Geology and Resources of Fluorine in the United States
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Geology and Resources of Fluorine in the United States GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 933 COVER PHOTOGRAPHS 1. Asbestos ore 8. Aluminum ore, bauxite, Georgia 1 2 3 4 2. Lead ore, Balmat mine, N . Y. 9. Native copper ore, Keweenawan 5 6 3. Chromite-chromium ore, Washington Peninsula, Mich. 4. Zinc ore, Friedensville, Pa. 10. Porphyry molybdenum ore, Colorado 7 8 5. Banded iron-formation, Palmer, 11. Zinc ore, Edwards, N. Y. Mich. 12. Manganese nodules, ocean floor 9 10 6. Ribbon asbestos ore, Quebec, Canada 13. Botryoidal fluorite ore, Poncha Springs, Colo. 11 12 13 14 7. Manganese ore, banded rhodochrosite 14. Tungsten ore, North Carolina Geology and Resources of Fluorine in the United States Edited by DANIEL R. SHAWE With sections by D. R. SHAWE, R. E. VAN ALSTINE, R. G. WORL, A. V. HEYL, R. D. TRACE, R. L. PARKER, W. R. GRIFFITTS, C. L. SAINSBURY, and J. B. CATHCART GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 933 An evaluation of the geochemistry, geographic distribution, and geologic environments of fluorine, and descriptions of major United States fluorine mineral deposits UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1976 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR THOMAS S. KLEPPE, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY V. E. McKelvey, Director Library of Congress catalog-card No. 76-600061 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 Stock Number 024-001-02901-4 APPRAISAL OF MINERAL RESOURCES Continuing appraisal of the mineral resources of the United States is conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in accordance with the provisions of the Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970 (Public Law 91-631, Dec. 31, 1970). Total resources for purposes of these appraisal estimates include currently minable resources (reserves) as well as those resources not yet discovered or not currently profitable to mine. The mining of mineral deposits, once they are discovered, depends on geologic, economic, and technologic factors; however, identification of many deposits yet to be discovered, owing to incomplete knowledge of their distribution in the Earth's crust, depends greatly on geologic availability and man's ingenuity. Con sequently, appraisal of mineral resources results in approximations, subject to constant change as known deposits are depleted, new deposits are found, new extractive technology and uses are developed, and new geologic knowledge and theories indicate new areas favorable for exploration. This Professional Paper discusses aspects of the geology of fluorine as a frame work for appraising resources of this commodity in the light of today's technology, economics, and geologic knowledge. Other Geological Survey publications relating to the appraisal of resources of specific mineral commodities include the following: Professional Paper 820-"United States Mineral Resources" Professional Paper 907-"Geology and Resources of Copper Deposits" Professional Paper 926-"Geology and Resources of Vanadium Deposits" Professional Paper 959-"Geology and Resources of Titanium in the United States" CONTENTS Page Page Abstract ............................................................................................. 1 Descriptions of major fluorine deposits and districts and Introduction, by R. E. Van Alstine.................................................. 3 important types of fluorine occurrences-Continued Geochemistry of fluorine, by D. R. Shawe ...................................... 4 Colorado-New Mexico-western Texas-southeastern Abundance of fluorine in rocks... ........ ............ ........ .... ....... ...... 5 Arizona, by R. G. Worl, W. R. Griffitts, and R. E. Van Abundance of fluorine in gases and waters.............................. 9 Alstine ............................................................................. 48 Geochemical cycle of fluorine................................................... 12 Descriptions of individual districts and deposits .......... .... 53 Element associations, by R. E. Van Alstine and D. R. Shawe ........ 14 Colorado...................................................................... 53 Geographic distribution of fluorine in igneous rocks, by Jamestown............................................................ 53 D. R. Shawe ................ ........................................................... 15 Northgate . ....... ........... ......... ......... ... ........ ........ ..... 56 Geologic environments and distribution of fluorine, by Other deposits. ........... ........ ........ ..... ........ ............. 58 D. R. Shawe and R. E. Van Alstine ...................................... 17 New Mexico ........................................................... ~..... 59 Fluorine in fluorite deposits and occurrences .......................... 17 Burro Mountains....... .......... ..... ....... ........ .... .... ..... 59 Fluorine in topaz deposits and occurrences.............................. 19 Gila....................................................................... 59 Fluorine in phosphate and fluorapatite deposits ..................... 19 Cooks Peak-Fluorite Ridge.................................. 59 Fluorine in other deposits......................................................... 19 Sierra Cuchillo..................................................... 60 Tectonic setting of fluorine deposits, by D. R. Shawe .................... 22 Zuni Mountains .................................................. 61 Relation of fluorine deposits to faults ......... ...... ... ..... ... ............ 22 Sierra Caballos .................................................... 61 Relation of fluorine deposits to intrusive igneous rocks ......... 25 Grants .................................................................. 61 Relation of fluorine deposits to geophysical properties........... 27 Southeastern Arizona ................................................. 62 Descriptions of major fluorine deposits and districts and Duncan ................................................................ 62 important types of fluorine occurrences................................ 30 Other deposits ..................................................... 62 Alaska, by C. L. Sainsbury... ......... ...... ..... ......... ... ..... .... ......... .... 30 Central and Eastern United States, by A. V. Heyl and Descriptions of individual districts and deposits ........ ...... 30 R. E. Van Alstine ........................................................... 62 Lost River.................................................................... 30 Illinois-Kentucky ............................................................... 63 Other deposits.... ......... .......... ......... .... ........ ....... ..... ..... 33 Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar district, by Washington-Idaho-Montana-Wyoming-South Dakota, R. D. Trace ....................................... ····.····· ..... 63 by R. L. Parker...... ...... ...... ............. ......... ............... ......... 34 Geologic setting .................................................. 65 Descriptions of individual districts and deposits ............... 34 Fluorspar ore deposits ......................................... 70 Washington ................................................................. 34 Summary ............................................................. 72 Idaho ............................................................................ 35 Central Kentucky ........................................................ 74 Meyers Cove......................................................... 35 Cumberland River, Kentucky .................................... 74 Bayhorse . ....... ... ........ ... ........... .......... ......... ........... 36 Tennessee-North Carolina-Virginia.................................. 74 Stanley area ....... ......... ..... ....... ......... ..... ...... ...... .... 36 Central Tennessee ....................................................... 74 Big Squaw Creek.................................................. 37 Sweetwater, Tennessee ................................................ 75 Other deposits............................................. ......... 37 Del Rio, Tennessee-Hot Springs, North Carolina ...... 75 Montana ...................................................................... 38 Hamme, North Carolina-Virginia.............................. 76 Crystal Mountain..... ........... ... ......... ........ ........ ..... 38 Faber, Virginia ............................................................ 76 Snowbird. ........ ......... ........... ............ .... ... ......... ..... 38 Other deposits, Virginia.. ............................................ 76 Spar ....................................................................... 39 Alabama.............................................................................. 77 Other deposits...................................................... 39 Missouri-Arkansas-central Texas ...................................... 77 Wyoming ..................................................................... 40 Southeast Missouri ..................................................... 77 South Dakota............................................................... 41 Other deposits, Missouri and Arkansas ..................... 77 Nevada-western Utah-southeastern Oregon-southeastern Cali Llano uplift, central Texas ........................................ 77 fornia-western Arizona, by R. G. Worl and New york..........................................................................