Mineral Resources of the

Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area,

Harney County, Oregon

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At the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines 

conducted field studies of 22,650 acres of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area.

Chapter D

Mineral Resources of the

Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area,

Harney County, Oregon

By DEAN B. VANDER MEULEN, ANDREW GRISCOM, and 

HARLEY D. KING 

U.S. Geological Survey

PHILLIP R. MOYLE 

U.S. Bureau of Mines

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1740

MINERAL RESOURCES OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS: 

STEENS MOUNTAIN-RINCON REGION, OREGON
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

DONALD PAUL MODEL, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Dallas L. Peck, Director

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endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey

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For sale by the

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mineral resources of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study 

Area, Harney County, Oregon.

(Mineral resources of wilderness study areas Steens 

Mountain-Rincon region, Oregon ; ch. D) (U.S. 

Geological Survey bulletin ; 1740)

Bibliography: p.

Supt. of Docs, no.: I 19.3:1740-0

1. Mines and mineral resources Oregon Blitzen River 

Wilderness. 2. Blitzen River Wilderness (Or.) I. Vander 

Meulen, Dean B. II. Series. III. Series: U.S. Geological 

Survey bulletin ; 1740-D.

QE75.B9 no. 1740-D 557.3 s 88-600265 

UN24.07] [553'.09795'95]
STUDIES RELATED TO WILDERNESS 

Bureau of Land Management Study Area

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Public Law 94-579, October 21, 1976) requires the 

U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines to conduct mineral surveys on certain areas to 

determine the mineral values, if any, that may be present. Results must be made available to the public 

and be submitted to the President and the Congress. This report presents the results of a mineral survey 

of part of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area (OR-002-086E), Harney County, Oregon.

CONTENTS

Summary Dl

Abstract Dl

Character and setting Dl

Identified resources Dl

Mineral resource potential Dl 

Introduction D3

Area description D3

Previous and present investigations D3 

Appraisal of identified resources D3

History and production D3

Mines, prospects, claims, and mineralized areas D5

Appraisal of mineral resources D5 

Assessment of mineral resource potential D5

Geology D5

Geochemical studies D6

Geophysical studies D7

Mineral resource assessment D7 

References cited D8 

Appendixes

Definition of levels of mineral resource potential and certainty of assessment D12

Resource/reserve classification D13

Geologic time chart D14

FIGURES

1. Index map showing location of Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, Harney County, 

Oregon D2

2. Map showing generalized geology and mineral resource potential of Blitzen River 

Wilderness Study Area, Harney County, Oregon D4

Contents

Mineral Resources of the

Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area,

Harney County, Oregon

By Dean B. Vander Meulen, Andrew Griscom, and Harley D. King 

U.S. Geological Survey

Phillip R. Moyle 

U.S. Bureau of Mines

SUMMARY 

Abstract

The Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area (OR-002-086E) 

is located along the western slope of Steens Mountain in 

southeastern Oregon. At the request of the U.S. Bureau of 

Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. 

Bureau of Mines conducted field studies of 21,658 acres of 

the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area. In this report, the 

area studied is referred to as the "wilderness study area," or 

simply the "study area." Fieldwork was conducted by the 

U.S. Geological Survey during 1986 and 1987 and by the 

U.S. Bureau of Mines during 1986 to evaluate the identified 

mineral resources (known) and the mineral resource potential 

(undiscovered) of the study area.

No mineral resources were identified in the study area. 

However, the study indicates moderate potential for geothermal energy resources along northwest-trending fault zones in 

the western part of the study area. The study area has no 

potential for oil and gas resources.

Character and Setting

The Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area is located 

along the west slope of Steens Mountain (fig. 1), 55 mi 

south of Burns, Oreg., and 35 mi northwest of Fields, Oreg. 

The study area ranges in elevation from 4,200 ft where the 

Donner und Blitzen River enters Blitzen Valley to 6,500 ft 

above sea level along the easternmost boundary. West of 

the study area, the lower slope of Steens Mountain forms a

Manuscript approved for publication June 22, 1988.

gentle west-tilted plateau that ends abruptly at Callow Rim 

along the east edge of Callow Valley. Ten miles east of the 

study area the upper slope rises more than 3,100 ft to the 

crest of Steens Mountain, 9,670 ft above sea level. Several 

northwest-flowing rivers and creeks have cut deep gorges 

into the plateau (fig.l). The Donner und Blitzen River is 

the largest river in the region and collects most of the tributary drainage on the west side of Steens Mountain. The 

river flows north through the western part of the study area 

into the Blitzen Valley (fig. 1).

The oldest rocks exposed in the study area are basalt 

flows of middle Miocene age (11.2 to 16.6 million years 

before present, Ma; see appendixes for geologic time 

chart). The basalt flows that underlie the entire study area 

are overlain in the northern part by late Miocene rhyolite 

ash-flow tuff and basalt flows.

Identified Resources

No mines, claims, prospects, or mineralized zones 

were found, and no mineral or energy resources or occurrences were identified wilhin or adjacent to the study area.

Mineral Resource Potential

Hot springs issue from a northwest-trending fault zone 

2 to 5 mi north of the study area. This same fault zone 

extends southeasl ihrough ihe western part of the study 

area. Areas along the fault zone and parallel fault zones 

have moderate potential for geothermal energy resources. 

The study area has no potential for oil and gas resources.

Mineral Resources of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, Harney County, Oregon D1
119°00' 118°45'

fa.,u"u,

ill 1-: 

: t, L... "'I.,

MALHEUR NATIONAL . 

wn ,nr .IFF. R F.FI JOE .

aALnnuK rv/\in_;rv/\L . 

WILDLIFE REFUGE !i 

/ \

...-...-.

h i MALHEUR NATIONAL 

} WILDLIFE REFUGE

Frenchglen IL_ /^>r 

APPROXIMATE 

BOUNDARY*

OF 

BLITZEN RIVER

WILDERNESS 

!/ STUDY AREA 

(OR-002-086E)

OREGON

6600 \ 

A AREA OF AAAP

lith Flat

Figure 1. Index map showing location of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, Harney County, Oregon. 

D2 Mineral Resources of Wilderness Study Areas: Steens Mountain-Rincon Region, Oregon
INTRODUCTION

This mineral survey was requested by the U.S. Bureau 

of Land Management and is a joint effort by the U.S. 

Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines. An introduction to the wilderness review process, mineral survey 

methods, and agency responsibilities was provided by 

Beikman and others (1983). The U.S. Bureau of Mines 

evaluates identified resources at individual mines and 

known mineralized areas by collecting data on current and 

past mining activities and through field examination of 

mines, prospects, claims, and mineralized areas. Identified 

resources are classified according to a system that is a 

modification of that described by McKelvey (1972) and 

U.S. Bureau of Mines and U.S. Geological Survey (1980). 

Studies by the U.S. Geological Survey are designed to 

provide a reasonable scientific basis for assessing the potential for undiscovered mineral resources by determining 

geologic units and structures, possible environments of 

mineral deposition, presence of geochemical and geophysical anomalies, and applicable ore-deposit models. Mineral 

assessment methodology and terminology as they apply to 

these surveys were discussed by Goudarzi (1984). See 

appendixes for definition of levels of mineral resource 

potential and certainty of assessment and for the resource/ 

reserve classification.

Area Description

The Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area encompasses 

22,650 acres in the northern Basin and Range physiographic province of southeastern Oregon. The study area is 

located along the west slope of Steens Mountain, 3 mi 

southeast of Frenchglen, Oreg. (fig. 1). The Malheur 

National Wildlife Refuge borders the northwest corner of 

the study area. The study area is accessible from 

Frenchglen by the Steens Mountain Loop Road, an improved gravel road that forms the north boundary of the 

study area. Several unimproved dirt roads and jeep trails 

approach the study area from the west and south. Maximum elevation in the study area is approximately 6,500 ft 

above sea level along the east boundary; minimum elevation is about 4,200 ft above sea level where the Donner und 

Blitzen River enters Blitzen Valley. The climate is 

semiarid; juniper groves are common along west-facing 

ridges and in protected canyons, and sage brush and grasses 

are profuse across most of the study area. Parts of the 

study area are currently used for cattle grazing.

Previous and Present Investigations

The geology and groundwater resources of the northern part of the study area were investigated by Piper and 

others (1939). Other geologic investigations that include

the study area are a reconnaissance geologic map of the 

Adel 1° by 2° quadrangle by Walker and Repenning 

(1965), an aerial radiometric and magnetic survey by the 

U.S. Department of Energy (Geodata International, Inc., 

1980), and an aeromagnetic survey by the U.S. Geological 

Survey (1972). From 1981 to 1983 the State of Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI), 

conducted reconnaissance geochemical studies of 18 BLM 

wilderness study areas in southeast Oregon (Gray and 

others, 1983) that included the Blitzen River Wilderness 

Study Area. Geochemical and mineralogical studies of 

heavy-mineral concentrates collected by DOGAMI were 

conducted by Barringer Resources, Inc. (Bukofski and 

others, 1984). The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a 

combined geologic, geochemical, and geophysical survey 

of the wilderness study area during 1986 and 1987. Investigations focused on correlating geochemical and geophysical anomalies with rock units and geologic structures.

The U.S. Bureau Mines investigated the wilderness 

study area during 1986. Investigations entailed prefield, 

field, and report-preparation phases during 1986 and 1987. 

Prefield studies included library research and perusal of 

Harney County and U.S. Bureau of Land Management 

mining and mineral lease records. Field studies involved 

searches for mineralized areas within the study area. Both 

ground and aerial reconnaissance studies were conducted in 

an attempt to identify significant geologic structures and 

areas of alteration where mining activity might have taken 

place. Additional information is available from the U.S. 

Bureau of Mines, Western Field Operations Center, E. 360 

Third Avenue, Spokane, WA 99202.

APPRAISAL OF IDENTIFIED RESOURCES

By Phillip R. Moyle 

U.S. Bureau of Mines

History and Production

The Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area is about 10 

mi west of the north end of the Steens-Pueblo mining 

district, which is located along the east escarpment of the 

Steens Mountain-Pueblo Mountains fault block (Bradley, 

1982). Small quantities of mercury were produced from 

the district (Ross, 1942; Williams and Compton, 1953). 

Minor and others (1987a) identified a small marginal perlite reserve and noted occurrences of mercury, uranium, 

gold, molybdenum, and zeolite minerals in or near the High 

Steens Wilderness Study Area, about 5 to 10 mi east of the 

Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area. Within the past 5 yr, 

a company exploring for epithermal gold deposits conducted reconnaissance sampling on the western flank of 

Steens Mountain, including parts of the study area (George 

Brown, written commun., 1986). However, no claims have

Mineral Resources of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, Harney County, Oregon D3
118°50'

42=45'

42°40'

118045'

APPROXIMATE BOUNDARY

OF

BLITZEN RIVER

WILDERNESS STUDY AREA

(OR-002-086 E)

2 MILES

EXPLANATION

Area with moderate resource potential 

(M) for geothermal energy; data give 

good indication of level of potential (C)

Geologic map units

Alluvial deposits (Quaternary) 

Landslide deposits (Quaternary) 

Basalt flows (Tertiary) 

Devine Canyon Ash-flow Tuff (upper

Miocene) 

Steens Basalt (middle Miocene)

Contact Dashed where approximately

located 

Fault Bar and ball on downthrown side

Figure 2. Generalized geologic map and mineral resource potential of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, Oregon. 

D4 Mineral Resources of Wilderness Study Areas: Steens Mountain-Rincon Region, Oregon
been located, no mineral production has been recorded, and 

no workings are present in or adjacent to the study area.

Mines, Prospects, Claims, and Mineralized 

Areas

The U.S. Bureau of Mines collected 2 rock samples 

and 14 reconnaissance placer (stream sediment) samples 

from the study area. The rock samples were analyzed for 

gold by fire-assay/atomic absorption, for an 11-element 

geochemical suite by inductively coupled argon-plasma 

spectrophotometry organic extraction, and for zeolite and 

clay minerals by X-ray diffraction. Reconnaissance placer 

samples, partially concentrated in the field, were further 

concentrated on a laboratory-sized Wilfley table to separate 

heavy minerals, such as gold, from a lower density gangue. 

The concentrates were scanned with a binocular microscope to determine heavy-mineral content. Concentrates 

were also checked for radioactivity and fluorescence.

No mines, prospects, or claims were identified in the 

Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area. No gold was detected in 14 reconnaissance placer samples collected from 

drainages within and adjacent to the study area. Two 

samples of altered tuffaceous sedimentary rock collected in 

the northwest corner of the study area did not contain 

metallic values above normal crustal abundance, although 

heulandite (a zeolite) and smectite (a clay) were detected in 

one sample. The amount and quality of zeolite and clay 

were not sufficient to warrant further evaluation as 3 resource. No metallic and no significant industrial mineral 

occurrences were found by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in or 

near the study area (Moyle, 1987).

Erikson and Curry (1977) examined uranium prospects 

in the nearby S teens-Pueblo mining district and observed 

that concentrations of oxidized uranium occur in narrow 

zones in and adjacent to rhyolite breccias and rhyolite dikes 

in the Pike Creek Formation (Walker and Repenning, 

1965). They suggested that these occurrences may be 

associated with high-angle fracture zones. Although 

Erikson and Curry (1977) noted that uranium surface shows 

are "* * *weak, small, and sporadic," they also concluded 

that significant uranium mobilization had taken place. 

Uranium-bearing formations are not known to crop out, and 

no anomalous radioactive emissions were detected in the 

vicinity of high-angle faults in or near the Blitzen River 

Wilderness Study Area.

Three low-temperature geothermal springs flow from 

the flanks of the Blitzen Valley (fig. 1), about 2 to 5 mi 

northwest of the study area. They range in temperature 

from 78 to 89 °F and produce from 100 to 1,800 gallons of 

water per minute that is used for livestock and irrigation 

(Waring, 1965, p. 40). The Oregon Department of Geology 

and Mineral Industries (1982) classified the area around the

springs as known or inferred to be underlain at

shallow depth (less than 350 ft) by thermal water of sufficient temperature for direct heat applications."

Oil and gas leases issued in 1982-83 for several parcels of land southwest of the study area were terminated in 

1984-85. Fouch (1983) assessed lands in wilderness study 

areas in the S teens Mountain region as having low potential 

for petroleum resources. However, no geologic structures 

favorable for oil and gas are known to underlie this study 

area.

Appraisal of Mineral Resources

There are no identified mineral or energy resources or 

occurrences in the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, 

and the host formations and depositional environment of 

the mineral occurrences of the High S teens Wilderness 

Study Area are not known to be present within or adjacent 

to this study area. Further studies are needed to confirm the 

presence and determine the extent of an inferred shallow 

geothermal resource at the northwest boundary of the study 

area.

ASSESSMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCE 

POTENTIAL

By Dean B. Vander Meulen, Andrew Griscom, and

Harley D. King

U.S. Geological Survey

Geology

The Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area is located on 

the northwest side of the 30- by 90-mi north-trending 

Steens Mountain-Pueblo Mountains fault block. Strata 

within this fault block consistently dip 4° to 16° to the 

west. Most of the region, including the study area, is 

underlain by middle Miocene Steens Basalt (Piper and 

others, 1939) (fig. 2). In the study area, the Steens Basalt 

comprises a thick, chemically homogeneous sequence of 

basalt flows that are typically 20 to 30 ft thick. The base 

of the Steens Basalt is not exposed in the study area, although the unit has a maximum thickess of 4,200 ft along 

the Steens Mountain escarpment (Minor and others, 1987b) 

9 mi east of the study area.

In the northern part of the study area, the Steens Basalt 

is unconformably overlain by a rhyolite ash-flow tuff and 

younger basalt flows (fig. 2). Whole-rock major-element 

and trace-element geochemical data (Hildreth, 1981) indicate that the tuff is probably correlative with part of the 

Devine Canyon Ash-flow Tuff (Walker, 1979), age dated at 

9.2 Ma. Maximum thicknesses of the rhyolite tuff and 

younger basalt flows are each about 60 ft. The rhyolite tuff 

typically forms a pattern of low flat-topped ridges that 

probably reflect an inversion of paleotopography; that is,

Mineral Resources of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, Harney County, Oregon D5
the welded tuff filled paleostream channels or depressions 

and was later exposed by preferential erosion of the surrounding rock. In the study area, the rhyolite tuff represents distal facies of a caldera-forming ash-flow tuff eruption. Walker (1970) and Greene (1973) indicate that the 

Devine Canyon Ash-flow Tuff may have erupted from a 

caldera located in the Harney Basin, 40 mi north of the 

study area.

Alluvial deposits in the north part of the Donner und 

Blitzen River (fig. 2) probably form the thickest accumulations of Quaternary sediment in the study area. Colluvium 

forms thin, extensive veneer deposits on low-angle slopes 

and terraces throughout the study area. Landslide deposits 

are present along steeper slopes in the eastern part of the 

study area.

Steens Mountain rises 9,670 ft above sea level and is 

the highest point in southeastern Oregon. Because of this 

unique topography, the west slope of Steens Mountain 

gathers much more precipitation than surrounding ranges. 

Piper and others (1939) suggest that scoriaceous and fragmental zones within the Steens Basalt on the west dip slope 

may serve as good aquifers. Surface runoff is captured by 

a network of west-flowing creeks and rivers that are tributaries of the Donner und Blitzen River. Annually, the 

Donner und Blitzen River discharges an average 100,000 

acre-feet of water through the western part of the study area 

(Piper and others, 1939). Water discharge through this 

drainage far exceeds that of other rivers in the region.

Two different sets of normal faults are recognized in 

the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area. The most conspicuous is a set of high-angle normal faults that trend N. 

30° W. along the western part of the study area. Most of 

the Donner und Blitzen River follows this trend (fig. 2). 

The second set of normal faults trends N. 60°-70° W. (fig. 

2) and forms conspicuous escarpments across the central 

part of the study area. In the southern part of the study area 

the second fault set changes strike from N. 70° W. to N. 

40° W. The more westerly trending sections of these faults 

parallel the northwest extension of a large fault-disrupted 

monocline that forms the western escarpment of the High 

Steens fault block, 0.5 mi east of the study area. The 

monocline and associated normal faults are considered to 

be part of the southern section of the Brothers fault zone, 

a deep-seated regional shear zone (Walker, 1969; Minor 

and others, 1987a).

Geochemical Studies

Results of earlier reconnaissance geochemical studies 

in the region of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area 

are reported by Gray and others (1983) and Bukofski and 

others (1984). In 1986 and 1987, the U.S. Geological 

Survey conducted a reconnaissance geochemical study of 

the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area; this study included the collection and analysis of 28 stream-sediment 

samples and 30 nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate 

samples. The samples were taken from active alluvium in 

stream channels.

Stream sediments represent a composite of rock and 

soil eroded upstream from the sample sites. Nonmagnetic 

heavy-mineral concentrate samples provide information 

about the chemistry of rock material eroded from the drainage basin upstream from the sample sites. The nonmagnetic fraction of heavy-mineral concentrates may contain 

ore-forming or ore-related minerals. The selective concentration of minerals permits determination of some elements 

that are not easily detected in bulk stream-sediment 

samples.

All of the stream-sediment and heavy-mineral-concentrate samples were analyzed semiquantitatively for 31 elements by using a direct-current arc emission spectrographic 

method (Grimes and Marranzino, 1968). Stream-sediment 

samples were also analyzed by inductively coupled argon 

plasma atomic-emission spectroscopy (ICAP-AES) for 

antimony, arsenic, bismuth, cadmium, and zinc and by 

atomic absorption for gold and mercury (Crock and others, 

1987). The method used for the gold analysis is described 

in Thompson and others (1968). Analytical data are by 

M.S. Erickson (written commun., 1987).

One stream-sediment sample collected from the eastcentral part of the study area by Gray and others (1983) 

contains an anomalous concentration of gold (0.155 parts 

per million, or ppm). The sample was collected from Fish 

Creek, which drains an area of more than 10 mi2 before 

entering the study area 2 mi upstream from the samplecollection site. On the basis of the low concentration of 

gold in the sediment sample and a lack of gold in the 

concentrate samples, we believe a gold placer deposit is not 

likely to be present in the study area. The source of the 

gold is believed to be outside and east of the study area. 

No other gold anomalies were detected in the study area.

An anomalous value of lead (200 ppm) was detected in 

a nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate sample collected 

at the north end of the study area near the Steens Mountain 

Loop Road (fig.l). The anomalous value is believed to be 

due to a lead artifact, such as a bullet fragment, that contaminated the sample.

A stream-sediment sample collected in a tributary west 

of the Donner und Blitzen River, in the northern part of the 

study area, contains 50 ppm tin. A few grains of wood tin, 

a botryoidal cryptocrystalline form of cassiterite, were 

identified microscopically. The wood tin probably eroded 

from fractures in the Devine Canyon Ash-flow Tuff that 

underlies part of the drainage area upstream from the 

sample-collection site. The small amount of wood tin 

observed in the sample and the absence of other tin anomalies in the area suggest that there are no tin resources in the 

northern part of the study area.

D6 Mineral Resources of Wilderness Study Areas: Steens Mountain-Rincon Region, Oregon
No other elements were detected in anomalous 

concentrations in these or other concentrate samples. No 

notably anomalous concentrations of ore-related elements 

were detected in stream-sediment samples collected in the 

Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area.

Geophysical Studies

Geophysical evaluation of the mineral resources of the 

Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area was based on interpretations of aeromagnetic, gravity, and aerial gamma-ray 

spectrometer surveys.

Aeromagnetic data gathered during two previous surveys were considered for this study. The first was a regional aeromagnetic survey conducted over the study area 

by the U.S. Geological Survey (1972). Data were collected 

along parallel east-west flightlines spaced at 2-mi intervals 

and flown at a constant barometric elevation of 9,000 ft 

above sea level. The second set of aeromagnetic data was 

collected over the Adel 1° by 2° quadrangle for the Department of Energy (Geodata International, Inc., 1980). These 

data consist of east-west profiles spaced at 3-mi intervals 

and flown at an average height of 400 ft above the ground 

surface. Five of these profiles cross the wilderness study 

area.

Magnetic minerals, where locally concentrated or 

depleted, may cause a high or low magnetic anomaly that 

can be a guide to mineral occurrences or deposits. Boundaries between magnetic and relatively less magnetic rock 

units are located approximately at the steepest gradient on 

the flanks of the magnetic anomaly. The majority of the 

anomalies in the study area are probably caused by the 

preponderance of lava flows and other volcanic rocks that 

characteristically have high magnetic susceptibility. Survey aircraft maintained an altitude of 2,000 to 4,000 ft, a 

distance sufficiently large to suppress most of the shortwavelength anomalies generated by less extensive rock 

units at the surface.

Two broad magnetic lows, 3 to 5 mi wide and 7 to 10 

mi long, extend generally northeast across the study area. 

The lows are probably caused by parts of the Steens Basalt 

that are reversely magnetized (Mankinen and others, 1985) 

or are possibly related to northeast-trending faults that cut 

the basalt flows adjacent to the study area.

A gravity survey of this general area was conducted by 

the U.S. Geological Survey in 1986 to supplement available 

data from the National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, 

CO 80303. Station spacing ranges from about 1 to 7 mi, 

and about 25 stations are situated in the study area. The 

most conspicuous gravity feature is a large (20-milligal) 

circular gravity low about 15 mi in diameter centered over 

the extreme east tip of the study area. The western boundary of the low extends approximately north-south through 

the study area at long. 118°50' W. (fig. 2). The low has a

relatively flat bottom and steep marginal gradients. The 

source of the low is a mass of low-density rock presumably older than and covered by the exposed volcanic rocks 

of S teens Mountain. The gravity low seems to be located 

in a magnetically low area that has large regional magnetic 

highs on the north, west, and southwest sides of the gravity 

low. The large low-density mass causing a gravity low 

may be a sedimentary basin, a granitic pluton, or a caldera 

depression filled with low-density pyroclastic and sedimentary rocks. The circular form of the gravity low suggests 

that it may represent a buried caldera. This proposed 

caldera could be a source for some of the rhyolite and 

dacite air-fall and ash-flow tuffs mapped below the Steens 

Basalt and older volcanics (Minor and others, 1987b) on 

the east flank of Steens Mountain. A buried caldera structure could also explain the alteration and mineralization 

observed in the underlying tuffs (Minor and others, 1987a). 

The inferred caldera is covered by a substantial thickness 

(2,000 to 4,000 ft) of volcanic flows that include the Steens 

Basalt.

Radiometric data were compiled by Geodata International, Inc. (1980) for the National Uranium Resource 

Evaluation (MURE) program of the Department of Energy. 

Aerial gamma-ray spectrometer measurements were taken 

along east-west flightlines spaced at 3-mi intervals. Recordings were made of gamma-ray flux from radioactive 

isotopes of uranium, thorium, and potassium or their decay 

products. Results indicate that statistically significant 

anomalies for uranium, potassium, and thorium are not 

present in the study area.

Mineral Resource Assessment

Several thermal springs north of the study area are 

aligned along known or inferred northwest-trending faults 

or issue from valley-fill sediments along projected traces of 

these faults. Relations between thermal waters and fault 

patterns were first described by Piper and others (1939). 

Geothermal springs were not identified in the study area, 

although geothermal springs located 2 to 5 mi northwest of 

the study area have potential for direct-heat application. 

These hot springs issue from a northwest-trending fault 

zone that extends into the western part of the study area. 

Areas along the fault zone and parallel fault zones have 

moderate potential for geothermal energy, level C certainty.

Parts of the Steens Basalt on the west dip slope of 

Steens Mountain may serve as good aquifers (Piper and 

others, 1939). The Donner und Blitzen River discharges 

much more water than other rivers in the region.

The Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area is underlain 

by an estimated 5,000 ft of mafic and intermediate volcanic 

rocks. These Tertiary volcanic rocks are not sources of 

hydrocarbons. Geologic structures favorable for the production of oil and gas are not known to underlie the study

Mineral Resources of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, Harney County, Oregon D7
area. Pre-Tertiary basement rocks exposed about 38 mi 

south of the study area are metamorphic and intrusive rocks 

of Mesozoic age (Walker and Repenning, 1965; Roback 

and others, 1987) and are unlikely sources for hydrocarbons. The absence of rocks capable of producing hydrocarbons and the minimal probability that such rocks exist at 

depth suggest that the study area has no potential for oil 

and gas, certainty level D.

REFERENCES CITED

Beikman, H.M., Hinkle, M.E., Frieders, Twila, Marcus, S.M., and 

Edward, J.R., 1983, Mineral surveys by the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines of Bureau of Land Management 

Wilderness Study Areas: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 

901, 28 p.

Bradley, Robin, 1982, Mining districts and mineral deposits of the 

Basin and Range province of Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 82-58, 14 p.

Bukofski, IF., Lovell, J.S., and Meyer, W.T., 1984, Mineral resource assessment through geochemical studies of heavy 

mineral concentrates from wilderness study areas in Burns, 

Prineville, and Vale Districts, southeastern Oregon: Golden, 

Colo., Barringer Resources, Inc., 94 p.; available from U.S. 

Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Office, 825 N.E. 

Multnomah, Portland, OR 97208

Crock, J.G., Briggs, P.H., Jackson, L.L., and Lichte, F.E., 1987, 

Analytical methods for the analysis of stream sediments and 

rocks from wilderness study areas: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 87-84, 35 p.

Erikson, E.H., and Curry, W.E., 1977, Preliminary study of the 

uranium favorability of Tertiary rocks, southeastern Oregon; 

eastern Klammath, southern Lake, Harney, and western 

Malheur Counties: Grand Junction, Colo., Bendix Field Engineering Corp., report for U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration under contract No. EY-76-C13-1664, 

issued as U.S. Department of Energy Open-File Report 

GJBX-92(77), 18 p.

Fouch, T.D., 1983, Petroleum potential of wilderness lands, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations 

Series Map 1-1544, 5 p., scale 1:1,000,000.

Geodata International, Inc., 1980, Aerial radiometric and magnetic survey, National Topographic Map, Adel, Oregon [1° 

by 2° sheet; National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program]: U.S. Department of Energy Open-File Report 

GJBX-104 (80), v. 2, 145 p.

Goudarzi, G.H., 1984, Guide to preparation of mineral survey 

reports on public lands: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 84-787, 51 p.

Gray, J.J., Peterson, N.N., Clayton, I, and Baxter, G., 1983, 

Geology and mineral resources of 18 BLM wilderness 

study areas, Hamey and Malheur Counties, Oregon: Oregon 

Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Open-File 

Report 0-83-2, 106 p.

Greene, R.C., 1973, Petrology of the welded tuff of Devine 

Canyon, southeastern Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 797, 26 p.

Grimes, D.J., and Marranzino, A.P., 1968, Direct-current arc and 

alternating-current spark emission spectrographic field methods for the semiquantitative analysis of geologic materials: 

U.S. Geological Survey Circular 591, 6 p.

Hildreth, Wes, 1981, Gradients in silicic chambers; implications 

for lithospheric magmatism: Journal of Geophysical Research, 

v. 86, no. Bll, p. 10,153-10,192.

Mankinen, E.A., Prevot, Michel, and Gromme, C.S., 1985, The 

Steens Mountain (Oregon) geomagnetic polarity transition 

1. Directional history, duration of episodes, and rock magnetism: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 90, no. B12, p. 

10,393-10,416.

McKelvey, V.E., 1972, Mineral resource estimates and public 

policy: American Scientist, v. 60, p. 32-40.

Minor, S.A., Plouff, Donald, Esparza, L.E., and Peters, T.J., 

1987a, Mineral resources of the High Steens and Little Blitzen 

Gorge Wilderness Study Areas, Harney County, Oregon: U.S. 

Geological Survey Bulletin 1740-A, 21 p.

Minor, S.A., Rytuba, J.J., Grubensky, M.J., Vander Meulen, D.B., 

Goeldner, C.A., and Tegtmeyer, K.J., 1987b, Geologic map of 

the High Steens and Little Blitzen Gorge Wilderness Study 

Areas, Harney County, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1876, scale 1:24,000.

Moyle, P.R., 1987, Mineral resources of the Blitzen River study 

area, Harney County, Oregon: U.S. Bureau of Mines, 

Open-File Report MLA 56-87, 13 p.

Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, 1982, 

Geothermal resources of Oregon: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, National Geophysical Data 

Center map, produced for U.S. Department of Energy, scale 

1:500,000.

Piper, A.M., Robinson, T.W., Jr., and Parks, C.F., Jr., 1939, 

Geology and ground-water resources of the Harney Basin, 

Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 841, 

189 p.

Ross, C.P., 1942, Quicksilver deposits in the Steens and Pueblo 

Mountains, southern Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 931-J, p. 227-258.

Roback, R.C., Vander Meulen, D.B., King, H.D., Plouff, Donald, 

Munts, S.R., and Willett, S.L., 1987, Mineral resources of the 

Pueblo Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Hamey County, 

Oregon, and Humboldt County, Nevada: U.S. Geological 

Survey Bulletin 1740-B, 30 p., scale 1:48,000.

Thompson, C.E., Nakagawa, H.M., and VanSickle, G.H., 1968, 

Rapid analysis for gold in geologic materials, in Geological 

Survey Research 1968: U.S. Geological Survey Professional 

Paper 600-B, p. B130-B132.

U.S. Bureau of Mines and U.S. Geological Survey, 1980, Principles of a resource/reserve classification for minerals: U.S. 

Geological Survey Circular 831, 5 p.

U.S. Geological Survey, 1972, Aeromagnetic map of the Adel and 

parts of the Burns, Boise, and Jordan Valley 1° by 2° quadrangles, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey open-file report, 

scale 1:250,000.

Walker, G.W., 1969, Geology of the High Lava Plains province, 

in Mineral and water resources of Oregon: Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries Bulletin 64, p. 77-79.

____1970, Cenozoic ash-flow tuffs of Oregon: The Ore Bin, v. 

32, no. 6, p. 97-115.

D8 Mineral Resources of Wilderness Study Areas: Steens Mountain-Rincon Region, Oregon
____1979, Revisions to the Cenozoic stratigraphy of Harney Waring, G.A., 1965, Thermal springs of the United States and

Basin, southeastern Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin other countries of the world, a summary: U.S. Geological

1475, 35 p. Survey Professional Paper 492, 383 p.

Walker, G.W., and Repenning, C.A., 1965, Reconnaissance geo- Williams, Howel, and Compton, R.R., 1953, Quicksilver deposits

logic map of the Adel quadrangle, Lake, Harney, and Malheur of S teens Mountain and Pueblo Mountains, southeast Oregon:

Counties, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 995-B, p. 19-77. 

Geological Investigations Map 1 446, scale 1:250,000.

Mineral Resources of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, Harney County, Oregon D9

APPENDIXES
DEFINITION OF LEVELS OF MINERAL RESOURCE POTENTIAL 

AND CERTAINTY OF ASSESSMENT

LEVELS OF RESOURCE POTENTIAL

H HIGH mineral resource potential is assigned to areas where geologic, geochemical, and geophysical characteristics indicate a geologic environment favorable for resource occurrence, where interpretations of data 

indicate a high degree of likelihood for resource accumulation, where data support mineral-deposit models 

indicating presence of resources, and where evidence indicates that mineral concentration has taken place. 

Assignment of high resource potential to an area requires some positive knowledge that mineral-forming processes 

have been active in at least part of the area.

M MODERATE mineral resource potential is assigned to areas where geologic, geochemical, and geophysical 

characteristics indicate a geologic environment favorable for resource occurrence, where interpretations of data 

indicate reasonable likelihood for resource accumulation, and (or) where an application of mineral-deposit models 

indicates favorable ground for the specified type(s) of deposits.

L LOW mineral resource potential is assigned to areas where geologic, geochemical, and geophysical characteristics 

define a geologic environment in which the existence of resources is permissive. This broad category embraces 

areas with dispersed but insignificantly mineralized rock, as well as areas with little or no indication of having 

been mineralized.

N NO mineral resource potential is a category reserved for a specific type of resource in a well-defined area.

U UNKNOWN mineral resource potential is assigned to areas where information is inadequate to assign a low, 

moderate, or high level of resource potential.

LEVELS OF CERTAINTY

A 

B 

C 

D

Available information is not adequate for determination of the level of mineral resource potential. 

Available information only suggests the level of mineral resource potential. 

Available information gives a good indication of the level of mineral resource potential. 

Available information clearly defines the level of mineral resource potential.

Z

LU

o

Q_

LU 

U

C£

o

o

_]

LU 

>

A

U/A

UNKNOWN POTENTIAL

B

H/B

HIGH POTENTIAL

M/B

MODERATE POTENTIAL

L/B

LOW POTENTIAL

C

H/C

HIGH POTENTIAL

M/C

MODERATE POTENTIAL

L/C

LOW POTENTIAL

D

H/D

HIGH POTENTIAL

M/D

MODERATE POTENTIAL

I/O

LOW POTENTIAL

N/D

NO POTENTIAL

LEVEL OF CERTAINTY

Abstracted with minor modifications from:

Taylor, R.B., and Steven, T.A., 1983, Definition of mineral resource potential: Economic Geology, v. 78, no. 6, p. 1268-1 270.

Taylor, R.B., Stoneman, R.J., and Marsh, S.P., 1984, An assessment of the mineral resource potential of the San Isabel National Forest, south-central Colorado: U.S.

Geological Survey Bulletin 1638, p. 40-42. 

Goudarzi, G.H., compiler, 1984, Guide to preparation of mineral survey reports on public lands: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 84-0787, p. 7, 8.

D12 Mineral Resources of Wilderness Study Areas: Steens Mountain-Rincon Region, Oregon
RESOURCE/RESERVE CLASSIFICATION

ECONOMIC

MARGINALLY 

ECONOMIC

SUBECONOMIC

IDENTIFIED RESOURCES

Demonstrated

Measured

Rese

Indicated

jrves

Marginal 

Reserves

Demonstrated 

Subeconomic

Resources

i

Inferred

Inferred 

Reserves

Inferred 

Marginal 

Reserves

Inferred 

Subeconomic 

Resources

UNDISCOVERED RESOURCES

Probability Range

Hypothetical Speculative

Major elements of mineral resource classification, excluding reserve base and inferred reserve base. Modified from McKelvey, V.E., 1972, Mineral 

resource estimates and public policy: American Scientist, v. 60, p. 32-40; and U.S. Bureau of Mines and U.S. Geological Survey, 1980, Principles 

of a resource/reserve classification for minerals: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 831, p. 5.

Mineral Resources of the Blitzen River Wilderness Study Area, Harney County, Oregon D13
GEOLOGIC TIME CHART

Terms and boundary ages used by the U.S. Geological Survey in this report

EON

Phanerozoic

Proterozoic

Archean

ERA

Cenozoic

Mesozoic

Paleozoic

Late Proterozoic

Middle Proterozoic

Early Proterozoic

Late Archean

Middle Archean

Early Archean

PERIOD

Quaternary

Tertiary

Neogene 

Subperiod

Paleogene 

Subperiod

Cretaceous

Jurassic

Triassic

Permian

Carboniferous 

Periods

Pennsylvanian

Mississippian

Devonian

Silurian

Ordovician

Cambrian

tinnn?}

EPOCH

Holocene

Pleistocene

Pliocene

Miocene

Oligocene

Eocene

Paleocene

Late 

Early

Late 

Middle 

Early

Late 

Middle 

Early

Late 

Early

Late 

Middle 

Early

Late 

Early

Late 

Middle 

Early

Late 

Middle 

Early

Late 

Middle 

Early

Late 

Middle 

Early

pre-Archean2

AGE ESTIMATES OF 

BOUNDARIES IN 

MILLION YEARS (Ma)

0.010

 1.7

5

o »

3 Q

55

 66

96

1 3n

 205

 -240

 290 

-330

 360 

 410

 435

 J/U

 1600

 3000 

 3400

 /iccr» 

'Rocks older than 570 Ma also called Precambrian, a time term without specific rank, 

informal time term without specific rank.

D14 Mineral Resources of Wilderness Study Areas: Steens Mountain-Rincon Region, Oregon GPO 685-041/9772
SELECTED SERIES OF U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PUBLICATIONS

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