Politics and Geology

Abstract

The subject of politics and geology connotes government relations, influences, subsidation, and other matters associated with the development and utilization of geology. One aspect of politics and geology is that seen in the United States government and individual states. The other aspect is best described as geopolitics. The United States government has many controls, subsidies, and agencies designed for conservation of natural resources, encouragement of research and production of mineral deposits, stockpiling of strategic minerals, and other efforts to provide an adequate supply of minerals for defense, private industry, and consumption. The federal govenment allows a depletion allowance for taxes on oil property, restricts imports of oil and metals to protect U. S. Production. Subsidies are supported in the form of fixed prices on various metals and other minerals to provide encouragement for exploration and production. Gold, silver, and uranium are important minerals having a stabilized price. All helium production must be sold to the federal govenment. The government agencies most active with respect to geology are the state geological surveys, U. S. Geological Survey, and the Bureau of Mines. The state and federal surveys are chiefly for exploration, mapping, information, research, and scientific purposes, while the Bureau of Mines is largely for engineering, production, and control purposes. State controls are chiefly concerned with conservation matters involving the rate of production of oil and gas, wastage of gas, and the disposal of oil field or mine waters. Federal and state geological surveys are very active in ground water studies and water supplies. The U. S. Geological Survey has a large unit of ground water geologists with many of them stationed and cooperative with state surveys; and it also has ground water geologists stationed abroad. The A.I.D. program of the federal government also sponsors ground water geologists abroad. Controls on the use of water supplies is also part of government activity. All of the agencies are part of the association of government and activity of geologists.