Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Arminto NTMS quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-three additional elements

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5517460· OSTI ID:5517460

Morgan, T. L.

During the summers of 1976 and 1977, 570 water and 1249 sediment samples were collected from 1517 locations within the 18,000-km/sup 2/ area of the Arminto NTMS quadrangle of central Wyoming. Water samples were collected from wells, springs, streams, and artifical ponds; sediment samples were collected from wet and dry streams, springs, and wet and dry ponds. All water samples were analyzed for 13 elements, including uranium, and each sediment sample was analyzed for 43 elements, including uranium and thorium. Uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit to 84.60 parts per billion (ppb) with a mean of 4.32 ppb. All water sample types except pond water samples were considered as a single population in interpreting the data. Pond water samples were excluded due to possible concentration of uranium by evaporation. Most of the water samples containing greater than 20 ppb uranium grouped into six clusters that indicate possible areas of interest for further investigation. One cluster is associated with the Pumpkin Buttes District, and two others are near the Kaycee and Mayoworth areas of uranium mineralization. The largest cluster is located on the west side of the Powder River Basin. One cluster is located in the central Big Horn Basin and another is in the Wind River Basin; both are in areas underlain by favorable host units. Uranium concentrations in sediment samples range from 0.08 parts per million (ppm) to 115.50 ppm with a mean of 3.50 ppm. Two clusters of sediment samples over 7 ppm were delineated. The first, containing the two highest-concentration samples, corresponds with the Copper Mountain District. Many of the high uranium concentrations in samples in this cluster may be due to contamination from mining or prospecting activity upstream from the sample sites. The second cluster encompasses a wide area in the Wind River Basin along the southern boundary of the quadrangle.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-13-1664
• OSTI ID: 5517460
• Report Number(s): GJBX-3(80); LA-7510-MS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACTINIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DATA
DATA FORMS
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXPLORATION
GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RESOURCES
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SAMPLING
SEDIMENTS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TABLES
URANIUM
URANIUM DEPOSITS
USA
WATER
WELLS
WYOMING