• Overview
• Projects
• Mapping
• Oil & Gas
• Coal
• Minerals
• Water
• Environment
• Hazards
• Education
• Geo-tour
• FAQ
• Links

A principal function of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources is to perform geological research in a wide range of geoscience disciplines to better understand the geology of New Mexico (and the surrounding region). This basic research provides a foundation of knowledge for making informed decisions regarding utilization and protection of our natural resources. The expertise of our staff scientists, our state-of-the-art laboratories, and our association with New Mexico Tech provides an ideal research environment for conducting research of benefit to the public, the academic communtity, and the private sector. Many projects are collaborative between our staff, as well as with faculty at colleges and universities, with industry, and with other state and federal agencies.

Some current or recent projects and research programs include:

• Environmental Geology
  • Hydrogeology
    • Sacramento Mountains Hydrogeology Study
    • Bureau environmental scientists map New Mexico's aquifers
      • Taos Hydrogeologic Study
  • Paleoclimate
    • Estancia Basin is a laboratory for climate research
    • Ice layers in Antarctica hold secrets to the global climate past
    • Scientists Use Ancient Ore Deposits to Predict Ground Water Quality and Paleoclimate
  • Remediation
    • Bureau team develops containment system to prevent spills
    • Three Bureau scientists serve as members of the Acid Drainage Technology Initiative--Metal Mining Sector
  • Mine Site Characterization
    • Molycorp Project
• Natural Resources
  • Petroleum
    • Oil & Gas Program
      • Petroleum Source-Rock Project
      • Risk reduction in petroleum exploration with a fuzzy expert system
  • Mineral Resources
    • Metallic minerals
      • Alteration and volcanic-epithermal mineralization in the Steeple Rock district
      • Geology and geochemistry of the Copper Flat porphyry copper deposit and associated deposits in the Hillsborro district
    • Coal Program
    • Industrial minerals
      • Mineral Resource Evaluation of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Site
      • Fly Ash from New Mexico Coals
    • Acid Mine drainage
      • Three Bureau scientists serve as members of the Acid Drainage Technology Initiative--Metal Mining Sector
  • Water
• Regional Geology
  • NM STATEMAP Geologic Mapping Program
  • Geochronology
    • NM Geochron Database
    • Geochronologist studies missing rocks
    • Studies from the New Mexico Geochronology Research Laboratory
  • Precambrian Geology
    • Geology and geochemistry of Redrock-Wild Horse Mesa anorthosite and granites, Burro Mountains, Grant County
    • Microprobe monazite geochronology
• Volcanology
  • Cosmogenic dating of young basaltic lava flows
  • Uplift of the Tibetan Plateau: Insights from cosmogenic exposure ages of young lava flows
  • Volcanic record in Antarctic ice
  • Volcanic record of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
  • Tephra layers in Rio Grande Rift Sediments

Terms of Use | Accessibility

Revised: 27 June, 2012

© 2007 - 2008 NMBGMR
or as specified

Copyright © 2007 - 2008 New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources unless otherwise specified.