GEOLOGIC STUDIES PROMOTE EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT. Upper: The Geological Survey examines areas such as this in the front range of the Rockies, which forms the boundary between the crystalline rocks to the west, containing gold, silver, tungsten, and other metals, and the eastward-dipping sedimentary rocks with resources of clay, coal, and petroleum. Lower: Dredging placer gold near Fairbanks, Alaska. W. C. Mendenhall, Director WITH a full sense of its responsibilities in the present as in earlier national emergencies, the Geological Survey in 1940 emphasized those phases of its activities that bear upon the program of national defense. Although funds available for the prosecution of its work were more than a million dollars less than in 1939, owing principally to the cessation of Public Works allotments, nevertheless, the direct appropriations, which previously had been restored to their earlier level and were supplemented by transferred appropriations, cooperative funds, etc., enabled the Survey to close the fiscal year with a gratifying record of accomplishment. As war disrupts the normal channels of commerce, nations suddenly become acutely conscious of their dependence upon international trade to supply many of those materials that have become a part of normal life. We can soon learn to do without nonessentials, but for successful defense under modern conditions some materials are indispensable. None are more important among these than certain of the minerals necessary to make the machinery of war. Richly endowed as it is with a great variety of mineral resources, the United States is nevertheless deficient in some of these. They must be acquired by importation while sea lanes are still open, by discovery of new supplies at home, or by learning to use lower grades than those to which we are accustomed. This field of the strategic and critical minerals is one in which the Survey is necessarily active. Through its normal activities over a long period and its special studies during the first World War, it has acquired an intimate acquaintance with the mineral supplies of the United States. It is thus especially well equipped to advise those charged with the national defense about our known resources and what must be done to augment them; and to pursue further intensive studies that are revealing deposits, inadequately known, perhaps not normally usable, but quite capable of extraction and use under emergency conditions. Thus the field of dependence upon outside sources is being narrowed and self-sufficiency broadened. Congress made a small special appropriation for studies of this character for the fiscal year 1940, funds becoming available on August 10, 1939. A number of geologic parties were promptly or GEOLOGIC STUDIES PROMOTE EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT. Upper: The Geological Survey examines areas such as this in the front range of the Rockies, which forms the boundary between the crystalline rocks to the west, containing gold, silver, tungsten, and other metals, and the eastward-dipping sedimentary rocks with resources of clay, coal, and petroleum. Lower: Dredging placer gold near Fairbanks, Alaska. W. C. Mendenhall, Director W WITH a full sense of its responsibilities in the present as in earlier national emergencies, the Geological Survey in 1940 emphasized those phases of its activities that bear upon the program of national defense. Although funds available for the prosecution of its work were more than a million dollars less than in 1939, owing principally to the cessation of Public Works allotments, nevertheless, the direct appropriations, which previously had been restored to their earlier level and were supplemented by transferred appropriations, cooperative funds, etc., enabled the Survey to close the fiscal year with a gratifying record of accomplishment. As war disrupts the normal channels of commerce, nations suddenly become acutely conscious of their dependence upon international trade to supply many of those materials that have become a part of normal life. We can soon learn to do without nonessentials, but for successful defense under modern conditions some materials are indispensable. None are more important among these than certain of the minerals necessary to make the machinery of war. Richly endowed as it is with a great variety of mineral resources, the United States is nevertheless deficient in some of these. They must be acquired by importation while sea lanes are still open, by discovery of new supplies at home, or by learning to use lower grades than those to which we are accustomed. This field of the strategic and critical minerals is one in which the Survey is necessarily active. Through its normal activities over a long period and its special studies during the first World War, it has acquired an intimate acquaintance with the mineral supplies of the United States. It is thus especially well equipped to advise those charged with the national defense about our known resources and what must be done to augment them; and to pursue further intensive studies that are revealing deposits, inadequately known, perhaps not normally usable, but quite capable of extraction and use under emergency conditions. Thus the field of dependence upon outside sources is being narrowed and self-sufficiency broadened. Congress made a small special appropriation for studies of this character for the fiscal year 1940, funds becoming available on August 10, 1939. A number of geologic parties were promptly or ganized and sent to the field to search for and examine possible sources of manganese, antimony, chromite, quicksilver, tin, tungsten, and mica in many of the States. Condensed reports containing estimates of grades and quantities of the ores of these metals and minerals were submitted during the year on 18 of the projects, and 4 of these reports were in the hands of the printer by July 1. Although there has been a concentration of energies on the strategic minerals studies, nevertheless the regular program of geologic and related investigations was carried forward. New Federal projects were begun and others completed in a number of important mining regions, involving studies of vanadium, coal, oil, potash, etc., and much other normal geologic work was done in cooperation with the States and with many national groups. Stimulated by the devastating succession of droughts and floods in recent years and the consequent growing national water consciousness, the Survey's investigations of surface and underground waters have been growing markedly. Direct appropriations have increased steadily, contributions from States and municipalities have been larger, and funds transferred from other Federal agencies have been mounting. This last is particularly true of the Corps of Engineers of the Army, which has supervision of Federal investigations and improvements for flood control and which must have the basic information obtained by the Geological Survey as a proper approach to the problems of flood control. In 1940 the Survey's investigations for the Army Engineers were the most extensive in our history. Indications are that demands for such information will increase as population grows and the necessity for protective and conservational efforts are more fully realized. One of the vital needs in the conduct of military operations is the availability of adequate topographic maps. Maps cannot be made after an emergency arises. They must be ready in advance. The Survey has long advocated an acceleration in its mapping program, both as a base for normal peacetime development and as an essential to national defense. The War Department, directly responsible for land defense, is acutely conscious of map deficiencies. It has joined the Geological Survey in urging that a mapping program be made an essential part of the defense program. Congress indicated a partial recognition of this situation by providing $1,210,350 before the close of the year for mapping strategic areas in accordance with priorities to be determined by the Secretary of War. This sum is far short of the sum needed and recommended for this work, but it is encouraging as a recognition of a principle. Approximately 25,000 square miles in the United States and Puerto Rico were covered by topographic surveys during the fiscal year |