NeoProterozoic Regolith and Rare Earth Elements of the Maryland Blue Ridge

The Maryland Geological Survey, with support of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, mapped and sampled the thick regolith and underlying bedrock at 15 sites in the core of the northern Blue Ridge Physiographic Province in western Frederick County and eastern Washington County, Maryland. 97 soil and bedrock samples were analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey for their trace and major element content, in particular rare earth elements (REEs), which accumulate in the soil profile overlying felsic gneisses and rhyolites of the Middletown complex and Catoctin Formation.

Six (6) maps and GIS datasets were updated for this project. Updated surficial mapping was produced in the Harpers Ferry, Keedysville, Middletown, Myersville, and Point of Rocks Quadrangles from geochemical sampling. Additionally, the Blue Ridge Quadrangle was mapped as part of this project.

Soil profiles and underlying bedrock were sampled by MGS geologists for mineral content and rare earth element (REE) analysis by the U.S.Geological Survey.

Geochemistry Samples

Trace and major element content for 97 regolith samples from 15 locations in the Blue Ridge, Maryland is available here:

Blue Ridge Earth MRI Analysis Data (zip, 114 KB - includes .csv & .shp)

PDF Maps & GIS Data

The following table includes Maryland quadrangles that have been mapped as part of Earth MRI. Any available maps and GIS data for each quadrangle is available for download under the Formats column.

Quadrangle	Author(s)	Formats		Version
Quadrangle	Author(s)			Version
Blue Ridge	Brezinski, D.K., 2021		---	BlueRS_Quad2021_GeMS.zip
Harpers Ferry	Brezinski, D.K., and Kavage Adams, R., 2022	---	---	Harpers Ferry_EarthMRI.zip
Keedysville	Brezinski, D.K., and Kavage Adams, R., 2022	---	---	Keedysville_EarthMRI.zip
Middletown	Brezinski, D.K., and Kavage Adams, R., 2022	---	---	Middletown_EarthMRI.zip
Myersville	Brezinski, D.K., and Kavage Adams, R., 2022	---	---	Myersville_EarthMRI.zip
Point of Rocks	Brezinski, D.K., and Kavage Adams, R., 2022	---	---	Point Of Rocks_EarthMRI.zip

Contact Information
Christopher P. Williams, Program Chief, Coastal and Environmental
(410) 554-5559 | [email protected]
Rebecca Kavage Adams, Geologist
(410) 554-5553 | [email protected]