RECONNAISSANCE FOR URANIFEROUS LIGNITES IN NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, MONTANA, AND WYOMING

Technical Report · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1952

OSTI ID:4303562

Beroni, E P; Bauer, Jr, H L

Detailed studies were made at Bullion and Sentinel Buttes, in Slope, Billings, and Golden Valley Counties, N. Dak. Investigations of these areas were followed by a general reconnaissance for uraniferous lignites in North Dakota, eastern Montana, north-central Wyoming, and northwestern South Dakota. Deposits of uraniferous lignites were discovered at Blue Buttes, eastern Montana; and at North Cave Hills, South Cave Hills, and at Slim Buttes in northwestern South Dakota. The only lignites that contain appreciable amounts of uranium are in the upper part of the Sentinel Butte shale member of the Fort Union formation in southwestern North Dakota and eastern Montana, and in the Ludlow formation in northwestern South Dakota. The uranium content of the individual lignite beds ranges from 0.002 to 0.033% uranium and after ignition the uranium content of the ash ranges from 0.010 to 0.091% uranium. Natural ash contains as much as 0.025% uranium; natural clinker or scoria and carbonuceous clay are lower grade than the lignites; and some spring waters contain as much as 0.09 ppm of uranium. The inferred reserves of uranlferous lignites in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana are estimated to be 163,320,000 short tons that contain a weighted average of 0.009% uranium. The potential energy and amount of material available for liquid fuel conversion in this quantity of lignite is very large. The inferred reserve of ash which would result from the burning of these uraniferous lignites is detail amount of uranium (metal) in the known uraniferous lignite in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana is estimated to be about 12,600 short tons. The prospect or finding additional radioactive lignite beds is believed to be good. (auth)

• Research Organization: Geological Survey
• NSA Number: NSA-12-011435
• OSTI ID: 4303562
• Report Number(s): TEI-123
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

MINERALOGY, METALLURGY, AND CERAMICS