OFR 97-492: Delta Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study
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[See History of NURE HSSR Program for a summary of the entire program.]
The responsibility for the Delta Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study was assigned first to the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL). Prior to 1979, LLL collected at least 1,008 sediment samples from the quadrangle but did not analyze them. When LLL participation in the NURE HSSR program ended in about 1979, the responsibility for the Delta quadrangle was assigned to the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL). SRL analyzed these LLL sediment samples for uranium and 16 other elements and the analytical data were released as the GJBX-161(79) report.
SRL completed the Delta quadrangle HSSR study by collecting an additional 1,311 sediment and 140 water samples between July and August of 1979. These samples were also analyzed by SRL for uranium and other elements (16 additional elements in sediments and 9 in waters) and the analytical data were released in the GJBX-198(80) report. The samples collected by SRL were then sent to other laboratories for "supplemental analyses." The supplemental analytical data, with results for 23 elements in sediments and 31 elements in waters, were not released in a separate report.
In 1982, SRL released a summary report and data files for 50 quadrangles in the Western United States. This report, GJBX-132(82), contains both the SRL analytical data and the supplemental analytical data for the SRL samples from the Delta quadrangle but the concentration values often differ slightly from those reported in the GJBX-198(80) quadrangle report. The introduction section of the GJBX-132(82) summary report states:
"The data in the present report may not be identical to those reported previously. This is due to the use of different "scrub" procedures for the preparation of the data for release. The differences should be minor."
In October-December of 1979, 988 sediment, 86 water, and 391 rock samples were collected by Oak Ridge in Utah for the Thomas Range-Wasatch detailed geochemical survey. Three project areas were chosen to "characterize the hydrogeochemistry, stream sediment geochemistry, and/or radiometric patterns of known or potential uranium occurrences." These three areas were (1) the Thomas Range-Sheeprock Mountain project area within the Delta 1° x 2° quadrangle; (2) the Farmington project area covering parts of the Brigham City, Ogden, and Salt Lake City quadrangles; and (3) the Cottonwood project area within the Salt Lake City quadrangle. A total of 564 sediment and 128 rock samples were collected within the Delta quadrangle. The radiometric readings of rock samples were done in the field using scintillometers and a gamma-ray spectrometer. The sediment samples and three of the rock samples were analyzed for multiple elements by Oak Ridge and the data were reported in the 3-volume Thomas Range-Wasatch Detailed Study GJBX-238(80) report.
A list of geologic unit codes and explanations used for the Thomas Range-Wasatch Detailed Study was obtained from Table 4 and Figure 3 in the each of the 3 volumes of the GJBX-238(80) report and reproduced here. These codes are found in the SGEOUNIT and PUNIT fields for each record in the NEW-FORMAT NURE data files.
| Code | Geologic Unit |
|---|---|
| QUD | Quaternary Undivided |
| QAL | Quaternary Alluvium |
| QTL | Quaternary Talus, Colluvium and Landslide deposits |
| QFD | Quaternary Fan deposits |
| QPG | Quaternary Glacial deposits |
| QPGM | Quaternary Glacial Moraine |
| QPLB | Quaternary Lake Bonneville deposits |
| QTS | Quaternary-Tertiary Valley Fill Sediments Undivided |
| TYG | Pliocene-Miocene Granitic Rocks |
| TYA | Pliocene-Miocene Acidic Volcanic Rocks |
| TOG | Miocene-Oligocene Granitic Rocks |
| TOA | Miocene-Oligocene Acidic Volcanic Rocks |
| TOI | Miocene-Oligocene Intermediate Volcanic Rocks |
| TNT | Tertiary Norwood Tuff |
| TAD | Cretaceous-Tertiary Argenta Intrusive Complex Diorites |
| TLD | Cretaceous-Tertiary Lamprophyre Dikes |
| TQM | Cretaceous-Tertiary Quartz Monzonite |
| TKWE | Cretaceous-Tertiary Wasatch, Evanston, and Echo Canyon Fms. |
| MTFU | Triassic Undivided |
| PPC | Permian Park City Fm. |
| PWQ | Upper Pennsylvanian Weber Quartzite |
| PLSU | Paleozoic Limestones Undivided |
| PRV | Lower Pennsylvanian Round Valley Limestone |
| MLSU | Mississippian Limestones Undivided |
| MDS | Upper Mississippian Doughnut Fm. |
| MDL | Upper Mississippian Deseret Limestone |
| MGL | Lower Mississippian Gardison Limestone |
| SMF | Middle Silurian Undivided |
| SOFU | Silurian-Ordovician Undivided |
| OMF | Middle Ordovician Undivided |
| CUF | Upper Cambrian Undivided |
| CLS | Upper and Middle Cambrian Limestones Undivided |
| CMF | Middle Cambrian Undivided |
| COS | Middle Ophir Fm. |
| CLF | Lower Cambrian Undivided |
| CTQ | Lower Cambrian Tintic Quartzite |
| >ZCGQ | Lower Cambrian and Precambrian Geertsen Canyon Quartzite |
| ZHS | Precambrian Z Undivided |
| ZMI | Precambrian Z Mutual and Inkom Fms. |
| ZMF | Precambrian Z Mutual Fm. |
| ZIF | Precambrian Z Inkom Fm. |
| ZCC | Precambrian Z Cady Canyon Fm. |
| ZKC | Precambrian Z Kelly Canyon Fm. |
| ZMC | Precambrian Z Maple Canyon Fm. |
| ZPC | Precambrian Z Papose Creek and Perry Canyon Fm. |
| YMFT | Precambrian Y or Z Mineral Fork Tillite |
| YBC | Precambrian Y Big Cottonwood Fm. |
| YSU | Precambrian Y Upper Sheeprock Group |
| YDP | Precambrian Y Dutch Peak Tillite |
| YSL | Precambrian Y Lower Sheeprock Group |
| XLW | Precambrian X Little Willow Fm. |
| XFC | Precambrian X Facer Creek Fm. |
| WFCC | Precambrian W Undivided |
| WFQM | Precambrian W Quartz Monzonite Gneiss |
| WFM | Precambrian W Migmatite |
| WFP | Precambrian W Pegmatite |
| WFMS | Precambrian W Mica Schist |
| WFS | Precambrian W Schist and Gneiss |
| WFSQ | Precambrian Schist, Gneiss, and Quartzite |
| WFA | Precambrian W Amphibolite |
| WFQ | Precambrian W Quartzite |
SRL analyses of light hydrocarbons (methane, ethane, propane, and butane) in ground waters were released in the GJBX-131(82) summary report for 44 western quadrangles and 3 eastern quadrangles within the United States. This report includes data for 124 of the Delta quadrangle ground water samples.
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.
The following is a general listing of all sample types collected and reported for NURE studies in the Delta quadrangle. The actual number of records in the NEW-FORMAT NURE data files may be greater because of the multiple records needed to preserve all the data.
| Sediment Sample Type | Number of Samples | Water Sample Type | Number of Samples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet Streams | 1,043 | Wells | 77 |
| Dry Streams | 548 | Springs | 61 |
| Soils | 1,283 | Lakes | 1 |
| Talus | 7 | Other | 1 |
| Playa | 2 | ||
| Total Sediments | 2,883 | Total Waters | 140 |
These Delta quadrangle samples were analyzed by one or more of the following methods:
Sediment Samples
Water Samples
Rock Samples (Detailed Study only)
The data in the NEW-FORMAT NURE data files consist of records from all of the above reports. In order to reduce the number of records, a decision was made to use the data from the GJBX-132(82) western U.S. summary report rather than the GJBX-198(80) Delta quadrangle report. The rationale for choosing this data set was that (1) it represents a later compilation of the data and (2) it should be more consistent across quadrangle boundaries because of the common "scrubbing procedure." Every record was checked against the "equivalent" record in the earlier GJBX-198(80) quadrangle report and any major differences were noted in the REFORMAT comment field. These slightly different but unused quadrangle report records were combined and saved as extra files which may be accessed below.
For the sediment data file, the SRL analyses and the supplemental analyses were combined into a single record for each sample. Unfortunately, in the water data file the SRL analyses and supplemental analyses could NOT be combined because of overlapping determinations for 5 elements. Each water sample may therefore have 2 separate records - one for the SRL analysis and one for the supplemental analysis. Occasionally, an additional supplemental analysis record may also exist for some samples.
Hydrocarbon data from the GJBX-131(82) report were added to fields in the appropriate ground water records and this addition was noted for each record in the REFORMAT comment field.
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.
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).
Delta Quadrangle Sediment Data - 3,015 records
Delta Quadrangle Water Data - 278 records
Delta Quadrangle Rock Data - delta__r.dbf.gz
Unused set of quadrangle sediment records - delta_sx.dbf.gz
Unused set of quadrangle water records - delta_wx.dbf.gz
The ORGDP Thomas Range-Wasatch Detailed Study water samples were reportedly collected without any filtering or acidification. (See the SAMPTYP coding explanation in the On-Line Manual for New-Format NURE HSSR Data Files for descriptions of different Sample Types). However, these ORGDP samples were filtered later in the laboratory through a 0.45 micron membrane filter before analysis. Therefore, the samples were not true "untreated water" samples and the analytical data may not be directly comparable for other quadrangle water samples of the same SAMPTYP when collected by a different laboratory and may not be comparable to the SRL water samples which have a different SAMPTYP. Since this was the standard procedure for Oak Ridge, water data from other Oak Ridge studies should be comparable.
Latitude-longitude coordinates were reported in the original Thomas Range-Wasatch Detailed Study data files, as decimal degrees, to only 3 decimal places. Therefore, the precision of these coordinates is limited to +/- 0.001 degrees or +/- 3.6 seconds. This translates to a minimum precision of +/- 364 feet (111 m) for latitude values and between +/- 300 feet (91 m) to +/- 280 feet (85 m) for longitude values (calculated at latitudes of 35° and 40°N, respectively.)
Many records contain analytical values with insignificant digits. Most data should only have 2 or 3 significant digits. Differences after the second or third digit should be ignored.
A summary evaluation report was prepared for the Delta quadrangle by the U.S. Geological Survey [PGJ/F-002(82)]. Additional samples of 423 (<170 mesh) stream sediments and 55 waters were collected in the quadrangle to aid in the interpretation of uranium anomalies. A total of 421 rock samples, collected for the report or retrieved from the USGS RASS file, and 235 drill cutting and core samples from the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation Spor Mountain drilling program are also included in the report. Sampling areas were chosen based on knowledge of the occurrence of uranium--rock samples were taken from areas with known uranium occurrences, while sediment and water samples were taken from areas with geologic units for which uranium occurrences were unknown. The rock samples were analyzed for uranium and thorium by delayed-neutron activation, and for 43 other elements by emission spectroscopy. The stream sediment samples were analyzed for uranium by modified extraction fluorometry, and for 34 other elements by semi-quantitative emission spectrography. The water samples were analyzed for uranium by extraction fluorometry, and for sulfate, phosphate, and nitrate by ion chromatography. The drill core and cutting samples were analyzed for uranium and 32 other elements. These data were released only as microfiche appendices accompanying the summary report. This report also used data from other sources that are referenced in the report.
In February and August-September of 1977, 245 sediment and 32 water samples were collected for the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory for the Deep Creek Mountains special reconnaissance study [GJBX-8(80)]. A total of 225 sediments (from 146 sites) and 26 waters (from 20 sites) were collected in the Delta quadrangle. The stream sediment samples were analyzed for uranium by delayed neutron counting and for 37 other elements by delayed neutron activation. The water samples were analyzed for uranium by delayed neutron counting and for 16 other elements by optical emission spectrometry. The surface waters were also analyzed for chloride and sulfate by modified spectrophotometry. These data were released only as microfiche appendices accompanying the report. The report notes that there were problems with the storage of some of the water samples. These samples were treated, analyzed, and included in the report with the warning that "for some samples, analyses may not represent actual water composition." The samples with this problem were not identified. Also, several of the longitude values that were reported as greater than 118°W. are probably incorrect since this places the samples well outside the study area.
A report on the geology of the Delta quadrangle prepared for the Savannah River Laboratory can be found in the GJBX-31(82) report. No geochemistry accompanies this report.
Explanations are only included for fields unique to this study. 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 a numeric field.
Equivalent Potassium, reported in percent. Determined in the field with a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer.
Counts per Minute Potassium. Determined in the field with a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer.
Equivalent Thorium, reported in parts per million (ppm). Determined in the field with a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer.
Counts per Minute Thorium. Determined in the field with a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer.
Equivalent Uranium, reported in parts per million (ppm). Determined in the field with a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer.
Counts per Minute Uranium. Determined in the field with a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer.
Total Counts per Minute. Determined in the field with a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer.
Sulfate, reported in parts per million (ppm). Determined in the field with an unidentified method.
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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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