OFR 97-492: Shiprock Quadrangle NURE HSSR Study
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)
Brief History and Description of Data
[See History of NURE HSSR Program for a summary of the entire program.]
LASL: Shiprock Quadrangle
Totals of 1,676 sediment and 372 water samples were collected from 1,999 locations within the Shiprock quadrangle during September 1977 (easternmost eighth of the quadrangle and the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation) and between August and October of 1978 (Navajo Reservation). These samples were collected by private contractors under the direction of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL). Sediment samples were analyzed by LASL for uranium and up to 42 additional elements. Water samples were analyzed by LASL for uranium only. The analytical data were released in the Shiprock Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study GJBX-143(80) report.
The following is a list of sample types collected for the Shiprock quadrangle study.
Summary of Shiprock quadrangle sample types.
| Wet Streams |
18 |
Streams |
21 |
| Dry Streams |
1,585 |
Wells |
306 |
| Wet Springs |
34 |
Springs |
45 |
| Dry Springs |
39 |
|
|
| Total Sediments |
1,676 |
Total Waters |
372 |
These Shiprock quadrangle samples were analyzed by one or more of the following methods:
Sediment Samples
- LA1: Los Alamos Delayed-Neutron Counting Analysis of sediments for U.
- LA2: Los Alamos Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of sediments for Ag, Bi, Cd, Cu, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sn, and W.
- LA4: Los Alamos Arc-Source Emission Spectrography Analysis of sediments for Be and Li.
- LA5: Los Alamos Neutron Activation Analysis of sediments for Al, Au, Ba, Ca, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, V, Yb, and Zn.
Water Samples
- LA6-DN: Los Alamos Delayed-Neutron Counting Analysis of waters for U.
- LA6-FL: Los Alamos Fluorometry Analysis of waters for U.
Discussion of the Reformatting Process for Shiprock Quadrangle
The Shiprock quadrangle sediment and water data consist of reformatted records from the Shiprock Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-143(80) report. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison and reformatting stages for the Shiprock quadrangle data:
Sediment Records
- During the NURE sample collection phase, LASL sites and samples were initially assigned a 6-digit integer Identification Number (LASLID) starting with 000001. After 1977, most LASL sites were reassigned a new 1-letter+5-digit Identification Number starting with A00001. All LASL samples and the early LASL reports use the 6-digit integer LASLID. Most of the later reports only use the 1-letter+5-digit LASLID. Although both sets of numbers were usually assigned sequentially, they do not correspond one to one with each other: 100001 does not equal C00001, etc. Whenever possible, the 1-letter+5-digit LASL Identification Number was saved in the LASLID field. When the corresponding 6-digit site number could be determined from sample number translation key lists or other sources, this Identification Number was saved in the SITE field.
- A LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Shiprock quadrangle sediment samples. The 1-letter+5-digit LASL Identification Number was saved in the LASLID field and the corresponding 6-digit site number was manually added to the SITE field. Therefore, the LASLID field contains the Identification Number found in the Shiprock Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-143(80) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- Unlikely sample collection dates were found for four 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.
- Twenty-nine sediment records with a STATE value of 'AZ' had coordinates that plotted in New Mexico. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
- One sample record contained an invalid value for the scintillometer measurement(SCIN) of -175. Although the most likely source of this error is an unwanted negative sign, this could not be confirmed in published sources. This value was removed from the SCIN field and added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
Water Records
- A LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Shiprock quadrangle water samples. The 1-letter+5-digit LASL Identification Number was saved in the LASLID field and the corresponding 6-digit site number was manually added to the SITE field. Therefore, the LASLID field contains the Identification Number found in the Shiprock Quadrangle NURE HSSR study GJBX-143(80) report. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- Unlikely sample collection dates were found for two 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.
- Seven water records with a STATE value of 'AZ' had coordinates that plotted in New Mexico. These STATE values were changed and a comment was added to the REFORMAT field for each record.
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).
Shiprock Quadrangle Sediment Data - 1,676 records
Shiprock Quadrangle Water Data - 372 records
Notes for Data Users
None at this time.
Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Shiprock Quadrangle
Shiprock Quadrangle NURE Summary
A summary evaluation report was prepared for the Shiprock quadrangle by the U.S. Geological Survey [PGJ/F-024(82)]. An additional 127 rock, 1,627 sediment, and 380 water samples were collected from all parts of the quadrangle except for the Permian Cutler Formation. The samples were analyzed and the multielement analytical data were released only as appendices on microfiche accompanying the summary report.
Shiprock Quadrangle NURE Bibliography
- Green, M.W., Byers, V.P., Condon, S.M., Huffman, A.C., Jr., Kirk, A.R., Lupe, R.D., Ridgley, J.L., Robertson, J.F., Sikkink, P.G.L., Thaden, R.E., and Zech, R.S., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Shiprock quadrangle, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-024(82), 70 p.
- Morgan, T.L., Purson, J.D., Davis, J, Duchane, D.V., Minor, M.M., Gallimore, D.L., Hansel, J.M., Hensley, W.K., and Thomas, G.J., 1980, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Shiprock NTMS quadrangle, New Mexico/Arizona, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7513-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-143(80), 194 p.
Links Within Open-File Report 97-492
Back to Arizona NURE data
Back to New Mexico NURE data
Back to Colorado 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 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 1.41: February 23, 2006
