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Uranium Mineralization of the Metamorphic Aureole of the Spirit Pluton, Stevens County, Washington by Terry Edward Mitchell

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Uranium Mineralization of the Metamorphic Aureole of the Spirit Pluton, Stevens County, Washington by Terry Edward Mitchell AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Terry Edward Mitchell for the degree of Master of Science in Geology presented on October, 1980 Title: URANIUM MINERALIZATION OF THE METAMORPHIC AUREOLE OF THE SPIRIT PLUTON, STEVENS COUIY, yiASHINGTON Abstract approved: Redacted for Privacy Dr: Cyru/s WField Redacted for Privacy Dr. Alan R. Niem Several uranium anomalies, with concentrations of U308 that average below 0.003 percent and reach maximums of 0.069 percent, are associated with black, fossiliferous, pyritic parts of the Ordovician Ledbetter Slate in northern Stevens County, Washington.The most uraniferous parts of the slate occur in small (average of 5 by 30 cm), tabular-shaped bodies of black argillite within the crests of several small-scale folds (amplitudes and wavelengths less than 1 m) along the contact between the Ledbetter Slate and Metaline Limestone from within 30 m of the southern border of the Late Cretaceous Spirit pluton. The concentration of uranium in the slate varies in direct proportion to the amount of reduced organic matter and pyrite contained in the rocks as well as with the extent of contact metamorphism imposed on the slate during forceful intrusion of the Spirit pluton.Discrete phases of uranium-bearing minerals were not identifiable during the course of petrographic examinations, therefore, the uranium is believed to occur as dispersed ionic disseminationsthat are physically and(or) chemically bonded to the minute particles of reduced organic matter in the rocks. The uranium anomalies had a multi-stage genesis which may have included:1) the extraction of uranium from the Ordovician sea by organic matter and the syngenetic accumulation of the uraniferous organics with muds in an euxinic depositional environment; 2) the localized remobilization and corresponding reconcentration of the uranium in the rocks adjacent to the sourthern border of the Spirit pluton in response to contact metamorphism;3) the minor addition of uranium into the country rock from siliceous volatile-rich fluids may have originated from the late-stage differentiation of the Spirit pluton; and(or) 4) the possible supergene enrichment of uranium that may have been leached by meteoricwaters from overlying igneous or metasedimentary rocks. The realtively low-grade and small volume of the uraniferous parts of the Ledbetter Slate in the Bruce Creek study area render the uranium anomalies uneconomic.Nonetheless, an understanding of their distribution, genesis, and petrographic characteristics may lead to the discovery of similar and economically more viable deposits of uranium elsewhere in northeast Washington. Uranium Mineralization of the Metamorphic Aureole of the Spirit Pluton, Stevens County, Washington by Terry Edward Mitchell A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Completed October, 1980 Commencement June, 1981 APPROVED: Redacted for Privacy Professoreology charge of major Redacted for Privacy Associate Professor of Geology in charge of major Redacted for Privacy Chairman of the Depa ent of Geology Redacted for Privacy Dean of laduate School' Date thesis is presented Or A-014" XS, VIII Typed by A & S Bookkeeping For Terry Edward Mitchell ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to sincerely thank Mr. RayHarris, senior geologist for Bur West, for his tireless efforts to assist me inthe successful completion of this thesis.The unselfish amount of moral and academic support offered me by Mr. Harris, aswell as the generous financial and logistical assistance that wasprovided by Bur West under his guidance, has served as the foundation andframework on which this report is promulgated.I am indebted to many fine people on the staff of Bur West who have given methe benefit of their time and geologic knowledge over the past severalfield seasons; particularly Mr. Malcolm Whitman, Mr. RichardMoses, and Mr. Larry Geis ler. I am grateful to have had the opportunityto receive instruction from Dr. Cyrus W. Field and Dr.Alan R. Niem of the Department of Geology at Oregon State University.The enlightening classroom and laboratory experience provided by Dr. Fieldand Dr. Niem, as well as the valuable time that they set aside fromtheir intensely productive schedules in order to conduct informaldiscussions, have served to stimulate and strengthen my knowledge ofgeology.In addition, I sincerely appreciate the warm concern shown meby everyone in the Department of Geology during my recoveryfrom the motor vehicle accident that disrupted the final stages of completionof this thesis. Finally, a life-long debt of gratitude is owed mywife, Sandra, and my son, Json, whose many years of loyal supporthave insured my survival.I dedicate this manuscript to my lovingfamily, for they are the purpose for which all of my efforts aredirected. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 Geographic Setting 1 Previous Investigations 4 Purpose and Methods of Study 5 REGIONAL GEOLOGY 7 Folds 11 Faults 11 Intrusion and Metamorphism 12 STRATIGRAPHY 13 Meta line Limestone 13 Age and Correlation 14 Depositional Environment 14 Internal Relationships, Thicknesses, and Contacts 16 Litho logy and Petrography 18 Josephine Breccia 23 Ledbetter Slate 27 Depositional Environment 27 Internal Relationships, Thicknesses, and Contacts 31 Litho logy and Petrography 33 Type I Ledbetter 34 Type II Ledbetter 37 Type III Ledbetter 39 The Spirit Pluton 42 Litho logy and Petrography 42 Age, Correlation, and Emplacement 49 STRUCTURE 52 Folds 52 Faults 53 Joints, Dikes, and Veins 54 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY 56 Lead, Zinc, and Silver Ores 57 Geology 57 Mineralogy 61 Origin 62 Guides to. Exploration 63 Lead 63 Zinc 63 Silver 65 Molybdenite Mineralization 66 Origin 67 Guides to Exploration 67 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page Uranium Mineralization 70 Uranium in the Spirit Pluton 71 Uranium in the Meta line Limestone 77 Uranium in the Ledbetter Slate 80 Guides to Exploration 93 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 97 BIBLIOGRAPHY 104 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Index map of Washington showing the thesis map 2 area and geologic framework. 2. Generalized geology map of northern Stevens County. 3 3. Structural trend of the Kootenay Arc and major 8 sedimentary provinces. 4. Tectonic provinces of northeast Washington. 10 5. Contact between the Ledbetter Slate and Meta line 17 Limestone. 6. Samples of the Meta line Limestone 20 7. An elongated fragment of dark argillite enclosed 26 within Meta line Limestone. 8. View of the Ledbetter terrain along the contact with 28 the Meta line Limestone. 9. Sample of type I Ledbetter Slate with graptolites. 35 10. Photomicrograph of a sample of type I Ledbetter. 35 11. Sample of the quartz monzonite and granodiorite 44 units of the Spirit pluton showing gradational relationships. 12. Photomicrograph of a sample of the quartz 48 monzonite unit of the Spirit pluton. 13. Open cut across the trend of a small-scale refolded 55 fold along the contact between the Ledbetter Slate and Meta line Limestone. 14. Production figures and oprerating life spans of 58 the major lead-zinc mines of Stevens County. 15. Graph depicting the relationship between the 87 uranium content of the Ledbetter Slate with distance from the contact with the Spirit pluton. 16. Schematic cross section of the uranium ore bodies 96 at the Midnite Mine, Washington. LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Modal analysis of four samples of Meta line 21 Limestone. 2. Modal analysis of seven samples of Ledbetter 36 Slate. 3. Geochemical analysis of a sample of the quarts 46 monzonite and granodiorite units of the Spirit pluton. 4. Modal analysis of a sample of the quarts 46 monzonite and granodiorite units of the Spirit pluton. 5. Geochemical analysis of the metallic constituents 74 of the Spirit pluton. 6. Geochemical analysis of the metallic constituents 78 of the Meta line Limestone. 7. Geochemical analysis of the metallic constituents 85 of the Ledbetter Slate. PLATES Plate 1. Geologic map (1:6000 scale) of the Bruce Creek area. 2. Geologic map (1:1200 scale) of the Bruce Creek area. URANIUM MINERALIZATION OF THE METAMORPHIC AUREOLE OF THE SPIRIT PLUTON, STEVENS COUNTY, WASHINGTON INTRODUCTION The mining industry has been active in Stevens County, Washington since the discovery of lead, zinc, and minor silver mineralization in the 1880's (Mills, 1977).Today, however, mining activity in the area is negligible as most lead-zinc production has ceased.Although vegorous exploration for new ore deposits is continuing in the area, recent discoveries have not been documented.However, geologists of Bur West, a Burlington Northern and Westinghouse uranium joint venture, have discovered uranium anomalies in parts of the Cambrian-Ordovician metasedimentary rocks in contact with the Late Cretaceous Spirit pluton in the Bossblirg District of Stevens County. Further investigation of uranium mineralization in the region may lead to a new period of mining activity in northeast Washington. Geographic Setting The Bossburg District is located approximately 24 km north of Colville, Washington (Fig. 1).The thesis area is accessible by the paved Clugston Creek Road from Colville and unimproved dirt roads reach within one kilometer of any part of the area.The area of detailed investigation, which will be called the Bruce Creek area in this report, is located in;the northern part of secs. 2 and 3, T. 37 N., R. 39 E., in Stevens County, Washington (Fig. 2 and Plates 2 UPPER UNIT MIDDLE UNIT LOWER UNIT UNCERTAIN STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION SPOKANE CO. IFigure 1. Location map and skeletonized geologic map I showing contact between the I Ledbetter and Meta line I Formations (After Mills, 1977). 3 A &C c...1)-crHzwARD MINE fCHOLLET MINE MINE i;- \\ (approx4ocation) / 1161%Ks i \\.,...._..,,____,.."0lu s ..".4.0 41.1. .... 4 -.LEADVILLI i UNCLESAM MT. I >-- i >.! HI CLIFFMINE 1 %\ NEW LEADVILLEMINE Cmp 1 I 1 1 I// t i%I ', "-- Emu I NEGLECTED % MARBLE $MINE 9 \ 10 ),t II 12 X % )* X 1 01UiN Ernm QUARRIES % I Itti iern' .-t 1 I ril t I LUCKY PC I .1Oirn 1 N i 4'1 STONE I I ECHO I 16 115 MIK 14 1 13 J.-ABIG CHIEF MINA E 1 I % / t 1 /...."---.
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