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LASL: Northern Part of the Powder River Basin
Totals of 966 sediment and 1,178 water samples were collected from 1,685 locations in portions of the Sheridan, Gillette, and Arminto quadrangles between March and July and in October of 1976 as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. These samples were analyzed by LASL for uranium and the data released in the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) report. Of these samples, 297 sediment and 548 water samples were collected within the west half of the Gillette quadrangle (the area west of 105°W longitude).

LASL: Gillette Quadrangle
Totals of 547 sediment and 204 water samples were collected from the remainder of the Gillette quadrangle (the area east of 105°W longitude) during August - October of 1977. These samples were analyzed by LASL for uranium. All of the sediments (including those from the Gillette portion of the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study) were then reanalyzed by LASL for up to 42 additional elements. The data were released as the Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report.

Summary Tables
The following is a list of sample types collected for the Gillette quadrangle study.

These Gillette 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.
• LA2: Los Alamos Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of sediments for Ag, Bi, Cd, Cu, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sn, and W.
• LA4: Los Alamos Arc-Source Emission Spectrography Analysis of sediments for Be and Li.
• LA5: Los Alamos Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Al, Au, Ba, Ca, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, V, Yb, and Zn.

Water Samples

• LA6-DN: Los Alamos Delayed-Neutron Counting Analysis of waters for U.
• LA6-FL: Los Alamos Fluorometry Analysis of waters for U.

Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Gillette Quadrangle

The Gillette quadrangle sediment and water data consist of Gillette quadrangle records from the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) report combined with records from the Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report. When combining sample records, site descriptive information and coordinates were compared for all corresponding records. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison, combining, and reformatting stages for the Gillette quadrangle data:

Sediment Records

1. 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.
2. The correlation of the two LASL Identification Numbers for samples in the Gillette quadrangle was first solved by comparing records from the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) report with those from the Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report. Later a LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Gillette quadrangle sediment samples and the values were confirmed. 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 Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers and reported in the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) report.
3. Corresponding records for 296 sediment samples were found in both the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) and Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) reports. Each set of corresponding records were compared and combined into a single composite record.
4. When combining corresponding sediment records from the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) and Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) reports, some differences between corresponding records were found in the air temperature(AIRTEMP), sample date(SAMPDAT), stream channel character(STRCHANL), sediment type(SEDTYPE), or sediment color(SEDCOLR) fields. These differences appear to be due to corrections added to the later Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report. Therefore when differences were found, the value from the Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report was retained in the field and the differing value from the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) report was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field. However, when values for these fields were missing in records from the Gillette Quadrangle study but present in records from the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin study, the Powder River Basin study values were added to the combined record. These changes were also noted in the REFORMAT comment field.
5. Two sediment sample records contained values for the well pump type(WELLPUMP) and well use(WELLUSE). 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.
6. One sediment sample was identified in the sample type(SAMPTYP) field as a dry artificial pond sediment. However this same sample site was also present in the water data and identified there as a well water site. The true nature of the site could not be resolved from the information available. A comment in the REFORMAT field identifies this sample.
7. An unlikely sample collection date of 1917 was found for one sample. This date was changed to 1977 in the SAMPDAT field and the original unlikely SAMPDAT value was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.

Water Records

1. The correlation of the two LASL Identification Numbers for samples in the Gillette quadrangle was first solved by comparing records from the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) report with those from the Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report. Later a LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Gillette quadrangle water samples and the values were confirmed. 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 Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers and reported in the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) report.
2. When combining corresponding water records from the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) and Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) reports, some differences between corresponding records were found in the air temperature(AIRTEMP), sample date(SAMPDAT), sample hour(SAMPHR), stream channel character(STRCHANL), sediment type(SEDTYPE), sediment color(SEDCOLR), vegetation type(VEGTYPE), vegetation density(VEGDENS), well pump type(WELLPUMP), well use(WELLUSE), or well diameter(WELLDIAM) fields. These differences appear to be due to corrections added to the later Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report. Therefore when differences were found, the value from the Gillette Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-234(80) report was retained in the field and the differing value from the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin NURE HSSR study GJBX-94(77) report was added as a comment to the REFORMAT field. However, when values for these fields were missing in records from the Gillette Quadrangle study but present in records from the Northern Part of the Powder River Basin study, the Powder River Basin study values were added to the combined record. This change was also noted in the REFORMAT comment field.

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).

Gillette Quadrangle Sediment Data - 844 records
Gillette Quadrangle Water Data - 752 records

Notes for Data Users

Apparently, no Gillette quadrangle samples were collected within the Sundance 15-min. quadrangle (44.25° to 44.5°N latitude, 104.25° to 104.5°W longitude) and the Beulah 15-min. quadrangle (44.5° to 44.75°N latitude, 104° to 104.25°W longitude).

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Gillette Quadrangle

Gillette Quadrangle NURE Summary
The U.S. Geological Survey released the results from an additional 57 rock, 353 stream-sediment, and 319 ground water samples in a summary report for the Gillette quadrangle [PGJ/F-060(82)]. The multielement analytical data for the samples were released only as appendices on microfiche accompanying the summary report.

Uranium Anomalies in Wyoming
The Bendix Field Engineering Corporation identified and ranked 269 uranium anomalies from 23 quadrangles in and adjacent to Wyoming. These anomalies were based on an evaluation of the NURE HSSR data, aerial radiometric reconnaissance surveys, and to a lesser extent, geologic evaluations. This report [GJBX-3(83)] lists 18 uranium anomalies that were identified in the Gillette quadrangle. No additional geochemical data accompany this report.

Gillette Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Dodge, H.W., Jr., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Gillette quadrangle, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana, with a section on Interpretation of U.S. Geological Survey Stream-Sediment and Hydrochemical Data by Robinson, K., Stanton, M.R., and Geer, K.A.: U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-060(82), 51 p.
• Goodknight, C.S., Ludlam, J.R., Burger, J.A., Dickson, R.E., Dayvault, R.D., Dexter, J.J., and Anderson, J.R., 1982, Uranium anomalies in Wyoming and parts of adjacent states: U.S. Department of Energy, Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-3(83), 11 p.
• Morris, W.A., 1977, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the northern part of the Powder River Basin, Wyoming: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-6654-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-94(77), 80 p.
• Warren, R.G., George, W.E., Minor, M.M., Simi, O.R., Talcott, C.L., Hensley, W.K., and Cheadle, J.M., III, 1980, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Gillette NTMS quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-8003-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-234(80), 129 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to Wyoming NURE data
Back to South Dakota NURE data
Back to Montana 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 1.00: September 11, 1998
Version 1.10: July 29, 1999
Version 1.20: August 07, 2000
Version 1.30: September 11, 2001
Version 1.41: February 23, 2006

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey URL: https://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/1997/492/quad/q_gillet.htm Questions or Assistance: USGS Web Contact Page Last Modified: Wed Dec 7 16:26 EST 2016