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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Geology and geochemistry of the pitch uranium mine area, Saguache County, Colorado

Book ·
OSTI ID:7127766
This book discusses uranium ore in the Pitch Mine which occurs chiefly in brecciated Mississippian Leadville Dolomite along the Chester Fault and to a lesser extent in the Pennsylvania Belden Formation and in Precambrian granitic rocks and schist. Strong physical control by dolomite is evident, as this is the only rock type that is prevasively brecciated within the fault slices. Other rocks tended either to remain unbroken or to undergo ductile deformation. Chemical analyses of 116 rock and ore samples demonstrate that ore-bearing dolomites are significantly enriched in iron, potassium, sulfur, molybdenum, copper, and nickel. Chemical controls on uranium deposition are subtle and appear chiefly to involve coprecipitation of iron sulfide (pyrite and marcasite) with pitchblende and coffinite, suggesting that sulfide ion may be the reductant.
OSTI ID:
7127766
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English