Volcanic Eruptions, Earthquakes, and Critical Minerals Dominate Geological Headlines Across the US

In the past week, volcanic activity has dominated geological headlines across the United States. The Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at Kīlauea's summit on Hawaii's Big Island has entered a pause phase. Episode 23 of the eruption ended on Sunday, May 25, after six hours of sustained fountaining activity. Prior to this pause, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists had conducted uncrewed aircraft system flights on May 21 to monitor the ongoing eruption, capturing images of two eruptive vents that were steadily degassing and intermittently spattering fresh lava.

Scientists have also made significant progress in understanding Hawaiian volcanoes through the analysis of tiny gas bubbles trapped in crystals. This advanced technology has allowed researchers to precisely map how magma storage evolves as these volcanoes develop.

In earthquake news, researchers have been studying the ripple effect of small earthquakes near major faults. Their work reveals that deep beneath the Earth's surface, some faults move almost silently, with slow, shuffling slips accompanied by tremors that don't cause the violent shaking typically associated with earthquakes.

The USGS has released several important resource assessments this week. Their latest study estimates there are approximately 27 trillion cubic feet of gas and 473 million barrels of oil undiscovered but recoverable in Southwest Wyoming and Northwest Colorado. Additionally, a provisional assessment indicates that enhanced geothermal systems in the Great Basin region could potentially supply 10% of U.S. electricity demand, generating up to 135 gigawatts of baseload power if current technology works at scale across Nevada and five adjoining states.

The search for critical minerals continues to be a priority, with the USGS now offering funding to states to find these essential materials in mine waste. The agency has also highlighted the potential for critical mineral discovery on the nation's seabed, an area larger than U.S. lands.

For the scientific community, the Geological Society of America has announced their call for abstracts for GSA Connects 2025, scheduled for October 19-22 in San Antonio, Texas. New this year is an early abstract submission option with a deadline of May 15, 2025, providing researchers an opportunity to share their latest findings at one of the premier international gatherings in the geoscience community.

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI