Minerals Information Office usan M. Marcus The U.S. Geological Survey recognized a need to serve the public better by creating public access to the vast USGS resources of minerals information. Mineral products touch each of us in our daily lives and represent, in the words of the American Mining Congress, the building blocks of society. The future availability of minerals needed for the Nation's economic well-being and defense security depends on timely access to current minerals information. The USGS and the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) have a combined minerals expertise that spans such diverse fields as the origins of mineral deposits and the development of new metallurgical techniques. These two agencies created the Minerals Information Office as a cooperative approach to improve public service. The office is designed as a “one-stop shopping place” for mineral resources inquiries. The office is located in room 2647 of the Interior Building at 18th and C Streets NW in Washington, D.C. Minerals experts in the office provide information and access to USGS and USBM databases, commodity specialists, and publications for the benefit of the public, industry, and State and Federal officials. The office also seeks to improve the exchange of information among Federal agencies and other generators and users of minerals information. The opening ceremony for the Minerals Information Office was held on June 21, 1988, and was attended by representatives of industry, media, State and Federal governments, and the general public. Under Secretary of the Department of the Interior Earl Gjelde and Assistant Secretary James W. Ziglar joined USGS Director Dallas L. Peck and USBM Director T S Ary in cutting a platinum ribbon. Mineral commodities have been and will continue to be featured in a series of activities sponsored by the Minerals Information Office. Platinum and gold were the featured commodities during fiscal year 1988. Exhibits showed regions of the United States thought to have potential for undiscovered conventional and unconventional platinum resources. Samples of platinum ore from Stillwater, Mont., were given away to members of the public who visited the MIO. Goldrelated activities included a series of wellreceived public lectures and demonstrations in the Department of the Interior Museum, exhibition of examples of gold ore from domestic and foreign mines, free distribution of gold-ore samples from the Homestake Mine in South Dakota, and dissemination of fact sheets and brochures about gold. Computer data bases at the office can provide instant responses to inquiries for information. The USGS Resource Oriented Computer System (ROCS) permits retrieval of graphic and tabular data on mineral resources throughout the world; paper copies of the screen displays are available on site. Data bases also include political and administrative boundaries, ownership, and information about USGS mineral-resource programs and research that can be searched in ways designed to meet each user's specific needs. The Minerals Information Office also serves as a collector of data that can be used by USGS scientists. Data are compiled and digital files are acquired to enhance the breadth and depth of information available to government researchers. Sources of data include other government agencies, both Federal and State, as well as private industry. Response to the new office has been positive. The office has replied to both general and technical inquiries and is a favorite stop of visitors to the Interior Building. Additional Minerals Information Offices are being established in conjunction with USGS Field Centers in Tucson, Ariz., Reno, Nev., and Spokane, Wash., to serve the needs of information users and USGS researchers in those regions. The western Minerals Information Offices will become operational during 1989. Budget Information U.S. Geological Survey budget authority for fiscal year 1988, by appropriation for Surveys, Investigations, and Research [Dollars in thousands] ................. .............. Fiscal Year Fiscal Year 1988 1988' enacted enacted National Mapping, Geography, and Surveys................ $ 90,541 Geologic and Mineral Resource Surveys and Primary Mapping and Revision ........... ......... 35,732 Mapping-Continued Digital Cartography .............. ................. 14,063 Offshore Geologic Surveys ........ 25,182 Small, Intermediate, and Special Mapping ............... 13,442 Offshore Geologic Framework . . . . . . . .... 25,182 Intermediate-Scale Mapping .......... 4,426 Water Resources Investigations ...... ............ 149,147 Small-Scale and Other Special Mapping................. 1,734 National Water Resources Research and Information Geographic Information Systems Research and System-Federal Program .......... ......... 78,662 Applications... . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 2,113 22,234 Land Use and Land Cover Mapping.......... 1,543 National Water Data & Information Access Program. 1,978 Image Mapping . . . . . . . . . . ... 3,626 Coordination of National Water Data Activities........ 1.039 Advanced Cartographic Systems ................. 13,217 11,537 Earth Resources Observation Systems.......... 8,797 9,254 Data Production and Dissemination............ 4,254 1,707 Applications and Research..... 4,543 1,404 Cartographic and Geographic Information 3,790 Toxic Substances Hydrology ... . . . . . . . . . .... .............. 12,697 Side-Looking Airborne Radar .......... 1,500 4,288 Geologic and Mineral Resource Surveys and Mapping... 177,161 Acid Rain ............... ..................... ... 2,993 Geologic Hazards Surveys ........... ....... 48,828 Scientific and Technical Publications.................... 2,316 Earthquake Hazards Reduction... 35,013 National Water-Quality Assessment Program .......... 7,215 Volcano Hazards ....... 11,593 National Water Resources Research and Information Landslide Hazards ...... 2,222 System - Federal-State Cooperative Program ....... 59,644 Geologic Framework and Processes 27,200 Data Collection and Analysis, Areal Appraisals, and National Geologic Mapping ..... 17,804 Special Hydrological Studies . . . . . . . . ....... ......... 50,670 Deep Continental Studies ..... 3,088 3,979 Geomagnetism ................. 1,760 Coal Hydrology..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 4,995 Climate Change... . . . . . . . . ... 1,046 National Water Resources Research and Information Coastal Erosion .......... .......................... 3,502 System-State Research Institute and Research 47,040 10,841 National Mineral Resource Assessment Program ...... 23,737 State Water Resources Research Institutes... 5.677 Strategic and Critical Minerals ..... ....... 9,861 National Water Resources Research Grants Program. 4,381 Development of Assessment Techniques 13,442 Program Administration ..... 783 Energy Geologic Surveys ........ 28,911 General Administration.. 14,684 Evolution of Sedimentary Basins .... 5,350 Executive Direction... 4,655 Coal Investigations ........ 7,424 8,391 Oil and Gas Investigations ............ 5,674 Reimbursements to the Department of Labor ............ 1,638 Oil Shale Investigations .......... Facilities ............................................ ............... 16,214 Geothermal Investigations .......... 5,967 National Center-Standard Level User's Charge ......... 13,335 Uranium-Thorium Investigations ......... 3,388 National Center - Facilities Management .................. 2,879 World Energy Resource Assessment. 516 ............ $447,747 * Funding shown represents appropriated dollars and does not include reimbursable funding from Federal, State, and other non-Federal sources. ............ ....... 1............ ........ U.S. Geological Survey budget for fiscal years 1985 to 1988, by activity and sources of funds? [Dollars in thousands; totals may not add because of rounding] Budget activity 1985 1986 1987 1988 cies . . . . . . . . $620,585 13,667 1,841 938 2,437 49,839 18,285 17,084 1,201 $604,664 26,075 1,93 9.450 18,299 216,921 169,851 47,070 1,016 13,261 32,793 238,131 133,408 104,723 56,500 3,327 44,896 15,354 15,244 110 -- 110 13,089 13,049 40 6,014 6,014 37 5,977 $600,852 12,111 348 39,210 248,598 135,152 113,446 56,650 2,161 54,635 14,515 14,246 269 1 268 13,615 13,567 48 5,099 5,099 ... Direct program ....................................... S . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. .. Direct program. ................ States, counties, and municipalities . ... Other Federal agencies .. Direct program .....::::::::::::: . . States, counties, and municipalities ..... CS . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . Miscellaneous non-Federal sources ... Other Federal agencies ......... Water Resources Investigations ....... ns. .. ... ... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. States, counties, and municipalities . . Direct program ............. Miscellaneous non-Federal sources .... Other Federal agencies ........ Facilities .................. .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . .. . . Direct program. .....::::::::: ........ Miscellaneous non-Federal sources ... Other Federal agencies .. $662,101 1448,233 2213,868 68,609 12,775 132,484 120,845 90,541 30,304 1,579 210,021 18,705 224,708 177,278 46,750 1,138 368 45,244 278,380 149,471 128,910 65,893 2,354 60,662 17,746 14,684 3,062 3 3,060 16,252 16,214 38 4,804 4,804 29 4,775 45 45 Direct program includes $447,747 for current year, $117 for Contributed Funds, $324 for last year's unobligated balance, and $45 for Operation and Maintenance of Quarters. ?Includes $7,410 for map receipts previously shown under direct program column. U.S. Geological Survey reimbursable funds from other Federal agencies for fiscal years 1985 to 1988, by agency [Dollars in thousands] Budget activity National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . . . . . . . . .. . . . ........... Department of the Interior. ........ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .... .... .. .. . ... Bureau of Indian Affairs . ...... . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . nent .. .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . Fish and Wildlife Service ......... tment of State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . ....... Nuclear Regulatory Commission . . . ... . .. .. .. .. . ... .... ... ... . .. .. . . Tennessee Valley Authority ........... Miscellaneous Federal agencies. .. . .. . ... . . ... . Miscellaneous services to other accounts . . . Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 1,247 100 7,993 30,551 24,361 274 14,787 4,280 1,748 14 6,647 125 977 538 260 198 4,740 300 2,726 4,380 472 1,834 101 13,030 4,820 $111,716 17 162 1,154 264 12,264 5,066 $116,129 Regional Offices Central-Denver, CO District Offices Regional Offices Assistant Chlef Geologists Eastern Region Office of Field Services Centers Flagstaff, AZ Management Offices Central-Denver, CO |