Chemical and thermal evolution of diagenetic fluids and the genesis of U and Cu ore in and adjacent to the Paradox Basin with emphasis on the Lisbon Valley and Temple Mountain areas, Utah and Colorado
Strata-of the central Colorado Plateau of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado hot Cu(+/-Ag) ore in salt anticline related faults, and stratiform sandstone-type uranium deposits. The goals of this study were to develop, evaluate, and interpret a geochemical data base from a restricted stratigraphic interval, and to develop models of the chemical and thermal evolution of the interaction of rock framework with pore fluids. Fluid inclusions, mineral chemistry, and C/O stable isotopes in calcite gangue associated with vein-type copper ore at Lisbon Valley suggest mixing of two solutions caused precipitation of the ore. Regularly interstratified chlorite/smectite (corrensite) coats grains in marine and eolian sandstones of the Permian Cutler Formation in the Lisbon Valley area. Local hydrothermal fluids rising along the Lisbon fault apparently permeated the Cutler red-bed section and precipitated the clay minerals. Detailed petrographic studies and fluid inclusion data from calcite cements in the Moss Back Member, support theories of syndiagenetic mobilization of humic compounds, uranium fixation and cementation at Lisbon Valley. The Temple Mountain area hosts uranium ore bodies that are unique among sandstone-type uranium deposits in structural setting, mineralogy, exotic elements, and the occurrence of asphaltite in the ores. This study suggests that warm fluids (70/sup 0/C) have migrated along ring fractures bounding the collapse structure as evidenced by fluid inclusions trapped in authigenic dolomite in the basal Triassic Wingate Sandstone. K/Ar dates using alunite indicate that fluid migration was active as late as 13 my. Modeling suggests that dolomite at the Wingate/Chinle contact precipitated as two fluids mixed.
- Research Organization:
- Utah Univ., Salt Lake City (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6565017
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Geology of the Lisbon Valley uranium district, southeastern Utah
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ALKALI METALS
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CHEMISTRY
CHLORITE MINERALS
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COPPER ORES
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ISOTOPE DATING
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SILICATE MINERALS
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SMECTITE
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URANIUM ORES
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UTAH