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Aerial radiometric and magnetic reconnaissance survey of portions of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota and Washington. Volume 2-C. Havre Quadrangle. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6117447

The results of a high-sensitivity, aerial, gamma-ray spectrometer and magnetometer survey of the Havre Quadrangle, Montana, are presented. Instrumentation and methods are described in Volume 1 of this final report. This work was done by Texas Instruments Incorporated under Bendix Field Engineering Corporation Subcontract No. 78-184-L as part of the US Department of Energy National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Program. Statistical and geological analysis of the radiometric data revealed 61 uranium anomalies worthy of field-checking as possible prospects. There are 28 anomalies associated with the Judith River Formation. Lignite beds in this formation may have created an environment favorable for the precipitation of uranium from uranium-rich ground waters in a regional flow system bounded by the Milk River. Source rocks for uranium in the ground water could be younger rocks with abundant volcanic ash and bentonite to the north and south of the river, and the igneous rocks of the Bearpaw Mountains in the southwest. Numerous anomalies in the Bearpaw and Claggett shales may have been caused by extensive exposures of bentonite. There are seven anomalies in the Fox Hill Sandstone or the Colorado Shale that may be indicative of uranium prospects. Six anomalies pertaining to Tertiary rocks may indicate possible uranium mineralization in veins in igneous rocks. Four of these are associated with mafic igneous rocks characterized by unusually high radiometric content. Twenty anomalies related to Quaternary units may be significant in that they may be demonstrative of uranium-rich source rocks that could host uranium mineralization.

Research Organization:
Texas Instruments, Inc., Dallas (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-13-1664
OSTI ID:
6117447
Report Number(s):
GJBX-126(79)(Vol.2C)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English