Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Durango NTMS quadrangle, Colorado

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6228520

Dawson, H E; Weaver, T A

During the spring and summer of 1976, 1518 water and 1604 waterborne sediment samples were collected from 1804 locations in the Durango NTMS quadrangle, Colorado. The samples obtained from this 19 940-km/sup 2/ area were analyzed at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory for total uranium. The uranium concentrations in waters ranged from less than the detectable limit of 0.2 ppB to 25.7 ppB, with a mean value of 0.84 ppB. The concentrations in sediments ranged from 1.0 ppM to 71.6 ppM, with a mean value of 4.2 ppM. Study of total water and total sediment populations indicated that both are actually mixtures of several populations. Consequently, samples were chosen for discussion on the basis of their having conspicuously high uranium concentrations relative to surrounding background values. Thirty-four water samples (approximately 2.2% of the total water population) had uranium concentrations above 5.00 ppB, the highest of which were well water samples from the San Luis Valley. Thirty-seven sediment samples (approximately 2.3% of the total sediment population) had uranium concentrations above 12.0 ppM. The majority of these were taken from sites in Precambrian rocks, but several came from Paleozoic and Mesozoic strate and Tertiary volcanics. The uranium concentrations in sediment samples from areas of Precambrian rock were especially high and these areas may warrant further, more detailed investigations.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6228520
• Report Number(s): GJBX-10(79); LA-7346-MS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050200* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Exploration-- (-1987)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
COLORADO
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DATA FORMS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INFORMATION
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
RESOURCES
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SEDIMENTS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TABLES
URANIUM DEPOSITS
USA