OFR 97-492: Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study
National Geochemical Database—Reformatted Data from the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) Program
By Steven M. Smith
Version 1.40 (2006)
Brief History and Description of Data
[See History of NURE HSSR Program for a summary of the entire program.]
LASL: Aztec Quadrangle
Totals of 1,744 sediment and 338 water samples were collected from 1,876 locations within the Aztec quadrangle between July and October of 1976 as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Aztec Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. The samples were analyzed by LASL for uranium and the analytical data were released in the LASL Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-129(78) report.
ORGDP: Aztec Quadrangle
LASL sent 1,693 sediments and 330 waters to the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) for multielement analysis. These data were released in the ORGDP Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-321(81) report.
Summary Tables
The following is a list of NURE sediment and water sample types collected within the Aztec quadrangle.
Summary of Aztec quadrangle sample types.
| Wet Streams |
155 |
Streams |
114 |
| Dry Streams |
1,428 |
Wells |
113 |
| Wet Springs |
84 |
Springs |
90 |
| Wet Artificial Ponds |
22 |
Artificial Ponds |
21 |
| Dry Artificial Ponds |
55 |
|
|
| Total Sediments |
1,744 |
Total Waters |
338 |
These Aztec quadrangle samples were analyzed by one or more of the following methods:
Sediment Samples
- LA1: Los Alamos Delayed-Neutron Counting Analysis of sediments for U.
- OR7: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of sediments for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Sc, Sr, Th, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr.
Water Samples
- LA6-DN: Los Alamos Delayed-Neutron Counting Analysis of waters for U.
- LA6-FL: Los Alamos Fluorometry Analysis of waters for U.
- OR13: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of waters for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Sc, Si, Sr, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr. (Note: Nb and Th may be included in this method.)
Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Aztec Quadrangle
The Aztec quadrangle sediment and water data consist of reformatted records from the LASL Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-129(78) report combined with the corresponding multielement data records from the ORGDP Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-321(81) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison, combining, and reformatting stages for the Aztec quadrangle data:
Sediment Records
- During the NURE sample collection phase, LASL sites and samples were initially assigned a 6-digit integer Identification Number (LASLID) starting with 000001. After 1977, most LASL sites were reassigned a new 1-letter+5-digit Identification Number starting with A00001. All LASL samples and the early LASL reports use the 6-digit integer LASLID. Most of the later reports only use the 1-letter+5-digit LASLID. Although both sets of numbers were usually assigned sequentially, they do not correspond one to one with each other: 100001 does not equal C00001, etc. Whenever possible, the 1-letter+5-digit LASL Identification Number was saved in the LASLID field. When the corresponding 6-digit site number could be determined from sample number translation key lists or other sources, this Identification Number was saved in the SITE field.
- A LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Aztec quadrangle sediment samples. The 1-letter+5-digit LASL Identification Number was saved in the LASLID field and the corresponding 6-digit site number was manually added to the SITE field. Therefore, the LASLID field contains the Identification Number found in the LASL Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-129(78) and ORGDP Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-321(81) reports. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- The LASL and the ORGDP Laboratory each analyzed and reported data records for the same 1,693 sediment samples from the Aztec quadrangle. Because there were no overlapping data fields, these corresponding records were compared and combined into a single composite record for each sample.
- Two sediment records were not included in the original ORGDP digital data file for the Aztec quadrangle. These data were manually entered into the corresponding composite records from the ORGDP Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-321(81) report.
- Sixteen sediment sample records contained values for the well pump type(WELLPUMP), well use(WELLUSE), or well diameter(WELLDIAM). These parameters were not normally recorded for sediment sample records. The values were removed from each record and added as a comment to the corresponding REFORMAT field.
- Four sediment sample records contained an invalid value in the rock type(ROCKTYP) or sediment type(SEDTYPE) fields. These values were likely miscoded or entered incorrectly. The correct values were not found. These values were removed from the field and added as a comment to the REFORMAT field for each record.
- One sample record contained an invalid value for the scintillometer measurement(SCIN) of -18. Although the most likely source of this error is an unwanted negative sign, this could not be confirmed in published sources. This value was removed from the SCIN field and added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
- Unlikely sample collection dates were found for ten samples. These dates were removed from the SAMPDAT field. For each record, the original SAMPDAT value and the most likely correct value was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
- Three sediment records with a STATE value of 'NM' had coordinates that plotted in Colorado. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
- One stream-sediment sample has a latitude of exactly 37°N, the dividing line between the Aztec quadrangle and the Durango quadrangle. This coordinate value was not changed but a comment was added to the COORDPRB field.
Water Records
- A LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Aztec quadrangle water samples. The 1-letter+5-digit LASL Identification Number was saved in the LASLID field and the corresponding 6-digit site number was manually added to the SITE field. Therefore, the LASLID field contains the Identification Number found in the LASL Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-129(78) and ORGDP Aztec Quadrangle NURE HSSR GJBX-321(81) reports. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- The LASL and the ORGDP Laboratory each analyzed and reported data records for the same 330 water samples from the Aztec quadrangle. Because there were no overlapping data fields, these corresponding records were compared and combined into a single composite record for each sample.
- The ORGDP Laboratory apparently analyzed one spring-water sample twice. Because of overlapping data fields, it was necessary to create two data records to preserve all the data for this sample.
- Eight records from pond, spring, and stream water samples contained values for the well pump type(WELLPUMP), well use(WELLUSE), or well diameter(WELLDIAM). These parameters were not normally recorded for pond, spring, and stream water sample records. The values were removed from each record and added as a comment to the corresponding REFORMAT field.
- One sample record contained an invalid value for the sediment type(SEDTYPE) field. This value was likely miscoded or entered incorrectly. The correct value was not found. This value was removed from the field and added as a comment to the REFORMAT field for the record.
Download The Data
The NURE HSSR data are now available online in two databases: The sediment database (also includes data for soils and some rocks) at http://tin.er.usgs.gov/nure/sediment/ and the water database at http://tin.er.usgs.gov/nure/water/. From these two web sites, NURE HSSR data can be selected, examined, summarized, and downloaded by political boundaries (State and County), by quadrangle (1:250,000-scale, 1:100,000-scale, and 1:63,360-scale for Alaska or 1:24,000-scale for the Lower 48 States), and by hydrologic unit (drainage region, subregion, river basin, or sub-basin). Selected data can be downloaded as a dBase file, a shapefile, an HTML table, or ASCII text (tab- or comma-delimited).
Aztec Quadrangle Sediment Data - 1,744 records
Aztec Quadrangle Water Data - 339 records
Notes for Data Users
None at this time.
Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Aztec Quadrangle
Aztec Quadrangle NURE Summary
A summary evaluation report was prepared for the Aztec quadrangle by the U.S. Geological Survey [PGJ/F-012(82)]. An additional 38 rock, 1,003 stream-sediment, 180 ground water, and 6 surface water samples were collected during the Winter of 1978 and Spring of 1979 and analyzed as a part of this evaluation process. These multielement analytical data were released only as appendices on microfiche accompanying the summary report.
Tusas Mountain Uranium Occurrences
In 1980 and 1981, personnel from the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation collected 36 rock samples while evaluating uranium occurrences around the Tusas Mountain area. Analytical data for these rocks are tabulated in the Bendix GJBX-1(84) report.
North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study
The SRL in contract with the Department of Geology of the University of North Carolina conducted a special study to investigate the association of uranium deposits with granitic source or host rocks. The analytical results from 441 samples of 92 plutons were released in the North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study GJBX-221(82) report. See the North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study for the data and a more detailed description of this study. Plutons that were apparently sampled in the Aztec quadrangle include the Embudo (6 samples).
Aztec Quadrangle NURE Bibliography
- Bolivar, S.L., 1978, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Aztec NTMS quadrangle, New Mexico: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7238-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-129(78), 75 p.
- Goodknight, C.S., and Dexter, J.J., 1984, Evaluation of uranium anomalies in and adjacent to the Tusas Mountain Granite, eastern Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, in Goodknight, C.S., compiler, Reports on field investigations of uranium anomalies: U.S. Department of Energy, Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-1(84), p. V1-V30.
- Green, M.W., Byers, V.P., Condon, S.M., Huffman, A.C., Jr., Dubiel, R.F., Kirk, A.R., Lupe, R.D., Pierson, C.T., Ridgley, J.L., Robertson, J.F., Robinson, K., Sikkink, P.G.L., Stanton, M.R., Thaden, R.E., and Zech, R.S., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Aztec quadrangle, New Mexico and Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-012(82), 79 p.
- Price, Van, Fay, W.M., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Neutron activation and other analytical data for plutonic rocks from North America and Africa: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-221(82), 47 p.
- Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1981, Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Aztec quadrangle, New Mexico: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-348, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-321(81), 173 p.
Links Within Open-File Report 97-492
Back to New Mexico NURE data
Back to Colorado NURE data
Frequently Asked Questions Concerning NURE HSSR Data
Home Page: USGS National Geochemical Database - NURE HSSR data
Page written by Steven M. Smith (smsmith@usgs.gov)
Version 1.10: July 29, 1999
Version 1.20: August 07, 2000
Version 1.30: September 11, 2001
Version 1.41: February 23, 2006
