Archives a valuable repository of geological documents and maps (June 18, 1990)

In any type of commercial geological investigation, it is always important to know “who” and “what” has gone before. In most cases, this is perceived as reviewing the company, corporate or agency files and doing a quick check of previously published material. All too often a company finds out later (that is, after investing large sums of money to acquire “new” data or information, or after the company has become embroiled in legal problems) it could have saved time and money if it had been more thorough in its preliminary investigation.

Who, then, is most likely to have the original or copies of records and files that might be important to us? In the U.S., it would be, in most cases, the U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Mines; state geological surveys and related agencies; geology departments in colleges and universities; petroleum and mining service companies; land and title companies; highway departments; land and property owners; and companies and corporations that have had an interest in the area in the past.

One source that should not be overlooked is the archives. In recent months, I have had an opportunity to become involved with the latter type of information through the corporate files of Anaconda, now the property of the Atlantic Richfield.

At present, the geological document files and maps reside in the International Archive of Economic Geology at the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, in Laramie. They are open to industry, business and public access on a “pay as you go” non-profit, membership basis.

The collection represents a wealth of original, unpublished material compiled by field and mining geologists, geophysicists, engineers, metallurgists and specialists of Anaconda and other major mineral owners.

In all, it contains 1.8 million documents that include 18,000 geologic reports that describe conditions and exploration procedures used at specific mines, 5,500 documents and 6,500 maps with data on undeveloped mineralized areas and mining prospects, and more than 10,000 documents with geological, geochemical, geophysical, drilling, assay and commodity data from throughout much of the U.S. and 110 foreign countries.

All of the material is cross- indexed on a computer database and is readily retrievable by country, state, county, project/mine, commodity, author and date.

Computer inventory descriptions offer initial access to all documents, maps, aerial photographs, remotely sensed information and analytical data of all kinds. Printouts of inventory searches tailored to specific inquiries can be developed quickly for individual users in most instances.

Statewide reference inventories have been provided to each State Geological Survey that has requested them. Regional inventories will become available for examination only at selected regional or area offices of the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines in the near future.

The Anaconda collection has been made available to industry and the public through the efforts and initial financial support of ARCO Coal. It is maintained and operated entirely as a self-supported system by the University of Wyoming through user fees and contributions from the minerals industry. Neither state nor university funds are involved.

Because of limitations on work space, access to the collection is by appointment only after membership has been established. It is necessary to reserve work space at least one week in advance.

Access to the collection is made possible on an annual membership fee basis. At present there are five categories of memberships. Each one has certain restrictions as well as privileges commensurate with the fees paid in order to accommodate research historians, students and faculty (associate membership), individual consultants (commercial membership), and two categories of patron status that provide unlimited use of the collection. Separate memberships are available for research purposes to state and federal agency personnel.

Reproductions of documents, maps, diagrams and cross-sections are available in black and white or full color, on paper or as transparent overlays. Fees are charged for all reproductions. Low-cost preliminary inventory searches are available for non-members to determine the amount of material in the collection that may be pertinent to their subject or area of interest. Other, more specific, kinds of searches involving related details are also available to members.

The principal users of the archives are major mining company clients with interests in both foreign and domestic properties or in specific commodities. The type and amount of information available varies considerably from place to place. In states such as Arizona, Nevada and Montana, there are more than a thousand separate report files containing anywhere from 2,000 to more than 5,000 documents along with many hundreds of maps and a wide assortment of analytical data on everything from preliminary exploration geology to metallurgy.

There are extensive tabulations of worldwide data on diamonds and metals of all kinds. Locating important sources of data and information such as the Anaconda Collection can save industry immense amounts of time, money and manpower. It can help alleviate the problems of dealing with state, federal and foreign governments and, as already proven, provide appropriate justification for moving ahead with economic development.

For additional information on the International Archive of Economic Geology, the Anaconda Collection, or the more than 300 other geological, petroleum and mining collections, call or write Director, IAEG, American Heritage Center, P.O. Box 3924, University Station, Laramie, Wyoming 82071. Or telephone (307) 766-6506.006 Daniel Miller Jr. is director of the Anaconda Collection, American Heritage Center, at the University of Wyoming.

In any type of commercial geological investigation, it is always important to know “who” and “what” has gone before. In most cases, this is perceived as reviewing the company, corporate or agency files and doing a quick check of previously published material. All too often a company finds out later (that is, after investing large sums of money to acquire “new” data or information, or after the company has become embroiled in legal problems) it could have saved time and money if it had been more thorough in its preliminary investigation.

Who, then, is most likely to have the original or copies of records and files that might be important to us? In the U.S., it would be, in most cases, the U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Mines; state geological surveys and related agencies; geology departments in colleges and universities; petroleum and mining service companies; land and title companies; highway departments; land and property owners; and companies and corporations that have had an interest in the area in the past.

One source that should not be overlooked is the archives. In recent months, I have had an opportunity to become involved with the latter type of information through the corporate files of Anaconda, now the property of the Atlantic Richfield.

At present, the geological document files and maps reside in the International Archive of Economic Geology at the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, in Laramie. They are open to industry, business and public access on a “pay as you go” non-profit, membership basis.

The collection represents a wealth of original, unpublished material compiled by field and mining geologists, geophysicists, engineers, metallurgists and specialists of Anaconda and other major mineral owners.

In all, it contains 1.8 million documents that include 18,000 geologic reports that describe conditions and exploration procedures used at specific mines, 5,500 documents and 6,500 maps with data on undeveloped mineralized areas and mining prospects, and more than 10,000 documents with geological, geochemical, geophysical, drilling, assay and commodity data from throughout much of the U.S. and 110 foreign countries.

All of the material is cross- indexed on a computer database and is readily retrievable by country, state, county, project/mine, commodity, author and date.

Computer inventory descriptions offer initial access to all documents, maps, aerial photographs, remotely sensed information and analytical data of all kinds. Printouts of inventory searches tailored to specific inquiries can be developed quickly for individual users in most instances.

Statewide reference inventories have been provided to each State Geological Survey that has requested them. Regional inventories will become available for examination only at selected regional or area offices of the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines in the near future.

The Anaconda collection has been made available to industry and the public through the efforts and initial financial support of ARCO Coal. It is maintained and operated entirely as a self-supported system by the University of Wyoming through user fees and contributions from the minerals industry. Neither state nor university funds are involved.

Because of limitations on work space, access to the collection is by appointment only after membership has been established. It is necessary to reserve work space at least one week in advance.

Access to the collection is made possible on an annual membership fee basis. At present there are five categories of memberships. Each one has certain restrictions as well as privileges commensurate with the fees paid in order to accommodate research historians, students and faculty (associate membership), individual consultants (commercial membership), and two categories of patron status that provide unlimited use of the collection. Separate memberships are available for research purposes to state and federal agency personnel.

Reproductions of documents, maps, diagrams and cross-sections are available in black and white or full color, on paper or as transparent overlays. Fees are charged for all reproductions. Low-cost preliminary inventory searches are available for non-members to determine the amount of material in the collection that may be pertinent to their subject or area of interest. Other, more specific, kinds of searches involving related details are also available to members.

The principal users of the archives are major mining company clients with interests in both foreign and domestic properties or in specific commodities. The type and amount of information available varies considerably from place to place. In states such as Arizona, Nevada and Montana, there are more than a thousand separate report files containing anywhere from 2,000 to more than 5,000 documents along with many hundreds of maps and a wide assortment of analytical data on everything from preliminary exploration geology to metallurgy.

There are extensive tabulations of worldwide data on diamonds and metals of all kinds. Locating important sources of data and information such as the Anaconda Collection can save industry immense amounts of time, money and manpower. It can help alleviate the problems of dealing with state, federal and foreign governments and, as already proven, provide appropriate justification for moving ahead with economic development.

For additional information on the International Archive of Economic Geology, the Anaconda Collection, or the more than 300 other geological, petroleum and mining collections, call or write Director, IAEG, American Heritage Center, P.O. Box 3924, University Station, Laramie, Wyoming 82071. Or telephone (307) 766-6506.006 Daniel Miller Jr. is director of the Anaconda Collection, American Heritage Center, at the University of Wyoming.