260-6 Geospatial Tools for Assessing Critical and Industrial Mineral Potential and Environmental Risk in Puerto Rico

Session: Advances in Geospatial Applications for Environmental and Engineering Geology (Posters)

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The growing global demand for critical minerals necessitates increased extraction as the primary mechanism to expand supply. However, this framing often overlooks the environmental risks associated with exploring and developing these resources, especially in ecologically sensitive island systems like Puerto Rico. Despite renewed interest in critical mineral resources, few studies have attempted to link mineral prospectivity with environmental risk in Puerto Rico, particularly in mountainous regions with complex geology and legacy exploration sites. Mineral exploration in Puerto Rico has been intermittent since Spanish colonization in the early 1500s, beginning with placer gold extraction and continuing through 20th-century evaluations of porphyry copper and epithermal gold-silver systems by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and private companies. Current attention has shifted to critical minerals such as cobalt, manganese and rare earth elements, which require modern geospatial tools and risk assessments. Although no large-scale extraction has occurred, sulfide-bearing rocks (e.g., mineral deposits and/or sedimentary host rocks containing pyrite) present geogenic contamination concerns and highlight the importance of environmental monitoring.

The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) acquired data crucial for understanding Puerto Rico’s mineral and environmental endowment. In 2023 to 2024, airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys were conducted across Puerto Rico, whereas hyperspectral surveys—using AISA-FENIX and MAKO sensors (covering 400–2500 nm and ~8000–14,000 nm)—focused on key areas including Mayagüez, Ponce, Jayuya, and a southwest corridor. These data support geologic mapping, landslide hazard and industrial mineral assessments. They also enable the development of local research initiatives where community stakeholders understand, use, and develop decision-making processes based on science. When combined with multispectral satellite data (ASTER, Landsat, Sentinel-2A/B) and orbital hyperspectral data from EnMAP, this approach enhances the ability to detect hydrothermal alteration, delineate lithologic boundaries, and identify potential sources of environmental contamination. This study integrates hyperspectral imaging, geophysical data, and environmental indicators to establish the first geospatial framework for mineral-environmental risk in Puerto Rico, where no prior integrated baseline existed. Data-driven results support land use decision-making that balances the need for supply security with environmental and economic risk.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-9543

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