- "" ... JANUARY 1979 VOLUME 7 - NUMBER I

A PU3LICATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

WASHINGTON GEOWGIC NEWSLETTER

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METALLIC AND NONMETALLIC MINERAL

EXPLORATION AND MINING HIGHLIGHTS, 1978

BEAT L.COLE COMMISSIONER OF PU8LIC LANDS

RALPH A. BESWICK, Supervisor VAUGHN E. LIVINGSTON,JR..State Geologist DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF GECi.OGY AND EARTH RESOURCES

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AN O EARTH RESOURCES, OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON, 98504 LOCATION MAP: DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES DEPT. SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

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TACOMA S~TILE--

IDEPT. HIGHWAYS CITY CENTER FREEWAY EXIT PORTLA~ STATE CAPITOL EXIT

Mailing address: Deportment of Natural Resources Division of Geology and Earth Resources Olympia, WA 98504 (206) 753-6183

Vaughn E. (Ted) Livingston, Jr., Supervisor

J. Eric Schuster, Assistant Supervisor Donald M. Ford, Assistant Supervisor

Minerals and energy Land use Regulatory geologists Pub I icotions geologists Librarian functions

Wayne S. Moen Louro Broy Gerold W. Thorsen Connie Monson Surface Mined Land Weldon W. Rau Keith Ikerd Kurt Othberg Reclomation Act L. Secretori es Corl Mc Farland Gibb Johnson Allen J. Fiksdol Oi I and Gos 'Conservation Ellis R. Vonheeder Wonda Walker Jomes G. Rigby Pamela Vvhitlock Act Charles W. Walker Glenndo B. Tucker Patricio Ames Laboratory C lint Milne Pamela Palmer Kim Summers Geothermal Resources Mike Korosec Arnold W. Bowman KeHh L. Stoffel Ayuni Wimpee Act

COVER PHOTOS

Upper pictures: Gold Placers, Inc., Liberty, Washington. Nuggets recovered up to 2 ounces on Wi 11iams Creek. Lower pictures: Witco Chemical's diatomite operation, one of two pits near George, Washington. Picture on right shows partial section of 30-foot thick diatomite bed beneath basalt flow. METALLIC MINERAL

EXPLORATION I N WASHINGTON, l 9 7 8

By Clint Milne

During the 1978 field season over 45 com­ generally in drilling stages . Figures computed by the panies conducted exploration and mining investiga­ U. S. Department of Energy indicate that uranium tions in Washington. Activity has been approximately exploration drilling increased this year over 1977 in the same as last year except for perhaps a slight in­ Washington, as it hos in the entire Pacific Northwest. crease in precious metal exploration. This increase In 1978, metals explored for were uranium, is attributed to the record values of gold and silver. gold, silver, copper-molybdenum, lead-zinc, and Uranium and base metal exploration has tungsten. The intensity of exploration was greatest remained relatively stable over the past 2 years. in the northeastern part of the state (see figure 1 ), Companies that located properties last year ore now parti cul orly in Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille

C l A

JEFF' [ R

LI NC OLN SPO K ANE

(l R A N T

A O A M S W HIT MAN

V A M I M A

•0 Low acti vi ty <::::) Moderate acti vity ~ High activity

Figure l. -Areas of exploration showing relative intensities of activity, 1978. Counties. In this region, the most intense explora­ eluding northern Spokane County, this region of tion was for uranium, followed by gold and silver. northeastern Washington contains 80 percent of the Okanogan County and the Cascade Mountains known uranium occurrences in the state. region underwent both reconnaissance exploration The focal point of uranium exploration was and property development for base and precious the Midnite and Sherwood uranium mine area of south­ metals. Uranium exploration in Okanogan Courtty western Stevens County and north-central Lincoln and the Cascade Mountains wos minor. County. Companies, including Down Mining, Western Nucleor, Denison, Rexcon, Lucky Mc Uranium, Uranium Exploration Anaconda , and Alliance Nuclear, have been intensely prospecting this area for Sherwood (basal conglomer­ Uranium was the most highly sought ofter ate) and Midnite-type (hard rock) deposits. A new­ metal this yeor following the trend of the lost 2 years. comer to the region this year is Anaconda, who hos Twenty-one of the companies active in Washington reportedly dri I led the Sand Flat area south of the were involved in uranium exploration. Ferry, Stevens, Spokane Indian Reservation. northern Lincoln , and Pend Oreille Counties hod The Pend Oreille Valley of Pend Oreille most of the exploration activity (see figure 2). In- County was still the site of heavy uranium exploration

o • W M • Or C O M D

JEFFER

L I N CO LN

c:::J Uran ium (general area) Gold •0 Silver D Molybdenum D• Copper Tungsten ..6 KLIC•ITAT

Figure 2.-Locations for metallic mineral exploration, 1978.

2 In the Tertiary sedimentary sequences (Tiger Forma­ Mountains physiographic provinces. tion) and felsic intrusives of the volley region. In northeastern Stevens County, mining Nothing economic has apparently been found to dote. continued on the Melrose silver mine near North­ At least 10 major mining companies were reported port by Charleston Resources, a nd Brinex drilled to be in various stages of exploration from reconnais­ a silver property in this region. In the Mineral sance examination to drilling. Companies working Mountain area west of Northport, Totem Industries in the Pend Oreille Volley are: Conoco, BurWest, Ltd. of Vancouver did considerable exploratory work Inspiration Development, Lucky Mc Uranium, Wold on deposits of gold, silver, copper, and tungsten and Nuclear, Kerr-McGee, Minatome, Resource Asso­ are contemplating mining operations. ciates of Alaska, Denison, and Reserve Oil and North of Republic in Ferry County, Ruby Minerals. Reserve Oil is drilling twenty 1,000-foot Mines, Inc. conducted leaching tests at the Valley holes in the Cusick Basin of the lower valley region. View gold mine. South of here and in the vicinity Elsewhere in the Okanogan Highlands Physio­ of Republic, Houston Oil and Minerals continued graphic Province, Kerr-McGee, Conoco, and Reserve investigations for gold at the Flag Hi ll mine . Just Oil are dri II ing in central Stevens County, an area north of Republic, in an attempt to keep the Knob of possible "Midnite-type" extensions. Western Hi ll mine open, exploration was conducted by Day Nuclear, St. Joe, Nesco, and Inspiration Develop­ Mines, Inc. They also plan extensive exploration ment prospected for uranium in east-central Ferry on gold-bearing veins in much of the Republic mining County. The Mount Leona and Sherman Pass areas of district. Ferry County are sti II thought to have the possibility On Mineral Hill, in the Conconully area of economically important deposits. In Okanogan of Okanogan County, Mineral Hills Mines, Inc. con­ County, Washington Public Power Supply System tinued development of the Sunny Peak silver mine. (WPPSS) plans to drill on Mineral Hill in the Con­ In the North Cascades of western Okanogan conully area. U.S. Borax and Conoco continued County, Lions Mines Ltd. continued development on reconnaissance exploration throughout the entire the Newlite gold mine in the Harts Pass region. The Okanogan High lands. 100-ton-per-day mi l I at the property is being readied The Cascade Mountains region of western for operation. In central Whatcom County, U.S. Washington underwent minor uranium exploration. Borax drilled the Great Excelsior silver property east Kerr-McGee carried out o stream sediment program of Glacier, in the Mount Boker district. In King in the Sultan Basin region of southeastern Snohomish County of the central Cascades, Inspiration Develop­ County. In the Spirit Lake area of northwestern ment explored for gold and silver in the Miller River Skamania County (Mount St. Helens District), Bur­ and Money Creek area. South of Wenatchee in lington Northern found anomalous radioactivity in Chelan County, Amoco explored for gold deposits Miocene rhyolites and tentatively identified a uran­ near the Lovitt mine. ium mineral as carnotite. Base Metals and Tungsten Exploration Gold - Silver Exploration Bose metal exploration hos been predomi­ This past year, 12 of the 45 mining companies nantly in the Cascade Mountains and western Oka­ active in Washington were exploring, developing, nogan Highlands. Sixteen companies explored for or mining precious metals. Activity was scattered copper, molybdenum , lead, and zinc, with the pri­ throughout the Okanogan Highldnds and Cascade mary activity directed toward copper and molybdenum.

3 In Skamania County of the southern Cascades; Amoco type deposit. continues to investigate copper and molybdenum de­ Two tungsten properties were active in Wash­ posits on the Miners Queen property in the Si lver Star ington this year. The Blue Grouse mine in the Deer mountain area. In the northwestern part of the county, Lake area of southern Stevens County was leased to

Duval also continued to explore a low-grade copper Kimmer Coal Company I who hos been investigating property north of Mount St. Helens. deposits there. In southern Okanogan County along In the Sultan Basin of Snohomish County in the Columbia River and south of Omak Lake, Union the central Cascades, Exxon explored the Broken Carbide examined economic possibilities at the Chief Ridge copper- molybdenum prospect in the Si lver Jo tungsten mine.

Creek area. North of Lake Wenatchee in Chelan Producing Mines County, Bethex investigated a copper property on Basalt Peak. In Whatcom County Texasgu lf explored Western Nuclear's Sherwood uranium mine a copper prospect in the Church Mountain area north in southwestern Stevens County began producing ore of Mount Baker. Also in this region, Asarco pros­ in Moy of this yeot. Milling of the ore at 2,000 pected for copper, zinc, and si Iver. In the Slate tons per day was fina lly achieved in early November. Creek mining district of eastern Whatcom County, Mining continued from the east pit ore body and the Duval staked a claim group on a copper-molybdenum ore grade is generally 0.08 to 0.10 percent . u3o8 showing. Approximately 5 miles to the north of the Sherwood In Okanogan County eight exploration com­ mine, the Midnite uranium mine is operated by Down panies actively prospected for copper and molybdenum. Mining Company. Down is milling ore at 480 tons per day and at a grade of about 0. 10 percent . In the northwestern part of the county, Northwest u3 o8 Mining Ltd. examined the Copper Glance property At the Melrose silver mine in northeastern in the upper Eightmile Creek area. Quintana con­ Stevens County, Charleston Resources mined 12 car­ tinued its investigation of the Mazama Copper prop­ loads of silver ore, averaging 24 ounces per ton. The erty. A few miles north of Twisp, Utah Jnternotionol ore is shipped to the Tacoma and Trail smelters . To explored for copper in the Banner Lake area. East of date, 18,074 ounces hove been mined. Twisp on Buck Mountain, Gulf Minero ls has o lease Bunker Hill's Pend Oreille zinc mine near on a molybdenum prospect. West of Tonasket, Amax Metaline Falls hos been closed for over a yeor because drilled molybdenum deposits at the Star Moly prospect. of low zinc prices that are still not high enough to Southwest of Oroville, Bethex examined the Copper economically reopen the mine. World property on Palmer Mountain . North of Oro- The Knob Hi ll mine, o few miles north of vl lie near the Canadian border, U.S. Borax explored Republic in Ferry County, closed last February but the Kelsey property on the west side of Lake Osoyoos. was opened several weeks later by Day Mines, Inc., Inspiration Development explored prospects of copper, its new owners. Mining hos continued throughout lead, and zinc throughout Okanogan, Chelan, ond the year at a level below the 400- ton-per-doy mi ll Snohomish Counties. capacity. In southern Ferry County in the Keller area, In the Liberty area of northern Kittitas Amax leased the Mount Tolman copper- mo lybdenum County, the Swauk mining district is once again see ­ property from the Colville Indian Tribe. Bear Creek ing the glitter of gold . Gold Placers, Inc. , operated released the property last year ofter 12 years of ex­ a gold placer washing plant part-time on Wi lliams ploration ( 1964-1976). Previous estimates indicate Creek and recovered gold nuggets up to 2 ounces in 140 to 240 mi II ion tons of ore at a grade of O. 12 per­ size. The "Miser's Face," a 55 ounce nugget, was cent copper and O. 13 percent MoS in a porphyry- taken from this area around 1900. 2 4 MINING COMPANIES ACTIVE~ WASHINGTON, 1978

Alliance Nuclear Exxon Reserve Oi I and Minerals Corp. Amax Gold Placers, Inc . Resource Associates of Alaska Amoco Gulf Mineral Resources Co . Rexcon Anaconda Houston Oil and Minerals Corp . Ruby Mines, Inc . Asarco Inspiration Development Co. St. Joe American Corp. Bethex Kerr-McGee Resources Corp . Silver Consolidated Mining Co. Brinex Ltd . Kimmer Coal Co . Si Iver King Mines Burlington Northern Lions Mines Ltd . Texasgulf, Inc . BurWest Lucky Mc Uranium Corp . Totem Industries Ltd. Charleston Resources Midnite Mines, Inc. Union Carbide Conoco Minatome Corp . U.S. Borax Dawn Mining Co. Mineral Hills Mines, In c . Utah International Day Mines, Inc. Nesco Mining Corp . Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS) Denison Mines, Inc. Northwest Mining , Ltd. Western Nuclear, Inc. Duval Corp . Quintana Minerals Corp. Wold Nuclear

NONMETALLIC AND I NDUSTR IAL MINERALS AND ENER GY EXPLORATION

By Ellis R. Vonheeder

INTRODUCTION INDUSTRIAL AND NONMETALLIC MINERALS

The nonmetallic mineral industry in Wash­ Unlike the state's metallic minerals, which ington experienced on overall growth rate of approx­ are concentrated essentially in northeastern Wash ing­ imately 7 percent in 1978, according to preliminary ton, every county in the state has a history of non­ figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The metallic mineral production. tota l state mineral production figure is projected to The stone industry, according to figures from be approximately $188.4 mi ll ion. Portland cement the U.S. Bureau of Mines, has shown approximately ($65.3 mi llion), sand and gravel ($39.1 million), 9 percent growth in production over last year, and and stone ($28.2 million) make up approximately 68 reflects a substantial increase in demand for crushed percent of the total value of minerals produced. stone as used in such applications as road-metal, Fossil fuels and metallic minerals account for the aggregate, and riprap. The 1977 Washington Directory majority of the remainder. of Mining Operations lists over 100 quarries, mainly Energy exploration, namely coal exploration, in King, Snohomish, and Whatcom Counties, which received much attention in Washington in 1978, with produce andesite, basalt, limestone, and sandstone. over o dozen cool exploration companies actively en­ Sand and gravel operations number over 320 gaged in exploration and(or) evaluation of available active pits, fo r the most part concentrated in King, data. Exploration and evaluation of geothermal Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane Counties. Production sources in the state wi II increase in the next 2 to figures indicate a 7 percent increase over last year. 4 years as two federo I ly sponsored projects begin . Sand and gravel production in 1978 continued to re-

5 fleet the dramatic number of new housing construction plantations. Calcium silicate also is used as a soil projects in the Puget Sound area in the last 3 to 5 additive. Waste silica is reclaimed as a smelter flux. years. Demand for sand and gravel is expected to in­ Owners of Industrial Mineral Products see their bus iness crease, and prices are expected to Increase proportion­ showing conservative and solid growth as other markets a lly as federal and county regulations preclude or and uses for their products ore discovered. seriously hinder the opening of new pits near urban areas. As funding for state and federa l highway build­ Olivine ing programs is curtailed, this demand for sand and gravel is expected to decrease. The O livine Corporation of Bellingham con­ Portland cement is manufactured in King, tinues to proouce about 10,000 tons of mineral per Whatcom, and Pend Oreille Counties. Pre liminary year from their quarry on the north side of the Twin figures indicate a 21 percent increase in the produc­ Sisters massif in Whatcom County, Approximately tion of Portland cement. In 1978, 1.5 million tons of 600 acres in 30 claims ore held by the company. No Portland cement were produced, with about 520,000 new exploration drilling was undertaken in 1978. tons (35 percent) of that figure derived from limestone Increasing restrictions in the use of si lica sand hos quarried within the state. opened up new markets for olivine as on additive for pig iron and as o casting sand in manganese steel

Dolomite foundries. Northwest 01 ivine, the largest operator in Northwest Alloys, a subsidiary of Alcoa, Inc. , the state, hos been in existence for 20 years. In and located at Addy, Washington, is the largest pro­ 1964, it acquired Wiseman Minerals of North Carolina. ducer of mognesium metal in the state. The plant has In 1968, the company was in turn purchased by Inter­ been in production since .January, 1976; capacity of national Minerals and Chemicals and remains an IMC the plant at fu ll operation is 24,000 tons of magnesium subsidiary today. A steady growth rate of 2 to 5 per­ and 16,500 tons of si lica annually. Approximately cent in the lost 6 years hos been exhibited by the 300 tons of metallic magnesium are produced in one company. week . The Washington State market varies in pro­ Raw material production tonnages through portion to the cyclical variations of the steel and October of this year include over 351,700 tons of foundry market. North Carol inc production figures dolomite and 16,500 tons of silica, Developmental recently surpassed those of Washington State, primarily dri II ing was undertaken at the company's quarries th is due to olivine finding increased use as a slag condi­ past year. Conservative estimates suggest at least o tioner in eastern U.S. foundries. The company opti­ 45- yeor supply of dolomite and quartzite. misti co lly forecasts a 5 to 7 percent growth rote Industrial Mineral Products of Rovensdale (near through June 1979. Seattle) recycles slog and magnesia waste from the A new exploration program is now in progress Addy operation. Approximately 100,000 pounds of at the company•s property, located on the southwest magnesium metal per month are reclaimed. The slog side of the Twin Sisters massif. The program includes finds use as riprop and is ground fine for use as roofing 40 drill holes, each 50 feet in depth. Evaluation of granules. the drilling progrom will give Northwest Olivine a Other waste products from the Addy operation more accurate picture of quality and extent of are also reclaimed. A soil conditioner, under the trade reserves. The company estimates that within 5 years name Do-Lime, is used extensively on Hawaiian sugar the operation will change from the present "talus

6 slope" operation to o bona fide "hard rock quarry" During September a major Northwest timber operation. firm retained the John T. Boyd Co., of Denver, to drill 27 holes in the Toledo-Castle Rock coal district of southwestern Washington. Total footage dril led Diatomite was in excess of 7,000 lineal feet. Witco Chemical Corporation continues to Harrison-Western of Denver has been retained produce diotomite from their two pits near George in by a group of Northwest investors to evaluate coking Grant County. Results of exploration drilling under­ coal reserves in the Hamilton-Cokedale area of Skagit taken this summer are stil I being evaluated. County. Ori lling and exploration activities there ore Diatomite finds extensive use in industrial expected to extend through the 1979 field season. applications as o filtering agent and as an insulat­ GRC Exploration of Denver, a subsidiary of ing medium . Gulf Resources and Chemical Corporation, hos drill­ ing rights on approximately 480 acres near Ashford, ENERGY west of Mount Rainier. Other activities include re­ evaluation of existing data, trenching, and sampling Cool of potential coking coal reserves in the Ashford field. Interest in Washington coal resources remains Utah International of Solt Lake City hos ended fairly high, although no new coal mining operations its second field season in Washington State. A close started in 1978. evaluation of preliminary data gained from general Washington Irrigation and Development Cor­ reconnaissance and some exploratory drilling lost poration remains the largest coal-producing entity in season will determine if the company will return for the state. Approximately 5 million tons per year are the 1979 field season. produced at the captive mine near Centre I io; total In February, 1977, the City of Seattle retained production is used to generate power at the adjacent a number of consultants to use available data in eval­ thermoelectric plant. Confirmation drilling of reserve uating coal resources in both the Roslyn and Green holdings and seam characterization prior to mining River fields and to prepare a mining plan in each area continue; present reserves ore estimated to be approx­ to supply on assumed 300-megowatt coo l-fired thermo­ imately 60 million tons. electric power plant. The only other coal producer in this state at Summarizing a report prepared jointly by the present time is Palmer Coking Coal of Ravensdole. Shannon & Wilson and Kaiser Engineers, City Light Palmer produces approximately 25,000 tons of bitumi­ states that cool in sufficient tonnages to feed the nous coal per year, mostly for small institutional con­ power plant for its 35-yeor-life is available on ly in tracts and domestic use . The Black Prince strip mine, the Green River area. Such cool would hove to be a smal l two-man operation just east of the Widco mine, mined underground; mining costs would make the cool was shut down earlier th is year. The owner found that more expensive than Rocky Mountain coals delivered expenses of meeting federal requirements would have to western Washington markets at today's prices. made the operation uneconomical. The report also mentions that methane gos Burlington Northern Inc. drilled exploratory reserves are not present in sufficient quantity to justify holes at 31 !ocations on their property near Roslyn. recovery for use in a combined cycle power-generation Pending evaluation of this year's data, Burlington plant. Underground gasification of cool in the Green Northern may elect to do further drilling in the 1979 River area was deemed to be difficult ond expensive. fie ld season. Generation costs in a combined- cycle system usi ng

7 cool gasified in place could not be estimated because Geothermal it was felt that a commercially feasible process would not be ovailoble for another 15 years. Although none of the more than 100 pending Other companies continue to evaluate existing leases for geothermal exploration and development on data in office sfudies prior to committing funds for ex­ federcd fonds hos been granted, interest in Washington's ploration and dri 11 ing. Sorne of those companies are geothermal resources is increasing. During the year listed at the end of this paper. Burlington Northern hos continued to explore for geo­ Of the state's 6. I bill ion tons of cool reserves, thermal targets in the Cascade Range, Seattle City only 8 percent ore considered to be strippoble. The Light has advertised for proposals to assess geothermal remaining 92 percent would have to be won by costly resources, Crown Zellerbach hos opp I ied for federal underground methods or remote methods which would funding to search for and develop geothermal resources not involve men underground. for space and process heating at their Comas paper Thus, underground cool gasification techniques mill, and Washington Public Power Supply System have been considered ot various times in the past. began to consider geothermal resources as future elec­ Exploration ln Washington for a suitable underground tricity producers. In addition, new federal and state coal gasification pilot site should begin soon . Eight geothermal assessment programs were begun. hundred thousand dollars ($800,000) of the 1979 U.S. Department of Energy budget hos been earmarked for such preliminary site charaderization in this state. ENERGY EXPLORATION COMPANIES The prime contractor has not been selected yet, but should be announced early in 1979. With underground ACTIVE IN WASHINGTON, 1978 mine capftol izotion costs increasing continually, underground cool gasification may be the only profit­ Abcon Engineering able way the majority of Washit,gton's cool resources Amnedo & Ivey can be profitably exploited. Bur Ii ngton Northern Inc. Floyd Cardinal Dowson Oil Properties Exxon Oil and Gas GRC Exploration Gulf Mineral Resources There were no exploratory oi I or gas wel Is Harrison- Western drilled in 1978. One gos stor-oge well was drilled at John T. Boyd Co. the .Jackson Prairie unit in Lewis County. In 1978, Minerals Explorotimn Co. the State of Washington leased 101,851 acres for oil Nissho-lwof American and gos exploration purposes in Pacific and Wahkiakum Rushing Minerals, Inc. Counties. Of the total acreage leased, 76,963 acres Utah International were in tidelands and 24,888 acres were included in Washington Irrigation & up land leases. Development Corp.

8 GEOLOGIC RESEARCH PROJECTS IN WASHINGTON STATE NOW IN PROGRESS AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Listed below are additional geologic research projects to supplement the main listing in the April - Theses In Progress- Newsletter: Petrology, petrogrophy and geochemistry of the Black

Western Washington University Jock breccia pipe of the Silver Star plutonic complex, Skamania County, Washington. - Recently Completed Master's Theses - Bab Birk. Pa leomagnetism and tectonic significance of the Petrography and petrochemistry of the Chilliwock Goble Volcanics of southern Washington . Group rocks neor Sauk Mountain, north Cynthia Burr. Cascades, Washington. Bruce Christensen. Pleistocene geology and related landslides in the Stratigraphy and depositional environment of the lower Skagit and Baker Vo lleys, north Deming formation, Washington. Cascades, Washington. Poul Heller. Bab Crondo 11. Volcanology and geochemistry of the south flank of Metamorphism and correlation of the rocks in the Mount Baker, Cascade Range, Washington. Cultus Mountain area, Washington . Douglas McKeever. Jock Cruver. A gravity survey and analysis of the Mount Stuart The mechanics of creep and its relationship to slope block of Washington State. Gregg Petrie. stability (north slope of Monostash Ridge Stratigraphy and chronology of raised marine terraces, (Ellensburg Formation) near Ellensburg, Boy View Ridge, Skagit County, Washington. Washington). Chuck Eccleston. Robert Siegfried. Poleomognetism, geochemistry, and petrology of the Shoreline processes and sediment response related to Block Hills basalt, Thurston, Mason, and the origin of beach cusps on Whidbey and Groys Harbor Counties, Washington. Fida Igo Islands, Washington. John Sposorl. Brian Gloverman. The origin of serpentinites associated with the Shukson A poleocurrent analysis of the western port of the metamorphic suite near Gee Point, Washington. Chuckanut depositional basin (near Bellingham, Doniel Wilson. Washington). Jim Hartwell. Geology of the Shukson greensch ist and associated - Theses Nearing Completion - rocks In the Mount Watson area, north Quo ternary geology and stratigraphy of Kitsap County, Cascades, Washington . Ro Iph Haugerud . Washington. Jerry Deeter. The net shoredrift of Whatcom County, Washington, The stratigraphy and petrology of the sedimentary Ed .Jacobsen. section of the Fidalgo ophiolite, Washington. The emplacement conditions and geochemistry of the Daryl Gusey. Lake Ann stock, north Cascades, Washington. Puget Sound bluff stability and shoreline changes in Eric James. Skagit County, Washington. Rolph Keuler. Mineralogy and chemistry of cloys of the Chuckanut

9 Formation, Higgins Mountain, Washington. YOUR STATE GEOLOGIST REPORTS Sue Kinder. Stratigraphy and metamorphism of the Nooksack In recent years I hove found myself having a Group in the Glacier Creek-Skyl ine Divide harder time understanding the geologic literature. area, north Cascades, Washington. Th is is, of course, due to the increase in the number Jon Sondergaard. of people working within narrow specialized fields. Geochemistry of the Shuksan metamorphic unit, north Bearing this in mind, it was with considerable satis­ Cascades, Washington. Leoh Street. faction that I recently read a report edited by Victor The geology and geochemistry of the Molly property R. Baker, of the University of Texas at Austin, and with special reference to uranium distribution, Dag Nummedal, of the University of South Carolina, Snohomish County, Washington. on the Channeled Scablands. The report consists of

R. L. Zomboras. a series of wel I-written papers by Baker, Nummedal 1 and a few other authors, dealing with the scablands. I found it very refreshing to be able to sit down and U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY read a geologic report much as one would read a OPEN- Fl LE REPORTS novel. The articles ore well illustrated with photo­ graphs and drawings and cover everything from sur­ The following reports ore now available for ficial and bedrock geology to the poleohydraulic and inspection in our d ivision library: erosion features. Of particular interest is the excel­ Radium and uranium data for mineral springs lent step-by-step review of how J Harlan Bretz put in eight westerh states, by J. Karen the "flood theory" together and met each cha I lenge Felmlee and Robert A. Cadigan, 21 figs. , that was thrown against it by other workers. In this 4 tables, 45 p . Open-file Report 78-561 . day of articles on the size of unit cells and statistical Well-sample and core repositories of the analyses of variations within fossil populations, if you United States and Canedo, by C. K. want to read a good old-fashioned report on mega­ Fisher and M. P. Krupa, 73 p. Open­ geology, this is it.

fi le Report 77-567. Ted Livingston

DIVISION SHIFTS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ASSISTANT SUPERVISORS

Some time ago, a major shift of supervisory of publication preparation. The final phase of this work was made in the Division of Geology and Earth reorganization hos now been finished. The complete Resources, with Don Ford and Eric Schuster trading functional organization of the division, with the em­ some responsibilities. The Land Use Geology section ployees in each section, con be seen on the back of was placed under Don, and Eric took over supervision th is newsletter cover.

10 U. S. GEOLOGICA L SURVEY 7f-MINUTE TOPOGRAPH IC QUADRANGLES (Maps received in the division library since November 15, 1978)

Name New Photo Lotitude Longitude County edition revised (ind icates southeast corner)

Bassett J..inction 1956 1978 47°001 00 11 119°00'0011 Grant Carlsborg 1956 1978 48°00'0011 123°07'3011 Clallam Copalis Beach 1955 1973 47°001 00 11 124°07' 30" Groys Ha rbor Crescent Harbor 1977 48°15 1 00 11 122°30'0011 Island; Skagit Ediz Hook 1961 1978 48°07' 30 11 123°221 30 11 Clallam Eph rata 1956 1978 47°15'00 11 119°30'00" Grant George 1966 1978 47°00100 11 l 19°451 00" Grant Ginkgo 1953 1978 46°5213011 120°00'00 11 Kittitas; Gra nt Johnson Butte 1964 1978 46°00'0011 119°07'30 11 Benton Mae 1956 1978 47°00 100 11 119°22'3011 Grant Moses Loke South 1956 1978 47°001 00 11 119°15'00" Grant Naches 1958 1978 46°371 30 11 120°37'30" Yakima Portland, Ore . - Wash. 1961 1970; 1977 45°301 0011 122°37'30" Clark Sunnyside 1965 1978 46°15 1 00 11 120°001 00 11 Yakima Upper Naso II e River 1949 1978 46°22'30 11 123°37'3011 Pacific; Wahkiakum Wa lla Walla, Wash. - O re. 1966 1978 46°0010011 118°15'00 11 Walla Walla Wenatchee 1966 1978 47°22' 30 11 120°15'00 11 Chelan; Douglas White Sa lmon, Wash. - Ore. 1978 45°37'3011 121 °22'30 11 Kli ck itat

II ....,..._ .. --

IUUC IATI Department of Natura I Resources U. S. ,OST AGI PAIO Division of Geology and Earth Resources o,,..., .•. w...... Olympia, WA 98504 ,_,. HJ