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Trace elements reconnaissance investigations in New Mexico and adjoining states in 1951

In the summer and fall of 1951, a reconnaissance search was made in New Mexico and adjacent states for uranium in coal and carbonaceous shale, chiefly of Mesozoic age, and black marine shale of Paleozoic age. Tertiary volcanic rocks, considered to be a possible source for uranium in the coal and associated rocks, were examined where the volcanic rocks were near coal-bearing strata. Uranium in possibly commercial amounts was found at La Ventana Mesa, Sandoval County, New Mexico. Slightly uranifeous coal and carbonaceous shale were found near San Ysidro, Sandoval County, and on Beautiful Mountain, San Juan County, all in New Mexico, and at Keams Canyon, Navajo County, and near Tuba City, Coconino County, in Arizona. Except for La Ventana deposit, none appeared to be of economic importance at the time this report was written, but additional reconnaissance investigations have been underway this field season, in the area where the deposits occur. Marine black shale of Sevonian age was examined in Otero and Socorro Counties, New Mexico and Gila County, Arizona. Mississippian black shale in Socorro County and Pennsylvanian black shale in Taos County, New Mexico were also tested. Equivalent uranium content of samples of these shales did not exceed 0.004 percent. Rhyolitic tuff from the Mount Taylor region is slightly radioactive as is the Bandelier tuff in the Nacimiento region and in the Jemez Plateau. Volcanic rocks in plugs and dikes in the northern Chuska Mountains and to the north in New Mexico as well as in northeastern Arizona and southeastern Utah are slightly radioactive. Coal and carbonaceous rocks in the vicinity of these and similar intrusions are being examined.

Arizona;New Mexico

Results of reconnaissance for uranium in nonmarine carbonaceous rocks in parts of California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington during 1951 and 1952

Nonmarine carbonaceous rocks, including shales, coal, and peat, were tested at about 3 localities in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Rocks ranging in age from Carboniferous to Quaternary were examine, although the principal attention was given middle and late Tertiary lignites of the northern part of the Great Basin. Most carbonaceous rocks examined contained essentially no uranium, but lignitic shales in the Goose Creek district, Idaho, a thin carbonaceous shale near Hagerman, Idaho, and a small peat deposit in Davis County, Utah contained more than 0.003 percent uranium.

California;Idaho;Nevada;Oregon;Utah;Washington

Results of reconnaissance for uraniferous coal, lignite, and carbonaceous shale in western Montana

A reconnaissance search for uraniferous lignite and carbonaceous shale was made in western Montana and adjacent parts of Idaho during the summer of 1951. Particular emphasis in the examination was placed on coal and carbonaceous shale associated with volcanic rocks, as volcanic rocks in many area appear to have released uranium to circulating ground water from which it was concentrated in carbonaceous material. Twenty-two area in Montana and one area of Idaho were examine. The coal in five of these area is of Cretaceous age. The coal and carbonaceous shale in the remaining 18 area occur in Tertiary "lake-bed" deposits of Oligocene and younger age. Both the Cretaceous and Tertiary coal and carbonaceous shale are associated with contemporaneous or younger volcanic rocks and pyroclastic sequences. A sample of carbonaceous shale from the Prickly Pear Valley northeast of Helena, Montana, contained 0.013 percent uranium. A sample of carbonaceous shale from the Flint Creek Valley southwest of Drummond, Montana, contained 0.006 percent uranium. All other samples of both Cretaceous and Tertiary coal and carbonaceous shale were essentially non-radioactive. No further work is planned on the Cretaceous and Tertiary coal and carbonaceous shale in western Montana. A few localities in Idaho will be visited in the course of other work.

Idaho;Montana