Geology topics
Publications and source records attributed to W. Roger Miller.
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In the spring of 1984, a hydrogeochemical survey was conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to test ground water as a sampling medium in exploration for mineral deposits. Eighty-one water samples (mostly from wells) were collected. The samples were analysed for the presence and concentration of major cations and anions, as well as a suite of trace elements. Most of the water samples contained high concentrations of dissolved salts. The majority of the samples showed no significant amounts of the trace elements. A few well-water samples contained moderately anomalous concentrations of zinc, molybdenum, and uranium. These anomalies could be due to salinity effects, contamination, or the proximity of mineral sources. This survey has established some baseline water-chemistry data, especially for the trace metals, which to date have not been reported in ground water in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The interpretation of geochemical data from a regional survey of the Aban al Ahmar quadrangle resulted in the selection of areas for follow-up studies. The results of detailed geochemical studies of these areas, combined with field observation, resulted in the selection of areas of moderate to high mineral resource potential. The most important areas are (1) the Jibal Minyah area, Aban al Asmar area, Jibal Suwaj area, and Nubayah area where tin and tungsten mineralization are associated with Abanat-suite rocks or possible buried Abanat-suite plutons; (2) several areas containing rocks of the Murdama group in the northern part of the quadrangle, the Buqaya al Luaah area, and the Jabal Akkash area where precious- and base-metal mineralization are generally associated with small Idah-suite plutons; and (3) the southern periphery of Jibal Qitan associated with skarn mineralization. The Aban al Ahmar quadrangle (sheet 25F) lies in the northeastern part of the Proterozoic Arabian Shield. Plots showing the distribution of single elements and factor scores of the regional geochemical data for wadi concentrates were used to select favorable areas for follow-up work. Detailed follow-up studies consisted of the collection of samples of rocks, wadi concentrates, and wadi sediments. The most useful pathfinder elements for precious- and base-metal mineralization are Cu and Pb, and for tin and tungsten mineralization they are Sn, La, Nb, Y, and Be. R-mode factor analysis of the regional geochemical data resulted in two factors that reflect mineralization: precious- and base-metal mineralization; and Abanat-suite lithology and, therefore, tin and tungsten mineralization. A major problem in the interpretation of the regional geochemical data resulted from incomplete removal of magnetite from the samples prior to analysis. The presence of magnetite can cause anomalous values of Ni, Fe, V, Cu, and Co in samples because of it's ability to incorporate these elements into its structure during magmatic crystallization.
A hydrogeochemical survey utilizing waters from springs and wells was conducted in east-central Nevada. None of the trace elements commonly associated with mineralization were found to be highly anomalous in the study area. Slightly anomalous values for some elements were found in the southern valleys of the study area and in a few scattered areas that contained old mines. Data from this study revealed no new areas of significant mineralization.
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Geochemical surveys of the rocks, heavy-mineral concentrates, and surface and spring waters in the vicinity of the Mount Belknap caldera, Tushar Mountains, west-central Utah, were conducted during the summers of 1978 and 1979. Anomalous concentrations of mostly lithophile elements, particularly niobium, beryllium, lead, yttrium, tin, zinc, manganese, and molybdenum in the magnetic and nonmagnetic fraction of heavy-mineral concentrates derived from stream sediment suggest that late stage, highly differentiated felsic rocks were involved in the eruptive history of the Mount Belknap caldera. Q-mode factor analysis was used to characterize the geochemical assemblages within the survey area, and the areal distribution of high-factor scores associated with mineralization indicates favorable target areas for future exploration. The results of these studies indicate that porphyry-type molybdenum and possible associated vein-type uranium mineralized deposits may exist in or near the Mount Belknap caldera.
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Selected intervals in the lower and upper parts of the Mission Canyon Limestone of Mississippian age, and the Amsden Formation and Tensleep Sandstone of Pennsylvanian age, containing water with dissolved-solids concentrations of 3,000 milligrams per liter or less, were perforated through 7-inch casing that was cemented to the wells of the borehole. Total flow from all perforated intervals after development of each interval by swabbing and flowing was 125 gallons per minute. Total flow increased to 2,900 gallons per minute after acidizing and fracturing each unit through perforations. Radioactive tracer surveys indicate about 65 percent of the flow was from perforations in the upper part of the Mission Canyon Limestone. Based on analysis of data from a step-drawdown test, the values of transmissivity and coefficient of storage considered as most reasonable are 38,000 gallons per day per foot and 0.00002 respectively. Maximum temperature of water, measured at land surface, was 56.6 degrees Celsius. (USGS)
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