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During the summer of 1975, the Alaska State Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) conducted a uranium reconnaissance study within 13 Alaska quadrangles. From this study, 644 sediment and 601 water samples collected from 694 locations were sent to the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) for analysis. LASL analyzed these samples for uranium and the analytical data were released in the GJBX-79(78) report. This report includes results for 57 sediment samples and 56 water samples collected from 60 locations within the Shungnak quadrangle.

Geochemical samples were collected during July and August of 1976 as part of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) NURE Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR) study of the northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity. Totals of 1,251 sediment and 1,336 water samples were collected from 1,356 locations within the Shishmaref, Kotzebue, and Selawik quadrangles and in the western third of the Shungnak quadrangle. All of the samples were analyzed for uranium and the results were published in the Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) report. This report includes results for 468 sediment and 475 water samples collected from 486 locations within the Shungnak quadrangle.

During 1977, the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBOM) provided funds for multielement analyses of samples taken from the areas proposed for the Chukchi Imuruk National Reserve, the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, and the Cape Krusenstern National Monument. The areas proposed for the Chukchi Imuruk National Reserve included portions of Bendeleben, Kotzebue, Shishmaref, and Teller quadrangles. The areas proposed for the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge included portions of Selawik and Shungnak quadrangles. The areas proposed for the Cape Krusenstern National Monument were within the Noatak quadrangle. The results of the multielement analyses were released in two separate reports. In 1977, the first report released was the Proposed Cape Krusenstern National Monument GJBX-63(77) report. This report contained analytical results for 88 sediment samples and 84 water samples collected from 89 locations within the Noatak quadrangle. Included were the USBOM-funded multielement analyses of the sediments, and uranium analyses of sediment and water samples that were also released by LASL in the Noatak area GJBX-87(78) report.

In 1978, LASL released the GJBX-26(79) report. This was the second report of USBOM-funded analyses of LASL NURE samples. The report contained results for 452 sediment samples and 492 water samples from 517 locations within the proposed Chukchi Imuruk National Reserve, 423 sediment samples and 447 water samples from 451 locations within the proposed Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, and 11 sediment samples and 10 water samples from 11 locations within the proposed Cape Krusenstern National Monument. In addition to results of the USBOM-funded multielement analyses, the GJBX-26(79) report included results of uranium analyses that were also published by LASL in three other NURE data release reports. Uranium results for samples collected from Noatak quadrangle were also included in the Noatak area GJBX-87(78) report. Uranium results for samples collected from Teller and Bendeleben quadrangles were also included in the Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-85(78) report. Uranium results for samples collected from Shishmaref, Kotzebue, Selawik, and Shungnak quadrangles were also included in the Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) report. The USBOM-funded GJBX-26(79) multielement analysis report included results for 303 sediment samples and 317 water samples collected from 320 locations from within the Shungnak quadrangle.

In 1977, the entire NURE HSSR program changed from a study area basis (State, County, or geomorphic province) to a 1° x 2° (1° x 3° in parts of Alaska) quadrangle basis. To complete the Shungnak quadrangle study, LASL analyzed the sediment samples from the remainder of the Shungnak quadrangle for up to 45 additional elements. However, LASL was unable to complete the Shungnak quadrangle data release report. The sediment data were sent to the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation in Grand Junction, Colorado and subsequently published as the microfiche GJBX-142(82) report. This report does not give any details on the sample collection or analytical methods used on these samples.

LASL sent 789 water samples from the Shungnak quadrangle to the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) for analysis. These samples were analyzed for uranium and up to 27 additional elements and the results were released by ORGDP in the GJBX-369(81) report. Note: Previously, 246 of these water samples had been analyzed for multiple elements and reported in the USBOM-funded GJBX-26(79) multielement analysis report.

The following is a list of NURE sample types collected in the Shungnak 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.

These Shungnak 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.
• LA3: Los Alamos Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of sediments for Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Nb, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, W and Zr.
• 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.
• LA7: Los Alamos Plasma-Source Emission Spectrography Analysis of waters for Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Ti, and Zn.
• OR9-FL: Oak Ridge Fluorescence Spectroscopy Analysis of waters for U.
• OR9-MS: Oak Ridge Mass Spectrometry Analysis of waters for U.
• OR13: Oak Ridge Emission Spectrochemical Analysis of waters for Ag, Al, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Sc, Si, Sr, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr. (Note: Nb and Th may be included in this method.)

Composition of the NEW-FORMAT NURE Data Files

The data in the NEW-FORMAT NURE sediment data file consist of 857 reformatted sediment records from the Shungnak quadrangle GJBX-142(82) report, 302 reformatted sediment records from the USBOM-funded GJBX-26(79) report, and 57 reformatted sediment records from the Alaska DGGS GJBX-79(78) report. The data in the NEW-FORMAT NURE water data file consist of 789 reformatted water records from the ORGDP Shungnak quadrangle GJBX-369(81) water report, 349 reformatted water records from the Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) report, and 56 reformatted water record from the Alaska DGGS GJBX-79(78) report. Any changes in the data or problems found are noted in the REFORMAT comment field.

A total of 468 sediment records from the earlier Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) study were the same as corresponding records from the later Shungnak quadrangle GJBX-142(82) report. Only the Shungnak quadrangle GJBX-142(82) report records were retained in the NEW-FORMAT NURE sediment data file. Any minor differences between corresponding records were noted in the REFORMAT comment field.

Analytical values for 302 of the 303 sediment sample records from the USBOM-funded GJBX-26(79) report were different from the corresponding records from the Shungnak quadrangle GJBX-142(82) report. The differences are due to the use of differing multielement analytical techniques. Consequently, 2 records were kept for each of the 302 sediment samples released in both the USBOM-funded GJBX-26(79) report and the Shungnak quadrangle GJBX-142(82) report. Only one record was kept for the single sediment sample that had identical analytical data in both sources. A comment in the REFORMAT field identifies this record.

The site description data and the uranium concentrations for the 317 water sample records from the USBOM-funded GJBX-26(79) report were the same as corresponding records from the Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) report. To reduce the number of records, the multielement analytical results for the 317 Selawik National Wildlife Refuge water samples from the USBOM-funded GJBX-26(79) report were combined with the corresponding records from the Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) report. A comment in the REFORMAT field identifies these combined records.

A total of 372 of the water samples appeared in both the Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) uranium data report and the ORGDP Shungnak quadrangle GJBX-369(81) multielement water report. Of these samples, 246 had also been analyzed for multiple elements as part of the USBOM-funded GJBX-26(79) study. The 246 Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) uranium records were combined with the corresponding 246 USBOM-funded GJBX-26(79) study records as described above. Because of overlapping determinations for certain elements, it was not possible to also combine the 246 ORGDP Shungnak quadrangle GJBX-369(81) multielement water records into a single record for each sample. Therefore, 2 records were kept for each of the 246 water samples released in all three studies. The remaining 126 water samples, reported only in the Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) uranium data report and the ORGDP Shungnak quadrangle GJBX-369(81) multielement water report, were combined into a single record for each sample. The uranium values from the Northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity GJBX-86(78) report were added to the U_XX_PPB field and the addition was noted for each of the 126 records in the REFORMAT comment field.

Values for dissolved oxygen at 247 sample sites from the Northern Seward Peninsula and Vicinity study were added from the GJBX-86(78) report and can be found in the O_DISS field. A comment in the REFORMAT field identifies these records.

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 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).

Shungnak Quadrangle Sediment Data - 1,210 records
Shungnak Quadrangle Water Data - 1,189 records

Notes for Data Users

Water samples from this quadrangle are reported to have been acidified with nitric acid but NOT filtered in the field.

The ORGDP fluorometric procedure for uranium required each water sample to be centrifuged before taking an aliquot for analysis. It is not clear whether water samples analyzed by emission spectrometry were also centrifuged prior to analysis.

Values of 99999 are as reported in the GJBX publications and may reflect values above determination limits.

Other NURE Geochemical Data for the Shungnak Quadrangle

LASL compiled all of the regional HSSR data from Alaskan NURE studies and produced a report [GJBX-32(83] that graphically displays the distribution of selected elements for most of the State. No additional geochemical data were released with this report.

Shungnak Quadrangle NURE Bibliography

• Aamodt, P.L., Hill, D.E., and Sharp, R.R., Jr., 1978, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance data from the area of the Noatak and portions of the Baird Mountains and Ambler River quadrangles, Alaska: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-6846-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-87(78), 74 p.
• Sharp, R.R., Jr., 1977, Results of elemental analyses of water and waterborne sediment samples from the Proposed Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Informal Report LA-6945-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-63(77), 28 p.
• Sharp, R.R., Jr., 1978, Results of elemental analyses of water and waterborne sediment samples from areas of Alaska proposed for the Chukchi Imuruk National Reserve, Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, and Cape Krusenstern National Monument: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-7503-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-26(79), 155 p.
• Sharp, R.R., Jr., and Hill, D.W., 1978, Uranium concentrations in stream waters and sediments from selected sites in the eastern Seward Peninsula, Koyukuk, and Charley River Areas, and across south-central Alaska: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-6649-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-79(78), 39 p.
• Sharp, R.R., Jr., and Hill, D.W., 1978, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance data from the area of the Teller, Bendeleben, Candle and Kateel River quadrangles Seward Peninsula and vicinity, Alaska: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-6844-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-85(78), 161 p.
• Shettel, D.L., Jr., Langfeldt, S.L., Hardy, L.C., D'Andrea, R.F., Jr., Zinkl, R.J., Minor, M.M., McInteer, C., Hansel, J.N., and Broxton, D.E., 1982, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Shungnak NTMS quadrangle, Alaska: Bendix Field Engineering Corporation, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-142(82), 113 p.
• Uranium Resource Evaluation Project, 1981, Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Shungnak quadrangle, Alaska: Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tenn., K/UR-380, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-369(81), 89 p.
• Warren, R.G., Sharp, R.R., Jr., and Hill, D.W., 1978, Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance data from the area of the Shishmaref, Kotzebue, Selawik and Shungnak quadrangles, northern Seward Peninsula and vicinity, Alaska: Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory informal report LA-6845-MS, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-86(78), 94 p.
• Weaver, T.A., Freeman, S.H., Broxton, D.E., Bolivar, S.L., and others, 1983, The geochemical atlas of Alaska: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M., LA-9897-MS, U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction, Colo., GJBX-32(83), 57 p.

Links Within Open-File Report 97-492

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Frequently Asked Questions Concerning NURE HSSR Data
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Page written by Andrew W. Holt and Steven M. Smith
Contact: Steven M. Smith (smsmith@usgs.gov)
Version 1.20: August 07, 2000
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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey URL: https://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/1997/ofr-97-0492/quad_ak/q_shungk.htm Questions or Assistance: USGS Web Contact Page Last Modified: Wed Dec 7 16:18 EDT 2016