USGS Science⌕ Search

SEARCH · USGS Science

Results for “Trace Elements Memorandum”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources

Geologic features of areas of abnormal radioactivity south of Ocala, Marion County, Florida

Areas of abnormal radioactivity south of Ocala, Marion County, Fla., discovered in 1953 by aerial survey, were investigated by surface examination and by 10 power auger drill holes. Inter-bedded clay, clayey sand, and uraniferous phosphorite occur in the areas of anomalous radioactivityo Miocene fossils occur at three localities in these beds which are evidently outliers- of Miocene sediments on the Ocala limestone of Eocene age. The preserved outliers are southwest of the main belt of Miocene sediments. The principal uraniferous rocks are clayey, sandy, pellet phosphori1te that occurs in beds a few feet thick, and very porous, phosphatic sand rock which makes abundant float at many places. Apatite forms the phosphate pellets in the unweathered phosphorite. The very porous, phosphatic sand rock is the highly leached residuum of the pellet phosphorite and is composed mainly of quartz, kaolinite, wavellite, and crandallite (pseudowavellite). It closely resembles the aluminum phosphate rock of the 'leached zone' of the Bone Valley formation in the land-pebble phosphate district.

Trace Elements Memorandum↗

Preliminary experiments on the reduction of the uranyl ion to uraninite by carbonaceous substances

An aqueous solution of uranyl sulfate containing a suspension of subbituminous coal has been heated at 210 C for three days. Examination of the coal at the end of the experiment showed it to contain 31.8 percent uranium recognizable as uraninite by a sharp, strong X-ray diffraction pattern. A similar experiment with degraded spruce wood also led to the formation of uraninite but in lesser quantity and with broader lines in the X-ray diffraction pattern. The ability of coal or wood to reduce the uranyl ion is a critical factor in the correlation of studies of uraniferous coals containing the uranyl ion with studies of uraninite-bearing coalified wood from the Colorado Plateau. Although these results are based an preliminary experiments, they are extremely important geochemically and warrant the development of the series of controlled studies that are proposed.

Trace Elements Memorandum↗

Reconnaissance for uranium in the coal of Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Uranium-bearing coal and carbonaceous shale of the Rio Bonito formation of Pennsylvanian age have been found in the States of Sao Paulo, Santa Catarlna and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The uranium oxide content of the samples collected in the State of Sao Paulo ranges from 0.001 percent to 0.082 percent. The samples collected in Santa Catarina averaged about 0.002 percent uranium oxide; those collected in Rio Grande do Sul, about 0.003 percent uranium oxide. Since the field and laboratory investigations are still in their initial stages, only raw data on the radioactivity and uranium content of Brazilian coals are given in this report.

Trace Elements Memorandum↗

Uranium deposits of the northern part of the Boulder Batholith, Montana

Uranium minerals and radioactivity anomalies occur in many silver-lead veins and chalcedony veins and vein zones in the Boulder batholith of southwestern Montanao Pitchblende has been identified in a few silver-lead veins. These veins occupy shear zones along which there is no evidence of large-scale lateral displacement. The wall rock adjacent to the veins is intensely silicified and sencitized quartz monzonite and granodiortte. The veins have yielded substantial quantities of lead, silver, zinc, and gold. The silver-lead veins consist principal1y of galena, spha1erite, tetrahedrite, cha1copyrite and pyrite in a gangue of light to dark gray quartz, altered rock, gouge, and subordinate chalcedony and carbonate minerals. No anomalous radioactivity nor uranium minerals have been found in similar veins in pre-batholithic rocks of the area. Chalcedony veins and vein zones, some of which are ttraniferous, are distinctly different from the silver-lead veins and, with a single except1on, are known only in the batholith. The chalcedony vein zones consist of one or more discontinuous stringers or veins of cha1cedony and microcrystalline quartz in silicified and sericitized quartz monzonite and granodiorite, and in less strongly altered alaskite. On1y small amounts of silver ore have been produced from these chalcedony veins and vein zones. All of the veins are ear1y Tertiary in age, but the silver-lead veins probably are older than the chalcedony veins. Uranium is closely associated with chalcedory and microcrystalline quartz in both types of veins. This association suggests that all of the uranium in the area is of the same age. If so, some of the silver-lead veins must have been reopened during the period of chalcedony vein formation.

Trace Elements Memorandum↗