WGNHS
Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey

Billy Fitzpatrick

Position title: Geoscientist

Pronouns: he/him/his

Email: william.fitzpatrick@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-263-0972

Billy Fitzpatrick wearing a backpack outside with trees in the background

I study Wisconsin’s geology at a variety of scales from microscope to outcrop. My research integrates geologic observations and data that can directly relate to Wisconsin’s health, safety, and economic concerns. Many of my research projects require new, detailed geologic mapping in areas with sulfide mineralization to understand its impact on groundwater and its critical mineral potential.  My geoscience expertise is in economic geology, specifically metallic mineral systems. I specialize in collecting and interpreting geochemical data and often use electron microscopy to study the texture and chemistry of individual minerals at a very small scale.

Current projects

Watch my presentation at the Mining and Rollo James Museum in 2024 to learn more about my work in the Lead-Zinc Mining District of southwestern Wisconsin:

My current projects can be explored through this interactive map:

View interactive map

Publications

  • Fitzpatrick, W.A., Bremmer, S.E., and Stewart, E.D., in review, Geologic map of the Ferryville and Lansing 7.5-minute quadrangles, Crawford County, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey open-file report, scale 1:24,000.
  • Fitzpatrick, W.A., and Stewart, E.D., 2024, Geologic map of the Highland East and West 7.5-minute quadrangles, Grant and Iowa counties, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Map 510, 15 p., 1 pl., scale 1:24,000, https://doi.org/10.54915/xqaf2637.
  • Fitzpatrick, W.A., and Stewart, E.D., 2023, Multiple overlapping features spatially associated with lead-zinc-copper mineralization in the Highland Quadrangles, southwest Wisconsin, USA: in Ames C. (Ed.), Institute on Lake Superior Geology Proceedings, 69th Annual Meeting, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Part 1 – Abstracts and Proceedings. v.69, part 1, p. 31-32.
  • Stewart, E.D., Stewart, E.K., Bradbury, K.R., and Fitzpatrick, W.A., 2021, Correlating Bedrock Folds to Higher Rates of Arsenic Detection in Groundwater, Southeast Wisconsin, USA: Groundwater, v. 59, p. 829-838.
  • Stewart, E.D., Stewart, E.K., and Fitzpatrick, W.A., 2024, Geologic Map of the Durwards Glen 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Columbia and Sauk Counties, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey open-file report, scale 1:24,000.
  • Fitzpatrick, W.A., 2021, Development of the Texas Canyon Granite Magmatic-Hydrothermal System, Little Dragoon Mountains, Arizona, unpublished M.S. thesis, Tucson, University of Arizona, 249 p.