Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

06/19/2026

DGGS offices are closed today (June 19) for Juneteenth.

The day honors the 1865 emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. The Governor's full statement is at https://gov.alaska.gov/juneteenth-day-2026/

06/16/2026

New publication: data from the 2019–2020 and 2023 eruptive activity of Shishaldin Volcano. Data was compiled by Alaska Volcano Observatory.

Loewen, M.W., Gomez-Patron, Andrea, Fee, David, Lopez, T.M., Mota, Rui, Saunders-Shultz, Pablo, Merritt, Karenna, Dietterich, H.R., Brewster, Israel, and Wallace, K.L., 2026, Shishaldin Volcano 2019-2020 and 2023 eruption chronology data: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Raw Data File 2026-15, 7 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/32077

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Video description: "Video of the Shishaldin Volcano summit crater and vent during a helicopter overflight on August 22, 2025. Vigorous steam and gas emissions are coming from the open vent, but no new deposits are visible. Snow remains in the summit crater suggesting temperatures remain relatively cool." https://avo.alaska.edu/image/view/196815

06/15/2026

New version of the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Alaska Minerals Explorer Web App has been released!

The interactive map includes existing mines, permitted development projects, exploration projects, and other mineral occurrences.

https://geoportal.dggs.dnr.alaska.gov/portal/apps/experiencebuilder/experience/?id=268da97457a64f628b5e7922df2cdd21

Photo description: A screenshot of a web map of Alaska dotted with 337 locations labeled as "mine", "development project", "exploration project" or "occurrence".

06/10/2026

New publication: the 42nd Alaska Minerals Industry Report

The Alaska Minerals Industry Report summarizes mineral industry activity in the State. It also serves as an authoritative historical record of mining. These annual reports have produced by the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys for almost half a century.

Szumigala, D.J., 2026, Alaska's mineral industry 2022: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Special Report 79. https://doi.org/10.14509/32079

06/09/2026

While some field geologists are out for summer, we are still answering the geology questions you send to https://dggs.alaska.gov/about-us/contact.html

To chat in person, stop by 3354 College Road in Fairbanks.

Photo description: Screenshot of the DGGS Popular Geology website. The page has 10 boxes with geology topics like "Geology of Alaska", "Oil & Gas", "Rocks & Minerals", and "Flooding & Landslides".

06/01/2026

We are excited to welcome Anika Pinzner to the Geologic Hazards section of Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys!

Anika comes to DGGS from the UAF Geophysical Institute where she recently completed a PhD in Geosciences. Anika brings experience in snow, sea ice, seasonal surface conditions, and trafficability in arctic coastal environments. With the Coastal Hazards Program at DGGS, she will focus on coastal change and community-relevant environmental information. Outside of work, Anika can be found bike-joring with her dogs, packrafting, and skiing.

Welcome to the team Anika!

05/29/2026

New publication: updated bedrock geologic mapping in the Yukon-Tanana Upland!

The publication includes four 1:100,000 scale map sheets NW Chena, NE Chena, SW Chena, and SE Chena. The map units used across the four maps are described in this report.

"The project area has been a focus of gold exploration for several decades but also has additional significance for its potential to host critical minerals such as antimony, bismuth, tellurium, and tungsten."

Newberry, R.J., Twelker, Evan, Naibert, T.J., Barrera, M.L., Szumigala, D.J., Buchanan, J.W., Truskowski, C.M., and Wilson, K.R., 2026, Unit descriptions for bedrock geologic maps of the Chena-Pogo map area, Alaska, in Twelker, Evan, ed., Geologic investigation of the Chena-Pogo area, interior Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Preliminary Interpretive Report 2026-3A, 63 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/32112

05/26/2026

"Take a picture, it will last longer" - one of the reasons Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys maintains a Geologic Photos of Alaska database. The database includes field photos, photos of samples, and photomicrographs (photographs of a microscopic object taken with the aid of a microscope). It may also include one of your favorite places or rocks!

Geologic Photos of Alaska database: https://maps.dggs.alaska.gov/photodb/

Photo description: Screenshot of the DGGS Geologic Photos of Alaska database. The term "summer" is in the search bar, and 11 photos of summer fieldwork are visible on the page.

05/25/2026

DGGS offices are closed today, Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day. Though https://dggs.alaska.gov/popular-geology/roadside-geology.html is "open". Stop by our site for volcanoes, rock outcrops, permafrost, glaciers, and landscapes you could visit throughout Alaska this summer.

Photo description: looking south along the Tok Cutoff. Credit: Trent Hubbard, DGGS, taken 2009.

05/21/2026

"Geothermal Energy in Alaska" presentation by Erin Campbell, Ph.D., State Geologist and Director of Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Meeting/Detail?Meeting=HENE%202026-04-28%2013:00:00

Alaska's geology has proven particularly effective for the production of oil and gas, as is demonstrated by oil fields on the North Slope and the oil and gas fields of the Cook Inlet region. But the state's geology has the potential to support other energy sources. On April 28 experts from Alaska's....