OFR 97-492: Greensboro Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study
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[See History of NURE HSSR Program for a summary of the entire program.]
North Carolina
Subcontractors for the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) collected at least 6,666 stream-sediment, 295 surface-water, and 5,778 ground-water samples within 100 counties from North Carolina as part of the NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) program. The sediment samples were collected during June - December 1976; July - August 1977; and April - May 1978, and water samples were collected during December 1976 - August 1977 and June - July 1978. Sample coverage included portions of the Beaufort, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Currituck Sound, Florence, Georgetown, Greensboro, Greenville, Johnson City, Knoxville, Manteo, Norfolk, Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Rome, Spartanburg, and Winston-Salem 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. (A total of 718 stream-sediment and 427 ground-water samples were collected within the Greensboro 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 6,597 sediments and 6,040 waters from North Carolina; this includes 718 sediment and 426 water samples from the Greensboro quadrangle. The analytical and site location data for all North Carolina samples were released in the North and South Carolina Data Report [GJBX-102(82)].
SRL sent 4,677 sediment samples from North Carolina to an unnamed contract laboratory for "Supplemental Analyses." Supplemental analytical determinations for up to 23 elements were reported for 4,660 of these samples in the North and South Carolina Data Report [GJBX-102(82)]. The digital data file accompanying this report includes Supplemental Analyses for 718 North Carolina sediment samples within the Greensboro quadrangle.
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 590 stream-sediment and 350 ground-water samples were collected within the Greensboro 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 586 sediment and 350 water samples from the Greensboro 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 544 Virginia sediment samples within the Greensboro quadrangle.
SRL: Greensboro Quadrangle
SRL released a separate quadrangle report for the Greensboro NTMS quadrangle, which includes data for 1,240 stream-sediment and 774 ground-water samples. With differences, these sample data correspond with samples found in the North and South Carolina State reports. SRL released the analytical data as the Greensboro Quadrangle GJBX-74(78) Preliminary Basic Data Report. The site coding information for this data set is summarized within the text of this report.
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 Greensboro quadrangle samples.
Laboratory Analysis | Sediments | Waters |
---|---|---|
Only SRL | 46 | 776 |
Only Supplemental Lab | 7 | 0 |
Both SRL and Supplemental Labs | 1,255 | 0 |
Second SRL analysis on sample | 1,233 | 0 |
None | 0 | 1 |
Total Samples | 1,308 | 777 |
Total Data Records | 2,541 | 777 |
The following is a list of all sediment and water sample types collected and reported for NURE studies in the Greensboro quadrangle.
Sediment Sample Type | Number of Samples | Water Sample Type | Number of Samples |
---|---|---|---|
Wet Streams | 1,308 | Wells | 744 |
Springs | 33 | ||
Total Sediments | 1,308 | Total Waters | 777 |
These Greensboro quadrangle samples were analyzed by one or more of the following methods:
Sediment Samples
Water Samples
Sediment Records
The Greensboro quadrangle sediment data consist of reformatted records from the North Carolina portion of the North and South Carolina [GJBX-102(82)] Data Report and sample records from the Virginia portion of the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia [GJBX-103(82)] Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding sample records from the Greensboro Quadrangle GJBX-74(78) Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Greensboro quadrangle sediment data:
Water Records
The Greensboro quadrangle water data consist of reformatted records from the Greensboro Quadrangle GJBX-74(78) Data Report. These records were compared with corresponding sample records from the the North Carolina portion of the North and South Carolina [GJBX-102(82)] Data Report and sample records from the Virginia portion of the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia [GJBX-103(82)] Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Greensboro quadrangle water 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).
Greensboro Quadrangle Sediment Data - 2,537 records
Greensboro Quadrangle Water Data - 777 records
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 Greensboro quadrangle is complete and includes samples from Alamance, Caswell, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Halifax, Nash, Orange, Person, Rockingham, Vance, Wake, and Warren Counties in North Carolina; and Brunswick, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, and Pittsylvania Counties in Virginia. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverage.
One well sample within the Greensboro quadrangle (Nash County, North Carolina) was not analyzed by any of the various laboratories.
Durham Triassic Basin Detailed Study
A surface geochemical reconnaissance survey was conducted by SRL in the Northern part of the Durham Triassic Basin and adjacent Piedmont, in the Greensboro NTMS quadrangle, North Carolina [GJBX-402(81)]. SRL subcontractors collected gamma-ray spectrometric measurements at 112 localities representing 136 different lithologies within the study area. Data tables of analytical results are included within the report. No digital data files were available for reformatting.
Dan River - Danville Triassic Basin Detailed Study
A surface geochemical reconnaissance survey was conducted by SRL in the Dan River - Danville Triassic Basin of north-central North Carolina and south central Virginia [GJBX-204(82)]. In 1979, SRL collected rock samples from 380 sites from the Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Roanoke NTMS quadrangles. Sedimentary rock samples were analyzed for uranium by Neutron Activation and for Al, Ce, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Sc, Sm, Th, Ti, V, and Yb by an unspecified method. In addition, a detailed four-channel spectrometric survey was conducted over the Dan River-Danville Triassic Basin and the adjacent Piedmont. Data tables of analytical results are included within the report. No digital data files were available for reformatting.
Geochemical Anomaly Evaluation Study
As part of the development program to support the interpretation of collected HSSR data, SRL conducted several "anomaly verification" field studies in areas that contain a geochemical anomaly found in reconnaissance data [GJBX-417(81)]. In the Greensboro NTMS quadrangle, a subcontractor for SRL conducted a field scintillometer survey and compiled geologic maps to verify geochemical anomalies found during HSSR data collection and to aid in geochemical interpretation. A total of 229 measurements were collected by a GR-410 four-channel gamma-ray spectrometer within the quadrangle. Data tables of analytical results are included within the report. No digital data files were available for reformatting.
North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study
The SRL in contract with the Department of Geology of the University of North Carolina conducted a special study to investigate the association of uranium deposits with granitic source or host rocks. The analytical results from 441 samples of 92 plutons were released in the North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study GJBX-221(82) report. See the North America and Africa Plutonic Rocks Special Study for the data and a more detailed description of this study. Plutons that were apparently sampled in the Greensboro quadrangle include the Castalia (4 samples).
Greensboro Quadrangle NURE Summary
Bendix Field Engineering Corporation produced a uranium exploration summary for the Greensboro quadrangle (PGJ/F-063(82)) in 1982. As part of this process, a total of 473 rock, saprolite, and soil samples were collected and analyzed for uranium by fluorometry. The rock, saprolite, and soil samples were also analyzed for an additional 30 elements by an unspecified analytical method. The results of this investigation suggest environments favorable for allogenic uranium deposits in metamorphic rocks adjacent to the intrusive margins of the Rolesville, Castalia, Redoak, and Shelton Plutons, and sandstone-type deposits in the sediments of the Durham and Dan River Triassic basin systems. Data tables of analytical results are included within the report. No digital data files were available for reformatting.
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions Concerning NURE Data
Home Page: USGS National Geochemical Database - NURE HSSR data
Page written by Bryan G. Moravec and Steven M. Smith.
Contact: Steven M. Smith (smsmith@usgs.gov)
Version 1.30: September 11, 2001
Version 1.41: February 23, 2006
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