Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Gillette NTMS quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements

Technical Report · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6767354· OSTI ID:6767354

Warren, R. G.; George, W. E.; Minor, M. M.; Simi, O. R.; Talcott, C. L.; Hensley, W. K.; Cheadle, III, J. M.

During 1976 and 1977, 752 water and 843 sediment samples were collected from 1419 locations within the 17 700-km/sup 2/ area of the Gillette quadrangle, Wyoming. Water samples were collected primarily from wells, and also from springs, ponds, and streams; sediment samples were collected primarily from stream channels, and also from springs and ponds. Each water sample was analyzed for uranium and each sediment sample was analyzed for 43 elements, including uranium and thorium. Uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit of 0.02 to 212.20 ppB and have a median of 1.10 ppB. The highest background uranium concentrations, as well as the highest individual uranium values, are in areas where favorable host units for uranium mineralization crop out. These units are the Wasatch and Fort Union formations in the Powder River Basin and the Inyan Kara group in the Black Hills. Uranium concentrations in sediment samples range from 0.64 to 29.83 ppM and have a median of 3.24 ppM. Background uranium concentrations are strongly controlled by the exposed geologic unit, and range from 4 to 8 ppM for the Cretaceous Colorado group to 1 to 3 ppM for the Triassic and Paleozoic units exposed in the Black Hills. Several areas where the Wasatch and Fort Union formations are exposed exhibit uranium concentrations in sediment samples that are slightly, but distinctly, above background values for these units. All of these areas are also associated with notably high uranium concentrations in water samples. Because epigenetic uranium mineralization in economically important areas can exhibit a similar geochemical signature, these areas within the Gillette quadrangle should be further examined for the possible presence of uranium mineralization.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA); Bendix Field Engineering Corp., Grand Junction, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC13-76GJ01664
• OSTI ID: 6767354
• Report Number(s): GJBX-234(80); LA-8003-MS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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