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L.E. Smith

Publications and source records attributed to L.E. Smith.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1952

Stratigraphic sections of the Phosphoria formation in Idaho, 1947-48, Part I

The Permian Phosphoria formation of the western states contains one of the world's largest reserves of phosphate. Although previous investigations (see especially Mansfield, 1927), including reconnaissance geologic mapping and sampling, established the location of most of the important deposits and their quality of scattered localities, they were not sufficiently detailed to permit a comparison of the merits of individual deposits or an appraisal of the reserves of phosphate rock that might be available under present economic conditions. Because the growing importance of the western phosphate deposits requires a better, more detailed understanding of their distribution and quality, the Geological Survey began in 1947 a comprehensive investigation, including (1) reconnaissance geologic mapping, mostly in Montana, of areas in which the Phosphoria formation could occur but where it had not previously been looked for or found; (2) geologic mapping, mostly in Montana, at a scale no smaller than 1:62,500, of several areas known to contain the Phosphoria formation but not previously mapped except in reconnaissance fashion; (3) geologic and topographic mapping, at a scale of 1:12,000, of some of the richest, thickest, and most accessible deposits; (4) measuring, describing, and sampling all beds of the phosphatic and shaly parts, and in some places the full thickness, of the Phosphoria formation and its stratigraphic equivalents at one or two localities per township over the entire field; (5) chemical and spectrographic analysis of the samples for phosphate, fluorine, minor metals, oil, and rock-forming constituents; and (6) petrologic and geochemical studies of the rocks and minerals of the formation. These studies are designed to define the regional and local geologic structures in which the phosphate bed lie, to provide a basis for the estimation of reserves of the inferred class over the entire region, and to determine the origin of the rocks and the elements contained in them. The data collected are not of the detail required to plan actual mining operations, but it is hoped they will guide industry in the selection of individual deposits worthy of further exploration. Most of the field work contemplated as a part of this investigation is now completed. Although the data will not be compiled or published in final form for some years to come, segments of the data, accompanied by little or no interpretation, will be published as preliminary maps or reports as they are assembled. The present report is the first of a series presenting in abbreviated form the description and analyses of the beds measured and sampled at various localities in southeastern Idaho (pl. 1). Companion reports presenting segments of the data from Montana, Wyoming, and Utah (Swanson and others, 1952, and McKelvey and others, 1952a and 1952b) are being released at the same time as this report, and others are in preparation.

Idaho↗
USGS1952

Stratigraphic sections of the Phosphoria formation in Wyoming, 1947-48

As part of a comprehensive investigation of the phosphate deposits of the western field begun in 1947, the U. S. Geological Survey has measured and sampled the Permian Phosphoria formation at many localities in Wyoming and adjacent states. Because these data will not be fully synthesized for many years, segments of the data, accompanied by little or no interpretation, will be published as preliminary reports as they are assembled. This report, which contains abstracts of some of the sections measured in western Wyoming (pl. 1), is one of this series. The field and laboratory procedures adopted in these investigations are described rather fully in a companion report (McKelvey and others, 1952a). Many people have taken part in this investigation. R. M. Campbell, R. A. Gulbrandsen, R. A. Harris, D. M. Larrabee, F. W. O'Malley, O. A. Payne, R. S. Sears, R. P. Sheldon, and R. A. Smart participated in the description of the strata and the collection of the samples referred to in this report. D. B. Dimick, H. A. Larsen, and T. K. Rigby assisted in the preparation of exposures and the crushing and splitting of samples in the field. The laboratory preparation of samples for chemical analysis was done in Denver, Colo., under the direction of W. P. Huleatt. Most of the P 2 O 5 and acid-insoluble analyses were made for the Survey by the U. S. Bureau of Mines at the Northwest Electrodevelopment Laboratory, Albany, Oreg., under the direction of S. M. Shelton and M. L. Wright. Most of the Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , and loss-on-ignition analyses were made by the Trace Elements Section laboratory of the Survey in Washington, D. C., under the direction of J. C. Rabbitt by chemists I. Barlow, A. Caemmerer, J. Greene, F. S. Grimadli, N. Guttag, H. Levine, H. Mela, Jr., and R. G. Milkey, and most of the spectrographic reports were prepared in this laboratory by C. L. Waring. The samples from one locality (Coal Canyon) were analyzed for P 2 O 5 , Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , V 2 O 5 , F, loss on ignition, and acid insoluble in the Chemical Laboratory of the Tennessee Valley Authority at Wilson Dam, Alabama, and spectrographically by D. M. Mortimer, of the Bureau of Mines at Albany. Compilation of the data has been largely by R. P. Sheldon and F. D. Frieske under the supervision of R. W. Swanson. Organization of the tabular data has been largely by Anita Cozzetto.

Wyoming↗
USGS1952

Stratigraphic sections of the Phosphoria formation in Utah, 1947-48

As part of a comprehensive investigation of the phosphate deposits of the western field begun in 1947, the U. S. Geological survey has measured an sampled the full thickness of the Permian Phosphoria formation and its partial correlative, the Park City formation, at many localities in Utah and other western states. Although these data will not be fully analyzed for several years, segments of the data, accompanied by little or no interpretation, will be published as preliminary reports. This report, which contains abstracts of many of the sections measured in northeastern Utah (pl. 1), is one of this series. The field and laboratory procedures adopted in these investigations are described rather fully in a companion report (McKelvey and others, 1952). A large number of people have taken part in this investigation. J. B. Collins, R. A. Gulbrandsen, R. A. Hoppin, J. A. Noel, F. W. O'Malley, O. A. Payne, J. F. Rominger, R. P. Sheldon, J. E. Smedley, and R. G. Waring participated in the description of strata and collection of samples referred to in this report. D. B. Dimick, H. A. Larsen, and T. K. Rigby assisted in the preparation of trenches and the crushing and splitting of samples in the field. The laboratory preparation of samples for chemical analysis was done in Denver, Colo., under the direction of W. P. Huleatt. Most of the chemical analyses reported herein were made for the Survey by the U. S. Bureau of Mines at the Northwest Electrodevelopment Laboratory, Albany, Oreg., under the direction of S. M. Shelton and M. L. Wright. All the samples from one locality (Brazer Canyon) were analyzed in the Chemical Laboratory of the Tennessee Valley Authority at Wilson Dam, Ala. Some of the Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , and loss-on-ignition analyses were made in the Trace Elements Section laboratory of the Survey in Washington, D. C., under the direction of J. C. Rabbitt by chemists I. Barlow, A Caemmerer, J. Greene, N. Guttag, and E. H. Humphrey. The spectrographic analyses were made by D. M. Mortimer, of the Bureau of Mines in Albany. Compilation of the data has been largely by R. P. Sheldon and F. D. Frieske under the supervision of R. W. Swanson. Organization of the tabular data has been largely by Anita Cozzetto.

Utah↗
USGS1952

Results of diamond drilling and geologic investigation of the Shirley May (Garo) uranium deposit, Park County, Colorado

The Shirley May (Garo) uranium deposit near Garo, Park County, Colo., consists of tyuyamunite and carnotite that occur as disseminations and as fracture fillings in three beds of medium- to coarse-grained sandstone. The sandstones are in the Maroon formation of Permian age. This deposit was explored by means of 12 core-drill holes, totalling 2,003 feet. The deposit is on the northeast flank of the Garo anticline, a local structure that probably is related to Tertiary tectonic movement. In the vicinity of the deposit the sedimentary rocks strike northwest and dip steeply. They are cut by numerous northerly-trending faults that have horizontal displacements of as much as 1,000 feet. The ore minerals tyuyamunite, carnotite, volborthite, calciovolborthite, malachite, azurite, chalcocite(?) , and an unidentified yellow to dark-red vanadium oxide are restricted to a complexly faulted area. The ore body that has yielded most of the uranium ore is in the uppermost ore-bearing sandstone (bed no. 1) and is stratigraphically 50 and 150 feet above the ore horizons in sandstones nos. 2 and 3, respectively. The uranium content of samples from the mine workings ranges from 0. 001 to 0. 48 percent uranium; dump samples contain as much as 2.39 percent uranium. A total of 40 tons of uranium ore, averaging 1.0 percent uranium, was produced in 1919.

Colorado↗
USGS1951

Stratigraphic sections of the Phosphoria formation in Idaho

The first of a series of reports giving detailed stratigraphic sections of the Phosphoria formation in the Western phosphate field as measured and described by the Geological Survey will be released as Circulars within the next few months. Because of the needs of industry for many of these data during the 1951 field season, and in view of the unavoidable delays attendant on publication, the tabular data to be included in these Circulars are hereby placed on open file in simple reproduction form (prepared by Ozalid from photographic negatives) and without explanatory text so that immediate use may be made of the data. The tables include data on sections in four states: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah; and the tables for each of these states are bound together as individual reports. The tables include name and location of section measured, brief description of geologic setting, acknowledgments for field and analytical work, abstract data on the sections (bed number, rock name, sample number, and thickness), and analytical data on the samples. The analytical data include reports on P 2 O 5 and acid insoluble for all samples and additional analyses, such as Al 2 0 3 , Fe 7 0 3 , loss on ignition, F, and V 2 O 5 , for selected samples. Spectrographic analyses for a large number of elements are included samples from selected localities, and special analyses have been made of a few samples. These reports are placed on open file at the offices of the Geological Survey in Washington, D. C., Spokane, Washington, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Montpelier, Idaho, and at the offices of the Idaho Bureau of Mines and Geology, Moscow, Idaho, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Butte, Montana, and the Wyoming Geological Survey, Laramie, Wyoming, and the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Idaho↗
USGS1951

Stratigraphic sections of the Phosphoria formation in Utah

The first of a series of reports giving detailed stratigraphic sections of the Phosphoria formation in the Western phosphate field as measured and described by the Geological Survey will be released as Circulars within the next few months. Because of the needs of industry for many of these data during the 1951 field season, and in view of the unavoidable delays attendant on publication: the tabular data to be included in these Circulars are hereby placed on open file in simple reproduction form (prepared by Ozalid from photographic negatives) and without explanatory text so that immediate use may be made of the data. The tables include data on sections in four states: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah; and the tables for each of these states are bound together as individual reports. The tables include name and location of section measured, brief description of geologic setting, acknowledgments for field and analytical work, abstract data on the sections (bed number, rock name, sample number, and thickness), and analytical data or the samples. The analytical data include reports on P 2 O 5 and acid insoluble for all samples and additional analyses, such as Al 2 0 3 , Fe 7 0 3 , loss on ignition, F, and V 2 O 5 , for selected samples. Spectrographic analyses for a large number of elements are included for samples from selected localities, and special analyses have been made of a few samples. These reports are placed on open file at the offices of the Geological Survey in Washington, D. C., Spokane, Washington, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Montpelier, Idaho, and at the offices of the Idaho Bureau of Mines and Geology, Moscow, Idaho, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Butte, Montana, and the Wyoming Geological Survey, Laramie, Wyoming, and the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Utah↗