Geological survey explores new energy, global warming

A little-known part of the IU campus is researching the earth and the effects that geological issues have on Indiana.

Instead of being a part of IU, the Indiana Geological Survey is actually a part of a nation-wide system of surveys, not all of which are located on college campuses, said John Steinmetz, director of the survey.

The geological survey serves many needs related to the study and research of the earth and renewable resources in the state.

“We collect, process and analyze geological objects and groundwater in Indiana,” Steinmetz said.

The geological survey of Indiana was established in 1837 and was moved to IU soon after.

“One of the early directors was a faculty member,” Steinmetz said. “It was natural for the geological survey to be located where he worked.”

The survey was first located in Owen Hall. Around 1964, it was moved to the geology building where it has remained since.

One of its goals is to engage IU students in many different ways.

“We have information and research available to students for class work,” Steinmetz said. “And we also employ students on a part-time basis. They can build resumes here and get practical experience.”

The survey is also currently working on many projects that affect the state.  

“We’ve got three or four dozen going on right now, all involving the geology of Indiana,” Steinmetz said.

The first project, Steinmetz said, is the research of geothermal energy.

“It’s a renewable energy, and we know little about it,” he said. “We’re looking into the geothermic potential resources of Indiana.”

Another project that Steinmetz shared is carbon dioxide sequestration, which is the capturing of harmful CO2.

“The high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are bad and lead to global climate change,” Steinmetz said. “We would capture the CO2 and put it somewhere. We could sequester it in geological formations deep within the earth permanently so it wouldn’t be able to come back.”

The survey is working hard at its goal of evaluating geological resources and data in order to keep up with the state’s needs, Steinmetz said.