Bureau of Geology News

The Aquifer Mapping Program at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources is partnering with the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department’s Oil Conservation Division (OCD) to produce three-dimensional maps of aquifer systems in the Delaware Basin in southeastern New Mexico that will support regulation and permitting.

The Bureau of Geology received a $22,600 grant from the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division (OCD) to digitize historical documents. The project, led by Bureau Geological Archives Coordinator Amy Trivitt, will scan R-orders, legal documents made by OCD concerning legal proceedings, oil and gas production, well spacing, and creation of pools, which are named oil and gas reservoirs.

Bureau Economic Geologist and New Mexico Tech Assistant Professor in the Earth and Environmental Science Department Dr. Alexander Gysi, and Bureau Associate Director for Labs and Senior Geochronologist Dr. Matthew Heizler presented talks at this year’s virtual Goldschmidt Conference.

The Bureau of Geology’s Geologic Mapping Program welcomes new bedrock field geologist and mapper Dr. Jacob Thacker. Dr. Thacker’s background includes broad experience researching the formation and timing of tectonic events in New Mexico and across the western United States.

Dr. Alexander Gysi joins both the New Mexico Bureau of Geology (NMBG) and New Mexico Tech’s (NMT) Earth and Environmental Science Department (E&ES) as an Economic Geologist and Assistant Professor. Dr. Gysi has an extensive academic background focused on fluid-rock interactions and the formation of deposits of rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals.

The New Mexico Bureau of Geology’s Geologic Mapping Program received a cumulative award worth $399,242 from the United State Geological Survey’s National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, a significant increase over previous years’ awards.

The Bureau of Geology welcomes Dr. Kevin Hobbs, who joins the Geologic Mapping Program as the new surficial field geologist and mapper. Dr. Hobbs has an extensive background in Cenozoic geology (65 million years ago to present time), soil formation processes, sedimentology and tectonics, and paleoclimate.

Calling all teachers! The New Mexico Bureau of Geology will host the 24^th Annual Rockin’ Around New Mexico workshop virtually from July 6-10. The workshop will focus on volcanoes and their links to economic geology, history, and seismic activity in the state.

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT) is receiving approximately $17.5 million of U.S. Department of Energy funding and additional $4.5 million cost share to study a geological storage complex located in northwest New Mexico.

Awarded through the Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) initiative, the work will complete the detailed site characterization and CO₂ capture assessment needed to obtain permitting for a planned integrated carbon capture and storage program at the San Juan Generating Station, an 847 megawatt coal-fired electricity generation plant located near Farmington, New Mexico.

The New Mexico Bureau of Geology’s Aquifer Mapping Program is excited to welcome new hydrogeologist and Geographic Information System (GIS) specialist Amanda Doherty. Amanda joins the program with a background in hydrogeochemistry and environmental consulting.