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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)

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.]

Totals of 1,734 sediment and 167 water samples were collected in the Elko quadrangle during July and August of 1979 as part of the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) Elko Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. These samples were 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 Elko NURE HSSR quadrangle GJBX-163(80) report. These samples were then sent to other laboratories including Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant for "supplemental analyses." SRL did not release the supplemental analytical data, with results for 23 elements in sediments and 31 elements in waters, as a separate report.

In 1982, the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant released supplemental data for a selection of the SRL water samples from 4 eastern Nevada quadrangles in the GJBX-169(82) abbreviated report (on microfiche only). This report includes the supplemental data for 5 of the Elko water samples. The site coding information for this data set was summarized in the GJBX-164(82) 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 from the Elko quadrangle but the concentration values often differ from those reported in the GJBX-163(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."

However, during the reformatting process several major differences were discovered between the two data sets for the water samples.

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 115 of the Elko 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 Elko 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.

These Elko 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.)
• 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.
• SR6: Savannah River Neutron Activation Analysis of waters for Al, Br, Cl, Dy, F, Mg, Mn, Na, and V.
• SR-HE: Savannah River Helium Analysis of waters.
• SR-GC: Savannah River Gas Chromatography of waters for light hydrocarbons.
• OR13: Supplemental Analyses by 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.)
• OR17: Supplemental Analyses by Oak Ridge Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Analysis of waters for As and Se.

Composition of the NEW-FORMAT NURE Data Files

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 primarily use the data from the GJBX-132(82) western U.S. summary 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-163(80) quadrangle report and any major differences were noted in the REFORMAT comment field. These 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.

During the reformatting process, several problems were discovered between the water results reported in the GJBX-132(82) western U.S. summary report and the GJBX-163(80) quadrangle report.

1. For 6 samples (EKAA505R, EKCA501R, EKCA503R, EKCA505R, EKDA501R, and EKDA504R), the values given for U, Br, Cl, Mg, Na, and Dy in the western summary report are double the values given in the quadrangle report.
2. Most of the Al and Dy values were missing in the western summary report. The missing values were added to the water file from the published appendices in the quadrangle report.
3. The values given for F and V in the western summary report differ significantly from the values given in the quadrangle report. No consistent pattern of differences was noted between values in the two reports.
4. Many of the values published in the hardcopy appendices of the GJBX-163(80) report are double the values found in the corresponding quadrangle digital file. In these cases, three different values may exist for any element within the same sample - the hardcopy appendix (GJBX-163(80)) value, the digital file (released with GJBX-163(80)) value, and the western U.S. digital file (released with GJBX-132(82)) value.

These problems could not be satisfactorily resolved during the reformatting process. Note: the unused water data from the GJBX-163(80) quadrangle report were saved as an extra data file for water which may be accessed below.

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.

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).

Elko Quadrangle Sediment Data - 1,733 records
Elko Quadrangle Water Data - 330 records
Unused set of quadrangle sediment records - elko__sx.dbf.gz
Unused set of quadrangle water records - elko__wx.dbf.gz

Notes for Data Users

Many records contain analytical values with insignificant digits. Most data should only have 2 or 3 significant digits and differences after the second or third digit should be ignored.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Elko Quadrangle

A summary evaluation report was prepared for the Elko quadrangle by the Uranium Services Company of Reno, Nevada [PGJ/F-046(82)]. Additional samples of 446 rocks, 131 stream sediments, 85 soils, and 47 waters were collected in the quadrangle to aid in the interpretation of uranium anomalies. Sampling areas were chosen so that "known and newly identified uranium occurrences were evaluated." All samples were analyzed for uranium oxide by fluorometry. 57 of the rock samples were analyzed for 29 elements by emission spectrography and 14 of the rock samples underwent whole rock analysis for major element oxides. These data were released only as microfiche appendices accompanying the summary report.

Elko Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Cook, J.R., and Fay, W.M., 1982, Data report: Western United States: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-28, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-132(82), 33 p.
• Dromgoole, E.L., 1982, Report of analyses for light hydrocarbons in ground water: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-141-19, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-131(82), 14 p.
• Fay, W.M., 1980, Elko 1° x 2° NTMS area, Nevada and Utah, data report: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-80-146-4, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-163(80), 57 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.
• Percival, T.J., and Bright, J.H., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Elko Quadrangle, Nevada and Utah: Uranium Services Company, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-046(82)F, 46 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1982, HSSR basic data for Caliente, Lund, Ely, and Elko quadrangles, Nevada; Utah: Union Carbide Corporation-Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-449, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-169(82)
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1982, Supplement to HSSR basic data reports K/UR-445 through K/UR-457 [GJBX-165(82) through GJBX-177(82)]: Union Carbide Corporation-Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-458, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-164(82), 25 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to Nevada NURE data
Back to Utah 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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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey URL: https://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/1997/ofr-97-0492/quad/q_elko.htm Questions or Assistance: USGS Web Contact Page Last Modified: Wed Dec 7 16:12 EDT 2016