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Uranium-bearing coal in the Red Desert, Great Divide Basin, Sweetwater county, Wyoming

Trace Elements Memorandum 601
This report concerns work done on behalf of the Division of Raw Materials of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/tem601

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Abstract

Uranium-bearing coal in the Wasatch formation occurs in a zone extending 30 miles north of U.S. Highway 30 and the Union Pacific Railroad at Wamsutter, Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The Wasatch formation intertongues with the Green River formation and the beds are nearly flat lying. Preliminary estimation of total reserves in the area indicates the presence of 610,000,000 tons of subbituminous coal containing 14,800 tons of uranium in beds more than 30 inches thich and overlain by less than 75 feet of overburden. The uranium content of the coal ash ranges from 0.010 percent to 0.020 percent throughout most the area included in the reserves. Locally, the uranium content ranges from 0.001 percent to 0.047 in the coal and 0.005 percent to 0.14 percent in the ash.

Suggested Citation

Masursky, H., and Pipiringos, G.N., 1953, Uranium-bearing coal in the Red Desert, Great Divide Basin, Sweetwater county, Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Trace Elements Memorandum 601, Report: 20 p.; 7 Plates: 37.46 x 21.37 inches and smaller, https://doi.org/10.3133/tem601.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Uranium-bearing coal in the Red Desert, Great Divide Basin, Sweetwater county, Wyoming
Series title Trace Elements Memorandum
Series number 601
DOI 10.3133/tem601
Year Published 1953
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Description Report: 20 p.; 7 Plates: 37.46 x 21.37 inches and smaller
Country United States
State Wyoming
County Sweetwater County
Other Geospatial Red Desert;Great Divide Basin
Additional Online Files (Y/N) Y
Additional publication details