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Comparison of abundances of chemical elements in mineralized and unmineralized sandstone of the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation, Smith Lake District, Grants uranium region, New Mexico

Open-File Report 83-818
By: , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr83818

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Abstract

Statistical treatment of analytical data from the Mariano Lake and Ruby uranium deposits in the Smith Lake district, New Mexico, indicates that organic carbon, arsenic, barium, calcium, cobalt, copper, gallium, iron, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, strontium, sulfur, vanadium, yttrium, and zirconium are concentrated along with uranium in primary ore. Comparison of the Smith Lake data with information from other primary deposits in the Grants uranium region and elsewhere in the Morrison Formation of the Colorado Plateau suggests that these elements, with the possible exceptions of zirconium and gallium and with the probable addition of aluminum and magnesium, are typically associated with primary, tabular uranium deposits. Chemical differences between the Ruby and Mariano Lake deposits are consistent with the interpretation that the Ruby deposit has been more affected by post-mineralization oxidizing solutions than has the Mariano Lake deposit.

Suggested Citation

Pierson, C.T., Spirakis, C., Robertson, J., 1983, Comparison of abundances of chemical elements in mineralized and unmineralized sandstone of the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation, Smith Lake District, Grants uranium region, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 83-818, 47 p. :ill. ;28 cm., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr83818.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Comparison of abundances of chemical elements in mineralized and unmineralized sandstone of the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation, Smith Lake District, Grants uranium region, New Mexico
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 83-818
DOI 10.3133/ofr83818
Year Published 1983
Language ENGLISH
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey,
Description 47 p. :ill. ;28 cm.
Additional publication details