OFR 97-492: Trinidad 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: Trinidad Quadrangle
Totals of 1,240 sediment and 1,060 water samples were collected from 1,768 locations in the Trinidad quadrangle during March-July 1976 (104.875° to 106°W longitude) and September-October 1977 (104° to 104.875°W longitude) as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study. The samples were analyzed for uranium content and the data were released in the Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-139(78) report. These same samples were later reanalyzed by multielement methods for up to 42 additional elements and the data were released in the Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-138(80) report.
Summary Tables
The following is a list of NURE sample types collected within the Trinidad quadrangle.
Summary of Trinidad quadrangle sample types.
| Wet Streams |
334 |
Streams |
344 |
| Dry Streams |
645 |
Wells |
498 |
| Wet Springs |
153 |
Springs |
169 |
| Dry Springs |
12 |
Natural Ponds |
23 |
| Wet Natural Ponds |
23 |
Artificial Ponds |
26 |
| Dry Natural Ponds |
9 |
|
|
| Wet Artificial Ponds |
25 |
|
|
| Dry Artificial Ponds |
39 |
|
|
| Total Sediments |
1,240 |
Total Waters |
1,060 |
These Trinidad 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 Trinidad Quadrangle
The Trinidad quadrangle sediment and water data consist of records from the Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-139(78) report combined with records from the Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-138(80) report. When combining sample records, site descriptive information and coordinates were compared for all corresponding records. The following problems were found and addressed during the comparison, combining, and reformatting stages for the Trinidad 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 Trinidad 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 Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-139(78) and Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-138(80) reports. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- When combining corresponding records from the Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-139(78) and Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-138(80) reports, it was found that the reported concentrations of uranium were often slightly different. Rather than discarding one of the values in the combined records, the concentration of uranium (analyzed by delayed neutron activation analysis) from the Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-139(78) report was added to the extra uranium field (U_XX_PPM).
- Four sediment sample records contained an invalid value in the sediment type(SEDTYPE) or stream channel character(STRCHANL) fields. These values were likely miscoded or entered incorrectly. The correct values were not found. These values were removed from the respective fields and added as a comment to the REFORMAT field for each affected record.
- One sediment sample record contained a value for well pump type(WELLPUMP). This parameter was not normally recorded for sediment samples. The value was removed from the record and added as a comment to the REFORMAT field.
Water Records
- A LASL Identification Number translation key was found for the Trinidad 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 Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Uranium HSSR study GJBX-139(78) and Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Multielement HSSR study GJBX-138(80) reports. The SITE field contains the corresponding LASL Identification Number used to label the original field maps, field notes, and sample containers.
- One water sample record contained invalid values in the sediment type(SEDTYPE) and stream channel character(STRCHANL) fields. These values were likely miscoded or entered incorrectly. The correct values were not found. These values were removed from the respective fields and added as a comment to the REFORMAT 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).
Trinidad Quadrangle Sediment Data - 1,240 records
Trinidad Quadrangle Water Data - 1,060 records
Notes for Data Users
None at this time.
Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Trinidad Quadrangle
Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Summary
A summary evaluation report was prepared for the Trinidad quadrangle by the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation [PGJ/F-034(82)]. As part of the evaluation, an additional 90 rock samples were collected from selected parts of the Trinidad quadrangle. The samples were analyzed and the data derived from these analyses were released only as appendices on microfiche accompanying the summary report.
Uranium Resource Assessment Using Statistical Analysis of Durango, Montrose, Pueblo, and Trinidad Quadrangles Data
The University of Georgia, under subcontract to Bendix Field Engineering Corp., evaluated the Durango, Montrose, Pueblo, and Trinidad quadrangles to "develop a practical system for quantitatively assessing the uranium resources in individual quadrangles based upon the HSSR data and tonnage/grade data for occurrences." No additional geochemical data accompany this statistical analysis GJBX-140(81) report.
Trinidad Quadrangle NURE Bibliography
- Johnson, V.C., McCarn, D.W., Kocis, D.E., Walker, B.W., and Reinhart, W.R., 1982, National Uranium Resource Evaluation, Trinidad quadrangle, Colorado: Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., PGJ/F-034(82), 37 p.
- Koch, G.S., Jr., Howarth, R.J., and Schuenemeyer, J.H., 1981, Uranium resource assessment through statistical analysis of exploration, geochemical, and other data; final report: U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-140(81), 145 p.
- Morris, W.A., LaDelfe, C.M., and Weaver, T.A., 1978, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Trinidad NTMS quadrangle, Colorado: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7345-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-139(78), 79 p.
- Shannon, S.S., Jr., 1980, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Trinidad NTMS quadrangle, Colorado, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7345-MS Supplement, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-138(80), 121 p.
Links Within Open-File Report 97-492
Back to Colorado NURE data
Back to New Mexico 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
