Selected Annotated 

Bibliography of the Geology 

of Uranium-bearing Coal 

and Carbonaceous Shale 

in the United States

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1059-A

This compilation was done on behalf of 

the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission 

and is published with the permission of 

the Commission.

Selected Annotated 

Bibliography of the Geology 

of Uranium-bearing Coal 

and Carbonaceous Shale 

in the United States

By THOMAS M. KEHN

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1059-A

This compilation was done on behalf of 

the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission 

and is published with the permission of 

the Commission.

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1957
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

FRED A, SEATON, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Thomas B. Nolan, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office 

Washington 25, D. G. - Price 25 cents (paper cover)
ILLUSTRATION

FIGURE 1. Index map of uranium-bearing coal and carbonaceous shale in 

the United States__________________________________

m

CONTENTS

Introduction.__________________________ ___________ ____________ 1.

Explanation of index map______________________________________ 1

Annotated bibliography.___________________________________________ 3:

Indexes:

Authors._________ ____________________________________ __ 25

Geographic areas.______________________________ ___ 25

Stratigraphic units_________________________________________ 27

Subjects__________________________________-_-_-- 28

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

SELECTED ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE 

GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING GOAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE UNITED STATES

By THOMAS M. KEHN

INTRODUCTION

This annotated bibliography of literature and open-file reports 

dealing with uranium in coal and associated carbonaceous shale in 

the United States includes nearly all pertinent reports published or in 

preparation as of June 1955. In addition, several foreign references 

are listed which have contributed to the study of the origin and distribution of uranium in coal and lignite.

Most of the coal beds and associated carbonaceous shales in the 

United States are practically nonradioactive, but many have been 

found during the past few years that assay from 0.005 to about 0.10 

percent uranium; the concentration is greater in the ash. Investigations suggest that coal of lignite rank contains the most uranium; 

that coals of subbituminous B and C ranks contain the next largest 

concentration; and that only rarely do the higher rank coals contain 

more than 0.001 percent uranium. Lignite containing more than 

0.10 percent uranium recently has been found in the northern Great 

Plains. Economic utilization of the large low-grade reserves of 

uranium in coal is partly dependent upon the use of the coal as fuel 

and the recovery of uranium from the ash as a byproduct.

The stratigraphic nomenclature in this report is that used by the 

various authors and does not necessarily conform to the nomenclature 

of the U. S. Geological Survey.

EXPLANATION OF INDEX MAP

The index map (fig. 1) shows localities underlain by uraniumbearing coal beds and carbonaceous shale. Places where the concentration of uranium is 0.005 percent or more are shown on the map, 

but those that contain less than 0.005 percent uranium are not, 

although they are included in the bibliography. The locality numbers shown on the index map correspond to the numbered entries in 

the bibliography.
FIQUEE 1. Index map of uranium-bearing coal and carbonaceou
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bachman, G. O., and Read, C. B., 1952, Trace elements reconnaissance 

investigations in New Mexico and adjoining States in 1951: U. S. 

Geol. Survey TEM-443-A, 22 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

A reconnaissance was made of uranium-bearing coals and carbonaceous 

shale, chiefly of Mesozoic age, in Arizona and New Mexico. Coal in the 

Allison member of the Mesaverde formation on La Ventana Mesa, Sandoval County, N. Mex., has a maximum uranium content of 0.62 percent, 

and 1.34 percent in the ash. Slightly uraniferous coal was found near San 

Ysidro, Sandoval County; .on Beautiful Mountain, San Juan County, 

N. Mex.; and near Tuba City, Coconino County, Ariz. Also examined was 

the black shale of Devonian age in Otero and Socorro Counties, N. Mex., 

and Gila County, Ariz.; and the black shale of Mississippian age in Socorro 

County and the black shale of Pennsylvanian age in Taos County, N. Mex. 

The equivalent uranium content of these shales did not exceed 0.004 percent. Cenozoic volcanic rocks may be the source of the uranium in the 

coal and carbonaceous rocks. Volcanic rocks of Pleistocene (?) age are 

mildly radioactive at most places, but the Tertiary volcanic rocks are 

not radioactive.

Bachman, G. O., Vine, J. D., Read, C. B., and Moore, G. W., 1957, 

Uranium-bearing coal and carbonaceous shale in the La Ventana Mesa 

area, Sandoval County, N. Mex.: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1055-J 

(in preparation).

Uranium-bearing coal, carbonaceous shale, and carbonaceous sandstone 

occur in the Mesaverde formation and Dakota sandstone of Cretaceous age 

on and adjacent to La Ventana Mesa. Analyses indicate that the coal 

contains from 0.001 to 0.62 percent uranium and as much as 1.34 percent 

uranium in the ash. Structural control of uranium concentration is indicated by the proximity of major deposits to the axis of the La Ventana 

syncline and by individual uranium concentrations in and near tent-shaped 

structures, minor synclines, and joints. All important concentrations of 

uranium are closely related to carbonaceous sediments and porous sandstone beds. This close association of porous sandstone beds to uranium 

deposits suggests that the sandstone beds served as aquifers through 

which uranium-bearing solutions migrated. The uranium in the La 

Ventana area probably is of epigenetic origin and derived from the Bandelier tuff of Pliocene (?) age. The Bandelier tuff probably once covered the 

area but the nearest existing remnants are several miles away. Data on 

reserves of coal and uranium, geologic maps, and analyses of samples are 

presented.

Beroni, E. P., and McKeown, F. A., 1952, Reconnaissance for uraniferous 

rocks in northwestern Colorado, southwestern Wyoming, and northwestern Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-308-A, 41 p., issued by U. S. 

Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn. 

Coal-bearing rocks within the Bridger, Great Divide, and Washakie 

Basins of southwestern Wyoming are of Cretaceous and Tertiary age.

3
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Two coal beds, which are about 4 feet thick, near Sage, Lincoln County, 

Wyo., contain from 0.004 to 0.013 percent uranium in the ash. These 

coal beds are in the Bear River formation, which probably is a time equivalent of the Dakota sandstone. Othei* types of uranium occurrences also 

are discussed.

Berthoud, E. L., 1875, On the occurrence of uranium, silver, iron, etc., in 

the Tertiary formation of Colorado Territory: Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 

Proc., v. 27, p. 363-365.

Uranium, iron, and silver were discovered in a mineralized bed of coal 

at the Leyden coal mine northwest of Denver, in Jefferson County, Colo. 

The mineralized portion of the coal is described as an intruded "dike" 

(presumably of igneous origin) consisting of hard black mineral matter 

containing geodes of brilliant quartz crystals, small veins of pyrite, chalcedony, orange crystals, and concretions.

Breger, I. A., Deul, Maurice, and Rubinstein, Samuel, 1955, Geochemistry 

and mineralogy of a uraniferous lignite: Econ. Geology, v. 50, p. 206- 

226.

Detailed studies have been carried out on a uraniferous lignite from the 

Mendenhall strip mine, Harding County, S. Dak. By means of heavy 

liquid separations a mineral-free concentrate of the lignite was obtained 

that contained 13.8 percent ash and 0.31 percent uranium in the ash. The 

minerals (gypsum 69 percent, jarosite 10 percent, quartz 2 percent, kaolinite and clay minerals 19 percent, and calcite trace) contain only 7 percent 

of the uranium in the original coal, indicating an association of the uranium 

with the organic components of the lignite.

Batch extractions show that 88.5 percent of the uranium can be extracted 

from the lignite by two consecutive treatments with boiling IN hydrochloric acid. Continuous extraction with hot 6N hydrochloric acid removes 98.6 percent of the uranium.

Columns of coal were treated with water, IN hydrochloric acid, 6N 

hydrochloric acid, and a solution of lanthanum nitrate. The experiment 

with lanthanum nitrate indicated that only 1.2 percent of the uranium in 

the coal is held by ion exchange. The elutriation experiments showed that 

the uranium is held in the coal as an organo-uranium compound or complex 

that is soluble at a pH of less than 2.18.

A geochemical mechanism by which the uranium may have been introduced into and retained by the lignite is discussed. Authors' abstract

Davidson, C. F., and Ponsford, D. R. A., 1954, On the occurrence of uranium in coals: Mining Mag. (London), v. 91, Nov. 1954, p. 265-273. 

Reprinted in South African Min. and Eng. Jour., Johannesburg, v. 65, 

pt. 2, p. 721, 723, 725-727.

Coals generally are considered to be very low in uranium content, but 

there are notable exceptions. Attention is directed to a number of coals in 

which there is an anomalous concentration of uranium. This report is 

limited to groups of coals in Europe and America that have a uranium content three times higher than is usual for such strata.

A uranium-bearing coal bed was discovered during gamma-ray logging 

in the Warwickshire coalfield near Coventry, England. This coal, probably less than 1 foot thick, is a few hundred feet above the productive coal 

measures and is believed to be a part of the Halesowen Sandstone Group. 

Lateral extent of the uraniferous enrichment is unknown; a bore-hole 200
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE U. S. 5

yards to the west does not show radioactivity on the gamma-ray log; a 

sandstone of Triassic age that contains scattered, highly uraniferous black 

nodules is believed to truncate the coal to the east of the radioactive borehole. This suggests that the uranium in the coal was derived from downward-moving water from the sandstone. The coal contains 0.008 percent 

uranium and the ash contains 0.08 percent uranium. Uranium minerals 

have not been identified in microscopic examinations of polished sections 

of coal from this locality.

The Freital coal, near Dresden, Germany, has been exploited as a source of 

uranium. This coal, which is Lower Rotliegende in age (base of Permian system), contains some coaly shale. Information is not available on the extent and uniformity of the uranium content, but it is probable that the 

uranium is confined to one or more beds at the top of ttie coal, as it is in 

similar coals in other countries. Coal ash from the most radioactive specimens contains 0.18 to 1.00 percent uranium. The granites of the Erzegebirge and Lausitzergebirge to the southwest and southeast probably are 

the source of the uranium.

Recent studies of the Hungarian coalfields have shown that in some 

localities thin layers of coal and coaly shale of Liassic age contain a maximum of 0.01 percent equivalent uranium. In general the highest concentrations of uranium are in the thinner coal seams near mountain massifs 

of radioactive granite or interbedded with radioactive sills and other intruded bodies. On the basis of experimental data it is suggested that the 

uranium fixation is contemporaneous with deposition of the organic matter.

Studies of coal and lignite deposits in the western United States have 

shown that most of the uranium-bearing coal is associated with contemporaneous or younger sequences of acidic lavas and tuffs. In the South Dakota lignites only the top lignite bed, just below the volcanic rock, possesses 

any significant amount of uranium. In Idaho the carbonaceous beds near 

the top of any sequence are the most uraniferous; 1 foot below the top of 

the carbonaceous bed the uranium content diminishes abruptly a fact 

suggesting downward-moving water as the transporting medium for the 

uranium. Most of these western coal deposits contain only 0.005-0.02 

percent uranium, but some small deposits have a maximum of 0.1 percent 

uranium.

Denson, N. M., and others, 1952, Summary of uranium-bearing coal, 

lignite, and carbonaceous shale investigations in the Rocky Mountain 

region during 1951; with descriptions of deposits by G. O. Bachman 

and others: U. S. Geol. Survey TEM-341, 44 p., issued by U. S. 

Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn. 

This paper reports the results of investigations by the Geological Survey 

of uranium-bearing lignite deposits of South Dakota; coal deposits of the 

Red Desert, Great Divide Basin, Wyo.; deposits at Pumpkin Buttes, 

Wyo.; coal deposits of Fall Creek and Goose Creek, Idaho; and desposits 

at La Ventana, N. Mex. The investigations were conducted to estimate 

the potential uranium resources and to study the mode of occurrence of 

uranium. The potential resources range from 350 million tons of coal containing 20,000 tons of uranium in the Red Desert area of Wyoming, to 

100,000 tons of lignite containing 20 tons of uranium in the Lodgepole 

area of South Dakota. The proposed epigenetic hypothesis of origin for 

the deposits is based on field and laboratory data. It is suggested that the

414523 57 2
6 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

uranium in the deposits in the carbonaceous rocks was leached by ground 

water from the overlying tuffaceous rocks.

8 Denson, N. M., Bachman, G. O., and Zeller, H. D., 1957, Uranium-bearing 

lignite and its relation to the White River and Arikaree formations in 

northwestern South Dakota and adjacent States: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Bull. 1055-B (in preparation).

In northwestern South Dakota and adjacent States uranium-bearing 

lignite beds occur in the Hell Creek formation of Late Cretaceous age and 

the overlying Ludlow, Tongue River, and Sentinel Butte members of the 

Fort Union formation of Paleocene age. Analyses indicate that many of 

the lignite beds contain 0.005 to 0.02 percent uranium and 0.05 to 0.10 

percent uranium in the ash.

Stratigraphic units containing the uraniferous lignite beds are unconformably overlain by tuffaceous sandstone and bentonitic claystone of 

the White River and Arikaree formations of Oligocene and Miocene age. 

The lignite bed directly below this unconformity in the local sequence has 

the greatest concentration of uranium. Lignite beds lower in the section are 

nonuraniferous except where intersected by faults or joints. This distribution indicates that the uranium is independent of the age of the lignite, 

that the uranium has been transported downward by descending and 

laterally moving ground water, and that the uranium probably was leached 

from the overlying mildly radioactive tuffaceous rocks.

The most significant conditions controlling the concentration of uranium 

are explained and illustrated in the text. Maps show the extent, thickness, 

and variations in mineral content of deposits in the Table Mountain, 

Cave Hills, Slim Buttes, Lodgepole, and Medicine Pole areas.

9 Denson, N. M., Bachman, G. O., and Zeller, H. D. 1955, Geologic map of 

Cave Hills and Table Mountain area, Harding County, South Dakota: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Coal Inv. Map C 34, scale 1:63,360. 

The geologic map of the Cave Hills and Table Mountain area shows the 

areal distribution of lignite and the amount of uranium in lignite at sampled 

localities. Rocks exposed in this area are Late Cretaceous to Oligocene 

in age.

10 Denson, N. M., Bachman, G. O., and Zeller, H. D., 1955, Geologic map 

of Slim Buttes area, Harding County, South Dakota: U. S. Geol 

Survey Coal Inv. Map C 35, scale 1:63,360.

The map shows the geology of the northern and central parts of the 

Slim Buttes area, Harding County, S. Dak., and indicates lignite outcrops 

and the amount of uranium in the lignite at sampled localities. The rocks 

are Late Cretaceous to Recent in age.

11 Denson, N. M., Bachman, G. O., Zeller, H. D., Gill, J. R., Moore, G. W., 

and Melin, R. E., 1955, Uraniferous coal beds in parts of North 

Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana: U. S. Geol. Survey Coal Inv. 

Map C 33.

This map is composed of a series of geologic and block diagrams of the 

Sentinel Buttes area, Golden Valley County, N. Dak.; Bullion Butte area, 

Billings and Golden Valley Counties, N. Dak.; Medicine Pole area, Bowman County, N. Dak.; Ekalaka Hills area, Carter County, Mont.; and 

the Lodgepole area, Perkins County, S. Dak. Two block diagrams show 

the relation of radioactive lignite deposits to the regional geologic setting
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE U. S. 7

and to the base of the White River group in these areas. The geologic 

maps show the position and correlation of the lignite outcrops; the maps 

of the Lodgepole and Medicine Pole areas also show the uranium content 

of the lignite at sampled localities.

12 Denson, N. M., and Gill, J. R., 1955, Uranium-bearing lignite and its 

relation to volcanic tuffs in eastern Montana and the Dakotas; Contr. 

to the Internat. Conf. on peaceful uses of atomic energy, Geneva, 

Switzerland, August 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey Paper, United Nations 

No. P/57.

The uranium-bearing lignite deposits in western North and South 

Dakota and southeastern Montana occur near the north-central part of 

the Great Plains province -about 100 miles north of the Black Hills. The 

region is a rolling prairie, broken by small areas of badlands or by buttes 

and ridges which are rugged and precipitous. The important uraniumbearing lignite deposits underlie the more prominent buttes. The mineralized lignite beds occur throughout 2,200 feet of fiuviatile deposits of early 

Tertiary and Late Cretaceous age. In general the strike of the rocks is 

northwest and the regional dip is about 10 to 40- feet per mile northeast 

into the Williston Basin. Overlapping the lignite-bearing sequence with 

marked regional unconformity are 300 feet or more of ash-gray mildly 

radioactive tuffs and bentonitic clays of Oligocene and Miocene age. Field 

evidence indicates that the uranium was leached from the tuffs and concentrated in the underlying lignite. Lignites in the paths of these uraniumbearing waters are believed to have acted as receptors that extracted the 

uranium to form organo-uranium complexes or ionic organic-uranium 

compounds. Chemical analyses of water from the tuff show significant 

concentrations of uranium in association with arsenic, copper, phosphorus, 

vanadium, and molybdenum. An epigenetic theory of origin explaining 

the presence of uranium in the lignite is supported by the facts that the 

mineralized beds, irrespective of their ages, closely underlie the unconformity at the base of the Oligocene and that greater concentrations of 

uranium occur in the upper parts of the stratigraphically highest lignites. 

Much of the uranium-bearing lignite in the region is adapted to strip 

mining and is in beds four feet in thickness. Analyses of approximately 

500 surface and 1,000 core samples indicate that the mineralized lignites 

contain 0.005 to 0.02 percent uranium with concentrations of 0.05 to 0.1 

percent uranium in the lignite ash. Molybdenum is also closely associated 

with uranium in the lignite in concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 1.0 

percent in the lignite ash. In general, the grade of the uranium-bearing 

lignite deposits is low; but, since the tonnages of lignite containing an 

average of 0.008 percent uranium are great, these deposits form a resource 

of possible future value particularly if industry should use the lignite as 

fuel and recover the uranium and other metals as byproducts from the 

ash. It is quite possible that with the development of new metallurgical 

techniques and recovery processes many of these deposits will eventually 

be exploited. The discovery of significant tonnages of autunite and 

zeunerite-bearing lignite, containing as much as 2 to 5 percent uranium in 

beds 18 to 30 inches thick in the Cave Hills area of northwestern South 

Dakota, adds greater interest to lignite as an economic source for uranium 

and indicates that other deposits of uranium-bearing lignite of comparable 

grade will be discovered. Authors' abstract
8 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

13 Duncan, D. C., 1953, Results of reconnaissance for uranium in nonmarine 

carbonaceous rocks in parts of California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, 

Utah, and Washington during 1951 and 1952: U. S. Geol. Survey 

TEM-444-A, 26 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. 

Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Nonmarine carbonaceous rocks, including lignitic shales, coals, and peat, 

were tested at about 30 localities in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, 

Utah, and Washington. Rocks ranging in age from Carboniferous to 

Quaternary were examined, although the principal attention was given 

middle and late Tertiary lignites of the northern part of the Great Basin. 

Most carbonaceous rocks examined contained essentially no uranium; but 

lignitic shales in the Goose Creek district, Idaho, a thin carbonaceous 

shale near Hagerman, Idaho, and a small peat deposit in Davis County, 

Utah, contained more than 0.003 percent uranium. Author's abstract

14 Perm, J. C., 1955, Radioactivity of coals and associated rocks in Beaver, 

Clearfield, and Jefferson Counties, Pa.: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-468, 

52 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

Radioactivity investigations were made of the coal beds and associated 

rocks of the Pottsville, Allegheny, and Conemaugh formations in Beaver, 

Clearfield, and Jefferson Counties, Pa. Most of the coals and shales collected were nonradioactive or only slightly radioactive. At two localities 

near Darlington, Beaver County, the Lower Freeport underclay contains 

up to 0.014 percent equivalent uranium, 0.016 percent uranium and 0.026 

percent uranium in ash. The bottom six inches of coal contains about 

0.007 percent equivalent uranium, 0.010 percent uranium, and 0.060 percent uranium in the ash. Near Dora, Jefferson County, the Lower Freeport Rider coal contains a maximum of 0.006 percent and an average of 

0.003 to 0.004 percent equivalent uranium. The underclays consistently 

show the greatest radioactivity of the rock types tested. Structure and 

weathering apparently had little effect on the distribution and concentration of uranium in the coal and shale.

15 Gill,fj. R., 1953, Parts of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana; in Search for 

and geology of radioactive deposits, Semiannual progress report, 

December 1, 1952 to May 31, 1953: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-330, 

p. 118, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

The South Park, Crested Butte, Paonia, Trinidad, Colorado Springs, and 

Canon City coalfields in Colorado, coal-bearing rocks near Mancos and 

Durango, and coal in the Denver basin were examined for uranium-bearing 

coal and carbonaceous rocks. Only two samples contained more than 

0.002 percent uranium in the ash. Ash of impure coal in the Cambria 

coalfield, Weston County, Wyo., contained 0.0085 percent uranium. This 

is believed to be stratigraphically the highest coal bed in the Lakota sandstone. Commercially mined coal beds are practically nonradioactive. In 

Ekalaka lignite field, Carter County, Mont., there are several uraniferous 

lignite beds; the ash of most lignite samples contained 0.005 percent or 

more uranium. Samples from a 1.5-foot lignite bed averaged about 34 

percent ash and 0.057 percent uranium.

16 Gill, J. R., 1954, Northwestern South Dakota, southwestern North Dakota, 

and eastern Montana, in Geologic investigations of radioactive de-
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE U. S. 9

posits, Semiannual progress report, June 1 to November 30, 1954: 

U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-490, p. 149-155, issued by U. S. Atomic 

Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Occurrences of uranium-bearing lignite, carbonaceous shale, and sandstone estimated to contain 0.10 percent or more uranium were discovered 

in six widely separated areas in northwestern South Dakota, southwestern 

North Dakota, and eastern Montana. In the North Cave Hills, Harding 

County, S. Dak., strippable deposits of lignite an average of 1.4 feet 

thick in an area of 1500 acres contain 0.20 percent uranium and the mineral 

meta-autunite. In the Tepee Butte area, Harding County, a carbonaceous, 

shale and sandstone underlying about 4 acres contains about 0.40 percent 

equivalent uranium. In the Slim Buttes area, Harding County, lignite 

and carbonaceous sandstone containing 0.10 percent or more uranium was 

found at widely separated localities in the Ludlow member of the Fort 

Union formation.

The most important discovery is the Reva Gap or Thybo deposit where 

metatyuyamunite occurs in sandstone that averages about 0.68 percent 

uranium. Other deposits are: lenses of fresh-water limestone and siltstone 

in the West Short Pine Hills, Harding County, from 0.01 to 0.1 percent 

uranium; in the Long Pine Hills area, Carter County, Mont., lignite, siliceous shale, and sandstone from 0.01 to 0.2 percent uranium; in the Rhame 

area, Bowman County, N. Dak., a carbonaceous shale bed in the Tongue 

River member of the Fort Union formation, from 0.1 to 0.2 percent equivalent uranium; in the Whetstone Butte area, Adams County, N. Dak., a 

sandstone in the Tongue River member of the Fort Union formation, 

from 0.01 to 0.2 percent uranium; and in the Killdeer Mountain area, 

McKenzie County, N. Dak., a lignitic shale, 0.1 percent equivalent uranium. Other areas having anomalous radioactivity also are mentioned.

17 Gill, J. R., 1954, Ekalaka lignite field, Carter County, Montana, in Geologic 

investigations of radioactive deposits, Semiannual progress report, 

December 1, 1953 to May 31, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-440, 

p. 109-112, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, 

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

In the southern Ekalaka Hills approximately 16.5 million tons of lignite 

contains 745 tons of uranium. The uranium-bearing lignite is in three 

beds and has an average uranium content of 0.004 percent. In the northern part of the Ekalaka Hills the lignite beds are overlain by impervious 

shale and are nonradioactive. Gill believes that the uranium in the lignite 

is epigenetic and was leached from radioactive tuffaceous rocks and transported by ground water. Maps are included which show the area underlain by uranium-bearing lignite, the concentration and distribution of 

uranium in the lignite beds, and stratigraphic sections.

18 Gill, J. R., 1954, Mendenhall area, Slim Buttes, Harding County, South 

Dakota, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits, Semiannual 

progress report, December 1, 1953, to May 31, 1954: U. S. Geol. 

Survey TEI-440, p. 113-117, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm.. 

Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Core drilling in the Mendenhall area, Slim Buttes, Harding County, S. 

Dak., indicates that about 30 million tons of lignite is radioactive and 

contains about 0.008 percent uranium. The Mendenhall rider, the Mendenhall, and the Olesrud beds contain uranium but only where each bed is
10 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

highest in the stratigraphic section below the pre-Oligocene unconformity. 

Maps showing the geology, grade and distribution of uranium, and a table 

of inferred reserves of lignite and uranium are presented in the text.

19 Gill, J. R., 1957, Reconnaissance for uranium-bearing lignite in the Ekalaka 

lignite field, Carter County, Montana: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1055-F 

(in preparation).

Uraniferous lignite beds of the southern Ekalaka Hills are in the lower 

part of the Fort Union formation of Paleocene age and are directly overlain 

by the Arikaree formation of Miocene age. Lignite beds that are radioactive in the southern part of the area are nonradioactive elsewhere in the 

Ekalaka Hills area, where the Arikaree formation unconformably overlies 

impervious younger rocks of the Fort Union formation. The lignite contains from 0.001 to 0.034 percent uranium; there is a greater concentration 

in the ash. Analyses of spring water from the Arikaree formation indicate 

that uranium is being leached now from that formation. The uranium 

content of representative samples of spring waters is given. It is estimated 

that about 16 million tons of lignite contain 700 tons of uranium.

20 Gill, J. R., and Zeller, H. D., 1957, Results of core drilling for uraniumbearing lignite, Mendenhall area, Harding County, South Dakota: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1055-D (in preparation).

Core drill data on the Mendenhall area near the center of Slim Buttes 

indicate that the lignite is about 5 feet thick and contains about 0.005 

percent or more uranium. The uranium-bearing lignite is in the Ludlow 

member of the Fort Union formation of Paleocene age. The geological 

factors that may have controlled the placement of the uranium are discussed. The distribution of uranium in the lignite indicates that the 

uranium is of epigenetic origin and derived from the Chadron and Arikaree 

formations of Oligocene and Miocene age. Data on overburden thickness, 

fuel analysis, and lignite and uranium reserves are given in the text.

21 Gott, G. B., Wyant, D. G., and Beroni, E. P., 1952, Uranium in black 

shales, lignites, and limestones in the United States: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Circ. 220, p. 31-35.

The complete text of the part of this report pertaining to lignite is as 

follows:

Uraniferous coals of Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Tertiary ages are known 

in the United States. The greatest concentrations of uranium occur in 

Paleocene and Eocene lignites in the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming 

and in a high-ash lignite in Nevada. A few bituminous Pennsylvanian 

coals in the midcontinent region and sub-bituminous Cretaceous coal in 

southwestern Wyoming contain as much as 0.004 percent uranium, but 

hundreds of others have been tested radiometrically and chemically with 

negative results.

In the Dakotas, Montana, and part of Wyoming, the greatest concentrations of uranium occur in the first group of lignite beds below the 

Paleocene-Eocene unconformity. The uranium content of the lignite beds 

is variable, but some contain slightly more than 0.01 percent. The 

apparent relationship between these lignites and the unconformity between 

the Paleocene and the Eocene rocks suggest that the uranium may have 

been leached from volcanic ash in the White River formation and introduced into the lignite by surface waters during post-Paleocene time. The 

even distribution, however, of the uranium in the lignites, as indicated
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE TJ. S. 11

by an autoradiograph of one sample from North Dakota, and the absence 

of any apparent concentration of uranium on fracture planes in this area, 

suggest that the uranium was present before coalifieation.

In the Red Desert area of Wyoming uraniferous lignites in the Wasatch 

formation of Eocene age contain from about 0.002 to 0.007 percent uranium. The presence of about 60 percent more radium than that required 

for equilibrium with uranium indicates that uranium in the exposed lignite 

has recently been leached and suggests that fresh lignite contains more 

uranium.

A high-ash lignite of Tertiary age in Churchill County, Nev., contains 

as much as 0.05 percent uranium. The extremely high ash content of 

this lignite, however, seems to preclude a significant concentration of 

uranium by burning such as can be effected with the other lignites 

mentioned.

22 Gott, G. B., and Hill, J. W., 1953, Radioactivity in some oil fields of

southeastern Kansas: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 988-E, p. 69-120. 

Coal samples from drill cuttings were not available for radiometric 

analyses; so a few of the Pennsylvanian coals were sampled at outcrops 

in Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Franklin, Montgomery, and Osage 

Counties, Kans. Radiometric analyses of the coal samples indicate that 

the uranium content is uniformly low. The Mulky coal of the Cherokee 

formation in Bourbon County was the most radioactive sample collected; 

it contains 0.004 percent equivalent uranium oxide. Uranium in other 

types of rock also is discussed in the report.

23 Gude, A. J., 3d, and McKeown, F. A., 1953, Results of exploration at the 

Old Leyden coal mine, Jefferson County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. 

Survey TEM-292, 14 p. (open-file report).

Six diamond-core holes were drilled at the Old Leyden coal mine to explore the lateral and downward extent of a uranium-bearing coal and the 

associated carnotite deposits in the adjacent sandstone. The coal bed, 

in the Laramie formation of Late Cretaceous age, is exposed on the monoclinal fold on the west flank of the Denver Basin. The uranium is restricted to areas where the coal bed is in or adjacent to shear zones associated with faulting. Small lenticular bodies of material occurring at 

intervals in the coal'and silicified coal contain 0.10 to 0.50 percent uranium. 

Data obtained from the drill samples indicate a discontinuous radioactive 

zone between these higher grade ore bodies; assays show a range of from 

0.001 to 0.10 percent uranium in the samples. Material that contains 

0.10 or more percent uranium was found in only one core. The rocks 

penetrated in the other holes were of lower grade.

24 Hail, W. J., Jr., and Gill, J. R., 1953, Results of reconnaissance for uraniferous coal, lignite, and carbonaceous shale in western Montana: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 251, 9 p.

A reconnaissance for uraniferous lignite and carbonaceous shale associated with volcanic rocks was made during the summer of 1951 in 22 areas 

in western Montana and one adjacent area in Idaho. The coal in 5 of the 

areas is of Late Cretaceous age; the coal and carbonaceous shale in 18 

areas are in Tertiary "lake bed" deposits of Oligocene and Miocene age. 

Both the Cretaceous and Tertiary coal and carbonaceous shale are associated with volcanic rock, which is thought to be the source of uranium 

in many areas. The field examination of the coal did not reveal appreci-
12 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

able radioactivity. A sample of carbonaceous shale from Prickly Pear 

Valley northeast of Helena contained 0.013 percent uranium, and a sample 

of carbonaceous shale from Flint Creek Valley southwest of Drummond, 

Mont., contained 0.006 percent uranium. The carbonaceous shale of the 

Prickly Pear Valley district is overlain by bentonitic ash which contains 

0.003 percent equivalent uranium. A table of sample data and a map 

showing districts and outcrop localities are presented in the text.

25 Lloyd, S. J., and Cunningham, J., 1913, The radium content of some

Alabama coals: Am. Chem. Jour., v. 50, p. 47-51.

Coal samples taken from the major coalfields of Alabama were analyzed 

for their radium content, as the first in a series of examinations of rocks, 

minerals, and waters of the State. Results of the tests are presented in 

a table which lists the mine and field from which the samples were taken 

as well as other data. Coal from the Pratt No. 5 mine in the Warrior 

coalfield had the highest concentration of radium in the ash. The ash 

of the richest sample contained 7.05 X10~12 gram of radium per gram of ash 

and the poorest sample contained 0.51X10"12 gram of radium per gram 

of ash; the average was 2.15X10"12 gram of radium per gram of ash for 

the coals tested. It is assumed that a gram of uranium is in equilibrium 

with 3.4X 10~7 gram of radium in these tests.

26 Love, J. D., 1952, Preliminary report on uranium deposits in the Pumpkin 

Buttes area, Powder River Basin, Wyoming: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Circ. 176, 37 p.

Uranium-bearing coal and carbonaceous rocks associated with uranium 

deposits in sandstone were examined in the Wasatch formation of Eocene 

age in the Pumpkin Buttes area. Most of the coal beds are about 1 foot 

thick, but some of the combined coal and associated carbonaceous shale 

beds are a maximum of 4 feet thick. The uranium content of the coal 

samples ranges from 0.004 to 0.10 percent. Most of this report is concerned 

with uranium deposits in sandstone.

27 Mapel, W. J., and Hail, W. J., Jr., 1953, Goose Creek district, Cassia 

County, Idaho, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits, 

Semiannual progress report, June 1 to Nov. 30, 1953: U. S. Geol. 

Survey TEI-390, p. 135, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

Tech. Irf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Analysis of cores showed that the Barrett zone of carbonaceous shale may 

contain 0.02 percent uranium and the carbonaceous shale of Zone B in 

the lower part of the Salt Lake formation may contain 0.01 percent 

uranium. The core samples were obtained in the central part of the 

Goose Creek district, Cassia County, Idaho. A geologic map and thickness 

and radioactivity diagrams accompany the report.

28 Mapel, W. J., and Hail, W. J., Jr., 1957, Tertiary geology of the Goose 

Creek district, Cassia County, Idaho; Box Elder County, Utah; and 

Elko County, Nevada: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1055-H. (in preparation) .

The Goose Creek district is part of an intermontane basin in Cassia 

County, Idaho, Box Elder County, Utah, and Elko County, Nev. Rocks 

of the Payette formation of late Miocene (?) age and of the Salt Lake 

formation of early Pliocene age contain abundant volcanic material. 

Uranium is concentrated in the carbonaceous shale and lignite beds in
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE U. S. 13

the middle part of the Salt Lake formation. Most of the rocks contain 

0.001 to 0.003 percent equivalent uranium, but some carbonaceous shale 

beds contain 0.01 percent or more uranium. The richest deposit is the 

top foot of an 8-foot bed of carbonaceous shale that contains 0.12 percent 

uranium; the bed averages 0.042 percent uranium. The uranium is believed 

to have been leached from volcanic ash by ground water. The principal 

mineralized area is on the flanks and in the trough of a syncline where the 

richest uranium-bearing carbonaceous shale is directly overlain by a thick 

bentonite. Reserves are estimated to be 900 tons of uranium in beds 

2 or more feet thick which average 0.005 percent or more uranium, and 

115 tons of uranium in beds 1 foot or more thick which average 0.01 

percent or more uranium.

29 Masursky, Harold, 1953, Eastern Red Desert area, Sweetwater County, 

Wyoming; in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits, Semiannual progress report, June 1 to November 30, 1953: U. S. Geol. 

Survey TEI-390, p. 139, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The eastern part of the Red Desert area, Sweetwater County, Wyo.t 

was explored for uranium-bearing coal by drilling 60 core holes. The 

average uranium content of the coal, estimated from radiometric determinations, is about 0.003 percent. Some of the coal contains 0.007 percent 

uranium and 0.05 percent uranium in the ash. Data from this drilling, 

program affirm earlier conclusions that the uranium content is greater to 

the east where the enclosing rocks are more coarse-grained and permeable, 

and greatest at the bottom of a coal bed where there is a permeable sandstone below and a clay shale above.

30 Masursky, Harold, 1955, Trace elements in coal in the Red Desert, Wyoming; Contr. to the Internat. Conf. on peaceful uses of atomic energy,. 

Geneva, Switzerland, August 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey Paper, United 

Nations No. P/56.

Uranium-bearing coal underlies approximately 300 square miles of the 

Red Desert, near the central part of the Great Divide Basin, a large topographic basin of interior drainage along the Continental Divide in southcentral Wyoming.

The coal-bearing rocks were cyclically deposited in swamps marginal 

to the lakes formed in Green River time and are interbedded with coarsegrained fluviatile arkose of the Wasatch formation, to the northeast, and 

organic lacustrine shale of the Green River formation, to the southwest. 

The sequence is about 1,200 feet thick and is of early Eocene age. The 

axis of maximum coal deposition trends northwest; the coal beds are 

lenticular in cross section and grade into shale to the east and west.

The strata are inclined at angles of one to two degrees so that the coal 

beds, which are as much as 40 feet thick, are potentially strippable over 

large areas. The coal is subbituminous B in rank.

The highest concentrations of uranium are localized in the carbonaceous, 

rocks unconformably overlain by gravels of possible Miocene age, as at 

Creston Ridge where the uppermost coal contains as much as 0.051 percent uranium near the top of the bed, whereas a coal 20 feet lower contains 

less than 0.001 percent uranium.

Lower widespread concentrations of uranium in the coal, averaging, 

about 0.003 percent, are apparently related to the permeability of the-
14 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

rocks enclosing the coal beds. The uranium content of the coal beds 

increases toward the northeast as the lithofacies change and become 

coarser-grained and more permeable. In the cyclically deposited sequence 

several coal beds in vertical succession are enriched in uranium adjacent 

to the intercalated beds of coarse-grained sandstone which generally underlie the coals. The close relationship between the uranium content of the 

coal and the permeability of the surrounding rocks indicates that the 

uranium was probably epigenetically emplaced.

Gallium, germanium, iron, molybdenum, lead, vanadium, and the rare 

earths have parallel distribution in the carbonaceous rocks as does uranium, 

according to semiquantitative spectrographic analyses, and may have 

been similarly emplaced.

Three possible sources for the uranium and other trace elements partially 

supported by available evidence are: 1) hydrothermal solutions rising 

along faults; 2) leaching from the granite during its weathering and 

erosion; 3) leaching from the overlying tuffaceous rocks.

Laboratory experiments on the solubility of uranium demonstrate the 

effectiveness of the Red Desert coal as an adsorbent of uranium from 

natural waters. Investigation of the sedimentary rocks included studies 

of mineralogic composition, grain size and shape, and porosity and 

permeability.

Results of the investigation indicate that the large reserves of coal in 

the Red Desert are of interest primarily as a fuel resource and that uranium probably can only be produced as a by-product. However, thin 

carbonaceous shale in the coarse-grained clastic facies to the northeast of 

the principal coal area may be the site of localization of higher-grade 

uranium deposits. Author's abstract

31 Masursky, Harold, and Pipiringos, G. N., 1957, Preliminary report on 

uranium-bearing coal in the Red Desert, Great Divide Basin, Sweetwater County, Wyoming: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1055-G (in 

preparation).

Uranium-bearing coal in the northeastern part of Sweetwater County, 

Wyo., is in the flat-lying beds of the Wasatch formation of early Eocene 

age which interfinger with the Green River formation. The Red Desert 

area, part of a structural and topographic basin between the Rawlins 

uplift on the east and the Rock Springs uplift on the west, is flanked on 

the north by the Green Mountains.

The uranium content of the coal beds is greatest in the northeast part 

of the basin where the coal is interbedded with greater amounts of coarse 

sediments. The coal highest in the stratigraphic section commonly has 

the greatest uranium content if impermeable units are not present higher 

in the section. If the highest coal is associated with impermeable shales 

and a lower coal is associated with a permeable sandstone, the coal associated 

with the shale will have a low uranium content and the coal associated 

with the sandstone will have a high uranium content. The relationship 

of coal with relatively high uranium content to topographic and stratigraphic highs and to permeable zones suggests a downward and lateral 

movement of uranium from an overlying source. The uranium content 

ranges from 0.001 to 0.047 percent in the coal and from 0.005 to 0.19 

percent in the ash. Inferred reserves of coal are 162.5 million tons that 

contain 6,100 tons of uranium; in the Luman coal zone 800 tons of uranium 

.is estimated to be contained in the 21 million tons of coal.
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE XJ. S. 15

32 Miller, R. L., and Gill, J. R., 1954, Uranium from coal: Sci. Am., v. 191,

p. 36-39.

North of the Black Hills in the Dakotas and eastern Montana, lignites 

and coals in the Fort Union formation of Paleocene age, overlain by the 

Arikaree and White River formations, contain much low-grade uranium. 

The uranium-bearing coal has the same appearance as ordinary coal unless, 

rarely, associated minerals have discolored the coal surfaces. Prospecting 

is done by scanning a lignite bed with a Geiger counter, or similar device, 

and having analyses made of any radioactive samples to determine the 

presence and percentage of uranium. It is thought that the uranium in 

these lignites is derived from water that leached volcanic ash and sand 

deposits of the overlying White River and Arikaree formations; the uranium was taken into solution and redeposited in the lignite. Most of 

these lignites are of very low grade in comparison with other uranium 

sources that are being mined.

33 Moore, G. W., and Stephens, J. G., 1953, Reconnaissance for uraniumbearing carbonaceous rocks in California and adjacent parts of Oregon 

and Nevada: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 313, 8 p.

A reconnaissance was conducted in California and parts of Oregon and 

Nevada to find uranium-bearing carbonaceous rocks. Coal, lignite, and 

shale that are or were overlain by rocks of volcanic origin and rhyolitic 

composition received special attention. Coal beds were investigated in 21 

counties in California. They range from Paleocene to Pliocene in age, 

and from high-volatile bituminous coal to partly coalified wood. Most of 

the deposits are of lignite or subbituminous coal. The highest concentration of uranium was found in the Newhall prospect, Los Angeles County, 

where a 6-inch bed contains 0.020 percent uranium; the ash contains 0.054 

percent uranium. Other deposits having relatively high uranium contents 

are at the: Fire Flex mine, San Benito County, 0.005 percent; American 

Lignite mine, Amador County, 0.004 percent; and Tesla prospect, Alameda 

County, 0.003 percent. Coal of Eocene age in Coos, Douglas, and Jackson 

Counties of southwestern Oregon was sampled and tested for uranium. 

Examination at many localities of these coal beds revealed a lack of significant radioactivity and the absence of uranium in the ash. At Esmeralda County in western Nevada a coal in contact with a tuff contains 

0.003 percent equivalent uranium. Lignite from Lyon and Washoe 

Counties, Nev., has less than 0.001 percent equivalent uranium.

34 Moore, G. W., 1954, Extraction of uranium from aqueous solution by coal

and some other materials: Econ. Geology, v. 49, p. 652-658. 

Uranium in nature is commonly associated with carbonaceous material. 

Laboratory studies were therefore conducted to determine the relative 

ability of various types of carbonaceous material and some other substances to remove uranium from solution. The results of these experiments indicate that the low-rank coals are more effective in extracting 

uranium than any of the other materials used. A chemical determination 

shows that nearly 100 percent of the available uranium in solution is removed by subbituminous coal. The uranium is apparently retained in 

the coal by an irreversible process. The notable affinity of uranium for 

coalified plant remains suggests that some uranium deposits may have 

been formed over a long period of time by the extraction of uranium from 

dilute ground water solutions. A possible application of the results of
16 -SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

this work may be the extraction of uranium by coal from natural water or 

from waste solutions from uranium processing industrial plants. Author's 

abstract

35 Moore, G. W., 1954, North Dakota, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits, Semiannual progress report, December 1, 1953 to 

May 31, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-440, p. 102-109, issued by 

U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn. 

Geologic mapping and sampling in the HT Butte, Chalky Butte, Bullion 

Butte, and Sentinel Butte areas of southwestern North Dakota indicate 

that the four areas contain inferred reserves of 43,380,000 tons of lignite 

averaging 0.013 percent uranium and 0.040 percent in the ash. Lignite 

from the Slide Butte in the HT Butte area, Slope County, N. Dak., has 

the greatest uranium content, averaging 0.024 percent uranium and 0.12 

percent in the ash. A summary of the inferred reserves of lignite and 

uranium in these five buttes are presented in table form. From the data 

presented it is concluded that the uranium in the lignite was deposited by 

ground water that leached uranium from the overlying White River group. 

Maps showing areas underlain by uranium-bearing lignite and the thickness and percent uranium in the lignite at sample localities are presented 

in the text.

36 Moore, G. W., and Gill, J. R., 1955, Geologic map of the southern part of 

the Slim Buttes area, Harding County, South Dakota: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Coal Inv. Map C 36, scale 1:31,680.

The geologic map of the southern part of the Slim Buttes area, Harding 

County, S. Dak., indicates the lignite-sampling localities, the calculated 

uranium content, and the location of springs from which samples of water 

were taken. Rocks exposed in this area are Late Cretaceous to Recent in 

age.

37 Moore, G. W., Melin, R. E., and Kepferle, R. C., 1957, Uranium-bearing 

lignite in southwestern North Dakota: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 

1055-E (in preparation).

Uraniferous lignite occurs in the Sentinel Butte member of the Fort 

Union formation of Paleocene age in the Bullion Butte, Sentinel Butte, 

HT Butte, and Chalky Butte areas. The uranium content of the lignite 

beds apparently is controlled primarily by their stratigraphic position 

below the overlying White River formation of Oligocene age. Lignite beds enclosed by permeable rocks are more uraniferous than lignite beds enclosed 

by impermeable rocks. Thin beds of lignite have a higher uranium content 

than thick beds. The stratigraphy and structure of the areas are discussed 

and a diagram showing the relation of the radioactive lignite beds to the 

base of the White River formation in North and South Dakota is shown. 

The uranium probably was leached by ground water from the White River 

and Arikaree formations and deposited in the lignite. Reserves of lignite 

and uranium are given for each of the areas.

38 Patterson, E. D., 1954, Radioactivity of some coals and shales in southern

Illinois: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-466, 23 p, issued by U. S. Atomic

Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Commercially important coal beds and associated shales in the Casey ville,

Tradewater, Carbondale, and McLeansboro formations of Pennsylvanian

age in southern and central Illinois were examined to determine the amount
- URANTDM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE TJ. S. 17

and distribution of uranium. The coals generally contain less than 0.001 

percent uranium but the Herrin No. 6 coal near Harrisburg, 111., contains 

0.008 percent uranium and 0.125 percent uranium in the ash. The black 

shales overlying the coals generally contain from 0.003 to 0.017 percent 

uranium. The most widespread uraniferous black shale is above the 

Harrisburg No. 5 coal in Saline, Gallatin, and Williamson Counties. Basic 

igneous dikes that intruded the coal-bearing formations are in effect nonradioactive.

39 Pipiringos, G. N., 1955, Uranium-bearing coal in the central part of the 

Great Divide Basin, Sweetwater County, Wyoming; Contr. to the 

Internat. Conf. on peaceful uses of atomic energy, Geneva, Switzerland, August 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey Paper, United Nations No. 

P/287.

Uranium-bearing coal of early Eocene age underlies about 750 square 

miles of the Great Divide Basin, Sweetwater County, Wyo. More than 

half of this area lies within the central part of the Basin. Caliche-like 

schroeckingerite deposits occur near the northern edge of the coal field. 

The shroeckingerite occurs in alluvium and in the upper few feet of the 

underlying claystone and arkosic sandstone beds of early and middle (?) 

Eocene age.

Most of the coal contains less than 0.003 percent uranium, but locally 

parts of some coal beds contain as much as 0.016 percent uranium. The 

uranium content of the ash of these coal beds ranges from 0.003 to 0.023 

percent.

In the central part of the Great Divide Basin, the thickest coal beds 

underlie a relatively narrow belt in the trough and on the west flank of the 

northwest-trending Red Desert syncline; those containing the most uranium 

are on the east flank and are thinner. The Red Desert syncline also 

coincides with a zone of intertonguing of the highly permeable coarsegrained arkosic sandstone beds of the Battle Spring formation on the northeast and the less permeable, and locally impermeable, clay shale, siltstone, 

fine-grained sandstone and low grade oil shale beds of the Wasatch and 

Green River formations on the southeast. These formations of early and 

middle Eocene age rest unconformably on the Fort Union formation of late 

Paleocene age and are overlain, in ascending order, by the Bridger and 

Browns Park formations of middle Eocene and Miocene age respectively.

A broad gentle arch, trending about N. 70° E., separates the Washakie 

Basin on the southeast from the Red Desert syncline, which plunges 

gently northwestward into the nearly circular structural Niland Basin. 

The south flank of the arch dips southeast at an average rate of about 230 

feet per mile; the north flank dips northeast about 140 feet per mile. The 

dominant structural feature of the area north of the Niland Basin is a 

graben which trends about N. 70° W. This graben is about 3 miles 

wide and is bounded on the north by a normal fault of about 3,000 feet 

vertical displacement. This fault extends for several miles northwest 

beyond the northern boundary of the Great Divide Basin and for an undetermined distance southeast across the northeastern part of the Great 

Divide Basin. The fault on the south side of the graben has a vertical 

displacement of a few hundred feet in the vicinity of the schroeckingerite 

deposits; it appears to pass northwestward within a few miles into an 

anticline or a monoclinal flexure and extends for an undetermined distance
18 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY "

southeast of the schroeckingerite deposits into the northeastern part of 

the Great Divide Basin.

The schroeekingerite deposits in the north-central part of the Great 

Divide Basin occur within and along the southern edge of the graben. 

Weakly uraniferous tuffaceous sandstone beds of the Browns Park formation that once probably blanketed the entire Great Divide Basin are preserved today as erosional remnants less than two miles north and northwest of the schroeckingerite deposits.

The source of uranium in the coal and in the schroeckingerite deposits 

is probably the tuffaceous beds in the Browns Park formation localized 

in its present sites by ground-water circulation guided by structure and 

the inter-fingering of sedimentary facies. Author's abstract

40 Schopf, J. M., and Gray, R. J., 1954, Microscopic studies of uraniferous

coal deposits: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 343, 10 p.

Quantitative petrographic studies were made of the uranium-bearing 

lignite deposits of the Slim Buttes area, Harding County, S. Dak. These 

lignites are in the Ludlow member of the Fort Union formation of Paleocene age. The Slim Buttes coal appears to have a wide range of petrographic constituents in the different beds. This study does not support 

a direct correlation of uranium content with the amount of any single 

microscopic component of coal. The richest uranium-bearing samples 

of the Slim Buttes lignites also contained the greatest amount of humic 

matter. This extensively weathered plant material might be most favorable to uranium emplacement, but weathered coal of low radioactivity 

indicates that extensive decay only predisposes the coal to uranium 

emplacement.

41 Schopf, J. M., Gray, R. J., and Felix, C. J., 1954, Coal petrology, in 

Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits, Semiannual progress 

report, June 1 to November 30, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-490, 

p. 175-177, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, 

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Petrologic studies indicate that uranium-bearing coal from the Dakotas 

differs slightly from that of the Red Desert in Wyoming and the Goose 

Creek district in Idaho. These petrologic differences are (1) the Dakota 

coal contains less transported organic matter, (2) there is less waxy matter 

in the most uraniferous layers, and (3) there is a top-preferential pattern 

of uranium enrichment. The average petrologic composition of coal beds 

in the Slim Buttes area, Harding County, S. Dak., are presented in the 

text.

42 Snider, J. L., 1953, Reconnaissance for uranium in coal and shale in 

southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia: U. S. Geol. Survey 

TEI-409, 28 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. 

Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

A reconnaissance of uranium-bearing coal, shale, and clay of Devonian, 

Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian age was conducted in parts of West 

Virginia and Virginia. All samples of bituminous coal collected contain 

less than 0.001 percent equivalent uranium. A semi-anthracite coal of 

Mississippian age, from Montgomery County, Va., contains a maximum 

of 0.001 percent equivalent uranium. Shales and sandstones associated 

with the coal beds contain from 0.001 to 0.003 percent equivalent uranium.
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE U. S. 1$

A black shale of Late Devonian age near Ben Hur, Lee County, Va., 

contains from 0.003 to 0.004 percent equivalent uranium.

43 Snider, J. L., 1953, Radioactivity of some coal and shale of Pennsylvanian 

age in Ohio: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-404, 22 p., issued by U. S. Atomic 

Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn. 

The commercially important coal beds and associated rocks in the Pottsville, Allegheny, and Monongahela formations of Pennsylvanian age in 

eastern Ohio were examined for radioactive content. Most of the coal 

contains less than 0.001 percent equivalent uranium, but there is a maximum of 0.003 percent equivalent uranium in the Pittsburgh No. 8 coal at 

Crescent, Ohio. Associated carbonaceous shales generally contain less 

than 0.001 percent equivalent uranium but have a maximum of 0.003 

percent equivalent uranium.

44 Snider, J. L., 1954, Reconnaissance for uranium in the Indiana coalfield: 

U. S. Geol. Survey TEM-784, 26 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The coalfield in the southwestern part of Indiana is a part of the Easterninterior coal province. Most of the coal beds contain less than 0.001 

percent equivalent uranium, but 5 of the coal beds (Upper Block, Minshall,. 

Gentryville, Coal V, and Coal VII) contain 0.001 or more percent equivalent uranium in some places. The radioactive zones are not widespread 

and are limited to the top of the bed in thick coals. Black carbonaceous 

shales above Coal V and the Minshall coal contain about 0.006 and 0.003 

percent equivalent, respectively; the shale above Coal V is widespread; 

the radioactivity apparently is proportional to the amount of organic 

matter in the shale.

45 Staatz, M. H., and Bauer, H. L., Jr., 1954, Gamma Group, in Radioactive 

deposits of Nevada, by T. G. Levering: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 

1009-C, p. 76-77.

Uraniferous, impure lignite is found at the Gamma property, Churchill 

County, Nev., in a sequence of sandstone and clay beds of Tertiary age 

overlain by dark-red volcanic rock. Five beds of impure lignite from less 

than 1 foot to 3.5 feet thick are exposed continuously for 1,285 feet. These 

beds contain a maximum of 0.059 percent uranium and 75 percent ash.

46 Szalay, S., 1954, The enrichment of uranium in some brown coals in

Hungary: Magyar Tudom. Akad. Acta Geol., v. 2, p. 299-310. 

Most of the important coal beds of the larger producing mines in Hungary were sampled to determine the distribution of radioactive coals. The 

samples were in effect essentially nonradioactive most registered even 

less radioactivity than the average for the earth's crust except for samples 

from mines close to granitic terranes, the Mecsek and Velence Mountains 

of Hungary, which had radioactive intensities of 5 to 6 times the background rate. It was observed that radioactive and nonradioactive coal 

beds and associated shales exist in the same mine. Chemical analyses 

indicate that the radioactive coal contains about 0.006 percent uranium 

and 0.01 percent in the ash. A geochemical enrichment at the time of 

coal deposition is proposed. It is suggested that the uranium was derived 

from the decomposition of granite and carried by water to the areas where 

coal was being formed.

Experiments were conducted to determine the capacity of plant debris,
20 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

peat, and lignite to adsorb uranium from a uranylnitrate solution and the 

rate at which adsorption takes place. Different volumes (1 to 5 cc) of a 

1 percent solution of uranylnitrate were poured over gram samples of the 

adsorbing material. A test of the nitrate indicated that all uranium was 

adsorbed from the solution within 1 to 2 minutes; this time may be shortened by agitation. Peat becomes saturated with uranium in the range of 

50 to 250 milligrams of uranylnitrate per gram of peat; the adsorption 

capacity of lignite is approximately the lower limit cited for peat. Other 

tests indicate that humic acids are largely responsible for the adsorption 

of the uranium by a cation-exchange process.

47 Vine, J. D., and Moore, G. W., 1952, Uranium-bearing coal and carbonaceous rocks in the Fall Creek area, Bonneville County, Idaho: U. S. 

Geol. Survey Circ. 212, 10 p.

Uranium-bearing coal, carbonaceous shale, and carbonaceous limestone 

in the Bear River formation of Cretaceous age were examined in the Fall 

Creek area, Bonneville County, Idaho. The area is in the Caribou Mountains which are part of the system of parallel ranges that form an arcuate 

belt along the Idaho-Wyoming border. Thrust sheets and tight folds, 

commonly overturned, characterize the complex structure of these mountains.

Exposed sedimentary strata include the Stump formation of Late Jurassic age and the Gannett group and Bear River formation of Early Cretaceous 

age; these are overlain unconformably by silicic volcanic rocks which are 

probably of Miocene age.

Analyses of samples collected from an abandoned inclined shaft, known 

as the Fall Creek coal prospect, indicate that there is a maximum of 0.13 

percent uranium in the top foot of impure coal and 0.3 percent uranium in 

the ash. The average uranium content in impure coal, carboneacous 

shale, and limestone is about 0.02 percent. Uranium minerals were not 

identified in the carbonaceous rocks a fact which suggests that the carbonaceous matter fixes uranium by ionic adsorption. An epigenetic origin 

by leaching from overlying volcanic rocks is proposed for the uranium.

48 Vine, J. D., and Moore, G. W., 1952, Reconnaissance for uranium-bearing 

carbonaceous rocks in northwestern Colorado, southwestern Wyoming, 

and adjacent parts of Utah and Idaho: U. S. GeoJ. Survey TEI-281, 

25 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

The reconnaissance of carbonaceous rocks in parts of Colorado, Wyoming, 

Utah, and Idaho revealed one possible commercial deposit of uraniumbearing coal. The Fall Creek deposit in the Bear River formation of 

Cretaceous age, Bonneville County, Idaho, contains a maximum of 0.13 

percent uranium in the coal and 0.31 percent in the ash. Three localities 

in which coal beds contain more than 0.010 percent uranium in the ash are 

near Lay and Walden, Colo., and the Leucite Hills, Wyo. Gilsonite of 

Tertiary age south of Rand, Colo., contains 0.0013 percent uranium and 

0.016 percent uranium in the ash. Bitumen from a bituminous sandstone 

quarry west of Vernal, Utah, contains 0.003 percent uranium and 0.028 

percent in the ash.

49 Vine, J. D., 1953, Parts of Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Wyoming; in Search 

for and geology of radiaoctive deposits, Semiannual progress report, 

December 1, 1952 to May 31, 1953: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-330,
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE U. S. 21

p. 117, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service,.

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Small quantities of uranium were found in carbonaceous rocks in 

Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. The ash of coal of the Bear 

River formation of Early Cretaceous age contains a maximum of 0.03 

percent uranium in samples from the Caribou Mountains, Bonneville 

County, Idaho, and a maximum of 0.009 percent uranium in samples 

from near Driggs, Teton County, Idaho. Coaly shale in the Bridger 

formation of Eocene age in southwestern Sweetwater County, Wyo., 

contains up to 0.012 percent uranium in the ash.

50 Vine, J. D., 1955, Uranium-bearing coal in the United States; Contr. 

to the Internat. Conf. on peaceful uses of atomic energy, Geneva, 

Switzerland, August 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey Paper, United Nations 

No. P/55.

Large reserves of uranium are contained in coal and lignite, particularly 

in Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments in some parts of the Rocky Mountains 

and northern Great Plains regions of the United States. The concentration of uranium in the ash of coal provides a possibility for recovering 

uranium as a byproduct. Ore-grade uranium in lignite is present locally 

in the northern Great Plains. Uranium-bearing lignite occurs in the 

Fort Union formation of Paleocene age in the northern Great Plains, in 

the Salt Lake formation of Pliocene age in southern Idaho, and in Tertiary 

sediments in Nevada and southern California. Uranium-bearing coal is 

present in the Wasatch formation of Eocene age in Wyoming, in the 

Laramie formation of Cretaceous age in Colorado, in the Mesaverde formation of Cretaceous age in New Mexico, and in the Bear River formation 

of Cretaceous age in southeastern Idaho. Bituminous coal and anthracite 

of Paleozoic age in the central and eastern United States contain only 

very small quantities of uranium.

The distribution of uranium in coal is erratic. In many areas uranium 

is preferentially concentrated in the stratigraphically highest coal bed and 

at the top of the beds. In the Red Desert area of Wyoming uranium ia 

concentrated in coal beds adjacent to permeable units of the enclosing 

strata.

Uranium is thought to be held in coal as a fixed adventitious constituent 

of epigenetic origin. When more uranium is available to the coal than 

can be chemically combined with the organic matter, uranium minerals 

including carnotite, autunite, torbernite, zeunerite and coffinite may form. 

Uranium is thought to be introduced into coal in the northern Great Plainsby ground water that leaches uranium from unconformably overlying 

volcanic sediments. Author's abstract

51 Vine, J. D., 1957, Geology and uranium deposits in carbonaceous rocks 

of the Fall Creek area, Bonneville County, Idaho: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Bull. 1055-1 (in preparation).

Impure coal in the Bear River formation of Early Cretaceous age at 

the Fall Creek prospect contains an average of about 0.02 percent uranium; 

there is a maximum of 0.1 percent uranium and 0.3 percent in the ash. 

Rock units that contain the most carbonaceous matter generally contain 

more uranium, though the distribution is not uniform within a unit. 

These rocks include coal, coaly shale, carbonaceous shale, and black
22 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

carbonaceous limestone. The uranium-bearing strata are widespread 

and are repeated several times by folding and faulting.

Data from spectrographic analyses indicate a correlation of molybdenum 

and germanium with uranium and suggest a geochemical relationship and 

a common origin for the three metals. Four general hypotheses are discussed for the origin of uranium in carbonaceous rocks. Reserves for a 

400-acre area are estimated at 6.5 million tons of carbonaceous rock that 

contains about 1,300 tons of uranium.

52 Welch, S. W., 1953, Radioactivity of coal and associated rock in the coalfields of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia: U. S. Geol. 

Survey TEI-347-A, 38 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

A reconnaissance of coal and associated rocks was made in the Lee and 

Breathitt formations in the coalfields of eastern Kentucky, and Logan 

and Mingo Counties, W. Va. Radioactivity determinations showed that 

the coal contains 0.000-0.001 percent equivalent uranium. Shales and 

clays are slightly more radioactive; they contain about 0.002 percent 

equivalent uranium.

53 Welch, S. W., 1953, Radioactivity of coal and associated rocks in the 

anthracite fields of eastern Pennsylvania: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI348, 31 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service, 

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The coal-bearing rocks in the anthracite fields are the Pottsville, Allegheny, and Conemaugh formations of Pennsylvanian age. Reconnaissance of the four principal fields the Southern, the Western Middle, the 

Eastern Middle, and the Northern showed 0.001 or less percent equivalent uranium in the coal, and 0.001 to 0.003 percent equivalent uranium 

in the shale.

54 Zeller, H. D., 1955, Reconnaissance for uranium-bearing carbonaceous

materials in southern Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 349, 9 p. 

A reconnaissance was made in parts of southern Utah to locate and 

evaluate uranium-bearing carbonaceous rocks. Coal and carbonaceous 

shale of Cretaceous age were systematically sampled in three major 

areas: Kaiparowits Plateau, Henry Mountains, and Kolob Terrace. 

Carbonaceous shales, 1 to 2 feet thick, at two localities in the Kaiparowits 

Plateau contain 0.006 and 0.007 percent uranium. Other carbonaceous 

sediments examined contain 0.002 percent or less uranium.

55 Zeller, H. D., 1957, Results of exploratory drilling for uranium-bearing 

lignite deposits in Harding and Perkins Counties, South Dakota, and 

Bowman County, North Dakota: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1055-C 

(in preparation).

Data obtained from most of the cores show that the uranium content is greatest in the stratigraphically highest lignite beneath the White 

River and Arikaree formations. In the Medicine Pole Hills the uranium is 

concentrated at the base of the lignite in a number of cores. Mineralized 

ground water, moving laterally along fractured lignite that overlies impervious underclays apparently controlled the uranium distribution in 

these beds. Spectrographic studies indicate that the molybdenum con-
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE U. S. 23

tent correlates with the uranium content. Distribution and concentration 

of uranium, reserves of uranium and lignite, quality of lignite, lithologic 

description of the cores, and general description of areas are presented.

56 Zeller, H. D., 1955, Preliminary geologic map of the Bar H area, Slim 

Buttes, Harding County, South Dakota: U. S. Geol. Survey Coal 

Inv. Map C 37, scale 1:20,000.

This map shows the geology of the Bar H area in the northern part of 

Slim Buttes, Harding County, S. Dak. The radioactive lignite and clinker 

beds in the Ludlow member of the Fort Union formation are shown on 

the map. The rocks exposed in this area are Paleocene to Recent in age.

INDEXES

AUTHORS

Index no.

Bachman, O. O ....____........._...___.__._.____.__...... 1,2,7-11

Bauer, H. L., Jr___________.________________________... .. 45 

Beroni, E. P_____________________________________________..... .. 3,21

Berthoud, E. L.____ . ___.________ ........ 4

Breger, I. A..____________._______________.. _____....__ 5

Cunningham, J___________________________._________... .. 25 

Davidson, C. P_____ __________ __... 6 

Denson, N. M_____________________________________...... .. 7-12

Deal, Maurice- . . 5 

Duncan, D. C________ . ___._______..... ____ 13

Felix, O. J_._...___.________._.________.___________________ 41 

Perm, J. C__.......___.___.______.________.._____... - ..... 14

Gill, J. R___.............................................................. 7,11,12,15-20,24,32,36

Qott, O. B.______.____________..._________.________.__________ 21,22 

Gray, R. J.................... .. .........-.-.-.......-..... ......-......... ...... 40,41

Gride, A. J., 3d...--. - . _ . . - 23

Hail, W. J., Jr........-...... .................... ..-.... . 7,24,27,28

Hill, J. W.........._._.________________.________._________________ 22

Kepferle, R. C_______.. _ _____________ . ____ 37 

Lloyd, S.J ............................... . .. -.........-_ .-. 25

Love, J. D_____._____________._________________________ _ 7,26 

Mapel, W. J _______.._.______._._...___.....__________________ 27,28

Masursky, Harold________...._______________....___. 7,29-31

McKeown, P. A.______________________________________ - . 3,23 

Melin, R. E..__.... ____.._....____._ .__._.__..__.______.____ 11,37

Miller, R. L ...... - --_....._ - . 32

Moore, G. W.._....._._.___._._.___..__..______________ 2,7,11,33-37,47,48

Patterson, E. D__.___ ____________...... __.... 38

Pipiringos.G.N................ . . . 7,31,39

Ponsford, D. R. A____________________________________________....... 6

Read, C. B........._..___....._.._____.____....._.____.__....... . 1,2

Rubinstein, Samuel._-. _....._.__.. _ 5

Schopf, J. M_.__......_....___... . _ ....__-_ _____.______... 40,41

Snider, J. L....._..__._.._._..___............._._.__.......___._______ 42-44

Staatz.M.H. _....._._._._.__....___.._._..._......._.__._ _ 45

Stephens, J. O____________________________________________ _- 33 

Szalay, 8..___...... ____.____ __ 46

Vine,J.D_ -- . 2,7,47-51

Welch, S. W. .._...._..____._____........._._._......_____._______. 52,53

Wyant, D. O..............__.__...._._.......__._.__........._....________ 21

Zeller, H. D_............................................................................... 7-11,20,54-56

GEOGRAPHIC AREAS

Foreign countries.

England_________ _____________ ..___.__ 6 

Germany___.... . ___._______.. ___._ 6

Hungary.._.__________________.________________________. .... 6,46 

United States.

Alabama.-________.__.______________...________._ 25 

Jeflerson County, Warrior coalfield- _______.. ____ 25

Arizona________________________________-________._ . 1 

Coconino County. - ___________ ____ 1 

Gila County.___-_________________.______________ 1

California . _..........___..........._ ___ . 13,33,50

Alameda County, Tesla prospect...___________ ___________ . 33 

Amador County, American lignite mine__________._______ 33 

Los Angeles County, Newhall prospect-______.. ______ 33 

San Benito County, Fire Flex mine-_______________________.... 33

25
26 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

United States Continued Index no. 

Colorado- . ,,. ..__._ 3,48-59* 

Delta County, Paonla coalfield..________________________________ 15 

Denver Basin coalfields. ___________________________________ 15. 

El Paso County, Colorado Springs coalfield__________________________ 15 

Fremont County, Canon City coalfield...-_________________________ 15- 

Ounnison County, Crested Butte coalfield_____;_____________________ 15 

Jackson County:

Rand area.. . __________________________.____ 48-

Waldenarea_________________________________________ 4&

Jefferson County, Leyden coal mine.___________i._________________ 4,23-

La Plata County, Durangaarea.- _______________________________ U

Las Animas County, Trinidad coalfield________.___________________ 15

Moffat County, Lay area___._______________________________ 48"

Montezuma County, Manoosarea_______________________________ 15

Park County, South Park coalfield_______________________________ 15

Idaho .....................^ .__.______.._.....______........... 6,13,24,49,50-

Bonnevilte County, Fall Creek area..._________________________ 7,47-49,51 

Cassia County, Goose Creek area___________.___________-..-__ 7,13,-27,28,41 

Oooding County, Hagerman area_______________________________ 13- 

Teton County, Driggs area___________^____________,.................... 49

niinois - -- -- ... .. - . - 38"

Gallatin County...... ........_.....___._........._____.......__^.._..... 38

Saline County. ........______________________________ 38

WilHamson County. ________________________________________ 3* 

Indiana____________________________________________________ 44 

Kansas__.___ . ....._____________________.________._.. 22'

Bourbon County...... ...________________________________ 221

Cherokee County ...______.____..__.... ..___.... 22p

Crawford County _________________.. ____ . 22 

Franklin County._ _____________________.____________..... 22

Montgomery County. ......._______________________________.__.. 221

Osage County... _______ _ . 22' 

Kentucky........_... ....________________ _ ___.___ 521

Montana...______.._________._____.___________________ 12,21,24,32,50» 

Carter County:

Ekalaka Hills area...__.__._.._._....__..___._____...__.. 11,15,17,19

Long Pine Hills area.........________________._ . . 16-

Granite County, Flint Creek Valley.__________________.____...... ... 24

Lewis and Clark County, Prickly Pear Valley.__________._____________ 24 

Nevada-__ _ ...._________._ 13,50'

Churchill County___________________________________________ 21 

Gamma Group......___________________.__ _ 45

Elko County..____________________._______________...._ 28

Esmeralda County.-.__________________________.__. . 3$ 

Lyon County .- . _________________.__. . 35 

Washoe County... - ...._.___________ .- . 35

New Mexico.__ ... _________ __... . 1,50 

Otero County-___._ ..._____________._.... . . I

Sandoval County______.___________.____________.. ._ 1,2

La Ventana Mesa__________________________________ 1,2,7

San Juan County_______________________________,_____... 1

Socorro County____.___________________ -- . 1

Taos County..______________________.._________________.. 1

North Dakota....... __ _ . __.____.___,._ . ...... ..................... 12,21,32,41,50

Adams County, Whetstone Butte area_________...- 16

Billings County, Bullion Butte area_____________________-________- 11,35,37

Bowman County_____________________________ - . 55

Medicine Pole area...______.________________.__.___._._ 8,11,55

Rhamearea_______..______._____....... 16

Golden Valley County:

Bullion Buttes area ______________....___________ . 11,35,37

Sentinel Butte area.. .. 11,35,37

. McKenzie County, Killdeer Mountain area__________.... . 16

Slope County:

Chalky Butte area _......._......... . 35,37

HT Butte area. ..__....._.._._. . . .__.. ....... - 35,37
URANIUM IN COAL AND CARBONACEOUS SHALE IN THE U. S. 27

United States Continued Index no. 

Ohio - .- . . . . ..-... 43

Belmont County...___________________._____.____________ 43

Pennsylvania:

Beaver County_ .......________ . .. . 14

Clearneld County..._________________________________.____ 14 

Eastern Middle anthracite field _____ ___ . 53 

Jefferson County..__.______ ___ . . -.. 14 

Northern anthracite field._______________.______._______________ 53 

Southern anthracite field___________ _ 53 

Western Middle anthracite field____________.________. ____________. 53

Oregon___.___________________________________________ 13 

Coos County ... . . 33 

Douglas County__...________._._ . . - - .- 33 

Jackson County. .--. .___ 33

South Dakota ...... ... 6-8,12,21,32,41,50

Harding County..___-___________ . . ___ 65 

Cave Hills area__________.__.____.___-___________-----_- 8-9,12,16

Slim Buttes area . . 5,8,10,16,18,20,36,40,41,56

Table Mountain area___________-____________________.___ 8,9 

Tepee Butte area____..______. - _..-___ 16 

West Short Pine Hills_ _ ._ .... ...... 16

Perkins County._______.________.. _.- . . _________ 55 

Lodgepole area ....-..-____ ... 7,8,11

Utah- . 3,13,49

Box Elder County.. . ..__._... . . .-__---___. 28 

Davis County___._____..--_._.. ..___.____..._._._. .. ..... li

Henry Mountains..-. . _______.__. __... ___...__. ... 54

Kaiparowits Plateau..... _____.. . _ . 54

Kolob Terrace_________ _...__.--...-.______--.-_...___.__....__ 54

Uintah County____.__._.___......__......__.__......___._____... 48

Virginia-___..._________ _._._.._......_ ...._.____... 42

Lee County ._ __.________.. _ . 42 

Montgomery County __.___ ...- 42

Washington-___..___.___._.....___...... ....................___.__.__ 13

West Virginia ........ 42

Logan County _______ 52 

Mingo County_________.______...__________._..___ --.- .- 52

Wyomteg - . 21,48,49,50

Bridger Basin___________........... . _...._______._____. S

Great Divide Basin.. .. . 3,7,30,31,3»

Leucite Hills.. . 4&

Lincoln County.. .. _________ -.. . 3 

Powder River Basin, Pumpkin Buttes area__________ .-.-.--- 7,26 

Sweetwater County. __.________ 49 

Red Desert area . . - 7,21,29-31,39,41,50

Washakie Basin_____.___.____________.__.___..___.__._ 3,39 

Weston County, Cambria coalfield_________ .._..__........ . 15

STBATIGRAPHIC UNITS

Allegheny formation______.._______________._______.. 14,43,58 

Arikaree formation.._.____...______._... ..... 8,19, 20, 32, 37, 56

Bandeller tuff ___.__._.___.__.___._.___.__ . 2 

Battle Spring formation ______________ __ 39 

Bear River formation- _ __________________________ __.__ . 3, 47-61 

Breathitt formation___________________ . . 52 

Bridger formation........___...___._.______._________... . . . 39,49

Browns Park formation_____________.__..... .. . 39'

Carbondale formation______________________________.. .. 38. 

Caseyville formation__________________ ... .. 38. 

Chadron formation..________________________________________.-... 20

Cherokee formation____________________________________. .. . 221 

Conemaugh formation____________________________.... 14, 63

Dakota sandstone____________________________________ 2 

Fort Union formation. ._. ._ _ ....... 8, 16, 19, 32, 39, 40, 50, 56

Ludlow member.._.________-...._._....._ _._____ . 8, 16, 20, 40, 66

Tongue River member____________..-..._.. .. 8,16

Sentinel Butte member...____________________________.___.. 8, 37"
28 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Index no

 Gannett group _._____._.. _...... _. 47

 Green River formation.. .___________.__ ,~._____...._ . .... 30,31,3»

.Hell Creek formation___________________________________ _____ 8 

X<akota sandstone _.._.._____ _ 15 

Laramie formation _ 23, 60 

Lee formation 52 

TVTcLeansboro formation...________________ _____ . . ______ 38 

Mesaverde formation _____________ . .. 1,2,50 

Allison member .. __.___ .. 1 

Monongahela formation......____________.. __ _ 43

Payette formation ___.______ . 28 

Pottsville formation...-_._.___.__.____... _.___... . ___ 14,43,53

 Salt Lake formation _.__.____ . . 27,28, 50 

'Stump formation.. . . .. 47 

Tradewater formation. . . 38 

Wasatch formation... ...._..____.__ . . ... 21, 26, 30, 31, 39, 50 

"White River formation.. ..-- 8,11, 21, 32, 35, 37, 55

SUBJECTS

Elements.

Arsenic . 12 

Copper... ___________ 12 

Gallium.______.......___._____ .. -___ ... . _ 30

Germanium.---... ___________ . 30, 51 

Iron...... _.-..-...-. __.____ _ _.-.. .._.- ... 4,30

Lead. ____-_____.. __.._...__.____.__.___ .-. _ ____... ___ 30

Molybdenum 12, 30, 51, 55

Phosphorus______________________.________.__ ______ 12

Radium.--- . __________.. . 25 

Rare earths... __....- __... 30

Silver... -. - . _ _ 4

Vanadium.......... ....__..__........ .... .. . . .-.. .. 12,30

Minerals.

Autunite........____.__...._ .- __.___-_. ... . .. . 12,50

Calcite----_-----__._____-_____-.-.__------_.______. ... _._.. 5

Carnotite ._-_-...-.....---..__..___..._.---___-._._____-_-__,... 50

Chalcedony__...__________-.________..___...__..--.- ___._. 4 

Clay minerals ----- 5

Coffinite- - . ..___..-___-___________......_.___....---._.__-.....-. 50

Gilsonite_____________.________________._____________________ 48 

Gypsum.___.-.._____.___________--__.-.__-..._ .-- -------- 5

Jarosite.-. - --_.__----- -. 5

Kaolinite. - _.-..__ -... 5

Metatyuyamunite _______-___ - -.. 16 

Pyrite..----------------__..--___.____.___...._._-_ . . _... 4

Quartz. -.--..--.______________--.____._._...-.- .- . 4, 5 

Schroeckingerite __-.. __ .-. 39

Torbernite - - -_____..-.---.....-.--..-__._.. . -.- 50

Zeunerite--.- ..- 12, 50

 Occurrence, uranium in carbonaceous materials..._--- ------- 5,12, 21, 40, 41, 46, 50

Origin, uranium in carbonaceous rocks.. 1, 2, 4, 6-8,11,12,17, 19-21, 28, 30-32, 34, 35, 37, 39, 46, 47, 50, 51, 55 

Resources.

Ekalaka Hills, Montana.... ................._-.__._____......________.__.... 17,19

Fall Creek area, Idaho_____________________________-_ - ._... 51

Goose Creek area, Idaho._.---______. . - 18 

La Ventana Mesa, New Mexico.---.-----___ - _ - _ -- -- ..._.-. . 2

Lodgepole area, South Dakota_.__ _______..___.. 7 

Montana..__-...._._.______________________ 12

North Dakota.-----------------__..___....__.. . ___-----______-__ 12,85,37

Red Desert area, Wyoming, - _ - _ ____ __.- . 7, 31 

Slim Buttes area, South Dakota______________________ - 18 

South Dakota-.-.--.-_ . ...._-.... . ..__..______-_----- _-- 12

 Structural relations-.--... .-.....-...-__.___....___...._._.____..- ..__. 2, 23, 28, 39 

Uranium, in spring waters. __ _---._.____ __ 19, 36 

Volcanic rocks, relation to uranium in carbonaceous rocks_____ 1, 2, 6-8, 12, 21, 24, 28, 31, 32, 39, 47, 50

o