SURVEY NOTES 58-1 January 2026

Utah Geological Survey Survey Notes, Volume 58, Number 1, January 2026

This issue of the Utah Geological Survey (UGS) Survey Notes explores several significant geologic and economic topics vital to Utah. The featured article, titled "Return on Investment in the Utah Geological Survey," quantifies the economic value of geologic data. The piece highlights how every dollar invested in geologic mapping adds at least seven dollars to the economy, supporting industries ranging from groundwater to mineral exploration.

Another article, "Historic Mining Districts: A Gateway to Future Critical Mineral Potential," examines the untapped possibilities within Utah’s older mining areas and discusses the Clifton vein swarm in the Gold Hill mining district, suggesting it may point toward large, unrecognized copper porphyry deposits essential for modern electronics and green energy.

This issue also includes "Hazards News | A Clearer View of Earthquake Risk: New Maps Reveal Central Utah's Active Faults," which highlights the use of new high-resolution lidar data in updated fault mapping across six central Utah counties. This work provides foundational knowledge for building resilient communities in rapidly growing rural regions of Utah. 

Regular columns such as the "Glad You Asked" series investigates the management of invasive phragmites in Utah's wetlands, while this edition of the "GeoSights" series features the spectacularly colorful "popcorn"-textured landscape of the Bentonite Hills in south-central Utah.