Geologic interpretation of a radioactivity anomaly near the west fork of the Buckland River, western Alaska

A large part of western Alaska has been included in a uranium- thorium metallogenic province (Clark and others, 1974; Miller and Bunker, 1976; Miller, 1976) chiefly because of the occurrence of uraniferous plutonic rocks with local concentrations of uranium minerals. Recently, however, anomalous amounts of uranium and thorium have been found by the Geological Survey in volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks near the headwaters of the West Fork of the Buckland River in the central Candle quadrangle (fig. 1). This occurrence is apparently in a different geologic environment than previously noted uranium occurrences in western Alaska. An increase in radioactivity was noted in this general area and three airborne gamma-ray survey traverses, done as part of an ERDA-sponsored reconnaissance survey of western Alaska, cross the area (figs. 1, 2) and confirm the existence of a radioactivity anomaly (U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration, 1975, report GJO-1653).