OFR 97-492: Kingman Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study

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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)
Under Construction This page is currently being rewritten to the Version 1.41 format.

Brief History and Description of Data

[See History of NURE HSSR Program for a summary of the entire program.]

The Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) was responsible for the collection and analysis of NURE samples from the Kingman quadrangle. Contractors were hired to collect the reconnaissance samples. Bendix Field Engineering Corporation collected sediment and surface water samples, and the University of Nevada-Desert Research Institute collected ground water samples. Between August of 1975 and December of 1977, a total of 1,664 sediment samples (1,502 reconnaissance samples, 25 site duplicate samples, and 137 analytical duplicate samples) and 120 water samples (103 reconnaissance samples and 17 analytical duplicate samples) were collected for the LLL Kingman Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. LLL crews resampled 35 sediment sites (35 samples) as part of their quality assurance program from March - June of 1977. The corresponding quality assurance sample number was cross referenced to the original reconnaissance sample number. All of these samples were analyzed by LLL for uranium and several other elements and the analytical data were released in the LLL HSSR Kingman Quadrangle GJBX-122(78) report.

In the fall of 1979, Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) conducted a detailed geochemical survey of the Jean Dry Lake area to investigate the possible occurrence of uranium in calcrete or gypcrete of the area. Three types of samples were collected (1) 1,020 soils from the area surrounding Jean Dry Lake and Hidden Valley; (2) 592 augered soil samples at 1 foot depth below the surface of Jean Dry Lake and Hidden Valley; and (3) 153 rock samples, primarily of the Eire Tuff, from outcrops. The soil samples were sieved into 2 separate size fraction (S1 = <40 mesh and S0 = <18 mesh and >40 mesh). These samples were analyzed for multiple elements by SRL and the data were reported in the Jean Lake Detailed Study GJBX-133(82) report. (Note: The detailed study GJBX-133(82) publication reports that 1,076 soil, 610 augered soil, and 153 rock samples were collected but the data files only contain what is reported above. Additional samples may represent site duplicates that were not generally included in SRL data files or reports.)

The following is a list of all sample types (including duplicates) collected in the Kingman quadrangle and included in the NEW-FORMAT NURE data files.

Summary of Kingman quadrangle sample types.
Sediment Sample Type Number of Samples Water Sample Type Number of Samples
Soils (S0 fraction) 809 Springs 81
Soils (S1 fraction) 803 Wells 38
Dry Streams 1606 Streams 1
Wet Streams 63
Playa 19
Rocks 164
Total Sediments 3,464 Total Waters 120

These Kingman quadrangle samples were analyzed by one or more of the following methods:

Sediment Samples

Water Samples

Rock Samples



Composition of the NEW-FORMAT NURE Data Files

The data in the NEW-FORMAT NURE data files consist of records from both the LLL GJBX-122(78) quadrangle report and the SRL GJBX-133(82) Jean Lake Detailed Study report. The coordinate locations for quality-assurance samples in the GJBX-122(78) quadrangle report were checked against the coordinates for the cross-referenced original sites and differences were noted in the REFORMAT comment field.

The SRL GJBX-133(82) Jean Lake Detailed Study report identifies 153 of the samples as rock samples. However, the SAMPTYP field lists these as SOIL samples (sieved to <18 mesh but >100 mesh). These rock samples were identified by comment in the REFORMAT comment field and included in the sediment file. Also, 11 of the LLL samples in the GJBX-122(78) report were reported as rock samples. The SAMPTYP field indicates that these samples were crushed and sieved to <60 mesh. These rock samples were then treated by the same methods as the other LLL sediment samples. Based on the information from the SAMPTYP field, and the fact that the rock samples in both reports were treated by the same analytical methods as the sediments, the data for these samples are included in the sediment data file.

Unlike data from other laboratories, the original LLL sediment data files do not indicate when elemental concentrations fall below analytical determination limits. Other laboratories usually report these values as "less than the lower analytical determination limit" (represented by a negative number). Negative values were added to the NEW-FORMAT NURE data files during the reformatting process based upon the approximate lower limits of detection given in Table 2 of the LLL GJBX-122(78) quadrangle report.

The original LLL files also contained numerical estimates of the absolute error associated with each elemental concentration. These data were not included in the NEW-FORMAT NURE data files but were placed into additional supplemental data files. The Absolute Error Extra Data Format is explained later in this document.



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 websites, 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).

Kingman Quadrangle Sediment Data - 3,423 records
Kingman Quadrangle Water Data - 121 records
Under Construction LLL Error Estimates Data for Sediment Analyses - kingmnsx.dbf.gz
Under Construction LLL Error Estimates Data for Water Analyses - kingmnwx.dbf.gz



Notes for Data Users

Users of past versions of the Kingman quadrangle sediment database have had problems with LLL data because the fields were blank when the element concentration fell below the lower analytical determination limits. This absence of the lower end of the data population was responsible for skewing the data in statistical and contouring programs to levels that were higher than expected. As described above, the NEW-NURE FORMAT attempts to solve this problem by replacing those blanks with "less than" values based on reported lower determination limits.

The LLL samples collected in 1975 and 1976 (see SAMPDAT field) may have been analyzed by a slightly different neutron activation analysis method. It appears that some elements which appear in later analyses were either not included or had different determination limits. In addition, the uranium values reported by the delayed neutron analysis method appear to be identical with those reported by the neutron activation analysis method. It is uncertain which method was used to determine these concentrations and the data are therefore listed under both methods.

SRL reported results for two fractions for all of the Jean Dry Lake soil sediment samples. Samples with a suffix of "S0" on the SRLID consist of the fraction of sediment which passed a 18-mesh but did not pass a 40-mesh sieve. Samples with a suffix of "S1" on the SRLID consist of the fraction of sediment which passed a 40-mesh sieve. Due to fractionation of some elements between discretely sized sediment particles, analytical data may not be directly comparable for sediment samples with different sieve fractions. It is also important to note that these "S0" and "S1" fractions differ from the standard sieve fractions found in other SRL studies. Other SRL studies use a 100-mesh sieve instead of a 40-mesh. Therefore the Jean Dry Lake soil samples may not be directly comparable with sediment samples from adjacent quadrangles.



Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Kingman Quadrangle

In May and August of 1975, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory conducted the Roach Lake Basin Pilot/Orientation Study in the Kingman quadrangle. Results were reported in the GJBX-44(76) and GJBX-48(78) reports. Totals of 10 rock, 58 sediment, and 3 water samples were included in the earlier GJBX-44(76) report. These samples were analyzed by neutron activation for uranium and other elements (22 additional elements in rocks and sediments, and 18 in waters). These data were only released as tables accompanying the report.

The second Roach Lake Basin study GJBX-48(78) report lists analytical results for totals of 11 rock, 90 sediment, and 10 water samples. These data were only released as tables and on microfiche accompanying the report. Although this follow-up report contains results for more samples (uranium and 22 additional elements in rocks and sediments, and 14 additional elements in waters), the earlier GJBX-44(76) report has a few additional elements. Analytical values for some elements also differ between reports.

In 1982, Bendix Field Engineering Corporation of Grand Junction, Colorado prepared a summary evaluation of the Kingman quadrangle [PGJ/F-137(82)]. An additional 46 rock and 78 water samples were collected "to identify geologic environments and delineate areas favorable for uranium deposits." All of the samples were analyzed for uranium. In addition, rock samples were analyzed for up to 23 other elements. These data were released only as microfiche appendices that accompany the summary report.



Kingman Quadrangle NURE Bibliography



LLL Estimates of Absolute Error Extra Data Format

Explanations are only included here for fields unique to these files. For the explanation of common fields consult the On-Line Manual for New-Format NURE HSSR Data Files. After each field name is a format code. A format code of (N) means that the field is formatted as an Numeric field.

U_DN_ERR (N)

A statistical estimate of measurement uncertainty associated with quantifying the corresponding uranium concentration determined by Delayed-Neutron Counting Analysis. (expressed as a percentage of the uranium concentration found in field U_DN_PPM for sediment data or U_DN_PPB for water data in the NEW-NURE FORMAT data files).

EL_ERR (N)

(Where EL represents different element symbols.) A numerical estimate of the uncertainties associated with quantifying the corresponding elemental concentration determined by Neutron Activation Analysis. (expressed in the same concentration units as the element concentration found in the NEW-NURE FORMAT data files).



Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to Arizona NURE data
Back to Nevada NURE data
Back to California NURE data
Frequently Asked Questions Concerning NURE HSSR Data
Home Page: USGS National Geochemical Database - NURE HSSR data



Page written by Andrew W. Holt and Steven M. Smith
Contact: 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 1.40: January 13, 2006

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