Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Shiprock NTMS quadrangle, New Mexico/Arizona, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements
A hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance (HSSR) for uranium in the Shiprock NTMS quadrangle of northwestern New Mexico and northeastern Arizona was conducted. Totals of 372 water samples and 1676 sediment samples were collected from 1999 locations within the 20,000-km/sup 2/ area of the quadrangle at an average density of one location per 10 km/sup 2/. Water samples were collected from wells, springs, and streams and were analyzed for U. Sediment samples were collected from wet and dry streams and wet and dry springs and were analyzed for U, Th, and 41 additional elements. Discussion is limited to anomalous samples, which are considered to be those containing over 20 ppB uranium for waters and over 6 ppM uranium for sediments. Uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit of 0.02 ppB to 106.40 ppB with a mean of 4.49 ppB. Most of the anomalous water samples were collected from an area associated with Jurassic units in the western quarter of the quadrangle that is down hydrologic gradient from Black Mesa, an area of known U mineralization. Water samples from the western quarter of the quadrangle average 10.00 ppB uranium whereas samples from the remainder average only 2.61 ppB. Sediment samples from the quadrangle have U concentrations that range from 0.74 to 27.15 ppM and average 2.92 ppM. Most of the anomalous sediment samples were collected from scattered locations throughout the quadrangle, and many probably are contaminated by mining activities in areas of known mineralization. A group of anolalous samples from the northeastern corner of the quadrangle is associated with Tertiary units that have been reported to be favorable U host rocks, though no occurrences are known in these units. Background sediment U and Th levels seem to be related to the lithology of the underlying rocks.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5324767
- Report Number(s):
- GJBX-143(80); LA-7513-MS
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Cortez NTMS Quadrangle, Colorado/Utah, including concentrations of forty-three additional elements
Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Gallup NTMS quadrangle, New Mexico/Arizona, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements
Related Subjects
Exploration
& Mining
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400101 -- Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
520500 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
580400 -- Geochemistry-- (-1989)
ACTINIDES
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ARIZONA
BARYON REACTIONS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
DATA
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXPLORATION
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HADRON REACTIONS
HYDROLOGY
INFORMATION
MAPS
METALS
MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
RESOURCES
SEDIMENTS
SOUTHWEST REGION
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
THORIUM
URANIUM
URANIUM DEPOSITS
USA
WESTERN REGION