CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - The U.S. Geological Survey plans to start low-level plane flights this month across eastern Iowa. The project is part of a national effort to find mineral resources and modernize geological maps.

Flights will begin this month and the survey will take about a year to complete, according to USGS’ announcement Wednesday.

The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative flights follow the Mississippi River and will map in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri.

USGS aims to find minerals in the area that are critical to U.S. economy and national security.

Rare earth minerals potentially in the area include barite, cobalt, gallium, germanium, indium, zinc and rare earth elements.

The U.S. uses rare earths to produce semiconductor chips, used in a wide range of technolog

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