43 U.S.C. § 31l — Earth Mapping Resources Initiative

(a) Definition. "Critical mineral" means whatever section 1606(a) of title 30 says it means. (b) Establishment. The law creates the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative inside the Geological Survey. (c) Purpose. The Initiative must speed up the Survey's core job of mapping resources by combining topographic, geologic, geochemical, and geophysical maps; pulling together geospatial and resource data; and interpreting mineral data both underground and above ground. (d) Cooperative agreements. The Survey's Director may sign agreements with state geological surveys to carry out the Initiative. This does not stop the Director from also using other existing contracting tools. (e) Comprehensive mapping modernization. Within 10 years of November 15, 2021, the Initiative must finish an initial full national mapping and data-integration effort covering both the surface and the subsurface. For minerals, it must look at the whole ore body rather than just one commodity, so it captures every recoverable critical mineral in a deposit. It must prioritize mapping critical minerals. It must also map areas with mine waste, to better understand above-ground mineral resources in places already disturbed, and analyze samples — including samples in the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program — for critical minerals. (f) Availability. The Initiative must make its mapping data and metadata publicly available online on an ongoing basis. (g) Integration of data sources. The Initiative must combine data from the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program, the USGS's USMIN Mineral Deposit Database, the 3D Elevation Program, and other relevant sources, including geothermal data. (h) Funding. Congress authorized $320,000,000 for the Secretary to carry out this section for fiscal years 2022 through 2026, and that money stays available until it is spent.