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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

January 1, 1983

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.

Publication Year 1983
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
DOI 10.3133/ofr83818
Authors C. T. Pierson, C.S. Spirakis, J. F. Robertson
Publication Type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Series Title Open-File Report
Series Number 83-818
Index ID ofr83818
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse