Petrology of Westwater Canyon member, Morrison Formation, East Chaco Canyon drilling project, New Mexico-comparison with Grants mineral belt

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Mem. - N.M. Bur. Mines Miner. Resour.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6135294

Hicks, R T; Lowry, R M; Della Valle, R S; Brookins, D G

The results of this report are based on 47 samples of Westwater Canyon Sandstone, Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic). The 250 to 350 ft (75 to 100-m) thick Westwater Canyon Member is 80 percent fine- to medium-grained arkosic sandstone and 20 percent interbedded red and green mudstones. Nine zones of low-grade uranium mineralization were intercepted by five drill holes. The alteration of Westwater Canyon sandstones in the East Chaco Canyon project area is similar to the alteration of sandstones near ore deposits in the Grants mineral belt. Magnetite grains located in and near mineralization display more severe dissolution than do grains far removed from mineralization. Typically, clay minerals replace feldspar along cleavages. A widely observed alteration feature is the dissolution of feldspar grain centers, leaving a thin shell of albite. Authigenic hematite occurs in feldspar cleavages and in the matrix of some detrital mudstone clasts. The authigenic clay mineralogy of the 47 samples does not vary significantly. Nests of authigenic kaolinite make up less than 50 percent of the -2 micron fraction. Grain coatings of authigenic chlorite have an edge-to-face or rosette habit and account for about one-third of the authigenic clay minerals. Mixed-layer illite-montmorillonite also forms grain coatings. Preliminary chemical analyses of the samples indicate a low uranium content in the whole-rock samples (about 2 ppM).

• Research Organization: Univ. of New Meixco, Albuquerque
• OSTI ID: 6135294
• Report Number(s): CONF-7905120-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Mem. - N.M. Bur. Mines Miner. Resour.; (United States) Journal Volume: 38
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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