As we complete another trip around the sun and embrace a new year, it’s customary to reflect on the past and assess how we want the future to be. Often these reflections result in modifications to make us successful. For the Energy Minerals Division, it’s important to reflect on the priorities of our members and align our committees to mirror the subsurface issues they are working on to remain relevant. So, let’s consider some recent energy issues that have a direct impact on energy minerals.
In 2024, we saw electricity generation and energy usage enter the public discourse in a big way as new and projected demands on the grid become realities. In my last article, I discussed data centers specifically as substantial demands on regional power grids are becoming a reality. To offset this, adding supplemental energy sources, in the form of renewables might be an option. U.S. power generation from renewables surpassed nuclear and coal generation in 2022, so the momentum is there. According to the International Energy Agency, demand for electric cars in the United States was strong in 2023, showing a 40-percent increase over 2022.
These technologies require critical minerals for batteries. An important component for today’s battery chemistry is lithium, and an important exploration target for the raw material includes produced water from subsurface oil and gas reservoirs.
Reorganization of EMD Committees
In the current EMD committee structure, critical minerals from produced water or other liquids aren’t an area specifically highlighted. However, many researchers are working on formations that produce lithium and study the geology of the host rocks. Therefore, it’s important to expand the committees to include this focus area.
On the other hand, interest in two committees – Tight Oil and Gas and Coal/CBM – has floundered in recent years. As mainstays of the oil and gas world, it is important to keep these subjects as components of EMD committees, but the focus will shift to the critical minerals extracted or commodities that are generated from these resources.
The aforementioned realignment of the EMD committee structure is meant to better reflect the focus, efforts and interests of our members. This reorganization of committee focus areas echoes the way our members work on energy minerals and incorporates important aspects that have not been included previously but are becoming a priority for securing our energy future.
The existing committee structure has seven committees. In the realignment, the Geothermal Energy, Economics and Technology, and Hydrates committees remain as they are. The remaining four committees are consolidated down to two and the subjects are categorized based on whether a commodity occurs or is extracted from rock, liquid or gas. Two topics that had their own committees -- tight oil and gas, coal/coalbed methane – are allocated between the new committees.
Critical Minerals and Uranium Committee: This committee will focus on energy minerals derived from rocks and liquids. In addition to exploring for critical minerals and uranium in sedimentary rocks, topics will now include extracting critical minerals from coal, bitumen, heavy oil and produced water. The inclusion of critical minerals from produced water, coal and heavy oil reside in the category of critical minerals from extracted or waste products, which is an exciting area of research and requires an understanding of the geology of the source material.
Hydrogen, Helium and Methane Committee: This committee will focus on energy minerals that are gases at surface conditions. Hydrogen storage and exploration for natural hydrogen and helium are gaining traction as areas of interest around the globe. Additional focus areas for this Committee include underground coal gasification, coalbed methan and tight gas sands.
Like any organization that wants to remain pertinent and serve its members, staying in step with changes in our industry requires a periodic evaluation of the focus of our committees. With these changes, we hope to better serve our current members and entice folks who have watched from the sidelines to join in and participate in EMD committees.
Contribute to IMAGE
It’s time to start thinking about IMAGE 2025, which is slated for Aug. 25-28 in Houston.
There will be EMD-focused sessions for which I encourage you to consider submitting abstracts. EMD is partnered with the Mining and Mineral Exploration Committee of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists for the Mining and Mineral Exploration theme. Keep an eye out for announcements related to post-convention workshops with MME and EMD themes. In addition, there are themes for critical minerals and geothermal. Keep in mind that new for this year, you must be a member of AAPG, SEG or SEPM to submit an abstract.
Take note there will be EMD and MME special sessions at IMAGE as well. EMD will host a session on exploring for geologic hydrogen and one on the geology and geochemistry of brine mining produced water – both excellent and pertinent topics for our industry. MME is sponsoring a special session on “Natural Source EM for Mineral Exploration.”
Make sure to check out the convention’s website, ImageEvent.org, for more information.
Get Involved
As always, we would love to hear from you. At the heart of this organization is networking, learning from other geologists at workshops and conferences and sharing your knowledge that you have worked so hard to attain. If these underlying energy supply issues interest you, I encourage you to attend EMD-sponsored events like webinars, workshops and participate in one of our committees. And if you have knowledge to share, please consider giving back and sharing your knowledge with the community.