20 Critical Minerals Potential in the Land of Enchantment: Past Production and Future Potential

Global demand for critical minerals is increasing. These non-fuel minerals are essential for clean energy and high-tech industries. New Mexico's future critical minerals potential is being re-evaluated through USGS Earth MRI surveys and DOE-funded efforts.

Tuesday, 19 May 2026
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Alvarado B

Participants

• Chair Zohreh Kazemi Motlagh
• Chair Virginia McLemore

Presentations

• 8:35 AM
  UPDATE ON CRITICAL MINERALS RESEARCH IN NEW MEXICO 2026
  Virginia McLemore, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM 87801, New Mexico
  410562 (Technical Sessions)
• 8:55 AM
  Expert-guided Machine Learning for Characterization and Extraction of Critical Minerals
  Bulbul Ahmmed, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM and Daniel O'Malley, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM and Brent Geohring, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
  410534 (Technical Sessions)
• 9:15 AM
  Defining Minimum Concentration of Critical Minerals for Exploration – What is Good Enough?
  Richard Otoo, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico and Virginia McLemore, Bureau of Economic Geology, Socorro, NM
  410551 (Technical Sessions)
• 9:35 AM
  Geochemistry of Critical Minerals in Mine Wastes, New Mexico
  Zohreh Kazemi Motlagh, Socorro, NM and Virginia McLemore, Socorro, NM and Richard Kelley, Socorro, NM
  410620 (Technical Sessions)
• 10:10 AM
  Mine waste as a resource: Critical minerals in mine wastes in New Mexico
  Virginia McLemore, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM 87801, New Mexico and Zohreh Motlagh, New Mexico Institute Mining & Technology, Socorro, NM 87801, New Mexico and Richard Kelley, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM 87801, New Mexico and Rebecca Boakye, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM 87801, New Mexico
  410635 (Technical Sessions)
• 10:30 AM
  Critical Minerals Potential of Leaching Mine Wastes in Eureka, Hillsboro, McGhee Peak and Steeple Rock Districts in New Mexico, USA
  Rebecca Boakye, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, New Mexico and Virginia McLemore, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Socorro, New Mexico and Nicole Hurtig, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, New Mexico and Bonnie Frey, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Socorro, New Mexico
  410632 (Technical Sessions)
• 10:50 AM
  A New Volcano-Tectonic Perspective of the Northern Sacramento Range of New Mexico
  Anahita Tikku, United States Geological Survey, Steamboat Springs, CO and V.J.S. Grauch, United States Geological Survey, Evergreen, CO and Daniel Koning, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Socorro, NM and Virginia McLemore, Bureau of Economic Geology, Socorro, NM and Snir Attia, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO and Shari Kelley, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Los Alamos, NM and Geoffrey Rawling, New Mexico Tech, Albuquerque, NM
  410650 (Technical Sessions)
• 11:10 AM
  New Mexico Magnesium: Dolomite Magnesium Resources of New Mexico
  Devlon Shaver, Socorro, NM and Virginia McLemore, Socorro, NM
  410652 (Technical Sessions)