USGS to fly ‘low-level’ planes over Eastern Iowa to look for critical minerals

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The U.S. Geological Survey will be flying airplanes over parts of Eastern Iowa starting this month to help make new maps for the research group.

The mapping project, which will last about a year, will work to map out where critical mineral resources are within Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri, to help “modernize” the mapping of geology across the country.

The project will be in partnership with the four states’ geological surveys.

USGS’ push to make new maps is part of the agency’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, or “Earth MRI,” which is currently working to improve the “understanding of domestic mineral resources essential for energy, defense and economic growth.” The USGS is hous