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EVALUATION OF THE MRSP PLAN AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 23 SUBPROGRAMS 2 Evaluation of the MRSP Plan and Recommendations for Subprograms INTRODUCTION The panel commends the MRSP Plan for the comprehensiveness and relevance of its subprograms. The panel is cognizant of the successes and reputation of the USGS in mineral resource science. USGS research on mineral deposits has attracted some of the finest geoscientists in the nation, and they have built a reputation for scientific excellence in both the national and international community. The MRSP Plan is a logical and necessary continuation of objectives and ideas related to mineral resource studies that began with the establishment of the USGS in 1879. Traditionally, USGS mineral-resource activities have advanced understanding of the origin of mineral deposits, provided the basic geologic information needed for identifying new areas of mineral potential, and facilitated land-use planning by federal and state agencies. Today, the USGS is also conducting scientific research on the environmental consequences of mineral development because the nation's need for minerals must be balanced with environmentally sound methods for extraction. The panel believes that there are national needs for mineral resource research and information that should be met by a federal geological agency (see discussion in Chapter 1), specifically the USGS's MRSP. The panel's confidence in the overall value of the MRSP reflects past program successes, the conviction that resource problems of national relevance will have to be addressed in the future, and the uniqueness of the USGS in terms of technical capability, scope, national jurisdiction, international cooperation, and credibility. The scientific contributions of the USGS mineral resource studies are many. Striking examples include the mineral deposits research that
