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Report: explore 620 source-linked works published from 1913 to 2026, with original documents and citations.

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Includes records with this source-supplied label or an explicit phrase match in their metadata. Matches indicate a mention, not proof that a paper uses a method or tests a material. Source versions are consolidated by DOI.

Sources: usgs. Collection updated 2026-09-15. Counts describe this index, not the complete source archives.

USGS1976

Transport and dispersion of fluorescent tracer particles for the dune-bed condition, Atrisco Feeder Canal near Bernalillo, New Mexico

A tracer technique in which mineral particles were coated with fluorescent dyes was used to study the rates of transport and dispersion of sediment particles`of various diameters and specific gravities for a dune-bed condition in an alluvial channel. The experiment was conducted in the Atrisco Feeder Canal near Bernalillo, N. Mex., between May 1 and July 14, 1967. A continuous point source of tracers, approximated by injections at 5- or 10-minute intervals, was maintained for 7 days so that the steady-dilution procedure could be used to calculate the transport rate of bed material. After termination of the injection process, the spatial-integration procedure was used to follow the movement of the tracers downstream and to calculate the transport rate. Samples of the bed material in transport and the accompanying tracers moving along the surface of the dune bed were obtained periodically throughout the study with the "dustpan" sampler especially designed for fluorescent tracer studies. In addition, the spatial distributions of the tracers in the dune bed were determined three times during the study by core sampling.

New Mexico↗
USGS1976

Results of phytoplankton sampling at National Stream Quality Accounting Network stations in Montana, 1975 water year

Twelve National Stream Quality Accounting Network stations were operated in Montana during the 1975 water year. The network was established for the purpose of acquiring a base of hydrologic data for use by agencies engaged in water-resources planning on a national or regional scale. Among the characteristics analyzed were phytoplankton identification and cell counts. Samples consisted of composites of equal aliquots, collected at the center of each quartile of flow, using modified suspended-sediment samplers and sediment collection techniques. Identification and counting were done using the Sedgwick-Rafter cell method. Cell counts ranged from 21 cells per millilitre at Flathead River at Flathead, British Columbia to 27,000 cells per millilitre at Yellowstone River near Sidney. The class Bacillariophyceae was most abundant in both number and variety at all sampling sites. Anabaena and Aphanizomenon of the phyllum Cyanophyta were found at six stations and two stations respectively. These two genera of blue-green algae often become abundant in enriched waters resulting in nuisance conditions.

Montana↗
USGS1976

Uranium and trace elements in stream sediments as an exploration tool

More than 45 trace elements have been reported in anomalous amounts in the uranium ores. The specific suite of elements associated with any one uranium deposit varies according to deposit type and geologic province. The primary geochemical halo of uranium and associated trace elements in the host rock, together with secondary dispersion halo in soils and alluvium, offers a potential geochemical exploration target. Sediment from streams near low-grade uranium occurrences in arkosic sandstone of the Denver basin, Colorado, and sediment from streams in the igneous and metamorphic terrace near the Midnite mine of eastern Washington have been analyzed for acid-extractable U, Cu,Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Mo, Cd, Cr, Ag, V, and Se, and for total Fe, Mn, Hg, As, and organic C. The -80 mesh fraction of the alluvium downstream from a small uraniferous limonite occurrence in the Denver basin shows anomalous concentrations of U, Pb, As, Ni, Mo, V, Zn, and Se. Anomalous concentrations of U persist farther downstream (as much as 1,000 m) than any of the trace elements. In another stream system southeast of Denver, above-background levels of U, Pb, As, Zn, V, Fe, and Mn occur near a uranium anomaly (defined by other methods) which has no surface mineralization. In the Midnite mine area, sediments of streams draining prospect areas showed anomalous concentrations of uranium (as much as 10 times background), but no accompanying anomalous trace-element concentrations, although analyses of Midnite mine ores show that a broad suite of trace elements are associated with uranium.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1976

Non-radiometric borehole geophysical detection of geochemical halos surrounding sedimentary uranium deposits

Roll-type uranium deposits are formed by the concentration of uranium by ground water in geochemical cells. Non-uranium minerals having different solubilities may be deposited ahead of or behind the uranium minerals, forming halos that surround the ore. In addition, oxidizing and reducing environmental conditions may cause zones of mineral alteration to develop beyond the limits of the uranium deposit. Certain physical property anomalies that are commonly associated with halos can be detected by relatively fast and inexpensive borehole geophysical measurements made either in individual holes, or between two adjacent holes. Borehole measurements that have been found to be useful include electrical resistivity, induced polarization, and magnetic susceptibility. Electrical resistivity is increased by the presence of calcite and other cementing minerals that sometimes create permeability barriers in the neighborhood of uranium deposits. Induced polarization (IP) response is increased by sulfide and clay minerals that are commonly found in anomalous concentrations near roll-type deposits. Magnetic susceptibility is usually decreased by the oxidation of magnetite to hematite or limonite in the zone of chemical alteration that is left as a trail behind roll fronts. Borehole measurements of electrical resistivity, induced polarization and magnetic susceptibility were made in the vicinity of a uranium roll-type deposit in south Texas. Results indicate that mineral halos can be detected by borehole measurements made. in wide-spaced drill holes, and that the total amount of drilling needed to find a deposit can be reduced substantially by this exploration approach.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1976

Ground magnetic and VLF studies at Midnite uranium mine, Stevens County, Washington

Ground magnetic and E-mode VLF measurements were made at more than 200 stations at the Midnite uranium Mine, Stevens County, Washington. The equipment was found to be light and foolproof, and each set of data was collected in one day, exclusive of surveying and marking the station points. The maps of contoured magnetic and VLF data resembled geologic maps of the area, showing many common features, as well as a few unique features on each map. Each showed some evidence of a small normal fault cutting the region; taken together, the evidence for this fault was judged to be much stronger, so that further structural details were inferred. Because of soil cover and inadequate outcrops, the presence of this fault had hitherto been unsuspected. A target area for further uranium mineralization north of the fault was indicated by this quick, inexpensive geophysical survey. The drilling program which Midnite Mine management had underway at that time had already outlined a mineralized zone in the indicated area.

Washington↗
USGS1976

Uranium analysis of single drops of natural waters using the fission-track technique

The fission-track technique has been applied to uranium analysis of natural waters using a single drop of water. Samples may be collected in the field by evaporating a drop of water on a detector, and samples may then be analyzed by returning the detector to the laboratory. A sample collecting kit has been assembled, which facilitates the designed sampling method. Some unique advantages of this technique are picogram sensitivity (10 -12 g) for uranium on single drops of water, maintenance of sample integrity during transport and storage, and the ability to discern whether the uranium is in solution or in the suspended material. Counting the tracks is the most time-consuming part of the analysis, but it can be reduced by using automatic counting systems. The analytical error is generally ± 10 percent over the entire range of concentrations.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1976

Helium detection as a guide for uranium exploration

Helium, a byproduct of radioactive decay, may prove to be a valuable indicator of the presence and distribution of uranium deposits. Recent technological advances permit the development of instrumentation not previously adapted for this purpose. Commercially available equipment can provide high sensitivity at low cost and allow reasonable mobility for field use. A truck-mounted mass-spectrometer, tuned for helium-4, permits immediate adjustment or modification of sampling patterns in response to accumulating data. The inlet system of the spectrometer has been designed to allow flexibility in gas analyses from various sample types--soil gas, atmosphere, or gases in water. Sensitivity of the instrument is better than 50 parts of helium per 10 9 parts of gas. Replicate samples and standards can be analyzed in only 3 minutes. Helium in soil gas is being used for the initial evaluation of the technique. A hollow probe, as much as 2 m long, is driven into the ground; and a 10-cc syringe is used to purge the probe and extract the gas. This sample is then injected into the inlet system and introduced into the spectrometer at constant pressure. The output signal is displayed on a chart recorder. Investigations can be performed on a qualitative, relative basis, or on a quantitative basis by comparison to calibrated helium standards. Preliminary field testing includes studies of the responses to variations in wind speed, temperature, barometric pressure, moisture, and sampling depth over extended time periods, as well as studies of geologic controls on the helium content in soil gas. Surveys over known uranium occurrences reveal some anomalous helium distributions. This report describes an updated technological approach to an old idea: that of using helium, a byproduct of uranium radioactive decay, as an exploration tool for uranium. Helium is the sixth most abundant gas found in the earth's atmosphere (Table 1). It is an inert gas and very mobile, mixing rapidly. When the alpha particles from the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium pick up two electrons, atoms of the isotope helium-4 are formed. Several helium-4 atoms are produced from each decay series of U-238, U-235, and Th-232 (fig. 1). The half-lives of the parent isotopes are5also shown in figure 1. One gram of uranium will produce ~10 5 atoms of helium-4 per second, and one gram of thorium produces ~2.5 x 10 4 atoms of helium-4 per second (fig. 2). Calculations of the helium produced from the crust and mantle reveal that 1,125 x 10 30 atoms per year are produced, but only 7 x 10 30 atoms per year escape from the earth (Damon and Kulp, 1958). More is being produced than is being lost; in fact, the total atmospheric content of helium could be produced in only 2 million years (MacDonald, 1963)! However, all the crustal and mantle helium-4 does not degas into the atmosphere as it is formed. It is trapped in crystal lattices and in pore spaces within the earth. What this means is that there is excess helium-4 in the earth--excess, that is, compared to the atmospheric concentration in equilibrium with the helium-4 escape rate into space and the helium-4 flux from the crust and mantle (Nicolet, 1957). Near-surface pockets of high helium-4 concentrations are known, and some natural gas fields are so enriched that they are the source for commercial production of helium. Work by Roberts and others (1975) has shown high helium concentration in the soil gas associated with geothermal areas; and work by Clark and Kugler (1973), Dyck (1975), and Goldak (1974), for example, has noted high helium concentrations in soils and waters in the vicinity of uranium deposits. These latter studies certainly indicate the potential of helium detection for use as an exploration tool for uranium.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1976

Guidelines for collection and field analysis of ground-water samples for selected unstable constituents

The unstable nature of many chemical and physical constituents in ground water requires special collection procedures and field analysis immediately after collection. This report describes the techniques and equipment commonly used in the collection and field analysis of samples for pH, temperature, carbonate, bicarbonate, specific conductance, Eh, and dissolved oxygen.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1976

Geology and mineral deposits of the Needle Mountains District, Southwestern Colorado

The Needle Mountains district is set in highly fractured Precambrian granitic rocks that have intruded and metamorphosed older Precambrian metasedimentary rocks. The Precambrian rocks are overlain by outliers of Paleozoic strata and intruded by a late Tertiary stock. Past mineral production reportedly was limited to silver and gold ores presumably taken from small fissure veins. Although the economic potential of the district has not been adequately explored, some evidence indicates potential for base metal deposits.

Colorado↗
USGS1976

Hydrogeology of stratified drift in Farmington, Connecticut: Available data and future needs

The purpose of this report is twofold. The first is to update hydrogeologic information on the major stratified-drift deposits that underlie much of Farmington. The second is to outline data requirements for future ground-water evaluation and management. The scope of the report is limited to the stratified drift, as it is the only aquifer capable of sustaining large withdrawals for public or industrial supply. This aquifer is composed of interbedded layers of gravel, sand, silt and clay. Most of this material was deposited by glacial meltwaters, but locally the aquifer contains some unconsolidated deposits of nonglacial origin. The most extensive stratified-drift deposits are in the valleys of the Farmington and Pequabuck Rivers.(See plate B.) A few small areas of stratified drift near East Farmington Heights and Oakland Gardens are not discussed in this report as their potential for large-scale development is slight.

Connecticut↗
USGS1976

Trace elements in some rocks and slag from the Yemen Arab Republic and their bearing on the iron ore near Sa'dah

Thirty-seven samples of rocks, saprolite, laterite, gossan, and slag were collected in the Yemen Arab Republic during June-July 1975 when field work was conducted to refine an interpretation of the regional geology made from LANDSAT-1 images by M. J. Grolier. These samples we reanalyzed in the laboratories of the U. S. Geological Survey, and the results were interpreted for use in programs of economic development as a guide for the evaluation of mineral resources in the Yemen Arab Republic. The work was undertaken as part of the program of the U. S. Agency for International Development with the cooperation of the Mineral and Petroleum Authority, Ministry of Economy, Yemen Arab Republic.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1976

A comparison of electronic particle counting and pipette techniques in routine mud analysis

Electronic particle counting and pipette size-analysis techniques are compared for their relative effectiveness in large-scale routine mud analysis. Optimum laboratory procedures for conducting electronic analyses with a Model TA Coulter Counter are presented. Comparative electronic and pipette analyses conducted on the same samples resulted in equivalent precision for both techniques. Results of electronic analyses consistently showed size distributions significantly coarser than those obtained by pipette analyses. The laboratory efficiency of the relatively rapid electronic technique is far superior to that of the pipette technique, although more extensive precautionary measures are required to maintain a high level of analytical accuracy and precision. The quality of electronic analyses largely depends upon the effectiveness of standardized operational procedures established within the laboratory.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1976

Corwin Springs Known Geothermal Resources Area, Park County, Montana

The Corwin Springs Known Geothermal Resources Area (KGRA) is contiguous to Yellowstone National Park along a part of the northern boundary of the park near Gardiner, Park County, Mont. The area contains two known sites of hot-spring activity--LaDuke Spring, 2.8 km southeast of the small resort community of Corwin Springs, and Bear Creek Spring, 2.6 km east of Gardiner. LaDuke Spring issues from brecciated quartzite and has a flow rate of 380 1/min, a surface water temperature of 65°C, a silica-geothermometer temperature of 68.7°C, and a Na-K-Ca geothermometer temperature of 76.8°C. Bear Creek Spring issues from limestone and has a flow rate of 4 1/min, a surface water temperature of 32°C, a silica temperature of 46.7°C, and a Na-K-Ca temperature of 87.2°C. The springs, which are actively depositing travertine, are on or near the trace of the Gardiner fault-a high-angle reverse fault which forms the southwestern boundary of the Beartooth uplift. Features that make the Corwin Springs KGRA potentially significant include: (1) Proximity of the Corwin Springs area to significant Pliocene and Pleistocene volcanism in Yellowstone National Park and related geothermal activity, (2) existence of a large potential geothermal reservoir in the northern extension of the Sepulcher Mountain graben, (3) localization of thermal activity along the Gardiner fault in the Corwin Springs area, (4) occurrence of negative gravity anomaly centered over the northern end of the Sepulcher Mountain graben, (5) existence of negative magnetic anomaly in the Corwin Springs area, (6) location of the area within the Intermountain seismic belt, (7) evidence of recent tectonism in the area, as demonstrated by Pleistocene and Holocene faulting, and (8) observed surface temperatures and estimated geochemical temperatures of the two known hot springs (features which do not indicate high subsurface temperatures).

Montana↗
Compare source metadata on this page
WorkPublishedSource identifierSource
Transport and dispersion of fluorescent tracer particles for the dune-bed condition, Atrisco Feeder Canal near Bernalillo, New Mexico1976ofr76218usgs
Results of phytoplankton sampling at National Stream Quality Accounting Network stations in Montana, 1975 water year1976ofr76219usgs
Uranium and trace elements in stream sediments as an exploration tool1976ofr76220usgs
Non-radiometric borehole geophysical detection of geochemical halos surrounding sedimentary uranium deposits1976ofr76228usgs
Ground magnetic and VLF studies at Midnite uranium mine, Stevens County, Washington1976ofr76230usgs
Uranium analysis of single drops of natural waters using the fission-track technique1976ofr76239usgs
Helium detection as a guide for uranium exploration1976ofr76240usgs
Guidelines for collection and field analysis of ground-water samples for selected unstable constituents1976ofr76241usgs
The volumetric properties of vapor saturated aqueous potassium chloride solutions from 0 degrees to 400 degrees C based on a regression of the available literature data1976ofr76243usgs
Geology and mineral deposits of the Needle Mountains District, Southwestern Colorado1976ofr76244usgs
Audio-magnetotelluric data log, station location map, and skin depth pseudo-sections, Crater Hot Springs Known Geothermal Resources Area, Utah1976ofr76245usgs
Hydrogeology of stratified drift in Farmington, Connecticut: Available data and future needs1976ofr76248usgs
The volumetric properties of vapor saturated aqueous sodium sulfate solutions from 0 degrees to 325 degrees C based on a regression of the available literature data1976ofr76255usgs
Trace elements in some rocks and slag from the Yemen Arab Republic and their bearing on the iron ore near Sa'dah1976ofr76264usgs
A comparison of electronic particle counting and pipette techniques in routine mud analysis1976ofr76269usgs
Water resources of the Lake Superior Watershed, northeastern Minnesota1976ofr76276usgs
Principal facts for gravity stations in the Darrough Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA), Nevada1976ofr76289usgs
Corwin Springs Known Geothermal Resources Area, Park County, Montana1976ofr76293usgs

These are bibliographic comparisons, not experimental rankings. Follow the original document for methods and conditions.