{"thcode":2,"term":{"code":312,"name":"economic geology","parent":464,"scope":"Scientific study of the formation, location, and use of marketable geologic materials including fuels, metals, minerals, and water."},"uf":[],"bt":[{"code":464,"name":"geology","parent":291,"scope":"Study of the planet earth, its composition, structure, physical and chemical processes, and history since its origin."},{"code":291,"name":"earth sciences","parent":1019,"scope":"Broad term for all science related to the study of the earth."},{"code":1019,"name":"sciences","parent":1,"scope":"Major educational fields, fields of study, and professional groupings within USGS."},{"code":1,"name":"Categories","parent":null,"scope":"Thematic terms for categorizing information resources.  This thesaurus is intended to support finding and understanding scientific information."}],"nt":[],"rt":[{"code":132,"name":"building stone resources","parent":798,"scope":"Deposits of rocks used in construction, including crushed stone and dimension stone. Dimension stone includes limestone and granite, quarried in large blocks, and shaped in cubes, panels and other forms."},{"code":164,"name":"clay deposits","parent":1199,"scope":"Fine-grained sedimentary soil deposits, containing hydrated silicas of aluminum, that are plastic and sticky when wet and harden when heated."},{"code":172,"name":"coal resources","parent":799,"scope":"Fuel resources such as anthracite, lignite, bituminous coal, or coke, consisting largely of carbonaceous material and formed from fossilized plants."},{"code":173,"name":"coalbed methane resources","parent":770,"scope":"Resources of methane-rich gas generated and stored in coalbeds."},{"code":799,"name":"energy resources","parent":777,"scope":"Natural resources that are used for heat and power generation, including oil, natural gas, coal, and geothermal energy."},{"code":427,"name":"gas hydrate resources","parent":770,"scope":"Deposits of a crystalline solid in which water molecules trap gas molecules, usually methane, in a cagelike structure known as a clathrate occurring in sediments overlain by cold deep water."},{"code":429,"name":"gem resources","parent":798,"scope":"Deposits of rare minerals prized for their color, durability, sparkle, and clarity when cut and polished and used as ornaments or jewelry."},{"code":500,"name":"gravel deposits","parent":1199,"scope":"Alluvial accumulations of small unconsolidated rock fragments, such as pebbles and cobbles, used in construction as fill, ground cover, or aggregate for concrete."},{"code":2295,"name":"hydrocarbon reservoir processes","parent":101,"scope":"Interactions among groundwater, hydrocarbons, and rock properties of subsurface geological formations, affecting the potential of those formations to form, trap, and permit the passage and extraction of hydrocarbons."},{"code":724,"name":"metallic mineral resources","parent":745,"scope":"Resources from which ductile, malleable, opaque,and reflective metals that are also good heat and electricity conductors can be extracted."},{"code":745,"name":"mineral resources","parent":777,"scope":"Natural occurrences of useful inorganic elements or compounds."},{"code":770,"name":"natural gas resources","parent":799,"scope":"Stocks of naturally formed hydrocarbon gases which are usually associated with petroleum fields.  Useful for heating, they are principally methane, but can be ethane, butane, or propane."},{"code":798,"name":"nonmetallic mineral resources","parent":745,"scope":"Useful mineral deposits that are not metals.  Includes materials used for construction, decoration, fuel, and industrial purposes."},{"code":829,"name":"oil resources","parent":799,"scope":"Deposits (pools) of highly valuable liquid hydrocarbons or fossil fuels."},{"code":830,"name":"oil sand resources","parent":829,"scope":"Deposits of sandstone or unconsolidated sand containing bitumen that can be extracted as an oil resource."},{"code":831,"name":"oil shale resources","parent":829,"scope":"Deposits of finely grained sedimentary rock containing kerogen that can be distilled to produce liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons."},{"code":1011,"name":"sand deposits","parent":1199,"scope":"Deposits of loose particles of rock or mineral (sediment) that range in size from 0.0625-2.0 millimeters in diameter."},{"code":1080,"name":"soil resources","parent":777,"scope":"Natural resources of unconsolidated fragmented rock, humus, and mineral matter that cover the surface of the earth."}]}