Geology and recognition criteria for sandstone uranium deposits in mixed fluvial-shallow marine sedimentary sequences, South Texas. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6554832· OSTI ID:6554832

Adams, S. S.; Smith, R. B.

Uranium deposits in the South Texas Uranium Region are classical roll-type deposits that formed at the margin of tongues of altered sandstone by the encroachment of oxidizing, uraniferous solutions into reduced aquifers containing pyrite and, in a few cases, carbonaceous plant material. Many of the uranium deposits in South Texas are dissimilar from the roll fronts of the Wyoming basins. The host sands for many of the deposits contain essentially no carbonaceous plant material, only abundant disseminated pyrite. Many of the deposits do not occur at the margin of altered (ferric oxide-bearing) sandstone tongues but rather occur entirely within reduced, pyurite-bearing sandstone. The abundance of pyrite within the sands probably reflects the introduction of H/sub 2/S up along faults from hydrocarbon accumulations at depth. Such introductions before ore formation prepared the sands for roll-front development, whereas post-ore introductions produced re-reduction of portions of the altered tongue, leaving the deposit suspended in reduced sandstone. Evidence from three deposits suggests that ore formation was not accompanied by the introduction of significant amounts of H/sub 2/S.

• Research Organization: Adams (Samuel S.) and Associates, Boulder, CO (USA); Smith (R.B.) and Associates, Austin, TX (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC13-76GJ01664
• OSTI ID: 6554832
• Report Number(s): GJBX-4(81)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050100* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Reserves
Exploration
& Mining
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORES
PYRITE
PYRITES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEDIMENTS
SOUTHWEST REGION
STRATIGRAPHY
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR ORES
TEXAS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DEPOSITS
USA