Highlights

• The U.S. faces significant vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply.
• Complete import reliance for 12 of 50 federally listed minerals.
• Idaho is a key player in the critical mineral landscape, with resources in:
  • Cobalt
  • Antimony
  • Rare earths
  • Niobium
  • Vanadium
• IGS's 2024 Annual Report highlights extensive research in:
  • Mapping
  • Mineral exploration
  • Securing domestic mineral supply chains

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The United States continues to face serious vulnerabilities in its supply of critical minerals—materials essential to the defense, energy, transportation, and technology sectors. As of 2022, the U.S. was completely import-reliant for 12 of the 50 federally listed critical minerals, and more than 50% import-dependent for another 31. To address this, the federal government, in collaboration with state agencies and the mining industry, is actively pursuing efforts to identify and secure domestic sources of these strategically important materials.

Of course, more recently, newly elected President Donald Trump signed an executive order to accelerate critical mineral resilience.  While this executive order may not adequately address midstream and downstream dynamics as an integrated ecosystem, nonetheless, the focus on upstream mining remains front and center.

The Idaho Geological Survey (opens in a new tab) (IGS) has played a key role in this initiative over the past two decades by conducting geologic mapping and ore deposit research in promising mineralized zones such as Stibnite and Lemhi Pass. With recent funding through the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth-MRI program, efforts have expanded to include areas like the Idaho Cobalt Belt, Mineral Hill, and the Idaho Phosphate District. Additionally, partnerships with the mining industry and the Idaho Department of Commerce have supported exploration and geophysical data collection, including work at the Diamond Creek rare earth property.

Idaho is a significant player in the national critical minerals landscape, having either past production or known resources of 25 critical elements—including cobalt, antimony, rare earths, niobium, and vanadium. Key sites include the Stibnite Antimony District, the currently idle but promising Idaho Cobalt Project, and rare earth-rich areas like Lemhi Pass and Diamond Creek, where drilling is underway. The state’s diverse geology and supportive regulatory environment make it a prime candidate for future mineral exploration and development, helping to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign mineral sources.

2024 Report

The Idaho Geological Survey (IGS) 2024 Annual Report details a robust year of scientific advancements, outreach, and operational growth. Under Director Claudio Berti’s (opens in a new tab) leadership, IGS showcased Idaho’s complex geology by participating in major regional conferences and releasing new publications and field guides. Notably, IGS deepened its role in exploring Idaho’s critical mineral potential—particularly in the cobalt belt and phosphate-rich regions—while continuing efforts in geologic mapping, energy exploration, and seismic monitoring. A central focus was enhancing public access to scientific data through improved digital tools and public outreach.

Statewide highlights include integrating new seismometer data into existing seismic networks, expanding groundwater vulnerability assessments, and digitizing legacy mining and petroleum records. IGS also made significant progress in mapping Idaho’s active faults using high-resolution LiDAR and in cataloging geologic hazards in collaboration with FEMA. A new Images Database was piloted to centralize thousands of geological field photographs. At the same time, updates to the Mines and Prospects Database now enable filtering by critical minerals and improve the user interface for data review.

Among the year’s major research accomplishments, IGS published a comprehensive hydrogeologic study of the Raft River Basin and completed the first detailed mapping of the Sawtooth fault. Research on the Stibnite Gold Project clarified the geologic timing of gold, antimony, and tungsten mineralization, which supports federal interest in this strategic resource. Additional studies investigated niobium-rich carbonatites, rare earth mineralization, and the critical mineral content of the Western Phosphate Field across four states. These projects underscore IGS’s growing role in securing domestic mineral supply chains.

The report also underscores IGS’s engagement in education, outreach, and academic collaboration. Staff participated in dozens of professional presentations, publications, and thesis committees while supporting public events, student mentoring, and community awareness campaigns. Financially, IGS maintained a balanced budget, with nearly half of its funding from state appropriations and the rest from grants and contracts. The report concludes with detailed financials, publication records, and acknowledgments of partnerships, reinforcing IGS’s central mission: to provide unbiased, high-quality geologic data for Idaho’s benefit.

See the Idaho Geological Survey (opens in a new tab).