URVEY NOTE VOL 21 NO. 4 WINTER 1987 UTAH GEOLOGICAL ANO MINERAL S U R V EY UGMS NE~V SAMPLE LIBRARY SURVEY NOTES WINTER 1987 TABLE OF CONTENTS The UGMS Sample Library • • • • • • • • • • • • 2 The Mineral Industry of Utah in 1987 • • • • • 4 Dead Horse Point Ro ckfall Recorded FROM THE on Sei smograph • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 5 Utah Earthquake Activity • • • • • . • • • • • • • 6 DIRECTOR'S CORNER Scandium-bearing Aluminum Phosphate Deposits in Utah • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 7 UGMS Staff Changes . • • • • • . • . • • • • • • 7 Items of Interest . • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • 8 This issue of Survey Notes highlights in the state's sample library. They see the UGMS Publications • • . • • . • • • • • • • • • • 9 the Sample Library. The expiration of our sample library as the "backbone of the Pa st Survey Notes Publications ••••••••. 10 present lease in July 1988 and a reassess­ survey" ... "that's all you've got once Cover design by Julia Vigil ment of the priorities of the UGMS Eco­ you've drilled the well" ... "it's data ... if Microphotography by Thom Little, Terra Tek nomic Geology Program make this issue you throw it away, it's gone forever." They Photos by Cynthia Brandt particularly timely. boast of attracting industry. One of Alas­ Problem/ Need: Every year in Utah ka's triumphs was having a sample library STATE OF UTAH tens of millions of dollars are spent by ready and waiting when petroleum com­ NORMAN H. BANGERTER, GOVERNOR industry and government in drilling to panies began looking for geologic infor­ DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DEE C. HANSEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR obtain information on the subsurface mation to aid exploration efforts. Some geology of the state. Most of the drilling is libraries serve engineering geologists in SURVEY NOTES STAFF done for specific objectives but the sam­ other state agencies by storing critical EDITOR ). STRINGFELLOW ples obtained can provide important fun­ core such as from the foundation studies EDITORIAL STAFF damental data for a variety of uses. If the at dam sites, or problem soils and core Julia Vigil, Patti Frampton-Carter samples (in the form of cores and cuttings) from construction projects. Many sample CARTOGRAPHERS obtained in this drilling are not archived libraries attract students and university Kent D. Brown, James W. Parker, professors to study the evolution of sedi­ Patricia H. Speranza in a way that they can be recovered and used in the future, much of the potential mentary basins or engineering character­ UGMSSTAFF information on subsurface geology is lost. istics such as changes in porosity and ADMINISTRATION Because new geologic concerns and new permeability that affect enhanced petro­ GENEVIEVE ATWOOD, Director analytical techniques are continually leum recovery. State survey personnel DOUG A. SPRINKEL, Deputy Director developing, it is not possible to do an sometimes are among the most active Sandra Eldredge, Roselyn Dechart, analysis on the samples that will provide users of their own sample library. It Gwen Anderson all the information for future studies. appears that the more a sample library is SPECIAL ASSISTANTS TO DIRECTOR used, the more likely industry will give ARCHIE D. SMITH / Economic These materials are a direct aid to industry WILLIAM R. LUND / Applied in exploration programs and often the a­ samples to it and support others use of it, SUPPORT vailability of such material is a key factor and the more useful it becomes. INFORMATION MIRIAM BUGDEN in decisions to invest in exploration Library: To many, a collection of Utah Mage Yonetani, Jackie Ledbetter programs. rock samples housed in a warehouse is far COMPUTER JOHN S. HAND Present Status: The Utah Geological from the definition of a library, but in one Cory Burt sense of the word it is. The rocks contain APPLIED GEOLOGY GARY CHRISTENSON and Mineral Survey has maintained a William F. Case, Kimm Harty, Suzanne Sample Library for many years. Core and information and geologic stories that can Hecker, Robert H. Klauk, William Mulvey, cuttings from drill holes of particular be "read" by those trained to do so. As Bill Black, Janine Jarva, Sharon Wakefield interest (usually relating to economic technology improves and the science of ECONOMIC GEOLOGY ARCHIE D. SMITH geology) have been accepted and stored. geology develops, more and more infor­ Robert Blackett, Cynthia Brandt, J. Wallace mation can be found and understood Gwynn, Alex C. Keith, Ray Kerns, Michael However, limitations of space and funds Shu bat, Bryce T. Tripp, Charles Bishop, Brig­ have prevented the UGMS from accept­ from the samples, enabling scientists and itte Hucka, Steve So mmer, Annona Young­ ing many important samples and from investigators to form theories and make dell providing the facilities for the public and predictions about earth history and the GEOLOGIC MAPPING HELLMUT DOELLING the state to make the most effective use of economic resources of Utah. Fitzhugh Davis, Lehi F. Hintze, Mark The UGMS provides a stability which Jensen, Michael L. Ross, Grant C. Willis the material in the Sample Library. Thanks to consc ient ious staff, the sam­ benefits the State of Utah by housing val­ Survey Notes is published quarterl y by Utah uable samples without regard to Geological and Mineral Survey, 606 Bl ac k Hawk ple collection is now stored much like any Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108 (801 ) 581-6831. well-run library. Samples are neatly economic fluctuation. A public library of The UGMS inventories the geologic resources of shelved, although in relatively cramped books does the same. Thus, the valuable th e state, id entifies its geolog ic haz ard s, and irreplaceable rock samples that might disseminates informatio n conce rning Utah 's facilities, cataloged, and made available geology, and advises policymakers on geologic for use. Compared to most state sample otherwise be thrown out by companies iss ues. Th e UGMS is a division of the Department libraries, ours is a " bare bones" approach. and universities during economic down­ o f Natural Reso urces. Single copies of Survey No tes are distributed free of charge to res idents The more aggressive ones actively search turns are kept and made available when within th e Uni ted St ates and Ca nad a. Re­ for new acquisitions. Some states even they are needed during economic boom pro ducti on is encouraged w ith recognition of times. Continued on Page 11 so urce. require, by law, that samples be deposited WINTER 1987 SURVEY NOTES PAGE2 The UGMS Sample Library by Cynthia BJandt The Utah Geological and Mineral Survey (UGMS) Sample more sophisticated, rock examination becomes more and Library offers to all, free of charge, the use of geological more necessary: subtle aspects can make the difference samples from diverse parts of Utah and from a few adjacent between an economic success and a failure, between good states. It is a collection of whole core, drill cuttings, and scientific constructs and poor ones. outcrop samples. Sample Library Usage The Real Goal From November 1986 through March 1988, the UGMS The UGMS Sample Library exists to benefit the citizens of the Sample Library responded to 76 requests, received State of Utah. It does so by providing geological samples to approximately 1,006 boxes of samples, and loaned samples to scientists and engineers interested in better understanding 28 people. If 1988 continues to be as busy as it has been so far, Utah's remarkable geological record. For it is through better the Sample Library staff will answer 80 to 100 requests, will understanding that Utah's vast natural resources can be wisely receive 300 to 500 boxes of samples, and will loan samples to 40 developed for the betterment of the citizens of Utah. When to 60 people. resources are developed, jobs are created and incomes rise. In Staff addition, when there is resource development, be it oil, gas, A manager and a technician provide service to clients of the gold, coal, or other commodities, the Land Grant Maintenance library as well as maintain and develop the collection. At the Fund and the Federal Mineral Lease Funds are enhanced and better able to fund education and other state programs. end of December, 1987, Carolyn Olsen became the Sample Library's full-time geotechnician after ye~rs of service to the History UGMS in other capacities. Her talents and enthusiasm will be a great asset to the library and will provide the manager with The UGMS Sample Library, when established in 1951, was great capability to coordinate this function with the responsi­ located in the Mines Building on the University of Utah campus. Over the years the collection has always grown faster bilities of a UGMS petroleum geologist. than anticipated. Consequently, since its establishment, the Catalog UGMS Sample Library has moved several times to new and The UGMS Sample Library staff has updated the listing of the larger quarters in order to keep the Library viable. holdings of the library. In the past year, the catalog information was transferred into a computer format, allowing the Collection information on the Sample Library collection to be Drill cuttings from approximately 1,700 wells in Utah and manipulated by database management software. As a result, surrounding areas are part of the UGMS Sample Library the computer has helped the Sample Library staff respond collection as well as more than 400,000 feet of core. The core more quickly and more accurately to requests for samples. The and drill cuttings represent approximately 17% of the staff can search for a particular request while the client is still petroleum wells drilled in Utah. Historically, samples from on the phone and answer yes, we do have that sample, or no, wells drilled for petroleum exploration and development have we do not. Because the computerized catalog is dominated the collection, but metallic mineral, coal, tar sand, updated continually as new samples come in, the staff is also and geothermal samples likewise comprise a significant part of responding to clients with the best information possible.