NASA Mapping Critical Minerals

Released Thursday, September 11, 2025
Last updated Monday, September 29, 2025 at 4:12 PM EDT

ID: 60001

- Produced by:
- James Round

Full 8K resolution. Optimized for Earth Information Center display.

Music Credit: "Quiet Glow" by Leo Fumagalli and Lucillie Millie, Collection Ideale; "Swift Response", by Miguel D’Oliveira, BBC Production Music; “In Plain Sight” by Miguel D’Oliveira, BBC Production Music; “Symbiosis” by by Leo Fumagalli and Lucillie Millie, Collection Ideale from Universal Production Music.

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Complete transcript available.

Watch this video on the NASA Scientific Visualization Studio YouTube channel.

From the skies above the American West to the vantage point of the International Space Station, NASA scientists are using advanced imaging spectroscopy to uncover what lies hidden in plain sight: critical minerals essential to our daily lives. Lithium, cobalt, neodymium, and dozens of other critical minerals are essential components in our phones, computers, clean energy technologies, and national security technology. By capturing the unique “spectral fingerprints” of these minerals, researchers can map where they are located on Earth, helping ensure resources for the future while deepening our understanding of the planet.

The Geological Earth Mapping Experiment (GEMx) is a joint effort between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to advance our knowledge of critical mineral resources in the Western United States. In September 2023, NASA aircraft began supporting an effort to find and map critical mineral deposits in Western regions of the U.S. Identifying these minerals could help improve environmental processes for mining and geological activities, enhance national security, and boost the economy. This project will continue through Fall 2026.

To learn more about NASA’s Earth Information Center, visit: https://earth.gov/