Deposition and diagenesis of the Brushy Basin and upper Westwater Canyon members of the Morrison Formation in northwest New Mexico and its relationship to uranium mineralization

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6136656

Bell, T E

Diagenetic facies in the upper Westwater Canyon and Brushy Basin Members closely parallel the distribution of lithofacies, just as in the smaller closed basins of late Cenozoic age of western North America. Vitric ash in the sediment has altered to montmorillonite in the fluvial facies. Calcite and montmorillonite are the alteration products where the fluvial and outermost playa facies meet. Vitric ash has altered to clinoptilolite and heulandite along the playa margins. In the center of the playa facies, analcime has replaced clinoptilolite, an early zeolite. Diagenetic zonation of this type is a result of pH and salinity gradients which existed across the basin. These early diagenetic minerals were replaced by albite, quartz, and mixed-layer illite-montmorillonite where the upper Westwater Canyon and Brushy Basin Members have been deeply buried in the San Juan basin. Relatively fresh ground water carrying dissolved organic compounds and uranium mixed with the saline alkaline brine from underlying playa mudstones, result in uranium mineralization of the upper Jurassic Morrison Formation near Laguna New Mexico.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Berkeley (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6136656
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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