The polygon (vector) feature class represents locatable mineral resource assessment tracts (tracts of land) associated with the Department of the Interior (DOI) Sagebrush Focal Areas (SFAs) in Montana, Wyoming and Utah, central Idaho, and the Oregon-Nevada-Idaho border area. The mineral-resources tracts are geographic areas that were assessed by the USGS and were determined to be geologically favorable for a deposit type of interest to a depth of 1 kilometer. Qualitative assessment methods outlined by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) were used to develop tract boundaries and to assign a level of mineral-resource potential and certainty to each tract. The general process included (1) identifying possible mineral deposit types for locatable commodities specified by BLM for each focal area, (2) outlining those areas that potentially contained mineral deposits based on geology, mineral occurrences, geophysics, soil and stream-sediment geochemistry, alteration mineral assemblages inferred from satellite imagery, BLM claims and permit data, mineral-exploration activity, and existing mineral-resource assessment data, and (3) evaluating the level of mineral-resource potential and level of certainty associated with the outlined areas using BLM assessment categories. A full description of the assessment is provided in the accompanying report (Day and others, 2016). SFAs, identified by agencies of the DOI, are high-quality sagebrush habitat areas supporting high densities of breeding greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). SFAs are within priority habitat areas or areas where land-use measures are intended to minimize or avoid habitat disturbance. Seven SFAs are within the USGS Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment Project study area. They include the Bear River Watershed, North-Central Idaho, North-Central Montana, Southeastern Oregon and North-Central Nevada, Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Southern Idaho and Northern Nevada, and Southwestern and South-Central Wyoming SFAs, as well as additional areas in Nevada (termed the “Nevada additions”) proposed by the State of Nevada. Landscape-scale conservation efforts by the BLM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), State agencies, private land owners, and other partners are striving to conserve the breeding sagebrush habitat for the greater sage-grouse across these areas. Accompanying report (Chapter A): Day, W.C., Hammarstrom, J.M., Zientek, M.L., and Frost, T.P., eds., 2016, Overview with methods and procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey mineral-resource assessment of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089, 211 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20165089.

The point and polygon layers within this geodatabase represent locations of mineral occurrences, mines, mining and mineral districts and sites of active mineral exploration within or near the Department of the Interior (DOI) Sagebrush Focal Areas in Montana, Wyoming and Utah, central Idaho, and the Oregon-Nevada-Idaho border area. The data were compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Deposit Database project (USMIN) to provide mineral resource information for use in the USGS Sagebrush Mineral Resource Assessment (SaMiRA). This assessment was conducted for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and evaluated the mineral resource potential of approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands identified as areas of high-quality sagebrush habitat. The spatial extent of the USMIN mineral resource data includes BLM lands proposed for withdrawal from mineral entry as well as a 25 km buffer beyond the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) townships containing these areas. This extent allowed for a thorough examination of the data and assured that any significant mineral occurrence, mine, or exploration area within or adjacent to BLM’s proposed withdrawal areas was considered in the mineral resource assessment. The mineral resource data were compiled as GIS layers including: 1) mine symbols shown on USGS topographic maps; 2) mine sites; 3) active mineral exploration sites; 4) mineral occurrences; 5) mining and mineral districts; and 6) production and resource data for mines and mineral deposits. A full discussion of the compilation methodology and sources used to develop the mineral resource data is available in the section 'USMIN Project Mineral-Resource Data for the USGS SaMiRA Project' in the accompanying report: Day, W.C., Hammarstrom, J.M., Zientek, M.L., and Frost, T.P., eds., 2016, Overview with methods and procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey mineral-resource assessment of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5089-A, 211 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20165089A.

The point and polygon layers within this geodatabase represent locations of mineral occurrences, mines, mining and mineral districts and sites of active mineral exploration within or near the Department of the Interior (DOI) Sagebrush Focal Areas in Montana, Wyoming and Utah, central Idaho, and the Oregon-Nevada-Idaho border area. The data were compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Deposit Database project (USMIN) to provide mineral resource information for use in the USGS Sagebrush Mineral Resource Assessment (SaMiRA). This assessment was conducted for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and evaluated the mineral resource potential of approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands identified as areas of high-quality sagebrush habitat. The spatial extent of the USMIN mineral resource data includes BLM lands proposed for withdrawal from mineral entry as well as a 25 km buffer beyond the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) townships containing these areas. This extent allowed for a thorough examination of the data and assured that any significant mineral occurrence, mine, or exploration area within or adjacent to BLM’s proposed withdrawal areas was considered in the mineral resource assessment. The mineral resource data were compiled as GIS layers including: 1) mine symbols shown on USGS topographic maps; 2) mine sites; 3) active mineral exploration sites; 4) mineral occurrences; 5) mining and mineral districts; and 6) production and resource data for mines and mineral deposits. A full discussion of the compilation methodology and sources used to develop the mineral resource data is available in the section 'USMIN Project Mineral-Resource Data for the USGS SaMiRA Project' in the accompanying report: Day, W.C., Hammarstrom, J.M., Zientek, M.L., and Frost, T.P., eds., 2016, Overview with methods and procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey mineral-resource assessment of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5089-A, 211 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20165089A.

This data release consists of a compilation of previously published mineral potential maps that were used for the Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment (SaMiRA) project. This information was used as guides for assessing mineral potential assessment of approximately 10 million acres in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Specifically, the compilation was used to identify the deposit types to be assessed and the deposit models to develop. The data release consists of georeferenced images of mineral potential maps and vector shapefiles of mineral potential tracts. The georeferenced images are presented in two formats: 1) as images within raster mosaic datasets in Esri geodatabases, and 2) as individual tiff images with an accompanying .csv data table. There are four geodatabases containing the raster mosaic datasets, one for each of the four SaMiRA report areas: North-Central Montana; North-Central Idaho; Southwestern and South-Central Wyoming and Bear River Watershed; and Nevada Borderlands. Tract map images are from BLM and Forest Service wilderness study summary reports, along with multiple other mineral potential reports that were done under the USGS CUSMAP program and for USGS assessments of USGS National Forests. The georeferenced images were clipped to the extent of the map and all explanatory text, gathered from map explanations or report text was imported into the raster mosaic dataset database as ‘Footprint’ layer attributes. This data is also included as a .csv table, which can be used in conjunction with the individual georeferenced tiff images. The data compiled into the tables contains the figure caption from the original map, online linkage to the source report when available, and information on the assessed commodities according to the legal definition of mineral resources—metallic, non-metallic, leasable non-fuel, leasable fuel, geothermal, paleontological, and saleable. The shapefiles were compiled from datasets which had different data structure schemes and which used two different types of assessment methodology. The BLM used qualitative categorical and others used the USGS quantitative 3-part form of assessment. The original GIS data was re-formatted so that all of the shapefiles had one of two consistent attribute table structures, one for reports that had quantitative data, and one for reports with qualitative data. A general attribute table structure was created which contained fields for information on the deposit type assessed, assessment rank, type of assessment, and tract name and identifier. For the attribute table of the quantitatively assessed reports which used the USGS 3-part form of assessment, we added additional fields for the deposit model name and number, probabilistic assessment results data, and estimators. We captured the original information as presented but also standardized nomenclature when we could and referred to the report text in some instances in order to fill in missing data into the descriptive data tables.

This data release consists of a compilation of previously published mineral potential maps that were used for the Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment (SaMiRA) project. This information was used as guides for assessing mineral potential assessment of approximately 10 million acres in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Specifically, the compilation was used to identify the deposit types to be assessed and the deposit models to develop. The data release consists of georeferenced images of mineral potential maps and vector shapefiles of mineral potential tracts. The georeferenced images are presented in two formats: 1) as images within raster mosaic datasets in Esri geodatabases, and 2) as individual tiff images with an accompanying .csv data table. There are four geodatabases containing the raster mosaic datasets, one for each of the four SaMiRA report areas: North-Central Montana; North-Central Idaho; Southwestern and South-Central Wyoming and Bear River Watershed; and Nevada Borderlands. Tract map images are from BLM and Forest Service wilderness study summary reports, along with multiple other mineral potential reports that were done under the USGS CUSMAP program and for USGS assessments of USGS National Forests. The georeferenced images were clipped to the extent of the map and all explanatory text, gathered from map explanations or report text was imported into the raster mosaic dataset database as ‘Footprint’ layer attributes. This data is also included as a .csv table, which can be used in conjunction with the individual georeferenced tiff images. The data compiled into the tables contains the figure caption from the original map, online linkage to the source report when available, and information on the assessed commodities according to the legal definition of mineral resources—metallic, non-metallic, leasable non-fuel, leasable fuel, geothermal, paleontological, and saleable. The shapefiles were compiled from datasets which had different data structure schemes and which used two different types of assessment methodology. The BLM used qualitative categorical and others used the USGS quantitative 3-part form of assessment. The original GIS data was re-formatted so that all of the shapefiles had one of two consistent attribute table structures, one for reports that had quantitative data, and one for reports with qualitative data. A general attribute table structure was created which contained fields for information on the deposit type assessed, assessment rank, type of assessment, and tract name and identifier. For the attribute table of the quantitatively assessed reports which used the USGS 3-part form of assessment, we added additional fields for the deposit model name and number, probabilistic assessment results data, and estimators. We captured the original information as presented but also standardized nomenclature when we could and referred to the report text in some instances in order to fill in missing data into the descriptive data tables.

In 2015, approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands across six western states were proposed for withdrawal from mineral entry by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in order to conserve habitat critical for the greater sage-grouse. As a result, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) launched the Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment (SaMiRA) project in late-2015 to provide BLM with an assessment of the locatable minerals and an evaluation of the leaseable and saleable minerals within the proposed withdrawal areas. BLM provided Legacy Rehost 2000 System (LR2000) spatial data to the USGS on March 6, 2016 to help identify areas containing mineral leases and claims. The LR2000 system reports BLM land and mineral-use authorizations for oil, gas, and geothermal leasing, rights-of-ways, coal and other mineral development, land and mineral title, mining claims, withdrawals, classifications, and more on federal lands or on federal mineral estate. The spatial data provided here generalize the detailed LR2000 information and related boundaries (for example, small mine claim boundaries) to a larger Public Land Survey System (PLSS) section boundary. The tabular data are summarized by PLSS section and by BLM “serial numbers” (cases). The GIS data consist of polygon vector files whose boundaries are either the PLSS square-mile sections or the PLSS sections grouped by “serial number” to potentially larger areas. The shapefiles present coal, geothermal energy, mineral materials, mining claims, non-energy solid minerals, oil and gas, and plans of operations and notices information and can be used in a geographic information system (GIS) to show the general distribution and density of these BLM land authorizations. These datasets were used in the analysis of locatable, leasable, and salable minerals for the SaMiRA mineral-resource assessment.

In 2015, approximately 10 million acres of Federal lands across six western states were proposed for withdrawal from mineral entry by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in order to conserve habitat critical for the greater sage-grouse. As a result, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) launched the Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment (SaMiRA) project in late-2015 to provide BLM with an assessment of the locatable minerals and an evaluation of the leaseable and saleable minerals within the proposed withdrawal areas. BLM provided Legacy Rehost 2000 System (LR2000) spatial data to the USGS on March 6, 2016 to help identify areas containing mineral leases and claims. The LR2000 system reports BLM land and mineral-use authorizations for oil, gas, and geothermal leasing, rights-of-ways, coal and other mineral development, land and mineral title, mining claims, withdrawals, classifications, and more on federal lands or on federal mineral estate. The spatial data provided here generalize the detailed LR2000 information and related boundaries (for example, small mine claim boundaries) to a larger Public Land Survey System (PLSS) section boundary. The tabular data are summarized by PLSS section and by BLM “serial numbers” (cases). The GIS data consist of polygon vector files whose boundaries are either the PLSS square-mile sections or the PLSS sections grouped by “serial number” to potentially larger areas. The shapefiles present coal, geothermal energy, mineral materials, mining claims, non-energy solid minerals, oil and gas, and plans of operations and notices information and can be used in a geographic information system (GIS) to show the general distribution and density of these BLM land authorizations. These datasets were used in the analysis of locatable, leasable, and salable minerals for the SaMiRA mineral-resource assessment.

This report and digital data release presents 12 new geochemical analyses on historic U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) samples, including 6 rock, 4 stream sediment, and 2 heavy mineral concentrate (pan concentrate) samples. These samples were originally collected by the USBM to follow up reported tungsten anomalies in the VABM Bend area, Charley River and Eagle quadrangles, east-central Alaska. Historic USBM sample materials were retrieved by DGGS from the DGGS Geologic Materials Center (GMC), where the USBM samples were transferred as part of the federally funded Minerals Data and Information Rescue in Alaska (MDIRA) program in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The text and analytical data and tables associated with this report are being released in digital format as PDF files and .csv files. We provide analytical data, detection limits and, when available, the method documentation provided to us by the lab. We also provide the sample location in geographic coordinates, the sample material cited by the originating literature, a reference to the originating report, and the type of sample material that was obtained from the archive and sent to the lab.

This report and digital data release presents 40 new geochemical analyses on historic U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) samples, including 33 rock and 7 heavy mineral concentrate (pan concentrate) samples. These samples were originally collected by the USBM as part of their critical and strategic minerals project, which investigated the rare-earth-element and uranium mineral potential of the Zane Hills area, northwestern Alaska. Historic USBM sample materials were retrieved by DGGS from the DGGS Geologic Materials Center (GMC), where the USBM samples were transferred as part of the federally funded Minerals Data and Information Rescue in Alaska (MDIRA) program in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The text and analytical data and tables associated with this report are being released in digital format as PDF files and .csv files. We provide analytical data, detection limits and, when available, the method documentation provided to us by the lab. We also provide the sample location in geographic coordinates, the sample material cited by the originating literature, a reference to the originating report, and the type of sample material that was obtained from the archive and sent to the lab.

This report and digital data release presents 209 new geochemical analyses on historic U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) samples, including 90 rock, 9 stream sediment, 14 soil, and 96 heavy mineral concentrate (pan concentrate) samples. These samples were originally collected by the USBM as part of their search for radioactive mineral deposits in the northern Darby Mountains, eastern Seward Peninsula, Alaska Historic USBM sample materials were retrieved by DGGS from the DGGS Geologic Materials Center (GMC), where the USBM samples were transferred as part of the federally funded Minerals Data and Information Rescue in Alaska (MDIRA) program in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The text and analytical data and tables associated with this report are being released in digital format as PDF files and .csv files. We provide analytical data, detection limits and, when available, the method documentation provided to us by the lab. We also provide the sample location in geographic coordinates, the sample material cited by the originating literature, a reference to the originating report, and the type of sample material that was obtained from the archive and sent to the lab.