WSGS releases digital geologic map data for the Granite Mountains area in central Wyoming

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Bryce Tugwell, Publications and Outreach Manager
bryce.tugwell@wyo.gov
Wyoming State Geological Survey
Office: (307) 745-2236
Cell: (307) 703-0761
www.wsgs.wyo.gov

WSGS releases digital geologic map data for the Granite Mountains area in central Wyoming

LARAMIE, Wyo. — The Wyoming State Geological Survey (WSGS) has published new digital geologic map data for four 1:24,000-scale bedrock geologic maps in the Granite Mountains area of central Wyoming. The data releases convert legacy maps, originally produced before computer-based geologic mapping, into digital datasets compatible with today’s GIS workflows and newly available geophysical data.

To modernize these maps, the original map sheets were georeferenced, geologic features were digitized, and the data were attributed using the Geologic Map Schema (GeMS). GeMS is a national standard developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and state geological surveys to help ensure geologic map data are consistent, accurate, and easy to share.

“Bringing these historical maps into a modern digital format allows us to integrate decades of foundational fieldwork with new, high-resolution airborne geophysical data, which enhances our ability to understand Wyoming’s subsurface geology and resource potential,” said Ranie Lynds, Interim Director and State Geologist.

What’s included in the release set

This set of digital data releases includes three 1:24,000-scale topographic quadrangles—Whiskey Peak, Muddy Gap, and Seminoe Dam NE—all originally published by the USGS. The fourth release covers the Seminoe Mountains greenstone belt, originally published by the WSGS, which encompasses Bradley Peak and a portion of the Seminoe Dam quadrangle.

WSGS is also currently mapping two adjacent 1:24,000-scale quadrangles in the Ferris Mountains area—Youngs Pass and Spanish Mine—to continue improving geologic coverage and interpretation in the broader region.

Why these data matter

Digital geologic datasets are essential for interpreting new airborne magnetic and radiometric data being collected across Wyoming. The four maps cover the southwestern portion of the South Pass–Granite Mountains geophysical survey area, providing critical geologic context for the newly acquired data. When combined with geologic mapping, these geophysical datasets help better define the extent of the South Granite Mountains fault system, support resource evaluation in the Bradley Peak area, and improve understanding of the region’s complex structural framework.

To learn more about airborne geophysical surveys in Wyoming, see Public Information Circular 49, Airborne geophysics in Wyoming: Methods for exploring subsurface geology.

Where to access the data

All four datasets are available as standalone downloads in geodatabase and shapefile formats through the WSGS website: Whiskey Peak, Muddy Gap,  Seminoe Dam NE, and Seminoe Mountains greenstone belt.

About the Wyoming State Geological Survey

Established in 1933, the WSGS provides unbiased geologic information to support energy and mineral development, groundwater and environmental studies, geologic hazard assessment, and geologic mapping across the state.