STATUS OF MINERAL RESOURCE INFORMATION FOR THE UTE MOUNTAIN INDIAN RESERVATION, COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO By W. P. Pratt W. C. Henkes, and U. S. Bureau of Mines J. H. Irwin U. S. Geological Survey Administrative report BIA-17 1976 CONTENTS SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................ 1 PHYSIOGRAPHY .......................................................... 2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS .............................................. 2 GEOLOGY ..................................................................... 3 PREVIOUS GEOLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS ................................... 3 GEOLOGIC SETTING AND ROCK UNITS .................................... 4 Triassic(?) and Jurassic Systems ........................................ 4 Navajo Sandstone .............................................. 4 Jurassic System ..................................................... 5 San Rafael Group .............................................. 5 Entrada Sandstone ....................................... 5 Summerville Formation ................................... 5 Junction Creek Sandstone ................................. 5 Morrison Formation ............................................ 6 Cretaceous System ................................................... 7 Burro Canyon Formation ........................................ 7 Dakota Sandstone .............................................. 7 Mancos Shale ................................................ 8 Gallup Sandstone ........................................ 9 Mesaverde Group .............................................. 9 Point Lookout Sandstone .................................. 9 Menefee Formation ..................................... 10 Cliff House Sandstone ................................... 10 Lewis Shale ................................................. 11 Pictured Cliffs Sandstone ....................................... 11 Fruitland Formation ........................................... 11 Kirtland Shale ............................................... 11 Tertiary System .................................................... 12 Ojo Alamo Sandstone ......................................... 12 Cretaceous or Tertiary Systems ........................................ 12 Igneous rocks ................................................ 12 Tertiary(?) and Quaternary Systems...................................... 12 Pediment deposits ............................................ .1 2 Quaternary System .................................................. 13 Colluvial deposits ............................................ 13 Alluvium ................................................... 13 GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE................................................. 13 General ........................................................... 13 Ute dome......................................................... 14 Mesa Verde basin ................................................... 14 Hogback monocline ................................................. 14 McElmo dome ..................................................... 14 Barker dome and anticline ............................................ 15 Southern Ute dome .................................................. 15 Faults ............................................................. 15 Ute Mountains area ............................................ 15 Southern Ute Dome area ........................................ 15 MINERAL RESOURCES ......................................................... 16 ENERGY RESOURCES .................................................... 16 Petroleum and Natural Gas ............................................ 16 General ...................................................... 16 Geologic Controls ............................................. 16 Production and Reserves ........................................ 16 Cache-Towaoc Group of Fields ............................. 17 Desert Canyon Oilfield ................................... 17 Cache Oilfield .......................................... 17 Marble Wash Oilfield .................................... 17 Towaoc Oilfield ......................................... 18 Ramona - Aztec Wash Group of Fields ....................... 18 Ramona Oilfield ......................................... 18 Chipeta Oilfield ......................................... 18 Mancos River Oilfield .................................... 18 Aztec Wash Oilfield ...................................... 18 Horseshoe-Verde Group of Fields ........................... 19 Horseshoe-Gallup Oilfield ................................. 19 Verde-Gallup Oil field .................................... 19 Barker Dome and Ute Dome Gasfields ....................... 20 Barker Dome Gasfield .................................... 20 Ute Dome Gasfield ...................................... 20 Resource Potential ............................................. 21 Coal .............................................................. 21 Uranium ........................................................... 23 METALLIC MINERAL RESOURCES ........................................ 24 General ............................................................ 24 Titanium ........................................................... 24 Copper ............................................................ 25 Resource Potential ............................................. 25 NONMETALLIC MINERAL RESOURCES .................................... 26 General ............................................................ 26 Sand and Gravel ..................................................... 26 Stone ............................................................. 26 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES ............................ 26 MINERAL LEASING ...................................................... 26 MINERAL MARKETS ..................................................... 27 TOPOGRAPHIC MAP COVERAGE ................................................ 28 REFERENCES ................................................................. 29 Status of Mineral Resource Information for the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation, Colorado and New Mexico W.P. Pratt, J.H. Irwin, and W.C. Henkes SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS would add materially to the data assembled by Shomaker and Holt (1973). The mineral resources now being produced on The new agreement with Mobil Oil Corp. for the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation are petro­ uranium exploration will result, at least, in addi­ leum, natural gas, and small quantities of sand and tional information concerning the economic geol­ gravel. It is probable that, with increasing demands ogy of the reservation. If commercial deposits of for energy coupled with higher prices for crude oil uranillm are found, the economic impact on the and natural gas, there will be increased exploration reservation will be significant. Geologic structural in the Four Corners area. data from uranium exploration drill holes may The shallow production in the fields from encourage additional drilling for oil and natural Ramona to Aztec Wash will continue to be erratic gas. but, because of the relatively low drilling and The titaniferous sandstones on the reservation operating costs, these fields will continue to attract probably merit some study. Because of its light venture capital. Production from the fossil reefs in weight and corrosion resistant properties, use of the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation in titanium metal is expected to expand. It is recom­ the Cache, Marble Wash, and Towaoc fields along mended that the titaniferous sandstones be mapped the Utah boundary has been somewhat disappoint­ in detail and research undertaken to process and ing. Location of productive wells in the reef mate­ mine the deposits. rial has been frustratingly erratic. Numerous deep The presence of copper minerals and propylitic wells have been drilled along the southeast exten­ alteration associated with the igneous rocks of the sion of the Paradox Member without success. The Ute Mountains could indicate "porphyry copper" density of drilling is not sufficient to deny the deposits at depth, even though the surface indica­ presence of additional Paradox oilfields, but results tions are not promising. Depth to possible ore to date are discouraging. could be as much as 3,000 feet. Geochemical Increased petroleum exploration may be at­ studies might delineate promising target areas for tracted to the reservation by lease terms more exploration by diamond drilling. favorable to the companies, for example, by slight­ ly reduced royalties. The discovery rate and pro­ INTRODUCTION duction do not justify more stringent royalty or lease terms at this time. This report was prepared for the U. S. Bureau The most favorable possibilities for coal of Indian Affairs by the U. S. Geological Survey production appear to be in the Menefee Formation and the U. S. Bureau of Mines under an agreement near and south of the Colorado-New Mexico to compile and summarize available information border, and in the Fruitland Formation in San Juan on the geology, mineral and energy resources, and County. It is doubtful that additional field work potential for economic development of certain BIA Administrative Report 17 (1976) 1 Status of Mineral Resource Information for the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation, Colorado and New Mexico W.P. Pratt, J.H. Irwin, and W.C. Henkes Indian lands. Sources of information were pub­ area, and leaves about 6 miles