usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area
Search the USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) for mineral deposits, mines, and prospects within a geographic bounding box (min/max latitude and longitude). Returns deposit ID, site name, development status, commodity codes, and precise coordinates — useful for regional mineral exploration ...
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase/usgs-mrds.deposits.search-by-area.md
What usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area does on Apibase
AI agents call usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area to retrieve information from Apibase without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
limit | integer | — | Maximum number of deposits to return (default 20, max 100). |
max_lat | number | Yes | Northern boundary latitude in decimal degrees. |
max_lon | number | Yes | Eastern boundary longitude in decimal degrees. |
min_lat | number | Yes | Southern boundary latitude in decimal degrees. |
min_lon | number | Yes | Western boundary longitude in decimal degrees. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area is rated Low
Tool retrieves and queries public mineral deposit data without modifying, deleting, or executing operations.
From the tool's definition Search USGS Mineral Resources Data System for mineral deposits; returns data only, no side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Apibase, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area, this is the rule to start with:
usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Apibase, apply this rule, and every usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area
Search the USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) for mineral deposits, mines, and prospects within a geographic bounding box (min/max latitude and longitude). Returns deposit ID, site name, development status, commodity codes, and precise coordinates — useful for regional mineral exploration and mapping. Data: mrdata.usgs.gov (USGS Mineral Resources Program), no auth required. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Apibase MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area accepts 5 parameters: limit, max_lat, max_lon, min_lat, min_lon. Required: max_lat, max_lon, min_lat, min_lon. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Apibase MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Apibase. Nothing to install.
usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
usgs-mrds.deposits.search_by_area is provided by the Apibase MCP server (apibase-mcp-client). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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