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Ring of Fire Proposed RMP and Final EIS Appendix G- Mineral Potential

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Ring of Fire Proposed RMP and Final EIS Appendix G- Mineral Potential Appendix G Mineral Potential Report MINERAL POTENTIAL REPORT RING OF FIRE PLANNING AREA, ALASKA Prepared for BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT ANCHORAGE FIELD OFFICE Prepared by URS CORPORATION ANCHORAGE, ALASKA July 2006 Ring of Fire Proposed RMP/Final EIS TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Title Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... G-1 1.1 Lands Involved and Land Status............................................................................. G-1 1.2 Minerals Addressed................................................................................................. G-2 1.3 Scope and Objectives ............................................................................................. G-2 1.4 Occurrence and Development Potential.................................................................. G-3 1.5 Report Organization ................................................................................................ G-3 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF GEOLOGY..................................................................................... G-4 2.1 Physiography........................................................................................................... G-4 2.1.1 Alaska Peninsula/Aleutian Chain Region .......................................................... G-4 2.1.2 Kodiak Region ................................................................................................... G-4 2.1.3 Southcentral Region.......................................................................................... G-4 2.1.4 Southeast Region.............................................................................................. G-5 2.2 Structural Geology and Tectonics ........................................................................... G-6 2.2.1 Alaska Peninsula/Aleutian Chain Region .......................................................... G-6 2.2.2 Kodiak Region ................................................................................................... G-6 2.2.3 Southcentral Region.......................................................................................... G-7 2.2.4 Southeast Region.............................................................................................. G-7 2.3 Historical Geology and Rock Units.......................................................................... G-8 2.3.1 Alaska Peninsula/Aleutian Chain Region .......................................................... G-8 2.3.2 Kodiak Region ................................................................................................. G-10 2.3.3 Southcentral Region........................................................................................ G-10 2.3.4 Southeast Region............................................................................................ G-12 2.4 Geophysics/Geochemistry .................................................................................... G-14 2.4.1 Geophysical Data ............................................................................................ G-14 2.4.2 Geochemical Data........................................................................................... G-15 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND OCCURRENCE POTENTIAL..... G-19 3.1 Leasable Minerals ................................................................................................. G-19 3.1.1 Oil and Gas ..................................................................................................... G-19 3.1.1.1 Basins, Fields, Plays, and Production History ........................................ G-19 3.1.1.2 Occurrence Potential .............................................................................. G-24 3.1.2 Coal ................................................................................................................. G-26 3.1.2.1 Known Deposits, Fields, and History...................................................... G-26 3.1.2.2 Occurrence Potential .............................................................................. G-29 3.1.3 Coalbed Natural Gas....................................................................................... G-30 3.1.3.1 Conditions for Occurrence...................................................................... G-30 3.1.3.2 CBNG Occurrence by Region ................................................................ G-31 3.1.3.3 Occurrence Potential .............................................................................. G-35 3.1.4 Geothermal...................................................................................................... G-37 3.1.4.1 Known Deposits and Occurrences. ........................................................ G-37 3.1.4.2 Prospects and Leases ............................................................................ G-38 3.1.4.3 Occurrence Potential .............................................................................. G-39 3.1.5 Solid Leasables ............................................................................................... G-40 3.2 Locatable Minerals ................................................................................................ G-40 3.2.1 Overview of Available Data ............................................................................. G-41 3.2.1.1 Mineral Terranes .................................................................................... G-41 3.2.1.2 Mineral Occurrences, Deposits, and Claims .......................................... G-41 3.2.1.3 Known Mineral Deposit Areas ................................................................ G-42 Mineral Potential Report G-i Appendix G Ring of Fire Proposed RMP/Final EIS TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Section Title Page 3.2.1.4 Mineral Resource Reports...................................................................... G-42 3.2.1.5 Strategic and Critical Minerals................................................................ G-43 3.2.2 Occurrence Potential....................................................................................... G-43 3.2.3 Summary of Deposits and Production by Region............................................ G-44 3.2.3.1 Alaska Peninsula/Aleutian Chain Region ............................................... G-44 3.2.3.2 Kodiak Region ........................................................................................ G-45 3.2.3.3 Southcentral Region ............................................................................... G-46 3.2.3.4 Southeast Region ................................................................................... G-48 3.3 Salable Minerals.................................................................................................... G-51 3.3.1 Known Deposits and Resources ..................................................................... G-51 3.3.1.1 Sand and Gravel Aggregate ................................................................... G-51 3.3.1.2 Dimension Stone, Limestone, and Marble.............................................. G-52 3.3.1.3 Pumice and Pumicite.............................................................................. G-53 3.3.1.4 Other Mineral Materials .......................................................................... G-53 3.3.2 Occurrence Potential....................................................................................... G-54 4.0 MINERAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL ........................................... G-55 4.1 Leasable Minerals ................................................................................................. G-55 4.1.1 Oil, Gas, and Coalbed Natural Gas................................................................. G-55 4.1.2 Coal ................................................................................................................. G-56 4.1.3 Geothermal...................................................................................................... G-57 4.2 Locatable Minerals ................................................................................................ G-58 4.2.1 Economic Factors............................................................................................ G-58 4.2.2 Industry Interest............................................................................................... G-59 4.2.3 Summary by Region........................................................................................ G-59 4.3 Salable Minerals.................................................................................................... G-61 4.3.1 Material Types and Demand ........................................................................... G-61 4.3.2 Summary by Region........................................................................................ G-62 5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................... G-64 6.0 REFERENCES AND SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................... G-65 Mineral Potential Report G-ii Appendix G Ring of Fire Proposed RMP/Final EIS TABLES Table G-1 Legend for Geologic Maps Table G-2 Geochemistry, Reservoir Characteristics, and Production Data for Onshore Oil and Gas Fields, Cook Inlet Basin Table G-3 Locatable Mineral Terrain Units FIGURES Figure G-1 Location Map, Ring of Fire Planning Area Figure G-2 Land Status and Topography of the Aleutian Chain Figure G-3 Land Status and Topography of the Alaska
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