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UNCLASSIFIED [£640* GEOLOGY AND MINEMfiLOGY U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS OF RADIOACTIVE DEPOSITS Semiannual Progress Report for June 1 to November 30, 1956 This report is preliminary and has not been edited or reviewed for conformity with U. S. Geological Survey standards and nomenclature. December 1956 Geological Survey Washington, D. C. Prepared by Geological Survey for the UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Technical Information Service Extension, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 40455 [If .ASSIFIED LEGAL NOTICE This report was prepared as an account of Government sponsored work. Neither the United States, nor the Commission, nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission: A. Makes any warranty or representation, express or implied, with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained in this report, or that the'use of any information, apparatus, method-, or process disclosed in this report may not infringe privately owned rights; or B. Assumes any liabilities with respect to the use of, or for damages resulting from the use of any information, apparatus, method, or process disclosed in this report. As used in the above, "person acting on behalf of the Commission" includes any em ployee or contractor of the Commission to the extent that such employee or contractor prepares, handles or distributes, or provides access to, any information pursuant to his employment or contract with the Commission. I This report has been reproduced directly from the best available copy. Printed in USA, Price $1.50. Available from the Office of Technical Services, Department of Commerce, Washington 25, D. C. AEC, Oak Ridge. Tenn. TM-640 UNITED STATES,DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 0 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, GEOLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS OF RADIOACTIVE DEPOSITS SEMIANNUAL PROGRESS KEPOK? June 1 to November 30, 1956 December 1956 JAN 2 8 1958 •< i^'KY >/ Trace Elements Investigations Report 640* 40455 *This report concerns work done on behalf of the Divisions of Raw Materials and Research of the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission. 2 5 f 4 CQNTEMTS Page Introduction ..•.••••••••••••••*»««<»«o**«***«*»«*» :>»•••••••••••••• 13 Highlights, geologic investigations of radioactive deposits**«**« 15 Geologic mapping»«.»•«<»*•«**#«*«<»»«> #ee***<4*** *<•*?*•»**••******«•** 29 Colorado Plateau region**«»8.*»oo**»#f•••»«?• «o«»*w***»»*«^*# 29 Bull Canyon district, Colorado, by R* M« Wallace and Co H» Roach•<»^*»»*««1 #^»»»«»»»»»u•»**#•*(•»#*»•*«0* jJ^ Slick Rock district, Colorado, by D» Rr Shawe, N. L. Archbold, G» C. Sinmons, and W* B* Rogers ..«**-« 36 Stratigraphic studies•**<-*••#*«»<»*•p^«»a»«•»***o«n> 36 Mineralogic studies a*««oe*4*>ip******»•»«•«*»»f#««*$ 39 Geochemical studies of alteration»#*.»«»**»**«»{>** 40 Igneous rocks*«*<^*»*a»***?®#*«««t»***«*«»*»4***** 44 Ore deposits ****«*«»»»«o*£*«»4* »*»*•»*****«*>***««* 45 Western San Juan Mountains, Colorado, by A* L« Bush, R. B« T ay lor, and 0* T. Marsh,,.'>..<:•,»•,>••.»*..••••*<<**» 47 Ute Mountains, Colorado, by E« B* Ekren and F» N« Houser»«««••»»•»&,«•»«*^»»d*o••**«*••*»•»•*•»»»« 50 Lisbon VaUey, Utah-Colorado, by G* W. Weir, V* C. Kennedy, W» P» Puffett, and C* L» Dodson,*.*.»**«*.«« 51 Circle Cliffs, Utah, by E. S« Davidson, !• D» Car swell, and G* A* Miller ?d ^.*»,, s .«,».f,,,*«*.**o«^* 5* Aba jo Mountains, Utah, by I» J* Witkind*»«*«»**»***»»«»o 61 Sage Plain, Utah-Colorado, by L* C» Huff and F* G* Lesure»• o*•*•••• o•*9.#*^«*•*«••»••*••***•««»«>'»** 63 Orange Cliffs, Utah, by F. A* McKeown, P« Ptf Orkild, and R« W# Halligan»o.«.«.*.o...»4*.»***«**«^» 69 Grants area, New Mexico, by R» £• Thaden and E» S« Santos**<»«•«••«**»•*»••*»****••«•**•»«»»•*• *4»«« 73 Laguna area, New Mexico, by R» H» Moench, J# S« Schlee, and F« S* Hensley*«»*<»**»«*i*»*«***«»»*«'*«*«» 76 Photogeology, by W* A* Fischer*»*t*f••»•*«•»«•••»*••»»•» ^0 Central region**«*e»•«»<»•«*«*•«>*»**«*«•§**»*•**»A**«*»»••*#* 82 Southern Powder River Basin, Wyoning, by W Sharp and A» Bo Gibbons^..*»,»*«. Northern Black Hills»»»... e »..» Carlile quadrangle, Wyoming, by M. H« t Bergendahl and G» A» Izett*.*«**•«.«««*****«»n*» 64 Geology of the Hulett Creek mining area, by G* S* Robinson and H* D» Goode*«**#*»«#*.**»* 85 Stratigraphy* «*.«•«»«« **»^*««**»4*««»«-*»«*n*« 35 Structure 9»<sas,»*««*«»8*««*«»^«*ss*»**»ft*»*»* 88 Ore deposits*•««»»*»**•*•»«»****•«••»••*»*•»* 39 Strawberry Hill quadrangle, Wyoaing, by R* E« Davis«t>*«»***•**»*•«*• *t•**»»*••*»»«#*•*»» 92 Southern Black HiHs»*«*#****»*«**<»««i«0*«*»*«»**«*ift*fr*« 95 Cascade Springs quadrangle, by E» V* Post***t»***** 95 Clifton quadrangle, by N* P* Cuppels*»*««***««*«»«» 99 Dewey quadrangle, by D a A* Brobst«».•!»««*»»««««**» 101 Channel sandstones, by D* A. Brobst»***»#******.<»« 102 Range mine, by F. R. Shawe.*,*.**••«•»*••••••••*.«« 109 Wicker-Baldwin mine, by D. A. Brobst.**,«.«..»*«»* 110 Solution of gypsum in the Minnelusa formation, by W. A. Braddock*«» 9 ^ *.**«*»$***o>**««**•<>»»«**» 111 Geophysical investigations, by R* A. Black..*.**** 112 Cave Hills, Harding County, South Dakota, by G* N. Pipiringos and W» A® Chisholm**»..«».**.*<*.*..* 114 Gas Hills area* Wyoming, by H. D. Zeller *.*•••.•*.<,*••• 115 Geophysical investigations, by R* A. Black.....,** 116 Mineralogical studies, by Rv G* Colen^j.?»* *•*•*•• 119 Hiland-Clarkson Hill area, looming, by E. 1* Rich»••«•* 121 Ralston Buttes, Colorado, by D. M« Sheridan.......***** 125 Geologic setting*.o..?..*•*...,*•..*..*..*..«*.*.** 125 i*CCKS ......* 0 0 0 ...... 0 * . u * o * ... ***»•*. *..*.*«•* ^> •«. J-<cO Precambrian structure......«,.»....**.**.«*****».. 128 Laramide faults and fracture zones.....*..*****..* 129 Uranium deposits..A..*.**®*...***®*.*®....*®.***** 129 Factors controlling uranium deposition*.<?***.****» 132 The Schwartzwalder mine.......®.*..®**..«.***...««, 133 Colorado Front Range, by P. K* Sims,«.<>».........*..*** 137 Maybell-Lay area, Colorado, by M0 J. Bergin.o.*..«.*«*. 138 Thomas Range, Utah, by M. H* Staatz. **.*..**..*«.**.*«. 143 Tucumcari-Sabinoso area, New Mexico, by R* L. Griggs.** 144 Pacific region.......®*®....*......*..«*..».*.».»*..«...»*»* 146 Turtle Lake quadrangle, Washington, by G. E. Becraft.e* 146 Jarbidge, Nevada-Idaho, by R. R* Coats..*.....****.*... 150 Eastern region...... 9 ......».. (,...u...****o.«..***....*•»*»« 151 Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, by Harry Klemic and <J* C. Warman.««.^®.........«....».....»o.«******* 151 otratigrapny..®*^.»9.•*.«..«•**.«*.*.»**<»»..**^#»* xpJ» Hamilton formation (Middle Devonian)**«.«».**. 151 Portage group (Upper Devonian)«.®.. 0 **.«*««*« 153 Catskill formation (Upper and Middle Devonian/««««**^**»u***-«****»*»»o»«.•**<?*** IP,? Pocono formation (Lower Mississippian)*.»*«** 154 Mauch Chunk shale (Upper Mississippian).*.*.. 154 Pottsville formation (Lower Pennsylvania^... 155 Structure.ft...*.*...*....**.*,**...**..**..**..... 155 Uranium occurrences»...««.•.**»**•».*.*.**.*•••*«. 156 Phosphate deposits and their "leached zones*1 in northern Florida, by G* H. Espenshade and 0 . W * opencer ».»**. ***»«*£>*******«£>*** *.****.»*«•***.« lp / Geologic topical studies......I,....*..**...*....*......*..***.**. 158 Colorado Plateau region......®...a.*.*....**....*...,*...*.. 158 Central stratigraphic studies, by L« C* Craig and Carl Kotefx*•*•*«**•••&•*.*.*«.*•**...*....**«*•• Ipo Triassic studies, by J. H. Stewart, F. G. Poole, and R* F. Wilson........*.*..**..*.,*.*..*..*.*.****« 161 Moenkopi formation in southeastern Utah and west-central Colorado*..***.*.**«.»•*.*•«.*«•*»* l6l Page Wingate sandstone between southeastern Utah and west-central New Mexico*.*.*»*««•»«*»••**»«« 164 Triassic rocks in northwestern New Mexico*^...*... 16? Upper Triassic stratigraphy of northeast Utah and northwest Colorado***.#*»*********•*•** 171 Entrada studies, by J* C. Wright and D* D» Dickey**«»««» 176 Lithologic studies, by R* A* Cadigan. *.»**.<»**••*•*•».» 178 Regional synthesis studies**...*•*••••*•••»*•**•*«**«*» 135 Northwest New Mexico, by L« S* Hilpert and A« F* Corey»*•.»*•.••*•»»*»«•**•»»****•»•»»* lop Utah and Arizona, by H. S. Johnson, Jr* and William Thordarson.....*......,...^....,..»» 188 Studies of localization and origin of the vanadium- uranium deposits on the Colorado Plateau, by R* P* Fischer***««.***««6**»«*«**«*»******«**«******* 195 Diatreaes on the Navajo and Hopi reservations, by E. M. Shoemaker and H, J. Moore, II*«.«*.«••*»«.»».«* 197 Central region*»»•«•»•»•«..».•»•»•«•»•»•*•*»••»«•••••»•••••• 203 Dripping Spring quartzite, by H* C. Granger and it * B 9 itaup»•«••«•••••..»•««•{>»»»»•••••••«••»»••••**•* <iujj Mineralogy*.*«*«.»•««.«*•.»*••«.«•**••••*••«*««»** 203 Age determinations••»**«*•«••**««*«****«•*»**«»»»* 204 Regional stratigraphic study of the Inyan Kara group and Morrison formation, Black Hills, by W* J* Mapel*»•••••«*•***«>*««»*»«••»•«•««•»•*•*•**» 205 Regional synthesis, eastern Montana and North and South Dakota, by J. R$ Gill and N. M. Densori....* 207 Permian of north Texas and southern Oklahoma, by E* J. McKay and H. J. Hyden*.»..................•.*.. 208 Reconnaissance for uranium in Alaska, by V. L. Freeman and E* M» MacKevett, Jr»*»••••«•*****••«********•**»•*••** 216 General studies«»**«»»*«*«**«»*»***»*«^*«**«**»*»*»*»***«»*« 2X8 Research and resource studies***»*«»*»»»•**»*»***»»•*•* 218 The Cordilleran foreland, by F. ¥. Osterwald****** 218 Mineralogy of uranium-bearing veins, by G* ¥* Walker and J. W* Adams*.«*.*•**».**.*.*«*• 220 Uranium and oil content of some marine black shales, by Y* E* Swanson*.».«,*.*********•**«»••'221 Distribution of uranium deposits