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West Virginia
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 2,965 stream-sediment, 2,910 surface-water, and 4,060 ground-water samples within 55 counties from West Virginia as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sediment samples were collected during May - November 1978 and August - September 1979; water samples were collected during April - August 1977; May - September 1978; and July 1980. Sample coverage included portions of the Baltimore, Bluefield, Canton, Charleston, Charlottesville, Clarksburg, Columbus, Cumberland, Huntington, and Jenkins 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (A total of 501 stream-sediment, 421 surface-water, and 756 ground-water samples were collected within the Bluefield quadrangle.) These samples were sent to SRL for analysis of uranium and additional elements (16 in sediments and 9 in waters). SRL was able to analyze 2,919 sediments and 6,965 waters from West Virginia; this includes 487 sediment and 1,177 water samples from the Bluefield quadrangle. The analytical and site location data for all West Virginia samples were released in the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia Data Report [GJBX-103(82)].

Virginia
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 5,667 stream-sediment, 2,598 surface-water, and 4,834 ground-water samples within 96 counties from Virginia as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sediment samples were collected during July - October 1976; August - September 1977; and April - November 1978, and water samples were collected during December 1976 - September 1977; April - October 1978; and June - August 1979. Sample coverage included portions of the Baltimore, Bluefield, Charlottesville, Chincoteague, Cumberland, Currituck Sound, Greensboro, Jenkins, Johnson City, Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke, Salisbury, Washington, and Winston-Salem 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (A total of 384 stream-sediment, 173 surface-water, and 623 ground-water samples were collected within the Bluefield quadrangle.) These samples were sent to SRL for analysis of uranium and additional elements (16 in sediments and 9 in waters). SRL was able to analyze 5,522 sediments and 7,416 waters from Virginia; this includes 369 sediment and 795 water samples from the Bluefield quadrangle. The analytical and site location data for all Virginia samples were released in the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia Data Report [GJBX-103(82)].

SRL sent 2,719 sediment samples from Virginia to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses". Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 2,711 of these samples in the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia Data Report [GJBX-103(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses for 166 Virginia sediment samples within the Bluefield quadrangle. (Note: One Bluefield supplemental record did not contain any supplemental data.)

SRL: Bluefield Quadrangle
SRL released a separate quadrangle report for the Bluefield NTMS quadrangle, the Bluefield Quadrangle GJBX-234(81) Abbreviated Data Report, which includes data for 886 stream-sediment, 595 surface-water, and 1,374 ground-water samples. This document contains site coding and analytical data as tables within the report and on microfiche. However, these data for the Bluefield quadrangle were not found in digital format and are not included in the Bluefield digital data file presented here. A cursory comparison of the [GJBX-234(81)] data suggests that there are only minor differences between this set of HSSR data and that found for corresponding samples in the Virginia and West Virginia State reports. Most of these variations are in the analytical data values but appear to be due only to differences in rounding versus truncation of reported values or to differences in the number of recorded significant digits.

Gold Analyses
Data for gold analyses of sediments by SRL neutron activation were released in the GJBX-135(82) summary report. The introduction of that report states:

"This report contains previously unreported neutron-activation analyses of gold in sediment samples determined at SRL. These data were not included in the standard SRL NURE data reports because the gold spectrum was not measured in the original analytical procedure and the report format was designed without the gold analyses being included. Gold analyses became available as the analytical procedure was refined, but the report format was not modified to incorporate these data."

Only those sediment samples that had detectable concentrations of gold by neutron activation analysis were given in the GJBX-135(82) report. Sediment samples with concentrations below detection limits were not reported and can only be ascertained by identifying which samples were actually analyzed by neutron activation at SRL.

Summary Tables
Because of the various laboratories and analytical methods used, some SRL samples may have been analyzed once, twice, or not at all. The following table summarizes the analysis of Bluefield quadrangle samples.

The following is a list of all sample types collected and reported for NURE studies in the Bluefield quadrangle.

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

Sediment Samples

• SR1: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis - Neutron Counting of sediments for U.
• SR2: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Al, Ce, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Sc, Sm, Th, Ti, V, and Yb. (Note: Au values were reported later for this method.)
• SR2-A: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Al, Ce, Cs, Dy, Eu, F, Fe, Hf, Mn, Sc, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, and V.
• SR3-AA: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Analysis of sediments for Ag, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, Sr, Y, and Zn.
• SR3-CA: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Colorimetric Analysis of sediments for Nb, P, and W.
• SR3-FE: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Flame Emission Analysis of sediments for K and Li.
• SR3-XU: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Analysis of sediments for hot acid extractable U. (Exact method undetermined)
• SR3-XX: Savannah River (Supplemental Analysis by contract Laboratory) Analysis of sediments for As, Se, and Ca. (Exact method undetermined)

Water Samples

• SR4: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis - Neutron Counting of waters for U.
• SR5: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of waters for Al, Br, Cl, Dy, F, Mn, Na, and V. (Note: Mg may also be reported by this method.)

Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Bluefield Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Bluefield quadrangle sediment data consist of reformatted records from the Virginia and West Virginia portions of the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia Data Report [GJBX-103(82)]. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Bluefield quadrangle sediment data:

1. Twenty-four supplemental data sediment records from Pulaski County, Virginia were found that have SRLID values with a suffix of S2. No corresponding Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) records were found for these samples in either the quadrangle or state files. There were, however, 24 NAA sediments sample records with the same SRLID but with a suffix of S1. None of these samples had corresponding supplemental data records. It may be possible that the 24 'S2' supplemental samples should have been labeled 'S1' but this could not be confirmed in the published reports. To preserve all the data, the affected supplemental records were kept as separate data records and were commented in the REFORMAT field.
2. One stream-sediment sample was collected at a latitude of exactly 38°N, the dividing line between the Charleston quadrangle and the Bluefield quadrangle and reported in the West Virginia State files. The record was assigned to the Charleston quadrangle.
3. One stream-sediment sample was collected at a latitude of exactly 37°N, the dividing line between the Bluefield quadrangle and the Winston-Salem quadrangle and reported in the Virginia State files. The two records for this sample were assigned to the Bluefield quadrangle.
4. During reformatting, contamination codes for "residential" and "recreation" were found to be missing from each State's CONTAMC field. The presence of one of these two codes was indicated only by a "." (period). The missing codes were assigned a value of "unknown" in the CONTAMC field within the final water data file.
5. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 1 sediment sample collected within Tazewell County, Virginia was not found in the data during the reformatting process. The record for this sample cannot be retrieved on a geographical basis.
6. Gold concentrations from the GJBX-135(82) report were added to the appropriate sediment records. A value of -0.01 (<0.01 ppm Au) was added to all other sediment samples determined to have been analyzed by SRL neutron activation. This value was chosen because 0.01 is the lowest reported gold concentration in the entire report.

Water Records
The Bluefield quadrangle water data consist of reformatted records from the Virginia and West Virginia portions of the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia Data Report [GJBX-103(82)]. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Bluefield quadrangle sediment data:

1. One stream-water sample was collected at a latitude of exactly 38°N, the dividing line between the Charleston quadrangle and the Bluefield quadrangle and reported in the West Virginia State files. The record was assigned to the Charleston quadrangle.
2. One well-water sample was collected at a longitude of exactly 80°W, the dividing line between the Roanoke quadrangle and the Bluefield quadrangle and reported in the Virginia State files. The record was assigned to the Bluefield quadrangle.
3. The original NURE format for surface-water files did not include much information about the character of the sample location. This missing information includes observations taken at each site on the stream width, depth, and flow, water color, surrounding vegetation, local relief, weather, and possible contaminants. This information is given in records for stream-sediment samples that were collected at the same locations. The available site descriptive information for stream-water sites were compared with the corresponding stream-sediment site records. The missing site descriptive data were then added to stream-water records from the corresponding stream-sediment sample records. Sources of data and any problems found are described in the REFORMAT comment field.
4. During reformatting, contamination codes for "residential" and "recreation" were found to be missing from each State's CONTAMC field. The presence of one of these two codes was indicated only by a "." (period). The missing codes were assigned a value of "unknown" in the CONTAMC field within the final water data file.
5. Unlikely sample collection dates were found for eight 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.
6. The latitude and longitude coordinates for 5 water samples collected within Logan(1), Raleigh(1), and Summers(1) Counties in West Virginia; and Craig(1) and Giles(1) Counties in Virginia were not found in the data during the reformatting process. The records for these 5 samples cannot be retrieved on a geographical basis.

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).

Bluefield Quadrangle Sediment Data - 909 records
Bluefield Quadrangle Water Data - 1,968 records

Notes for Data Users

In the eastern United States, SRL collected samples primarily by county. Often, not all counties within a quadrangle were completely sampled. Sample coverage in the Bluefield quadrangle is complete and includes samples from Boone, Fayette, Greenbrier, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties in West Virginia; and Alleghany, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, Tazewell, and Wythe Counties in Virginia. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverage.

A total of 29 sediment samples and 1 water sample within the Bluefield quadrangle were not analyzed by any of the various laboratories. The following table summarizes the locations of those unanalyzed samples.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Bluefield Quadrangle

Characteristics of the Southeastern Piedmont
Bendix Field Engineering Corporation released a report that contains stream-sediment, hydrogeochemical, and aeromagnetic data for 16 contiguous NTMS quadrangles in the eastern United States [GJBX-40(83)]. This compilation report is limited in scope to features that have specific interest to the geoscience community. Included in the report are aeromagnetic and geochemical maps, and tectonic and igneous rock distribution maps. When used together, these maps show geochemical, tectonic, and magnetic features unique to many of the geologic and physiographic provinces in the region. This report primarily covers the Southeastern Piedmont region and includes the Athens, Augusta, Bluefield, Charlotte, Florence, Georgetown, Greensboro, Greenville, Knoxville, Norfolk, Raleigh, Richmond, Roanoke, Rocky Mount, Spartanburg and Winston-Salem 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. The color maps are in 35mm-slide format. No digital data files accompany this report.

Bluefield Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Cook, J.R., 1981, Bluefield 1° x 2° NTMS areas, Virginia and West Virginia, data report (abbreviated), National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-11, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-234(81), 17 p.
• Fay, W.M., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Gold analyses by neutron activation from SRL NURE samples: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-141-38, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-135(82), 45 p.
• Fay, W.M., Sargent, K.A., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Data report: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-23, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-103(82), 43 p.
• Madson, M.E., Rush, S.F., Hardy, L.C., LaBonte, N.E., and Ludlam, J.R., 1983, NURE stream-sediment, hydrogeochemical, and aeromagnetic data characteristics of the Piedmont Region, eastern United States: A data release: Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-40(83), 18 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

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Page written by Bryan G. Moravec and Steven M. Smith.
Contact: Steven M. Smith (smsmith@usgs.gov)
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/ofr-97-0492/quad/q_bluefl.htm Questions or Assistance: USGS Web Contact Page Last Modified: Wed Dec 7 16:11 EST 2016