OFR 97-492: Richfield Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study
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This page is currently being rewritten to the Version 1.41 format.
[See History of NURE HSSR Program for a summary of the entire program.]
The responsibility for the Richfield Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study was originally assigned to the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL). Prior to 1979, LLL collected at least 1,028 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 Richfield 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 Richfield quadrangle HSSR study by collecting an additional 1,546 sediment and 246 water samples between May and September 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-242(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 Richfield quadrangle but the concentration values often differ from those reported in the GJBX-242(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 it was found that many of the analytical values in the quadrangle report GJBX-242(80) appear to be double the corresponding values in the Western United States summary report GJBX-132(82).
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 134 of the Richfield 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.
In August-November of 1979, 397 sediment and 160 rock samples were collected by Oak Ridge in the Richfield quadrangle for the Marysvale Detailed Geochemical Survey. Radiometric readings of rock samples were done in the field using scintillometers and a gamma-ray spectrometer. The sediment samples were analyzed for multiple elements by Oak Ridge and the data were reported in the Marysvale Detailed Study GJBX-175(80) report.
A list of geologic unit codes and explanations used for the Marysvale Detailed Study was obtained from Table 3 and Figure 3 of the GJBX-175(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 |
|---|---|
| QD | Quaternary Deposits |
| MMBR | Miocene Mt. Belknap Rhyolites |
| MMBT | Miocene Mt. Belknap Tuffs |
| MMBI | Miocene Mt. Belknap Intrusives |
| MMB | Miocene Mt. Belknap Undifferentiated |
| MTL | Miocene Tuffs and Lavas |
| TI | Tertiary Intrusives |
| MBCV | Oligocene-Miocene Bullion Canyon Volcanics |
| UJAN | Permian-Jurassic Sediment Formations |
| UNKN | Unknown |
The following is a general listing of all sample types collected and reported for NURE studies in the Richfield 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 | 1,283 | Streams | 35 |
| Dry Streams | 920 | Wells | 97 |
| Soils | 751 | Springs | 113 |
| Talus | 10 | Other | 1 |
| Playa | 6 | ||
| Volcanic Neck | 1 | ||
| Total Sediments | 2,971 | Total Waters | 246 |
These Richfield 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-242(80) Richfield 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-242(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. It is important to note that within the "extra data file" for the Richfield quadrangle sediments, some of the analytical values are occasionally twice the corresponding value given in the NEW-FORMAT NURE data file. Also, within the "extra data file" for the Richfield quadrangle waters, the analytical values for most of the elements (except for Al and V) are double the corresponding value given in the NEW-FORMAT NURE data file. The values for Al and V differ considerably but with no discernible pattern. These problems were NOT resolved during the reformatting process.
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.
Sediment records from the Marysvale Detailed Study GJBX-175(80) report were also added to the NEW-FORMAT NURE data files. Data from the rock samples were placed in a separate data file. A partial description of fields unique to this file is given below in the Marysvale Detailed Study rock data format.
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).
Richfield Quadrangle Sediment Data - 3,129 records
Richfield Quadrangle Water Data - 484 records
Richfield Quadrangle Rock Data - richfl_r.dbf.gz
Unused set of quadrangle sediment records - richflsx.dbf.gz
Unused set of quadrangle water records - richflwx.dbf.gz
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.
Latitude-longitude coordinates were reported in the original Marysvale 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.)
A summary evaluation report was prepared for the Richfield quadrangle by the U.S. Geological Survey [PGJ/F-044(82)]. Additional samples of 350 rocks and 90 ground waters were collected in the quadrangle to aid in the interpretation of uranium anomalies. Sampling areas were chosen based on knowledge of the occurrence of uranium--rock samples were taken from areas with known uranium occurrences, while water samples were taken from areas based on "the existence of favorable source rocks for uranium." The rock samples were analyzed for uranium and thorium by delayed-neutron activation, and for 44 other elements by emission spectroscopy. The water samples were analyzed for uranium by extraction fluorometry, and for sulfate, phosphate, and nitrate by ion chromatography. These data were released only as microfiche appendices accompanying the summary report.
A report on the geology of the Richfield quadrangle prepared for the Savannah River Laboratory can be found in the GJBX-31(82) report. No geochemical data accompany 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.
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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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