Michigan Geological Survey

Michigan Geological Survey Research and Education | Mapping and Data Services | Michigan's Largest Geologic Core Repository
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Michigan Geological Survey is part of the Department of Geosciences at Western Michigan University

On this Water Wednesday we look to Indian Lake in Schoolcraft County in the Upper Peninsula.  Indian Lake is located wes...
08/28/2024

On this Water Wednesday we look to Indian Lake in Schoolcraft County in the Upper Peninsula. Indian Lake is located west of the city of Manistique and a few miles north of Lake Michigan. With a size of approximately 8,659 surface acres, Indian Lake is the Upper Peninsula’s 4th largest inland lake with a maximum depth of about 15 feet. Indian Lake State Park provides 567 acres of lake recreation.

On today’s Mineral Monday, we’re looking at Quartz.  Quartz is commonly found throughout Michigan and while quality quar...
08/19/2024

On today’s Mineral Monday, we’re looking at Quartz.

Quartz is commonly found throughout Michigan and while quality quartz crystals are more commonly found in certain counties, quartz bearing rock can be found in all counties across the state. Different forms of quartz found in Michigan include clear quartz, rose quartz, chert, agates, and jasper, and are associated with sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Beach sand along all of Michigan’s coastline is also primarily composed of quartz crystals.

Interested in learning about any rocks or minerals found in Michigan? Let us know in the comments!

On this Water Wednesday, we look to the northern Lower Peninsula at Douglas Lake in Cheboygan County.  Douglas Lake has ...
08/14/2024

On this Water Wednesday, we look to the northern Lower Peninsula at Douglas Lake in Cheboygan County. Douglas Lake has a total surface area of 3,727 acres making it the 28th largest inland lake in Michigan. It has several basins with a maximum depth of about 80 feet. Douglas Lake is what is known as a kettle lake, a lake created when remnant glacial ice was left behind the retreating glaciers during the last ice age. Douglas Lake is perhaps one of the most studied inland lakes in Michigan as it is home to the University of Michigan’s Biological Station which has existed onsite since 1909 as a research field office for numerous scientific departments at the University of Michigan.

The Michigan Geological Survey (MGS) is in search of a highly skilled and motivated Geologist (Research Associate) with ...
08/14/2024

The Michigan Geological Survey (MGS) is in search of a highly skilled and motivated Geologist (Research Associate) with experience in grant writing to provide comprehensive geological and GIS research support in Michigan's beautiful upper peninsula. This role is integral to the success of various grants and research initiatives focused on the geological characterization and modeling of Michigan’s diverse strata. The position involves a blend of fieldwork, data analysis, and project management, with opportunities to contribute to academic publications and grant proposals.

For more information and to apply:
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3838549855/

On today’s Mineral Monday, we’re looking at Rhodochrosite.  Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate mineral, found in hyd...
08/05/2024

On today’s Mineral Monday, we’re looking at Rhodochrosite.

Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate mineral, found in hydrothermal veins and sedimentary rocks. Other minerals associated with rhodochrosite deposits include other carbonates, fluorite, barite, quartz, and various metals. Rhodochrosite was named due to it’s color, usually a pink or red color, the word derived from the Greek words rhodon and chros – translating to “rose color”. Rhodochrosite is a good source of manganese, used in steel making and aluminum alloys. While it is rare to find this mineral in Michigan, it can be found in a handful of mines in the Upper Peninsula.

Have you found rhodochrosite in Michigan? Is there a Michigan mineral you’d like to learn more about? Let us know in the comments!

On this Water Wednesday we look to the northeastern lower peninsula at Fletcher’s Pond.  Located south of Hillman, Fletc...
07/31/2024

On this Water Wednesday we look to the northeastern lower peninsula at Fletcher’s Pond. Located south of Hillman, Fletcher’s Pond is located within parts of Alpena and Montmorency Counties. It is commonly known as “Fletcher’s Floodwaters” as it was created in 1930 as a flooded section of the Upper South Branch of the Thunder Bay River for water storage purposes by the Alpena Power Company. Fletcher’s Pond is Michigan’s 12th largest lake by surface area at approximately 8,970 acres with a maximum depth of about 10 feet.

The new MGS ArcGIS Hub is live! This website will continue to grow, but some of the highlights it currently offers inclu...
07/17/2024

The new MGS ArcGIS Hub is live! This website will continue to grow, but some of the highlights it currently offers include:

1. All of our publicly available GIS data including maps, StoryMaps, and other applications.
2. The Geoplatform, which takes you to the majority of our published maps where you can access them for free.
3. Updates from the ongoing efforts to validate the state water well database, Wellogic.
4. Maps published to USGS GeMS database standards.

To visit this site:
https://michigan-geological-survey-hub-wmugeography.hub.arcgis.com/

Labradorite, a feldspar mineral, can be found throughout the world, but is named after the city it was originally discov...
07/08/2024

Labradorite, a feldspar mineral, can be found throughout the world, but is named after the city it was originally discovered in – Labrador, Canada. It is also a part of the silicate mineral family, minerals containing silicon and oxygen atoms. This family of minerals make up approximately 90% of Earth’s crust. The iridescence of labradorite is known as labradorescence which creates varying colors of blue, green, violet, yellow, orange, and purple.

On this Water Wednesday, we look to the northwestern lower peninsula to the 500 square-mile Elk River Chain of Lakes Wat...
06/26/2024

On this Water Wednesday, we look to the northwestern lower peninsula to the 500 square-mile Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed. This is home to 14 interconnected lakes and streams covering 55 miles, starting near East Jordan and emptying into the Grand Traverse Bay. The chain of lakes includes Beals, Ben-Way, Clam, Elk, Ellsworth, Hanley, Intermediate, Bellaire, Scotts, Six Mile, Skegemog, St. Clair, Wilson and Torch Lakes, with Torch being the deepest lake in the state at over 300 feet. The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed provides approximately 60% of the tributary input to the Grand Traverse Bay.

Welcome back at Mineral Monday! Today we take a look at gold.Gold is both a native element and a precious metal. It is r...
06/17/2024

Welcome back at Mineral Monday! Today we take a look at gold.

Gold is both a native element and a precious metal. It is resistant to chemical weathering and pliable. While it is a strong metal, it is also very malleable, so gold often has to be combined with other metals for everyday use in jewelry or coins. It is a great conductor, leading to its common use in electronic memory and circuit boards. Gold is mainly found in three different types of deposits including hydrothermal quartz veins in metamorphic and igneous rocks; volcanic sulfide deposits; and unconsolidated clastic deposits formed via weathering of primary source materials.

We are seeking to hire up to four talented early career Geologists with GIS experience to play a pivotal role in advanci...
06/12/2024

We are seeking to hire up to four talented early career Geologists with GIS experience to play a pivotal role in advancing our geologic research initiatives and GIS capabilities. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to impactful projects, manage data, mentor students, and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.

For full job details and requirements:
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3786106087/
APPLY HERE: https://www.wmujobs.org/postings/2469

On this Water Wednesday we look to Houghton Lake in Roscommon County where we find Michigan’s largest inland lake by sur...
06/12/2024

On this Water Wednesday we look to Houghton Lake in Roscommon County where we find Michigan’s largest inland lake by surface area. Located just to the east of 127, Houghton Lake is over 20,000 acres but relatively shallow at just over 20 feet deep at its maximum. Houghton Lake is named after Douglass Houghton who was Michigan’s first State Geologist.

On today's Mineral Monday, let's talk about kaolinite.Kaolinite, also known as kaolin, is a layered silicate mineral, co...
06/03/2024

On today's Mineral Monday, let's talk about kaolinite.

Kaolinite, also known as kaolin, is a layered silicate mineral, composed of alternating layers of silica (SiO4) and alumina (AlO6) connected via oxygen atoms. Kaolinite is often white in color but can have yellow to brown hues. The formation of kaolinite comes from weathering of other minerals, such as feldspars or other aluminosilicate minerals. This mineral has been used since prehistoric times to create pottery, namely porcelain, as a primary mineral in clay. In today’s world, kaolin is used in paper manufacturing to prevent ink bleeding and in toothpastes.

On this Water Wednesday, we look to Alger County in the Upper Peninsula which is home to the beautiful Au Train River, A...
05/29/2024

On this Water Wednesday, we look to Alger County in the Upper Peninsula which is home to the beautiful Au Train River, Au Train Lake and Au Train Falls. Located within the Hiawatha National Forest, the Au Train River meanders generally north exposing the Au Train Dolomite at the waterfalls. The river empties into the 830-acre Au Train Lake before finally reaching Lake Superior at a beautiful roadside swimming spot along M-28.

Welcome back to Mineral Monday! Today's mineral: Diamonds.Diamonds are the solid form of the element carbon, much like c...
05/20/2024

Welcome back to Mineral Monday! Today's mineral: Diamonds.

Diamonds are the solid form of the element carbon, much like coal. However, the difference between these two materials is the arrangement of the atoms at a microscopic level. Carbon lattices are stacked in neat layers to form diamonds, leading to their hardness and clarity. Diamonds are commonly colorless but can be almost any color due to impurities. Diamonds form under intense pressure deep within the Earth’s mantle and are brought to the surface via kimberlite pipes, also referred to as igneous d***s, as molten magma moves up through the Earth’s crust and cools.

Featured Core Friday||OTT-21-02 Zeeland Township, Ottawa CountyIn an effort to characterize complex glacial deposits in ...
05/17/2024

Featured Core Friday||OTT-21-02 Zeeland Township, Ottawa County

In an effort to characterize complex glacial deposits in Michigan's near subsurface geology, the MGS has been collecting a series of continuous glacial sediments from surface to bedrock. A core collected near Zeeland, MI was characterized as a good example of common stratigraphy found in the Lake Michigan Lobe of southwestern coastal counties, comprised of the Saugatuck till, Glacial Lake Milwaukee, Ganges Till, and bottoming out in the Coldwater Shale.

Pictured here is the bottom most part of the core, where it transitions from till into shale.

For a more detailed analysis of the core and identification of each till unit, please follow the link below and read the full article in our most recent article of Core Quarterly.
https://issuu.com/michigan_geological_survey/docs/mgs_quarterly_newsletter_issue_5_winter_2024

Happy Earth Day from all of us here at the Michigan Geological Survey! Whether you're celebrating by planting native spe...
04/22/2024

Happy Earth Day from all of us here at the Michigan Geological Survey! Whether you're celebrating by planting native species in your garden, participating in a cleanup event, or just going on a hike, make sure to get outside today and appreciate all that mother nature has to offer.

And what a perfect week to continue our Michigan Geology series , as we jump back in with Michigan's Precambrian rocks. Click the link below to get a headstart with our introductory video on Michigan Geology and keep an eye out for future videos!

https://youtu.be/P_q6fTeiaQo?si=3lpzr7i6RW2TZOY_

On this Water Wednesday, we take a look at Lake Charlevoix in the northwestern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, in Ch...
04/10/2024

On this Water Wednesday, we take a look at Lake Charlevoix in the northwestern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, in Charlevoix County. Lake Charlevoix is one of Michigan’s largest inland lakes with a surface area of over 17,200 acres and a maximum depth of 122 feet. It has a unique shape with a main body and a south arm. Its main tributaries are the Jordan and Boyne Rivers. Because it is structurally connected to Lake Michigan, Lake Charlevoix water levels will rise and fall along with Lake Michigan. In 2012, Lake Charlevoix was voted the 2nd Best Lake in America in a USA Today poll due to its many forms of recreation available, placing only behind Lake Tahoe.

Yesterday was a beautiful day to experience an eclipse! Many of our team got a chance to view the eclipse. MGS staff eve...
04/09/2024

Yesterday was a beautiful day to experience an eclipse! Many of our team got a chance to view the eclipse. MGS staff even set up mini experiments around the office, observed the eclipse, and played with shadows.

It's finally here! Today is the Eclipse. Check out NASA's official broadcast as they livestream the event starting at 1p...
04/08/2024

It's finally here! Today is the Eclipse. Check out NASA's official broadcast as they livestream the event starting at 1pm EST.

Watch live with us as a total solar eclipse moves across North America on April 8, 2024, traveling through Mexico, across the United States from Texas to Mai...

Welcome back to Mineral Mondays! This week let’s take a look at one of  Michigan's most colorful minerals: Fluorite! Whi...
04/01/2024

Welcome back to Mineral Mondays! This week let’s take a look at one of Michigan's most colorful minerals: Fluorite! While it is not seldom found when rock hounding, fluorite is located all over the state. Pure fluorite crystals are colorless, but due to impurities, fluorite comes in a wide variety of colors - with purple being it's most common. Consequently, many of these impurities (typically cations of metals) are also what cause fluorite to glow under blacklight. Photons from UV light will hit an electron, transferring energy and causing the electron to move into a higher orbital. The electron will then fall back to it's original state releasing some of that energy as visible light.

Women's History Month | Dr. Autumn HaagsmaJoin us today to learn about Dr. Autumn Haagsma, Assistant Director of the Mic...
03/29/2024

Women's History Month | Dr. Autumn Haagsma

Join us today to learn about Dr. Autumn Haagsma, Assistant Director of the Michigan Geological Survey and Director of the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education. We want to recognize all the hard work she does here at the Survey and are excited to continue to watch her grow and thrive. Scroll through for some words of wisdom from Autumn herself and Happy Women’s History Month!

Women's History Month | Margaret BishopMargaret Bishop had a long career throughout her life, and along with that many d...
03/28/2024

Women's History Month | Margaret Bishop

Margaret Bishop had a long career throughout her life, and along with that many different accomplishments. On top of being the first woman to earn her Ph.D. in geology from UofM, she worked in oil exploration for Pure Oil, where she met her husband who she eventually opened up a consulting firm with in Michigan called Bishop and Bishop Consulting. Other notable accomplishments include teaching as a professor and becoming the Geology department chair at the University of Houston where she eventually developed a geophysics program, authoring the textbook “Subsurface Mapping”, and training non-geologist science teachers to teach geology.

Women's History Month | Helen FosterHelen Foster, from Adrian, MI, always wanted a life in the outdoors, and she did jus...
03/27/2024

Women's History Month | Helen Foster

Helen Foster, from Adrian, MI, always wanted a life in the outdoors, and she did just that when she started her degree in geology at UofM. During the war she helped with oil exploration in and around Michigan, but ultimately decided the oil industry wasn't for her. She moved on to mapping and field work in the later years of her career, and stayed connected with many geologists even after she retired. She celebrated her 100th birthday in 2020 and previously had shared about her life in Robbie Rice Gries, “Anomalies: Pioneering Women in Petroleum Geology, 1917-2017” (2017), telling young women who want to become scientists:

“I’d tell them to go ahead and start out and do what they want to do — do what you have in mind and don’t worry about things that haven’t happened. I think if you start out with the attitude that ‘this is what I want to do,’ why, I think the main thing is to work hard at it and put your full mind to it and don’t look for problems.”

Women's History Month | Virginia KlineVirginia Kline's work in geology spans multiple states and she helped change how t...
03/26/2024

Women's History Month | Virginia Kline

Virginia Kline's work in geology spans multiple states and she helped change how the world saw women in Geosciences. During her career she recieved her Ph.D. and was heavily involved in fieldwork when it was uncommon for women to do either in a field heavily dominated by men. Her master's thesis in particular is a testament to geology as an ever evolving science and the importance of women's contributions to Michigan's geology.

Women's History Month | Helen MartinAs Women's History Month is coming to a close, we'd like to recognize women in the G...
03/25/2024

Women's History Month | Helen Martin

As Women's History Month is coming to a close, we'd like to recognize women in the Geosciences both past and present that have made significant contributions towards the understanding of Michigan geology.

We're kicking off the week with Helen Martin. We'll be posting about a different woman each day, so keep an eye out!

Interested in critical minerals and the geology of Michigan's Upper Peninsula? Looking to get some hands on experience i...
02/02/2024

Interested in critical minerals and the geology of Michigan's Upper Peninsula? Looking to get some hands on experience in field geological mapping and core logging?
MGS is looking to hire students for the summer as Geological Assistants at our Upper Peninsula office! The position is temporary, projected to begin in May 2024 and end in August 2024. The work week will consist of at least 40 hours, with a significant portion of work involving fieldwork that is away from the office and home.

For full job details, requirements, and to apply, please visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3815278005/

On this Mineral Monday, let’s take a look at one of Michigan’s highly versatile minerals: Copper! There is a rich mining...
12/18/2023

On this Mineral Monday, let’s take a look at one of Michigan’s highly versatile minerals: Copper! There is a rich mining history of copper in the state, although not much takes place in present day. The high conductivity and ductility make this metal perfect for the delicate circuit boards found in our phones, computers, and other electronic devices. Copper is also antimicrobial, allowing for the use of copper coated surfaces to reduce the spread of microbial contamination. Follow along with us on Mondays to learn about all of the unique and interesting minerals found in the state of Michigan.

Welcome to Water Wednesday! Today, we focus on Black Lake located within both Presque Isle and Cheboygan Counties in the...
12/13/2023

Welcome to Water Wednesday! Today, we focus on Black Lake located within both Presque Isle and Cheboygan Counties in the northern Lower Peninsula. Black Lake is an over 10,000-acre lake with a maximum depth of just over 50 feet. By surface area, it is the 9th largest inland lake in Michigan. Black Lake derives its name from its dark color due to the natural tannins of the native vegetation. The nearby city of Onaway is the Sturgeon Capital of Michigan, and each winter Black Lake hosts the popular Sturgeon Shivaree ice fishing festival.

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