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National uranium resource evaluation: Okanogan Quadrangle, Washington

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5369119

The Okanogan Quadrangle, Washington, was evaluated to identify and delineate areas containing environments favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits using criteria developed for the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program. Reconnaissance and detailed surface studies were augmented by aerial radiometric surveys and hydrogeochemical and stream-sediment reconnaissance studies. The results of the investigations indicate six environments favorable for uranium deposits. They are unclassified, anatectic, allogenic, and contact-metasomatic deposits in Late Precambrian and (or) Early Paleozoic mantling metamorphic core-complex rocks of the Kettle gneiss dome; magmatic-hydrothermal deposits in the Gold Creek pluton, the Magee Creek pluton, the Wellington Peak pluton, and the Midnite Mine pluton, all located in the southeast quadrant of the quadrangle; magmatic-hydrothermal allogenic deposits in Late Paleozoic and (or) Early Mesozoic black shales in the Castle Mountain area; allogenic deposits in Early Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks in the Harvey Creek area and in Late Precambrian metasedimentary rocks in the Blue Mountain area; and sandstone deposits in Eocene sedimentary rocks possibly present in the Enterprise Valley. Seven geologic units are considered unfavorable for uranium deposits. They are all the remaining metamorphic core-complex rocks, Precambrian metasedimentary rocks,Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic rocks, and all Pleistocene and Recent deposits; and, excluding those rocks in the unevaluated areas, include all the remaining plutonic rocks, Paleozoic miogeoclinical rocks, and Upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic eugeosynclinal rocks. Three areas, the Cobey Creek-Frosty Creek area, the Oregon City Ridge-Wilmont Creek area, and the area underlain by the Middle Cambrian Metaline Formation and its stratigraphic equivalents may possibly be favorable but are unevaluated due to lack of data.

Research Organization:
Bendix Field Engineering Corp., Grand Junction, CO (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC13-76GJ01664
OSTI ID:
5369119
Report Number(s):
PGJ/F-003-82; ON: DE82017109
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English