource potential, earthquake hazards, parameters for infrastructure, and land use planning.

The survey includes magnetic and radiometric data collection from a fixed-wing aircraft along pre-planned flight lines spaced 980 feet (300 meters) apart at a nominal terrain clearance of 260 feet (80 meters). The USGS has contracted New Resolution Geophysics (NRG) Exploration USA Inc. to collect the airborne magnetic and radiometric data. Their Air Tractor AT-504 and Pilatus PC6 fixed-wing aircraft will be equipped with an elongated "stinger" that extends from the main cabin which houses sensors collecting data. These scientific instruments are completely passive with no emissions that pose a risk to humans, animals, or plant life. No photography or video data will be collected. The aircraft will be flown by experienced pilots who are specially trained and approved for low-level flying. These pilots work with the FAA to ensure flights are safe and in accordance with U.S. law. The surveys will be conducted during daylight hours only.

Flights will be based out of the Coffey County (KUKL), Salina Regional (KSLN), and Newton City-County (KEWK) airports, and will fly over the following Kansas counties: Allen, Anderson, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Clay, Coffey, Cowley, Dickinson, Douglas, Elk, Franklin, Geary, Greenwood, Harvey, Johnson, Labette, Linn, Lyon, Marion, McPherson, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Reno, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Wilson, and Woodson.

This survey boundary is provisional and some of the following counties may be added to the survey area: (in Kansas) Atchison, Brown, Cherokee, Doniphan, Ellsworth, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Pottawatomie, Rice, Wyandotte; (in Missouri) Buchanan, Caldwell, Cass, Clay, Clinton, DeKalb, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Lafayette, McDonald, Newton, Platte, Ray; (in Oklahoma) Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Nowata, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Rogers, Sequoyah, Tulsa, Wagoner, Washington; (in Arkansas) Benton, Crawford, Franklin, and Washington.

Earth MRI includes airborne geophysical surveys like this one, geochemical reconnaissance surveys, topographic mapping using LiDAR technology, hyperspectral surveys, and geologic mapping projects. The data collected are made freely available to the public on the USGS ScienceBase website.