Uranium in western Colorado

Conference · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:5360067

Chenoweth, W L

Uranium deposits in western Colorado occur in rocks of many geologic ages and lithologic types. Bedded, vanadiferous deposits in continental, fluvial sandstones of the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation of Jurassic age are the most important. A cluster of deposits in Mesa, Montrose, and San Miguel Counties comprises the Colorado segment of the Uravan mineral belt, the largest uranium area in Colorado. During the period 1948 through 1976, 15,589,100 tons of ore with an average grade of 0.23 percent U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ and containing 71,132,400 pounds of uranium oxide (U/sub 3/O/sub 8/) have been produced from western Colorado. This amounts to 12 percent of the total United States' uranium ore production. In addition, 350,522,000 pounds of vanadium oxide (V/sub 2/O/sub 5/) have been recovered. The discovered ore reserves and the favorable geology for undiscovered potential resources are expected to maintain western Colorado as a significant source of uranium for years to come.

• Research Organization: Energy Research and Development Administration, Grand Junction, Colo. (USA). Grand Junction Office
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-13-1664
• OSTI ID: 5360067
• Report Number(s): TM-199; CONF-770983-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050200* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Exploration-- (-1987)
050400 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Feed Processing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COLORADO
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
JURASSIC PERIOD
MESOZOIC ERA
NORTH AMERICA
ORES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRODUCTION
RESERVES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DEPOSITS
URANIUM ORES
URANIUM OXIDES
URANIUM OXIDES U3O8
URANIUM RESERVES
USA
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS
VANADIUM ORES
VANADIUM OXIDES