2025 News
Upcoming MGRRE Workshop at the Grand Traverse
September 11, 2025
We are excited to announce our November 5, 2025 workshop at the Grand Traverse Resort.
This year we are focusing on Envisioning and Exploring Michigan’s Subsurface. Here’s the abbreviated program:
9:30-10:00—Registration, coffee, pastries.
10:00-10:05—Sara Pearson, CPG, Michigan Geological Survey Director, will welcome the group.
10:05-10:35—William B. Harrison, MGRRE Research Director, will discuss the major tectonic events in Michigan and how they have influenced the sedimentology and structure of producing formations.
10:35-11:00—Chris Blessing and Jordan Gray, Co-Founders of Missaukee Oil and Gas, will describe the process they use in their E&P efforts in Michigan and show a video of oil flowing from a successful Dundee well.
11:00-11:25—John H. Fowler, Geologist with Polaris Energy and Lakeside Resources, will review how he integrates diverse geologic and geophysical data across a wide variety of petroleum provinces, focusing always on generating drilling prospects that make economic sense.
11:25-11:45—John Esch, Geologist with the Michigan Geological Survey, and Ricky Haagsma, Geo Technician/3D Scanner with the Michigan Geological Survey, will present their 3D-printed model of the Michigan Basin to better visualize Michigan’s subsurface geology.
11:45-12:00—MGRRE Presents 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award to William C. Myler, Jr.
12:10-1:10—Lunch served
12:30-1:00—Adam Wygant, CPG, State Geologist, and Director of the Geologic Resources Management Division (GRMD) in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), will be joined by Field Operations Section Manager Jim Armbruster, Permits and Technical Services Section Manager Mark Snow, and Underground Injection Control, Storage, and Carbon Management Section Manager Eric Kimber for division update. They will highlight current topics such as the Methane Emission Reduction Program, Orphan Wells, CCUS, and other timely oil and gas topics.
1:20-1:55—Autumn Haagsma, MGRRE Director, and Amber Conner, Paleozoic Geologist, will share updates on current research initiatives and progress across the state. They will highlight emerging opportunities for collaboration, new directions in geological research, and pathways for industry engagement with MGRRE.
1:55-2:10—Tom Valachovics and Matthew Bell, Research Geologists with the Michigan Geological Survey, will demonstrate a new website visualization tool that gives you a quick overview of MGRRE’s immense core collection.
2:10-2:35—Kevin Jensen, Geologist at J&M Energy, Mt Pleasant, MI, will reflect on the Klingenberg 1-33 Traverse Lime exploration well in Allegan County. Kevin will discuss J&M’s findings from a potential fourth trapping mechanism and the pitfalls encountered.
2:35-3:00—Dan Brugeman, Vice President of Engineering and Development at West Bay Exploration, will share the strategy, planning, challenges, and benefits of this Department of Energy- sponsored, CO2-enhanced oil recovery project in Calhoun County, MI.
Poster Presentations:
John Esch, Geologist with the Michigan Geological Survey, and Ricky Haagsma, Geo Technician/3D Scanner with the Michigan Geological Survey, will present “Visualizing Michigan Subsurface Geology Using 3D Printed Models.”
Ashley Scott, PhD candidate WMU Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, will present integrated characterization results for multiple formations across the Michigan Basin, as part of her work to evaluate the efficacy of confining systems for carbon storage. A series of three posters will be presented which includes the Cambrian, Ordovician, and Devonian sections. Co-authors include Moira Burns, Alex Kominek, and Mallory Price, students WMU Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences.
Lisa Wininger, Manager of Education and Outreach, Michigan Geological Survey, will present, “Michigan Geological Survey: Reengaging Michigan with Core Kids: Geo Learning, Geo Outreach, and Geo Career Awareness.”
Workshop Location: Grand Traverse Resort, 100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd., Acme, Michigan, 49610; Phone: (231) 534-6000
Website: grandtraverseresort.com
Registration fees: The early bird registration fee is $205 until October 22nd. It’s $245 after that.
To Register, just call Linda Harrison at (269) 387-8642 or Jennifer Trout at (269) 387-8633 and use a Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express card. We will send your registration confirmation by email. Let us know if you want a PDH continuing education certificate.
More details can be found in the Full Announcement (120KB).
We hope to see you there for the workshop!
Oberlin College Researchers Sample Glacial Cores Drilled by the MGS to Better Understand Michigan’s Glacial History
August 8, 2025
We welcomed Dr. Amanda Schmidt and her students from Oberlin College and Conservatory for a day of examining and sampling glacial cores recovered by the Michigan Geological Survey. By analyzing these samples using recent technological advances, she is working to reveal a detailed sequence of glacial events in Michigan and the Midwest.
Dr. Schmidt, together with her students and colleagues, are investigating background inheritance rates of cosmogenic nuclides in glacial deposits to better understand the glacial history of Michigan and throughout the Midwest. Cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating is a technique used to estimate the length of time that rocks or sediments have been exposed at or close to the Earth’s surface. Using that estimate, together with other geochronological techniques, she and her team of researchers from other areas of the country can better date glacial advances and retreats, erosional history, and glacial history of an area.
As summarized by Dr. Schmidt and her colleagues in a recent publication, “Cosmogenic nuclides have allowed geoscientists to understand the rates of surface processes and the dates of some landforms in a way only dreamed of several decades ago. . . The challenge now is to think differently and come up with new and innovative ways to apply these isotopes to better understand Earth as a dynamic system, especially as climate change and human activities increasingly change our planet’s surface.”
MGS geologists Tom Valachovics and John Esch were excited to discuss the cores and their usefulness in this research. We welcome the opportunity to share these resources and look forward to hearing the results that will help us better understand Michigan’s glacial history. This undertaking illustrates MGS’s central mission of preserving Michigan’s geological samples and using them to advance education and research.
alongside borehole data logs.
Quaternary Research Meeting at the Michigan Geological Survey
August 4, 2025
Great Lakes quaternary researchers, including several MGS geologists, met in person and online to share research and mapping results focused on Michigan erratics, controls on kettle formation, Cass County surficial geology, aggregates mapping in the Upper Peninsula, mapping a new Lake Michigan sublobe, and a previously undocumented advance of the Lake Michigan Lobe into north-central Lower Michigan. The survey hosts this annual event to foster collaboration among researchers working in the state to share ideas, discover opportunities, make connections and build relationships. If you would like to learn more about this meeting and/or add your email address to the invitation for the next meeting, please contact Nate Erber at nathan.r.erber@wmich.edu
fluvial scarps in Cass County.
MGS Geologist Brings Rare Potash Deposit to Light
July 25th, 2025
When Dr. William (Bill) Harrison, Research Director of the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education (MGRRE) a division of the Michigan Geological Survey (MGS), picked up the phone on May 1, 2025, it marked a high point in a 17-year story. Christopher Helman, reporter for Forbes magazine, was calling to learn about Bill’s work to bring Michigan’s potash deposit to light and to talk about Ted Pagano, CEO of Michigan Salt & Potash, LLC., who was making news with a $1.2 billion loan from the Department of Energy to bring this resource to production.
Helman knew that bringing a domestic source of potash to market is critical to our nation’s food production. Potash is an essential fertilizer ingredient, for which there is no substitute. Plants need potash to take up and retain moisture. And the US uses more than 5.3million tons of potash every year. Only 5% of that potash is produced in the US. For the rest, we are totally dependent on imports, largely from Canada, Russia, and China. Since Russia invaded Ukraine and China abruptly stopped exporting all its potash so they could keep their supply for their own use, potash prices have skyrocketed and supply dwindled. The result: some Midwest farmers are hard pressed to find potash at any price to provide food for this country and others.
Food security is no small issue. If you look to war-torn countries today, you see that food security is in fact national security. So, it’s very good news for our US farmers that a domestic potash source may finally come to market. And that source was largely unknown until 2008. That’s when Bill received the first call about this story, from Mosaic Corporation, asking if he would accept a donation of geological cores (long cylinders of solid subsurface rocks) which they no longer needed to keep.
Bill said “yes.” He didn’t know how much core they had or how his work with those cores would play a role in unveiling a multi-billion-dollar resource. What he did know was that he needed to preserve these unique geologic samples.
After five semi-truck loads of core arrived at MGRRE, Bill saw the magnitude of the collection. The cores came from 77 different wells. All 11,400 linear feet of 4-inch evaporite (salt and potash) cores remained sealed in plastic sleeves, keeping them intact since they were drilled in the 1980’s.
Bill and MGRRE’s staff inventoried the cores by depth and location and posted that inventory to their public website, thanks to funding from the U. S. Geological Survey’s National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation (NGGDPP). Shortly after that, Bill got another call—from Ted Pagano. Ted wanted to come and examine the cores. When he did, he and Bill could see that the light-colored cores had very few impurities, unlike other potash samples that either of them had ever known about before.
Bill took samples from the cores and sent them to the Saskatchewan Research Council for analysis. Those analyses showed, for the first time, that the grade of this potash deposit is one of the highest in the world.
In the following years, Ted commenced to lease prospective areas. Bill and the MGRRE staff added potash research to their priority research projects and secured data from several sources, including geophysical logs. The data showed that the potash deposit extended into 17 counties in north-central Michigan. Based on the known thickness of potash intervals and grade values shown from core analyses, he estimated that large-commercial production might be possible in 9 of those counties, representing 2.9 million acres—a much larger area than anyone had initially imagined.
The potash story represents just one of the discoveries made possible by our dedicated geologists and staff who preserve and research Michigan’s geological samples. That’s been our mission since Bill Harrison founded MGRRE in 1982. That mission continues now that MGRRE is part of the MGS, transferred to Western Michigan University (WMU) by legislation in 2011.
Today, through State funding, the MGS/MGRRE preserves more than 600,000 linear feet of geological cores, along with thousands of other types of samples and well records. Those samples and records are essential to training the next generation of geoscientists and to research leading to a better understanding of Michigan’s geological history and resources.
Christopher Helman’s story was published in the June/July issue of Forbes at How An Unassuming Geologist Cracked The Global Fertilizer Cartel and is illustrated by photos taken at the repository.
Michigan Manufacturers and Geologists Forge Stronger Partnership on Resources, Energy, and Workforce
June 11th, 2025
Members of the Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA) recently joined forces with the Michigan Geological Survey (MGS) for a collaborative meeting focused on Michigan’s natural resources, energy needs, and workforce development.
Exploring Michigan’s Subsurface: A Hands-On Approach
During the meeting, participants explored a detailed MGS subsurface model that highlights Michigan’s layered resources—from shallow freshwater aquifers to deeper mineral and energy reserves. The session included an interactive demonstration, where attendees used a bicycle pump to push air through rock samples. The experiment illustrated how air could easily pass through the porous sandstone but was blocked by the tightly cemented dolomite, underscoring the importance of geology in resource extraction and management.
Shared Priorities: Building a Sustainable Future
The discussion centered on several key areas where MMA and MGS interests align:
- Natural Resources: Michigan’s manufacturers rely on local geological resources—including critical minerals—for their operations. MGS supports these industries by providing essential data and expertise on the location, quantity, and quality of these resources.
- Carbon Capture and Storage (CCUS): The MMA advocates for policies that encourage investment in carbon capture, utilization, and storage. MGS contributes by conducting research and supplying up-to-date information on Michigan’s carbon storage potential, helping to guide responsible environmental practices.
- Energy: Reliable and affordable energy is crucial for Michigan’s economic growth. MGS plays a key role by supplying data and research on the state’s diverse energy resources, supporting informed decision-making for manufacturers.
- Workforce Development: The MMA champions work-based learning opportunities to build a skilled workforce. As part of Western Michigan University, MGS is committed to training the next generation of geoscientists, ensuring industry needs are met with sound science and practical expertise.
Strengthening the Link Between Science and Industry
This ongoing dialogue highlights the vital connection between geological science and Michigan’s manufacturing success. By working together, the MMA and MGS are paving the way for sustainable resource management, energy innovation, and a robust workforce that will drive Michigan’s economy forward.
19th Annual Petoskey Stone Festival Celebrates Michigan's Fossilized Treasure
May 15th, 2025
This Saturday, May 17, Barnes Park Campground in Eastport will host the 19th Annual Petoskey Stone Festival, a beloved event that brings together geology enthusiasts, families, and curious visitors to celebrate Michigan’s official state stone. The festival, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., features live music, craft vendors, food, a petting zoo, stone-skipping contests, and the ever-popular Petoskey stone hunt, making it a highlight of the spring season for locals and tourists alike. For more information about the festival, visit the official Petoskey Stone Festival website
What Is a Petoskey Stone?
A Petoskey stone is more than just a pretty rock. It is a piece of ancient Michigan history. Composed of fossilized rugose coral (Hexagonaria percarinata), these stones date back approximately 350 million years, to a time when Michigan was covered by a warm, shallow sea near the equator. The unique honeycomb or sunburst pattern seen in polished Petoskey stones is actually the fossilized skeleton of coral polyps that once thrived in Devonian reefs.
Glacial activity during the last Ice Age played a crucial role in shaping and distributing Petoskey stones. As glaciers advanced and retreated, they plucked these fossilized corals from bedrock, smoothed their edges, and scattered them across the northern Lower Peninsula, particularly along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
A Symbol of Michigan’s Natural Heritage
In 1965, the Petoskey stone was officially designated as Michigan’s state stone, reflecting its deep connection to the region’s geological and cultural history. The name “Petoskey” itself honors an Ottawa chief, Pet-O-Sega, whose legacy is tied to the area where these stones are most commonly found.
For many, collecting Petoskey stones is a cherished pastime-whether for their scientific significance, their natural beauty, or their role as a symbol of Michigan pride. The stones are often used in jewelry, decorative objects, and as educational tools to teach about ancient marine ecosystems and the state’s unique geological past.
Why the Petoskey Stone Matters
Beyond its striking appearance, the Petoskey stone offers a tangible link to Michigan’s prehistoric environment and serves as a reminder of the dynamic forces-both biological and geological-that have shaped the state over hundreds of millions of years. Its continued popularity underscores the importance of preserving and celebrating Michigan’s natural history.
As the festival returns for its 19th year, it remains a testament to the enduring fascination with these fossilized treasures and the vibrant community that celebrates them.
Educational Resources
If you want to learn more about how to find Petoskey stones and other unique rocks in Michigan, you can view our Michigan Rockhounding Youtube video.
We also have a 3D model of a Petoskey stone that can be viewed and downloaded on Sketchfab.
(Credit: Brad Switzer).
It's a Bird, it's a Plane....it's an Airborne Electromagnetic Surveying Helicopter!
April 21st, 2025
Low-altitude helicopter surveys are scheduled to take place over parts of Michigan and northern Wisconsin, utilizing airborne geophysical methods to map the region’s geology.
The airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey aims to generate detailed images of subsurface electrical resistivity, thereby enhancing the geological understanding of regions spanning the Penokean orogen and the Midcontinent Rift System from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula into Wisconsin. This two-year project, scheduled for completion in 2025, is funded by the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative. Its objectives include supporting mineral resource assessments, refining the regional geologic framework and mapping, and advancing water resource and surficial mapping studies. A key focus of the survey is to characterize major mineral systems, particularly those containing critical minerals associated with mafic magmatic, volcanogenic seafloor, and porphyry systems.
You can learn more about the project by reading a recent USGS press release.
USA's Oldest Rocks Are From Michigan!
March 13th, 2025
Although most scientists consider the oldest rock in the world to be Canada’s Acasta Gneiss, turns out the oldest rocks in the U.S. are from Gogebic County in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan. In the latest edition of GSA Today, they reveal that the Watersmeet Gneiss is estimated to be 3.62 billion years old!
MGS geologists have been actively mapping the Watersdome region in the UP and we are looking forward to sharing our findings with everyone! Keep an eye out for our next edition of the MGS Core Quarterly for more details about the oldest rocks in the U.S.
Watersmeet Dome.
Latest Issue of MGS Newsletter
February 18th, 2025
Check out the Fall 2024 issue of the MGS Core Quarterly Newsletter!
In this issue:
- Major Milestones and Progress in 2024
- Introducing New Staff
- MGS Cuttings Collection Supports CCUS
- Unlocking Michigan’s Subsurface Vault – Annual Core Workshop
- Cass County Surficial Geology Report
- Dark Data Brought to Light
- MGS Research Supports Food Security
- Core Stories – Updated Wayne County Bedrock Map
MGS is Rockin' a New Logo!
February 10th, 2025
Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. MGS is rockin’ a new logo designed with the help of Western Michigan University students. Will there be merchandise for sale with the logo in the future? Our crystal ball says “Outlook is looking good”.
Update about Michigan's Potash Deposit and Research
January 8th, 2025
Dr. William Harrison recently described Michigan’s potash deposit and the research we have been conducting about it. The article discusses the history of the deposit, where it is, and why it is particularly important now. He discusses the collection of potash rock cores that we preserve at MGRRE from 77 different wells in 9 counties. Research by MGRRE staff and students identified the geologic and stratigraphic distribution of this deposit, and analytical testing by industry has confirmed it to be the highest grade potash known throughout the world.
This story was also featured in the latest issue of Geologically Speaking, a Michigan Section AIPG Publication; see page 11.
