Reconnaissance for uraniferous rocks in northwestern Colorado, southwestern Wyoming, and northeastern Utah

Trace Elements Investigations 308
This report concerns work done on behalf of the Division of Raw Materials of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
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Abstract

Previous discoveries and studies of radioactive lignites of Tertiary age in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming led the Geological Survey in 1950 to do reconnaissance in the Green River and Uinta Basin of Wyoming and Utah, where similar lignites were believed to be present. Because of the common association of uranium with copper deposits and the presence of such deposits in the Uinta Basin, several areas containing copper-uranium minerals were also examined.


No deposits commercially exploitable under present conditions were found. Samples of coal from the Bear River formation at Sage, Wyo., assayed 0.004 to 0.013 percent uranium in the ash; in the old Uteland copper mine in Uinta County, Utah, 0.007 to 0.017 percent uranium; in a freshwater limestone, Duchesne County, Utah, as much as 0.019 percent uranium; and in the Mesaverde formation at the Snow and Bonniebell claims near Jensen, Uintah County, Utah, 0.003 to 0.090 percent uranium. Maps were made and samples were taken at the Skull Creek carnotite deposits in Moffat County, Colo. (0.006 to 0.16 percent uranium); at the Fair-U claims in Routt County, Colo. (0.002 to 0.040 percent uranium); and at the Lucky Strike claims near Kremmling in Grand County, Colo. (0.006 to 0.018 percent uranium).

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Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Reconnaissance for uraniferous rocks in northwestern Colorado, southwestern Wyoming, and northeastern Utah
Series title Trace Elements Investigations
Series number 308
DOI 10.3133/tei308
Year Published 1952
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Description Report: 41 p.; 1 Plate: 16.75 x 15.21 inches
Country United States
State Colorado;Utah;Wyoming
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