The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently announced that this month, the agency will recommence low-level helicopter mineral mapping flights over seven counties in central Colorado. As the attached illustration indicates, the area to be surveyed includes sections of Huerfano, Fremont, Pueblo, Chaffee, and Teller counties as well. The flights will continue into the fall, and if necessary, will take to the air again in the spring of 2026. The USGS press release explains, “The Colorado flights are part of a national effort to map the mineral resources needed to drive the U.S. economy and protect national security, searching below ground and in tailings from old mines. As directed by the Energy Act of 2020, the USGS has identified 50 critical minerals essential to the U.S.…