Wyoming State Geological Survey
June 26, 2025
******FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE******
Media Contact:
Bryce Tugwell, Media and
Communications Manager
bryce.tugwell@wyo.gov
Wyoming State Geological Survey
Office: (307) 745-2236
Cell: (307) 703-0761
WSGS Releases Public Information
Circular on Airborne Geophysics in Wyoming
LARAMIE, Wyo. — A new publication from the Wyoming State Geological Survey
(WSGS) discusses recent acquisition of airborne magnetic, radiometric, and
electromagnetic surveys in Wyoming. Geophysical surveys are key tools for
geological mapping, mineral exploration, evaluating geological hazards, and
better understanding the distribution of groundwater in the subsurface.
“I can’t emphasize enough the
importance of these baseline, high-quality, publicly available geophysical
data,” says WSGS Director and State Geologist Dr. Erin Campbell. “With the
completion of these surveys, approximately 20 percent of Wyoming will be covered
by Rank 1 data that will allow for interpretation of the framework geology,
furthering our understanding of the geologic structure and mineralogic
composition of Wyoming.”
The
majority of the recent geophysical surveys in Wyoming involve the simultaneous
collection of magnetic and radiometric data. These magnetic and radiometric
datasets are particularly useful for locating certain types of critical mineral
deposits. The airborne geophysical surveys discussed in this publication are
either completed, currently being flown, or will be flown in the near future.
“Collection
of these data has been a productive collaboration between the USGS and the
WSGS,” added Campbell. “Our geoscientists are working together to identify the
highest-priority areas in Wyoming in need of Rank 1 geophysical data. We are
pleased to see that the mineral industry is already using the datasets for
exploration.”
Airborne
geophysical surveys measure physical properties of the earth using instruments
mounted in aircraft that fly over a predetermined survey area. Airborne
magnetic surveys measure the total magnetic field intensity as the aircraft
flies in evenly spaced lines over the ground surface. These surveys can detect
magnetic signals emanating from deep within the earth’s crust. Magnetic surveys
can effectively map otherwise hidden geological variation, along with locating
deposits rich in magnetic minerals, commonly associated with critical mineral
deposits. Radiometric surveys measure gamma radiation released through the
radioactive decay of potassium, thorium, and uranium within the top few
centimeters of the ground surface. This type of survey can be used to constrain surficial geologic processes, along with
mapping exposures of certain types of mineral deposits.
Public Information Circular 49, Airborne Geophysics in Wyoming:
Methods for Exploring Subsurface Geology, provides an update on the
current status and geographic distribution of airborne geophysical surveys in
Wyoming. The circular also provides a broad overview of how these geophysical
data are collected, and what the various types of data represent. Lastly, the
publication discusses geophysical data from completed and published geophysical
surveys that cover the South Pass–Granite Mountains region and the Medicine Bow
Mountains.
This
circular is available for free download from the Wyoming State Geological
Survey website. The published geophysical data discussed in this publication
can be downloaded from the U.S. Geological Survey’s website (South
Pass–Granite Mountains, Medicine
Bow Mountains).
Cover
of Airborne Geophysics in Wyoming: Methods for Exploring Subsurface Geology
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