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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 1,219 stream-sediment, 124 surface-water, and 906 ground-water samples were collected within the Raleigh 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 1,213 sediment and 1,030 water samples from the Raleigh 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 include Supplemental Analyses for 1,149 North Carolina sediment samples within the Raleigh quadrangle. (Records for eight of the Raleigh sediment samples in this report did not actually have any supplemental analysis data).

SRL: Raleigh Quadrangle
SRL released a separate report, which includes data for 1,199 stream-sediment, 124 surface-water, and 905 ground-water samples, as the Raleigh Quadrangle GJBX-233(81) Data Report. The site coding information for this data set is summarized within the text of this report. SRL also included the data for supplemental analysis of the stream sediment samples within this report. However, these data for the Raleigh quadrangle were not found in digital format and are not included in the Raleigh digital data file presented here. The hard copy of this data is available in the [GJBX-233(81)] data release. A preliminary comparison of the [GJBX-233(81)] data suggests that, there are some differences between this set of quadrangle data and that found for corresponding samples in the North Carolina State report. One difference is that some data found in the digital state files are missing in the published quadrangle tables. The abstract within this report stated that 907 ground-water samples with analyses were listed in the data tables, but only 905 were actually found.

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 Raleigh quadrangle samples.

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

These Raleigh 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.
• 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 Raleigh Quadrangle

Sediment Records
The Raleigh quadrangle sediment data consist of reformatted records from the North Carolina portion of the North and South Carolina [GJBX-102(82)] Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Raleigh quadrangle sediment data:

1. 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 sediment data file.
2. Unlikely sample collection dates were found for three 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.
3. An analysis of latitude-longitude site coordinates identified several stream-sediment samples that were missing coordinates, did not plot within expected state, county, or map boundaries, or had differing coordinates in corresponding records. To correct or confirm sample coordinates, the original field collection maps for Durham, Johnson, and Lee Counties, North Carolina were obtained and re-digitized. The newly re-digitized coordinates were added to the database and the coordinates from the original file(s) were recorded in the COORDPRB comment field. When the newly re-digitized coordinates were not significantly different, that confirmation of the site location was also noted in the COORDPRB comment field.
4. 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 Raleigh quadrangle water data consist of reformatted records from the North Carolina portion of the North and South Carolina [GJBX-102(82)] Data Report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Greensboro quadrangle water data:

1. 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.
2. One ground-water sample was identified with a SRLID in the 700's. This sample was missing latitude and longitude coordinates. Evidence from original sample site field notes strongly suggests that this is a duplicate sample collected later from a previously sampled 500's series site (i.e. SRLID site number ABCD718R is the same location as ABCD518R). The coordinates from the original 500's series sites were added to the matching 700's records and this change was noted in the REFORMAT and COORDPRB comment fields.
3. An analysis of latitude-longitude site coordinates identified several ground-water samples that were missing coordinates, did not plot within expected state, county, or map boundaries, or had differing coordinates in corresponding records. To correct or confirm sample coordinates, the original field collection maps for Anson, Guilford, Richmond, and Wake Counties, North Carolina were obtained and re-digitized. The newly re-digitized coordinates were added to the database and the coordinates from the original file(s) were recorded in the COORDPRB comment field. When the newly re-digitized coordinates were not significantly different, that confirmation of the site location was also noted in the COORDPRB comment field.

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).

Raleigh Quadrangle Sediment Data - 1,219 records
Raleigh Quadrangle Water Data - 1,030 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 Raleigh quadrangle is complete and includes samples from Alamance, Anson, Chatham, Cumberland, Duplin, Durham, Franklin, Guilford, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, Orange, Randolph, Richmond, Sampson, Scotland, Wake, Wayne, and Wilson Counties in North Carolina. The laboratory and analytical methods used also may vary by county such that adjacent counties often have very different analytical coverage.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Raleigh Quadrangle

Spruce Pine, Moore, and Johnston Areas Orientation Study
SRL conducted an orientation study in the Spruce Pine, Moore, and Johnston Areas in North Carolina in preparation for HSSR data collection in North Carolina [GJBX-17(78)]. This area occupies parts of the Knoxville and Raleigh 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. A total of 298 surface sites and 210 ground water sites were sampled over an 1,800 square-mile area. Data tables of analytical results are included within the report. No digital data files were available for reformatting.

Wadesboro Triassic Basin Detailed Study
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington, under subcontract to Savannah River Laboratory, conducted a preliminary study of the Wadesboro Triassic Basin, North Carolina, to evaluate the potential for uranium deposits [GJBX-32(82)]. This area occupies parts of the Charlotte, Florence, Raleigh, and Spartanburg 1:250,000-scale quadrangles. A total of 216 gamma-ray spectrometric measurements were taken at 165 sites in the Wadesboro Basin and at 37 sites in the adjacent Piedmont. 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.

Geology and Mineral Resources Study
A report on the geology and mineral resources of the Raleigh quadrangle was prepared for the Savannah River Laboratory [GJBX-51(78)]. No geochemical data accompany this report.

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 Raleigh quadrangle include the Farrington (7 samples).

Raleigh Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Cook, J.R., 1981, Raleigh 1° x 2° NTMS area, North Carolina: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-9, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-233(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.
• Ferguson, R.B., Baucom, E.I., and Price, Van, 1977, Orientation studies in the Spruce Pine, Moore, and Johnson, North Carolina, Areas: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-77-141-1, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-17(78), 82 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.
• Price, Van, Fay, W.M., and Cook, J.R., 1982, Neutron activation and other analytical data for plutonic rocks from North America and Africa: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-221(82), 47 p.
• Sargent, K.A., Cook, J.R., and Fay, W.M., 1982, Data report: North and South Carolina: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-146-22, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-102(82), 45 p.
• Thayer, P.A., and Harris, W.B., 1981, Preliminary study of the uranium potential of the Wadesboro Triassic Basin, North Carolina: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DPST-81-141-7, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-32(82), 112 p.
• Wilson, W.F., Carpenter, P.A., III, Burt, E.R., McDaniel, R.D., Coffey, J.C., and McKensie, B.J., 1982, Geology of the Raleigh 1° x 2° NTMS quadrangle, North Carolina: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, S.C., SRL Internal Doc. DP-1490, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-51(78), 122 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

Back to North Carolina NURE data
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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