Selected Annotated 

Bibliography of the

Geology of UraniumBearing Veins in the 

United States

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1059-G

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 UraniumBearing Veins in the 

United States

By BASIL G. DEAN

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1059-G

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: 1960
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. C. Price 75 cents (paper eover)
CONTENTS

	Page

Abstract ________ ________________ 327

Introduction ____ 327

Selected references - . - - - 328

Deposits near Joachimsthal, Czechoslovakia - 328

Shinkolobwe deposit, Belgian Congo - . _. 329

Deposits at Great Bear Lake, Canada ... . - 329

Explanation of annotated bibliography. 329

Annotated bibliography ....__ .. 332

Indexes ...___ _ -_ - - - 433

Authors - -- -- - - - 433

Geographic areas 435

Subjects - -- _ -_ - - 440

ILLUSTRATION

PLATE 4. Index map of the United States showing the location of 

uranium-bearing vein deposits referred to in the annotations - - - - - In pocket

in

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

SELECTED ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE

GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS

IN THE UNITED STATES

By BASIL G. DEAN

ABSTRACT

This bibliography of 211 annotated references lists reports available as of 

June 1957. The annotations, arranged alphabetically by author, emphasize 

the geologic aspects of veins that contain uranium. An index map shows the 

location of vein deposits referred to in the annotations. Indexes are provided 

with entries listed according to author, geographic area, and subject.

INTRODUCTION

Uranium-bearing veins are common in the United States and 

have yielded a considerable tonnage of uranium ore, although 

this tonnage is not so large as that from disseminated deposits in 

sedimentary rocks (Everhart, 1956, p. 97; Stocking and Page, 

1956, p. 5). Before World War II, uranium ore had been produced 

from only a few vein deposits in the United States. The most 

important were those in the Central City district, Colorado, from 

which about 300 tons of high-grade pitchblende concentrates were 

produced (Moore and Kithil, 1913). Smaller amounts of uranium 

ore were produced from uranium-bearing veins at the Silver Cliff 

mine, Wyoming; the Jesse D No. 1 and No. 2 claims, Utah; and 

the Merry Widow mine, New Mexico.

Since World War II large uranium-bearing vein deposits have 

been discovered in the Western United States. Some of the more 

important discoveries are the deposits at Marysvale, Utah; the 

Schwartzwalder (Ralston Creek) and Los Ochos mines, Colorado; 

the Early Day and Buckhorn claims, Nevada; the Midnite and 

Daybreak mines, Washington; the W. Wilson mine, Montana; the 

White King mine, Oregon; the deposits in the Pryor Mountains

327
328 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

area, Montana and Wyoming, and the deposits in the Dripping 

Spring quartzite, Gila County, Ariz.

According to Nininger (1954, p. 43), as of 1954, uranium-bearing 

vein deposits outside the United States had yielded by far the largest part of the total world production of uranium. Most of this 

production was from the deposit at Shinkolobwe, Belgian Congo, 

and from the Eldorado mine, Great Bear Lake, Canada. The 

Shinkolobwe deposit since its initial development in 1921 and until 

1954 probably had yielded more uranium than all other deposits 

together (Nininger, 1954, p. 43). Other important foreign uraniumbearing vein deposits, some of which have yielded large amounts 

of uranium ore, include those near Joachimsthal (Jachymov), 

Czechoslovakia, and adjacent areas in Saxony; the Beaverlodge 

district, Canada; the Cornwall district, England; the Guarda and 

adjacent districts in Portugal; and the deposits at Radium Hill, 

South Australia.

Many concepts regarding the geology of uranium-bearing veins 

are based on studies of the foreign deposits listed above, most of 

which have been known for many years. In contrast to these 

deposits, the important uranium-bearing veins in the United States 

 except for some in the Central City district, Colorado were 

discovered since the mid-1940's. The study and development of 

deposits in the United States are in relatively early stages, and 

the literature on domestic deposits has not influenced geologic 

thinking as much as the literature on the previously known 

foreign deposits.

Because of the influence imparted by the literature describing 

the uranium-bearing veins at Joachimsthal, Shinkolobwe, and 

Great Bear Lake, and because many of the following annotations 

describing uranium-bearing veins in the United States refer to 

these deposits, the following selected references on these three 

important deposits are listed below.

SELECTED REFERENCES

DEPOSITS NEAR JOACHIMSTHAL,, CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Hess, F. L., 1913, Uranium and vanadium: U. S. Geol. Survey Mineral Resources U. S., 1912, p. 1003-1037, see p. 1020-1023.

Kohl, E., 1942, Grossdeutschlands Vorkommen Naturlich-Radioktiver Stoffe 

und der Dedeutung fiir die Versorgung mit Radioaktiver Substanzen: 

Zeitschr. fur das Berg-, Hiitten- und Salinenwesen, v. 90, no. 8, p. 153-177.

Merritt, P. L., 1949, Pitchblende, the primary source of uranium: Michigan 

Coll. Mining and Technology, Conf. on Radioactive Ores, May 6, 1949, p. 9.

Step, J., and Becke, F., 1904, Das Vorkommen des Uranpecherzes zu St. 

Joachimsthal: Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math.-naturw. Kl., Sitzungsber., v. 118, 

p. 585-618.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 329

Zuckert, R., 1926, Die Paragenesen von Gediegen Silber und Wismut mit 

Kobalt-Nickel-Kiesen und der Uranpechlende zu St. Joachhnsthal: Preussiche Geol. Landesandst., Mitt. Abt. fur Gesteins-, Era-, Kohle-, und 

Salz-Untersuchungen, p. 69-132 [English abstract in Geol. Soc. America 

Bull. v. 46, 1935, p. 942-943.]

SHINKOLOBWE DEPOSIT, BELGIAN CONGO

Derriks, J. J., and Vaes, J. F., 1956, The Shinkolobwe uranium deposit, current 

status of our geological and metallogenic knowledge: Internet. Conf. on 

Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of 

uranium and thorium, p. 94-128.

Merritt, P. L., 1949, Pitchblende, the primary source of uranium: Michigan 

Coll. Mining and Technology, Conf. on Radioactive Ores, May 6, 1949, 

p. 10-11.

Schuiling, H. J., 1930, The structure of the Kambove mine: Internat. GeoL 

Gong., 15th, South Africa 1929, Comptes rendus, v. 2, p, 446-453.

Thoreau, J., and Trieu de Terdonck, R. du, 1933, Le Gite d'uranium de 

Shinkolobwe-Kasolo (Katanga): Inst. Royal Colonial Beige, Mem., Colln. 

in quarto no. 2. [English abstracts in U. S. Bur. Mines, Minerals Yearbook, 1934, p. 499-502; Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 46, p. 941-942.]

DEPOSITS AT GREAT BEAR LAKE, CANADA

Kidd, D. F., 1932, A pitchblende-silver deposit, Great Bear Lake, Canada: 

Econ. Geology, v. 27, p. 145-159.

 1942, The silver-pitchblende deposits near Great Bear Lake, Northwest

Territories, in Newhouse, W. N., ed., Ore deposits as related to structural

features: Princeton, N. J., Princeton Univ. Press, p. 238-239. 

Kidd, D. F., and Haycock, M. H., 1935, Mineragraphy of the ores of Great

Bear Lake: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 46, p. 879-960. 

Merritt, P. L., 1949, Pitchblende, the primary source of uranium: Michigan

Coll. Mining and Technology, Conf. on Radioactive Ores, May 6, 1949,

p. 9-10. 

Murphy, Richard, 1946, Geology and mineralogy at Eldorado mine: Canadian

Mining Metall. Bull. 413; Canadian Inst. Mining Metallurgy Trans., v. 49,

p. 426-435.

 1948, Eldorado mine [Northwest Territories], in Canadian Inst. 

Mining Metallurgy, Geol. Div., Structural geology of Canadian ore 

deposits, p. 259-268.

EXPLANATION OF ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

This annotated bibliography of selected literature on the geology 

of uranium-bearing vein deposits in the United States lists reports 

available to the public as of June 1957. The literature includes 

published reports, open-file reports of the Geological Survey, and 

reports on file in depository libraries of the Atomic Energy 

Commission.

Reports pertaining primarily to the geochemistry of uranium 

and based largely on laboratory experiments have not been anno-
330 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OP URANIUM GEOLOGY

tated, although the information presented may be applicable to 

the study of uranium-bearing veins. Similarly, reports pertaining 

primarily to isotopic age determinations have not been annotated.

The annotated reports have been selected to include those which 

discuss vein-type deposits containing abnormal concentrations of 

uranium or uranium minerals and which contribute to the geologic 

knowledge of such deposits. Many of the deposits described are of 

geologic interest only and have no apparent potential for production of uranium ore. References to areas or deposits for which 

several reports are available have been selected to present the 

most complete coverage of geologic information and the various 

conclusions reached by different authors. The stratigraphic nomenclature is that of the various authors and does not necessarily 

follow the usage of the U. S. Geological Survey.

Many reports included in the annotations discuss uranium deposits of several geologic types; however, the annotations for the 

most part refer only to that part of the report discussing deposits 

which may be considered as veins. The author has considered as 

veins, deposits having the characteristics that are outlined below. 

These characteristics are taken from an unpublished report by 

G. W. Walker and F. W. Osterwald.

Veins are masses of minerals occupying or filling a fracture or 

set of fractures in the enclosing rock. The veins were formed later 

than the fractures and enclosing rock by filling of open spaces and, 

in some places, with partial or complete replacement of the adjoining rocks. Veins are commonly, but are not universally, tabular in 

shape on either a large or small scale. The fractures or sets of 

fractures may be the result of compressive, tensile, or torsional 

stresses related to folding, faulting, and (or) intrusion of igneous 

masses. They may also be related to volcanic pipes, collapse breccias, and to near-surface postsedimentation slumping and release 

of stress. Only those deposits in which fractures dominated in 

localizing the introduced minerals are included in this bibliography. 

Many other types of uranium deposits localized dominantly by 

favorable wallrocks or by original cavities and structures in the 

rock may show some vein characteristics where fractures were 

partly instrumental in localizing the introduced minerals. Uranium 

veins include deposits that are localized primarily by fractures 

irrespective of the valence state of the uranium or the character of 

anv associated metallic or nonmetallic minerals.

The annotations are arranged alphabetically by authors; if an 

author has written more than one report, the reports are listed 

chronologically. Coauthors are indexed alphabetically under
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 331

"Authors." The annotations are numbered consecutively for indexing. The indexes include an author index, a subject index, and a 

geographic index of localities mentioned in the annotations.

An index map (pi. 4) shows the location of vein deposits referred 

to in the annotations.

This compilation was done on behalf of the Division of Raw 

Materials of the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

1 Adams, J. W., 1953, Beryllium deposits of the Mount Antero region, 

Chaffee County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 982-D, p. 

95-119.

A beryl-bearing quartz vein, once mined for molybdenite, occurs in quartz 

monzonite at the California mine southwest of Mount Antero. Mineralogical 

study shows that some of the beryl was formed during the deposition of 

molybdenite. Brannerite, an oxide of titanium and uranium, was identified 

in material collected from the mine dump. The vein at the California mine 

is 1^ to 3 feet thick where exposed, is nearly vertical, strikes N. 

72°-75° E., and is thought to extend for at least 1,000 feet along the strike 

to the northeast.

Beryl-bearing quartz veins similar to this vein are of world-wide distribution. They contain molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and bismuth and are believed 

to be transitional between pegmatites and hydrothermal veins. Excerpts 

from author's abstract

2 Adams, J. W., Gude, A. J., 3d, and Beroni, E. P., 1953, Uranium occurences in the Golden Gate Canyon and Ralston Creek areas, Jefferson County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 320,16 p.

Pitchblende, associated with base-metal sulfides, has been found at nine 

localities in the northern part of Jefferson County, Colo., in shear zones that 

cut Precambrian metamorphic and igneous rocks, chiefly hornblende gneiss, 

biotite schist, and granite pegmatite. The known deposits are in the vicinity 

of Ralston Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, in the foothills of the Colorado 

Front Range and about 15 miles east of the pitchblende-producing area of 

the Central City district. Two of the pitchblende occurrences were found by 

a local prospector in 1949; the seven other deposits were found by Geological 

Survey personnel in 1951-52.

The pitchblende deposits, with one exception, are in major shear zones that 

contain veinlike bodies of carbonate-rich breccia that ranges from 1 to 5 feet 

in thickness. The breccias probably are related to the Laramide faults, or 

"breccia reefs" of similar trend, mapped by Lovering and Goddard. The 

breccias are composed of fragments of bleached and iron-stained wall rock, 

usually hornblende gneiss, that have been cut by veins and cemented by 

carbonate minerals, quartz, and orthoclase(?). Pitchblende and associated 

ore minerals, chiefly copper sulfides, occur in and along the margins of the 

breccias and apparently were introduced at a late stage of the carbonate 

deposition. At one deposit, the Buckman, the pitchblende is in narrow shear 

zones not closely related to any large breccia bodies.

Secondary uranium minerals are subordinate except at the Schwartzwalder 

mine, where torbernite and metatorbernite are common. Some alteration of 

pitchblende to nonopaque materials, believed to be hydrated oxides, has 

been noted in ore from two of the deposits. Authors' abstract

This report describes the geology of each of the following deposits: In the 

Golden Gate Canyon area Union Pacific prospect, Buckman property, and

332
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VIENS IN THE U.S. 333

Ladwig Nos. 1-3; in the Ralston Creek area North Star mine, Schwartzwalder mine (Ralston Creek), and Nigger shaft (Hoffmeister prospect). Maps 

and cross sections of several of the properties and a table showing sample 

analyses from several properties are included.

3 Adams, J. W., and Stugard, Frederick, Jr., 1956, Wall-rock control of 

certain pitchblende deposits in Golden Gate Canyon, Jefferson 

County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1030-G, p. 187-209; 

U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 113-116; Internat. Conf. 

on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium and thorium, p. 279-282.

Carbonate veins cutting metamorphic rocks of Precambrian age in the Golden Gate Canyon area, Colorado, contain pitchblende and base-metal minerals. The veins occupy extensive faults considered to be of Laramide (earliest Tertiary) age, but normally contain pitchblende only where they cut 

hornblende gneiss. At the Union Pacific deposit, which was studied in detail, 

pitchblende, hematite, and some ankerite formed before the sulfide minerals, 

except possibly for minor earlier pyrite. Base-metal minerals and the bulk 

of the ankerite vein filling were deposited after the pitchblende. Chemical 

analyses show a high ferrous iron content in the hornblende gneiss in contrast to low ferrous iron in the adjacent biotite gneiss. It is thought that 

ferrous iron released by alteration of hornblende was partly oxidized to 

hematite by the ore-bearing solutions, and, contemporaneously, uranium was 

reduced and deposited as pitchblende.

In other veins that are not in hornblende gneiss, biotite or iron sulfide 

may have been similarly effective in precipitating pitchblende. Apparently 

both the ferrous ion and the sulfide ion can serve as reducing agents and control pitchblende deposition. Conditions that seem favorable for uranium 

deposition include those where uranium-bearing solutions had access to rocks 

rich in ferrous iron or preexisting sulfide minerals. Authors' abstract

Geologic maps and sections of some deposits in Golden Gate Canyon are 

included.

4 Alsdorf, P. R., 1916, Occurrence, geology, and economic value of pitchblende deposits in Gilpin County, Colorado: Econ. Geology, v. 11, 

p. 266-275.

The pitchblende producing mines, or those in which pitchblende has been 

reported in the Quartz Hill area of Gilpin County, Colo., are in the vicinity of 

radioactive bostonite porphyry dikes of probable Tertiary age. Pitchblende, 

accompanied by some pyrite and galena, was deposited in fractures formed at 

about the time of the intrusion of the radioactive dikes, but before the main 

period of sulfide mineralization. The source of the pitchblende mineralization is believed to have been "deep-seated hot solutions, which are either 

genetically connected with the bostonite dikes or with their source." This 

mineralization involved both fracture filling and replacement of "the alkaline earths of the granites, so as to produce a type of vein in which, in the 

granites, there are no well-defined walls, but disseminated mineralization. 

The pitchblende veins are cut across, followed and obliterated by the subsequent faulting and vein filling of the period of the precious metal veins."

Although pitchblende has been found in both the veins and the porphyry 

dikes, commercial quantities were found only in veins that are enclosed by 

Precambrian wallrocks including the older altered granites, the younger in-
334 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

trusive granites, the granitic schists and gneiss, and, locally, the schists of 

the Idaho Springs formation, close to or in contact with the igneous rocks.

5 Anderson, E. C., 1955, Occurrences of uranium ores in New Mexico: 

New Mexico Bur. Mines and Mineral Resources Circ. 29, 32 p.

The known occurrences of uranium in New Mexico are briefly summarized 

by counties. Only the vein deposits are described in this annotation.

Uranium occurs in subore and ore grade at many places throughout the 

White Signal district, Grant County. The uranium is principally in autunite 

and torbernite in quartz pyrite veins that cut granite of Precambrian age. 

Pitchblende-bearing veins in the Black Hawk district, Grant County, contain 

nickel, cobalt, and silver minerals. At the Hines and Langford mines, Grant 

County, minor amounts of autunite and uranophane are associated with 

fluorite.

Autunite is reported in massive quartz veins that cut limestone and sandstone of Early Cretaceous age in southeastern Hidalgo County. Uranium and 

thorium are in shear zones cutting Dakota sandstone and shale in eastern 

Colfax County and in fractures and breccia zones cutting monzonite on 

Capitan Mountain, Lincoln County. Minor amounts of pitchblende occur 

along a thin shear zone in Precambrian schist near Truth and Consequences, 

Sierra County. At the Terry Bros.' property near Monticello, Sierra County, 

uranophane is associated with dark-purple fluorite in brecciated chert. Uranium is associated with thorium, fluorite, and galena in seams and fractures 

in highly altered granite near the southern end of the Caballo Mountains, 

Sierra County. In the Rocky Arroyo area, Eddy County, 40 miles northwest 

of Carlsbad, uranium in limestone is associated with a black vitreous asphaltappearing material in fractures and as blebs and specks.

6 Argall, G. O., Jr., 1954, Why Anaconda's uranium mines are unique: 

Mining World, v. 16, no. 10, p. 54-59.

An airborne radiometric survey led to the discovery of an unusual uranium 

ore body about 6 miles north of Laguna, Valencia County, N. Mex. This 

deposit, known as the Woodrow mine, is in a "ring fault," or "breccia pipe," 

cutting shale, sandstone, and limy sandstone of the Morrison formation of 

Jurassic age. The breccia pipe is almost circular in plan with a diameter of 

30 feet. The pipe is cone shaped, increasing in diameter with depth, and 

plunges about 75° SE. The center of the pipe has apparently dropped about 

15 feet. The ore body contains oxide and silicate minerals, including uraninite and coffinite, intimately associated with asphaltic matter. Iron sulfides 

are also present.

The deposit may be of very recent age, because, in spite of intensive 

faulting and ground water circulation, secondary minerals extend only a few 

feet below the surface.

7 Armstrong, F. C., 1957, Eastern and central Montana as a possible 

source area of uranium: Econ. Geology, v. 52, p. 211-224.

Deposits of tyuyamunite in concentrations of ore grade occur along the 

crest and flanks of the Pryor Mountains in south-central Montana. The 

tyuyamunite fills and coats the walls of fractures and vugs in cherty and 

silicified breccia zones at or near the top of the Mission Canyon (?) limestone 

in the Madison group of Mississippian age. Tyuyamunite also fills and coats 

the walls of fractures and vugs in thin beds of silicified limestnine near the
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 335

top of the Amsden formation (Mississippian and Pennsylvanian) which disconformably overlies the Madison group. The breccia zones in the Madison 

probably formed as the result of solution and collapse of the Mission Canyon 

at the time of the formation of the disconformity between the Madison and 

Amsden.

8 Armstrong, F. C., and Weis, P. L., 1955, The Garm-Lamoreaux mine, 

Lemhi County, Idaho: U. S. Geol. Survey open-file report, 14 p.

Uraninite and zippeite were found on the dump of the Garm-Lamoreaux 

mine, 11 miles northwest of North Fork, Idaho. The uranium minerals are 

believed to have come from a gold-sulfide-quartz vein on the now inaccessible No. 3 level. The vein is in quartzite of the Belt series of Precambrian 

age. The uranium content of samples collected from the dump ranges 

from 0.001 to 0.54 percent.

The report contains a surface sketch map and a composite underground 

geologic map of the Garm-Lamoreaux mine. A table summarizing information on samples obtained from the property is included.

9 Axelrod, J. M., Grimaldi, F. S., Milton, Charles, and Murata, K. J., 

1951, The uranium minerals from the Hillside mine, Yavapai 

County, Arizona: Am. Mineralogist, v. 36, p. 1-22.

Several hitherto unknown secondary uranium minerals from the Hillside 

mine, about 3% miles north of Bagdad, Yavapai County, Ariz., are described. This mine has yielded gold, silver, lead, and zinc from a vein several feet thick containing pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, sphalerite chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite, and argentite. Minerals of the oxidation zone include 

silver, cerargyrite, cerussite, anglesite, smithsonite, and hemimorphite. The 

country rock is Precambrian mica schist intruded by Precambrian granite 

and related small aplite pegmatite dikes. The mineralization is probably of 

Cretaceous or early Tertiary age. Faulting has occurred both before and 

after mineralization.

Secondary uranium minerals coat gypsum on the walls of the drift in the 

oxidized zone on the 300-foot level of the mine. Three of the four uranium 

minerals were hitherto unknown, and are named andersonite, swartzite, and 

bayleyite. They are respectively, hydrous uranyl carbonates of sodium and 

calcium, of calcium and magnesium, and of magnesium. The fourth uranium 

mineral is schroeckingerite. The source of the uranium is unknown, but it 

may have come from primary uranium minerals in the sulfide vein or from 

the aplite pegmatite dikes in the country rock. A specimen of uraniumbearing ore from the 400-foot level of the mine contains a completely different 

group of uranium minerals including johannite, pitchblende, and a probably 

new zinc uranium sulf ate.

10 Bain, G. W., 1950, Geology of the fissionable materials: Econ. Geology, 

v. 45, p. 273-323.

The uranium and thorium deposits of the world are discussed and classified as primary or hypogene deposits, sedimentary or bedded deposits, and 

oxidized deposits.

Primary deposits include pegmatites, high-temperature fissure veins, and 

mesothermal fissure veins. In 1950 mesothermal vein deposits were the principal source of uranium ore.
336 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OP URANIUM GEOLOGY

The principal primary uranium deposits are either in massifs or close to 

the margins of shields. The center of shields have no known or indicated 

concentrations of uranium mineralization. Economic vein deposits are unknown in uraniferous pegmatite provinces.

The uranium-bearing mesothermal fissure veins are grouped into a cobaltite-niccolite type and a fluorite type. The more important uraniumbearing veins of the world are of the cobaltite-niccolite type. The fluorite 

type do not seem to be significantly uranif erous.

Oxidized secondary deposits containing brightly colored secondary uranium 

minerals are generally in fracture zones where movement of ground water 

is concentrated. The uranium may have been leached by ground water from 

primary pegmatites and veins or from sedimentary secondary deposits. The 

uranium is removed from solution by phosphate or vanadate precipitants or 

by lime which lowers the acidity and reduces the solubility of phosphate and 

vanadate compounds.

The report summarizes the geology of the more important uranium-bearing veins of the world including those at Shinkolobwe, Belgian Congo; Eldorado mine, Canada; Erzgebirge region of Czechoslovakia; Cornwall, England; and the Urgerica mine and others in Portugal.

11 Barrett, D. C., and Magleby, D. N., 1954, Airborne radiometric survey, 

Kern and San Bernardino Counties, California, and Nye County, 

Nevada: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2015, 17 p., issued 

by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

The results of an airborne radiometric survey of about 180 square miles 

in the western Mojave Desert are described. Rocks in the area range in age 

from Precambrian to Quaternary and are chiefly igneous. Six anomalies 

were discovered, one of which may indicate a uranium deposit of possible 

commercial value. The report includes a brief geologic description of the six 

anomalies and of other areas that have high background radioactivity. Uranium mineralization in the area may have been localized by faulting because 

the pattern of anomalies seems to follow the trend of the Garlock fault. 

Some anomalies are in or near small local faults.

The most promising anomaly revealed uranium at a contact between 

coarsely crystalline granite and porphyritic latite, in sec. 10, T. 9 N., R. 13 W. 

in Kern County, Calif. Meta-autunite and autunite were identified from a test 

pit. A selected sample from the test pit contained 0.41 percent U808 and 

0.03 percent VSOS.

An anomaly about *& mile southeast of the Rosamond uranium prospect 

in Kern County is caused by radioactivity in brecciated veins of black and 

brown to dark-red chalcedonic quartz within a zone of siliceous red-stained 

coarse-grained granite. No uranium minerals are visible. A grab sample from 

this deposit contained 0.08 percent USO8 and 0.08 percent V2O».

The report includes maps showing the areas surveyed, radioactivity anomalies, areas of high background radioactivity, and radioactive areas known 

before the survey.

12 Barton, P. B., Jr., and Behre, C. H., Jr., 1954, Interpretation and evaluation of the uranium occurrences near Goodsprings, Nevada, 

final report: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-3119, 108 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 337

The uranium occurrences near Goodsprings in southwestern Clark County, 

Nev., are of two distinct types. One type consists of widespread minor occurrences of carnotite in thin coatings on fractures in sedimentary rocks of 

late Paleozoic age and in tuff and gravel of Tertiary and Quaternary age. 

The deposits are in otherwise unmineralized rocks east of the Goodsprings 

mining district. The uranium probably was derived from a tuff that formerly 

covered the region. The uranium was deposited probably by ground water 

along joints and minor faults.

The other type of uranium deposits are associated with ores in mines of 

the Goodsprings district which has yielded considerable amounts of zinc and 

lead and small amounts of copper, silver, gold, platinum, cobalt, vanadium, 

and uranium. Oxidized minerals form the bulk of the ores that are localized 

along faults in dolomitized limestone of late Paleozoic age. Although radioactive material has been found in many of the mines, the uranium metallization was very weak. No uranium ore has been shipped from the district 

except for a small experimental shipment from the Green Monster mine in 

1951. No primary uranium minerals have been found. Secondary uranium 

minerals are at the Green Monster and Singer Tiffin mines and at the Desert 

Valley prospect. At most mines there are no visible uranium minerals, and 

radioactivity is concentrated in limonite, hydrozincite, or chrysocolla.

Uranium was probably absorbed from solution by these materials while 

they were in a fine-grained or colloidal state during their formation. Upon 

crystallization of the absorbent, the uranium was either returned to solution, 

or, if no solution was present, formed secondary uranium minerals. The 

source of the original uranium probably was pitchblende deposited with the 

base-metal sulfide ores.

The report contains stratigraphic columns, geologic maps, and tables. 

The important occurrences of uranium minerals or radioactivity are described in the text, and a table summarizes the radioactivity observed in the 

mines and prospects.

13 Bastin, E. S., 1915, Geology of the pitchblende ores of Colorado: U. S. 

Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 90-A, p. 1-5.

The author briefly reviews the sources and production of uranium ore in 

the United States between 1911 and 1913. Two hundred seventy-five pounds of 

pitchblende was produced from veins on Quartz Hill, near Central City, 

Colo. The geology of these pitchblende-bearing veins and of those in the 

Erzgebirge region of Saxony and Bohemia and in the Cornwall district of 

England are briefly summarized.

The Quartz Hill area is underlain by Precambrian crystalline rocks consisting of quartz-mica schist of the Idaho Springs formation intruded by 

Precambrian granites of at least two ages. The Precambrian rocks are intruded by Tertiary dikes and stocks of monzonite porphyry and bostonite 

porphyry. The pitchblende occurs in sulfide veins that are the result of combined fissure filling and replacement along a series of steeply dipping fractures which trend east to northeast and which cut both the Precambrian and 

Tertiary rocks. On the basis of their mineral composition, the sulfide veins 

may be divided into a pyritic type and a lead-zinc type. They have been 

worked principally for their precious metal content, though yielding also 

considerable amounts of copper and lead.

Minerals of the pyritic type are chiefly pyrite and quartz, commonly 

chalcopyrite and tetrahedrite, and less commonly enargite, fluorite, and rho-
338 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

dochrosite. Veins of the lead-zinc type commonly contain galena, sphalerite, 

pyrite, chalcopyrite, quartz, and calcite. Some parts of the district contain 

only one or the other of these types of mineralization, but many veins contain 

both. The lead-zinc type is later than, but closely followed, the pyritic 

mineralization. The two types probably represent successive epochs in one 

great vein-forming period. The ore-bearing solutions probably came from a 

common deep-seated source shortly after the monzonite intrusion.

The pitchblende ores are a local and unusual variation in the main sulfide 

mineralization, and were deposited during the earlier or pyritic mineralization. The pitchblende probably was deposited under conditions of moderate 

temperature and pressure. Unlike the European pitchblende, the pitchblende 

of Quartz Hill is not associated with nickel and cobalt minerals.

14 Bastin, E. S., 1916, Discussion Occurrence, geology, and economic 

value of the pitchblende deposits of Gilpin County, Colorado: 

Econ. Geology, v. 11, p. 681-685.

This paper is a discussion of the paper by Alsdorf [annotation 4] on the 

pitchblende deposits in Gilpin County, Colo. Bastin and Alsdorf agree that 

the pitchblende-bearing solutions emanated "from the same source or sources 

as certain of the Tertiary intrusive rocks." However, they differ on "the 

precise sequence of events within the general period of Tertiary 

mineralization* * *."

Bastin does not believe Alsdorf's inference of a genetic relationship between two radioactive bostonite dikes on Quartz Hill and the pitchblende deposits is "supported by the broader geologic relations, which show that the 

bostonites are widespread outside the Quartz Hill pitchblende area, and also 

conversely that pitchblende occurs in the Jo Reynolds mine near Lawson not 

in known proximity to bostonite."

Bastin questions Alsdorf's suggestion that the pitchblende mineralization 

is earlier than the main sulfide mineralization which is believed to have occurred shortly after the intrusion of the monzonite. Alsdorf has based his 

opinion in part on the suggested genetic relationship between the pitchblende mineralization and the bostonite dikes which he believed were intruded 

before the monzonites. Bastin, however, points out that, in spite of careful 

search, no exposures have been found which show the mutual age relations 

of the monzonites and bostonites. According to Bastin, the main sulfide mineralization was later than at least some of the bostonites and monzonites and 

consisted of an early pyritic type which has been brecciated and "filled with 

ore containing principally galena and sphalerite with subordinate chalcopyrite and pyrite." Microscopic study of many specimens of rich pitchblende 

ore show much of the pitchblende intimately intergrown with pyrite and 

chalcopyrite, indicating nearly simultaneous crystallization of these minerals. "On the other hand, fractured or brecciated pitchblende has been 

cemented by galena, pyrite, and chalcopyrite * * *." Bastin states that, although the pyrite and chalcopyrite contemporaneously intergrown with the 

pitchblende may belong to an earlier period of mineralization than the 

pyritic chalcopyrite ores of the district, no specific evidence of this has been 

presented by Alsdorf.

Bastin concludes "that the pitchblende ores are a local variation of the 

widespread pyrite-chalcopyrite mineralization characteristic of this region, 

and are of the same order as other local variations observed in the same re-
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 339

gion, notably the presence of enargite in the pyritic veins of one locality, and 

of rhodochrosite in the galena-sphalerite veins of another locality."

15 Becraft, G. E., 1953, Preliminary report on the Comet area, Jefferson 

County, Montana: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 277, 8 p.

Several radioactive anomalies and a few specimens of sooty pitchblende 

and other uranium minerals have been found on the mine dumps of abandoned formerly productive base- and precious-metal mines along the CometGray Eagle shear zone in the Comet area in southwestern Montana. The 

shear zone is from 50 to 200 feet wide and has been traced for at least 5^ 

miles. It trends N. 80° W. across the northern part of the area and cuts the 

quartz monzonitic rocks of the Boulder batholith and younger silicic intrusive rocks, as well as prebatholitic volcanic rocks, and is in turn cut by dacite 

and andesite dikes.

The youngest period of mineralization is represented by chalcedonic vein 

zones comprising one or more discontinuous stringers and veins of cryptocrystalline silica in silicified quartz monzonite and in alaskite that has not 

been appreciably silicified. In some places these zones contain no distinct 

chalcedonic veins but are represented only by silicified quartz monzonite. 

These zones locally contain uranium in association with very small amounts 

of pyrite, galena, ruby silver, argentite, native silver, molybdenite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, and barite. At the Free Enterprise mine, uranium has 

been produced from a narrow chalcedonic vein that contains disseminated 

secondary uranium minerals and local small pods of pitchblende and also 

from disseminated secondary uranium minerals in the adjacent quartz 

monzonite.

Undiscovered deposits of uranium ore may occur spatially associated with 

the base- and precious-metal deposits along the Comet-Gray Eagle shear 

zone and with chalcedonic vein zones similar to the Free Enterprise. Author's abstract

A geologic map of the Comet area showing radioactivity anomalies is 

included.

16 Becraft, G. E., 1956, Uranium deposits of the Boulder batholith, Montana: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 

1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium and thorium, p. 270-274; 

U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 117-121.

Becraft, G. E., 1956, Uranium deposits of the northern part of the 

Boulder batholith, Montana: Econ. Geology, v. 51, p. 362-374.

Uranium minerals and radioactivity anomalies occur in silver-lead veins 

and chalcedony veins and vein zones in the Boulder batholith of southwestern Montana. Many silver-lead veins in the batholith contain radioactive material, and pitchblende has been identified in a few. These silver-lead 

veins occupy faults cutting quartz monzonite and granodiorite. Although the 

displacement along the faults is slight, the wall rock adjacent to most faults 

is intensely silicified and sericitized. The veins have yielded substantial quantities of lead, silver, zinc, and gold. The silver-lead veins consist principally 

of galena, sphalerite, tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite in the gangue of 

light- to dark-gray quartz, altered rock, gouge, and subordinate chalcedony 

and carbonate minerals. No anomalous radioactivity or uranium minerals 

have been found in similar veins in prebatholithic rocks of the area.
340 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Chalcedony veins, some of which are uraniferous, are distinctly different 

from the silver-lead veins, and, with a single exception, are known only in 

the batholith. The veins consist of one or more discontinuous stringers or 

veins of chalcedony and slightly coarser grained quartz in silicified and 

sericitized quartz monzonite and granodiorite and in less strongly altered 

alaskite. Only small amounts of silver ore have been produced from these 

chalcedony veins.

All of the veins are early Tertiary in age, but the silver-lead veins are 

probably older than the chalcedony veins. Uranium is closely associated with 

chalcedony in both types of veins. This association suggests that all of the 

uranium in the area is of the same age. If so, some of the silver-lead veins 

must have been reopened during the period of chalcedony vein formation. 

Author's abstract

The reports contain a generalized geologic map of the northern part of the 

Boulder batholith showing uranium deposits and radioactivity anomalies.

17 Bergin, M. J., 1955, Maybell-Lay area, Moffat County, Colorado, in 

Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, June 1 to Nov. 30, 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-590, 

p. 176-179, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Uranium deposits in the Maybell-Lay area in southeastern Moffat County, 

Colo., are in conglomerate and sandstone of the Browns Park formation of 

Miocene age. Uranium ore was mined from two deposits in the area. The 

uranium in these deposits occurs from the surface to depths as great as 200 

feet. Drilling indicates the uranium ore bodies are circular to elongate 

bodies of irregular thickness. Some deposits in the area contain uranium in 

gouge zones along faults, coatings on fractures, and disseminated in soft 

sandstone. The uranium minerals include meta-autunite, uranophane, and 

zeunerite or torbernite. The deposits are on the steep flank of a syncline and 

along or close to normal faults of post-Miocene age, which suggests that the 

localization of uranium was controlled by these structures. Changes in permeability and porosity of the host rocks may also have been important factors in controlling the deposition of uranium. .

The report includes a generalized geologic map showing configuration of the 

base of the Browns Park formation in the Maybell-Lay area.

18 Bergin, M. J., 1956, Maybell-Lay area, Moffat County, Colorado, in 

Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual 

progress report, June 1 to Nov. 30, 1956: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI640, p. 141, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech Inf. Service 

Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Approximately 100 tons of ore averaging at least 0.22 percent uranium 

have been mined from clayey sandstone gouge along a high-angle fault cutting the Browns Park formation in sec. 27, T. 7 N., R. 94 W. Meta-autunite 

occurs as disseminated material and as fracture coatings in the gouge zone 

which ranges from 2 to 6 feet thick. The fault strikes N. 20° E. and dips 

78° W. but the amount and direction of displacement are not known. Excerpt from text
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 341

19 Bethke, P. M., and Kerr, P. F., 1954, Uranium occurrences in the older 

sedimentary rocks of the Marysvale district, in Annual report, 

June 30, 1953, to Apr. 1, 1954: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

RME-3096 (pt. 1), p. 60-74, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy 

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

Uranium-bearing veins and replacement bodies containing base and precious metal minerals are in sedimentary rocks of probable Carboniferous to 

Middle Jurassic age along the eastern front of the Tushar Mountains south 

and west of Marysvale, Utah. At higher elevations on the Tushar range these 

rocks are unconformably overlain by the Bullion Canyon volcanics of Tertiary age. The sedimentary rocks are on the upthrown block of the Tushar 

fault, a major fault with a stratigraphic displacement of over 4,000 feet.

Significant concentrations of uranium in the sedimentary host rocks have 

been noted in the New Deer Trail, the Shamrock, and the Great Western mines. 

In all three deposits the uranium is associated with ore bodies containing 

galena, sphalerite, covellite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite.

At the New Deer Trail mine, autunite(?) is in an alteration zone on the 

border of a lead-zinc replacement ore body. Uranium ore-grade specimens containing minute grains of pitchblende disseminated in base-metal ore minerals 

have been obtained from a base metal-quartz vein at the Great Western mine. 

At the Shamrock mine, meta-autunite seems to be disseminated along fractures in the base metal-quartz vein.

Small vein and replacement deposits of alunite occur in the Bullion Canyon 

volcanics where they overlie the sedimentary rocks at higher elevations in 

the range. "The alunite is believed to represent deposition along hydrothermal alteration channels which may be synchronous with base and precious 

metal emplacement in the underlying sedimentary rocks. Small precious 

metal occurrences have been worked in the Bullion Canyon volcanics 

themselves."

20 Bird, A. G., and Stafford, H. S., 1955, Uranium deposits of the Colorado Front Range foothills region: Mines Mag. [Colorado] v. 

45, no. 3, p. 81-82.

The Ralston Creek uranium deposit 8 miles northwest of Golden, Jefferson 

County, Colo., was discovered by Fred Schwartzwalder in 1949. Exploration 

revealed several uranium-bearing veins, and the first ore was shipped in November 1953. The uranium occurs in three sets of faults that cut hornblende 

gneiss of the Idaho Springs formation of Precambrian age. The major 

faults in the mine area strike between 35° and 40° NW. and dip from 45° 

to 80° NE. They are parallel to the adjacent Rogers reef, a major northwesttrending shear. Individual faults in the set are comparatively short, and 

their mineralized portions probably are not more than a few hundred feet 

long. The faults are strongly brecciated. Mineralization extends from the 

breccia zone into the wallrock for as much as 2 or 3 feet along fractures and 

foliation planes. A second set of fractures strikes parallel to the first set but 

dips 35° S. The best pitchblende is in heavily mineralized breccia zones at 

the intersections of these fractures with other faults. A third set of fractures trend parallel to the foliation of the gneiss, which in the mine area 

strikes northeast and dips 73° W. Veins occupying the third set of fractures 

are narrow and tight and contain largely clay gouge with a minimum of
342 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

breccia. The clay generally contains uranium of only marginal commercial 

importance.

In addition to pitchblende and sooty uraninite, the various sets of fractures may contain abundant pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, quartz, carbonates, 

and lesser amounts of molybdenum and vanadium minerals. The veins were 

brecciated by postmineralization movement and recemented by silica and 

carbonate minerals. The near-surface oxidized portions of the veins contain 

secondary iron, copper, and uranium minerals including torbernite, autunite, 

and uranophane. Below this near-surface zone is a transitional zone containing both highly colored secondary uranium minerals and sooty uraninite. 

Unoxidized sulfides, sooty uraninite, and pitchblende are beneath the transition zone. This sequence of zones commonly may be observed within 100 feet 

of the surface. At depths of about 100 feet the veins may be secondarily enriched with pitchblende and uraninite.

The intense folding and crushing of the country rock in the mineralized 

zone greatly increased its permeability, which facilitated widespread rock 

alteration including silicification, kaolinization, or sericitization.

21 Boutwell, J. M., 1905, Vanadium and uranium in southeastern Utah: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 260, p. 200-210.

A uranium-vanadium deposit, the Jesse D No. 1 and No. 2 claims, 2 miles 

east of Richardson, Grand County, Utah, is along a steeply dipping northeast-trending fracture zone, 5 to 25 feet wide, that cuts sandstone and shale 

of probable Carboniferous, Triassic, or Jurassic age. Carnotite and ealciovolborthite and other vanadium minerals coat fractures and seem to replace 

sandstone host rock along the fracture zone. Small shipments of ore were 

made from the property in 1903 and 1904.

22 Boyd, F. S., Jr., and Bromley, C. P., 1953, Reconnaissance of the Aspen 

area, including the Smuggler mine, Pitkin County, Colorado: U. S. 

Atomic Energy Comm. RME-4031, 23 p., issued by U. S. Atomic 

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

A radiometric reconnaissance in the Aspen area revealed uranium in breccia veins at the Smuggler mine half a mile east of Aspen. The uraniferous 

breccia is along a bedding-plane fault along the contact between dolomite of 

the Leadville limestone of Mississippian age and the Weber quartzite of 

Pennsylvanian age. These beds strike north-northeast and dip 50°-60° NW. 

The breccia is composed of fragments of dolomitic limestone in a matrix of 

black carbonaceous shale. The uranium is associated with variable amounts 

of lead, zinc, and silver sulfides and sulfosalts in the matrix adjacent to 

the hanging wall. No uranium minerals have been identified; however, most 

of the uranium probably is in finely disseminated pitchblende. The uranium 

may have been deposited during the last of three stages of mineralization. 

Some of the uranium may be of secondary origin, as indicated by its association with barite, native silver, and goslarite. Selected samples from the mine 

contain as much as 1.27 percent U308.

The report includes a geologic map of the Aspen area and plan maps and 

cross sections of mine workings.

23 Burbank, W. S., and Pierson, C. T., 1953, Preliminary results of radiometric reconnaissance of parts of the northwestern San Juan 

Mountains, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 236,11 p.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 343

A reconnaissance radiometric survey of parts of the northwestern San Juan 

Mountains has revealed uranium-bearing ores in several mining districts in 

Ouray and San Juan Counties and thorium-bearing veins in southwestern 

Gunnison County.

Four types of uranium-bearing base-metal and precious-metal sulfide deposits were discovered in the Uncompahgre and Red Mountain districts of 

Ouray and San Juan Counties. These include (1) Pyritic impregnations, 

possibly of early Tertiary or much older age, containing uranium in sheared 

and drag-folded zones of Precambrian slates; (2) seams and impregnations 

of pitchblende(?)-bearing ores of early Tertiary age in black bituminous 

shales of the Pony Express limestone member of the Wanakah formation of 

Jurassic age; (3) pitchblende in late Tertiary chimney deposits in volcanic 

rocks of Tertiary age, of the Red Mountain district, in association with highgrade copper-silver-lead ores and with pyritic ores; (4) sooty pitchblende 

also of late Tertiary age, in altered volcanic rocks in pyrite-chalcopyrite 

seams, small veins, and pyritized rock. The deposits in the Precambrian 

slates and those in the chimney deposits and minor veins of the volcanic rocks 

seem to be the most important. At least two ages of uranium mineralization 

are definitely established, and a third may be possible. Excerpts from authors' abstract

The report includes several tables summarizing the location, type and age 

of deposit, wallrocks, mineralogy, radioactivity, and uranium content of the 

uranium-bearing deposits examined. Also included are a generalized geologic 

map showing principal structural areas in the San Juan region and a geologic 

map showing structure of the Silverton volcanic center and areas nearby.

24 Butler, A. P., Jr., and Schnabel, R. W., 1956, Distribution of uranium 

occurrences in the United States: Interaat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses 

of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium 

and thorium, p. 224-230.

Butler, A. P., Jr., and Schnabel, R. W., 1956, Distribution and general 

features of uranium occurrences in the United States: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 27-40.

Uraniferous vein deposits in the Western States are mainly of Tertiary 

age. Most economic deposits are in crystalline rocks of Precambrian, Mesozoic, and Tertiary age. Occurrences in Eastern United States, mostly undated, are mainly in rocks of Precambrian age. Pitchblende, associated with 

base-metal sulfides or with fluorite, is the principal uranium mineral in vein 

deposits at depth. Supergene secondary uranium minerals occur in some deposits but are not generally abundant. Uranium is mined from veins in 

Colorado, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, and California, but principally from 

those near Marysvale, Utah Excerpt from, authors' abstract

The report includes an index map showing deposits and principal occurrences of uranium in the United States.

25 Campbell, R. H., 1955, Reconnaissance for radioactivity in the Gold 

Hill mining area, Boulder County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey 

TEM-563A, 27 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. 

Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Several radioactive deposits were found as a result of reconnaissance in 

the Gold Hill mining area, Boulder County, Colo. The ore deposits of the 

area have been worked chiefly for gold. All ore shipped has come from fissure
344 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

veins, most of which are gold telluride veins. There are, however, some 

important sulfide veins which show a vague zonal distribution of pyritic gold 

ores and silver-lead ores. The results of this reconnaissance suggest a 

possible relationship of the radioactive deposits to this indistinct sulfide zoning; however, the zoning is so obscure that its practical application to prosprecting for uranium is of doubtful value at the present time.

Pitchblende, torbernite, metatorberaite, and schroeckingerite have been 

identified in specimens from the area; however, no uranium minerals have yet 

been identified from most of the radioactive deposits, and the uraniferous 

material present is probably in disseminated small particles. Although selected samples from several localities assay 0.10 percent uranium or more, the 

known deposits are small and probably are not of immediate economic importance. Author's abstract

The report includes geologic maps and sections and a table containing tabulated descriptions of the localities examined for radioactivity.

26 Christman, R. A., Brock, M. R., Pearson, R. C., and Singewald, Q. D., 

1955, Wet Mountains, Colorado, thorium investigations, 1952- 

1954; U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-354, 52 p., see. p. 48 (open-file 

report).

This report presents the results of detailed geologic mapping of the McKinley Mountain area 10 miles northeast of Westcliffe on the west flank of 

the Wet Mountains in Custer and Fremont Counties, Colo. Radioactive deposits occur along northwest-trending fractures in Precambrian igneous and 

metamorphic rocks. Samples from the deposits contain as much as 4.03 percent Th02. All the thorium deposits within the mapped area are low in 

uranium, the highest analyses being only 0.01 percent uranium. However, 

nearly a ton of handpicked ore that contained 0.1 percent US08 and 45 percent 

carbonate was shipped from a prospect on the Watter's ranch 5 miles southeast of the mapped area. The uranium is in a dense purplish-red carbonate 

vein % to 1 % feet wide and about 100 feet long. "If the excess radioactivity 

indicated by the equivalent uranium value is assumed to be due to thorium, 

the ore may also contain 0.78 percent equivalent Th02."

The report includes a geologic map of the McKinley Mountain area, an index map showing localities of radioactive material, and a map of known 

thorium deposits in parts of Custer and Fremont Counties excluding the 

McKinley Mountain area. Several tables showing sample data are included.

27 Christman, R. A., Heyman, A. M., Dellwig, L. F., and Gott, G. B., 

1953, Thorium investigations 1950-52, Wet Mountains, Colorado: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 290, p. 25.

Very small amounts of uranium have been found in the thorium-bearing 

veins of the Wet Mountains thorium district in Custer and Fremont Counties, Colo. The thorium minerals occur in northwest-trending shear zones in 

metamorphic and igneous rocks of Precambrian age. Thorite has been tentatively identified as the principal radioactive mineral and is associated with 

barite, quartz, galena, fluorite, limonite, pyrite, and rare-earth oxides. The 

deposits are probably of Tertiary age. Channel samples from the veins contain as much as 4.5 percent equivalent ThOz. The uranium content is generally about 0.002 percent. The Griff en property, 1 mile north of the junction 

of State Routes 143 and 277, yielded a sample containing 0.058 percent uranium, the largest amount found in the district.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 345

28 Cook, E. F., 1955, Prospecting for uranium, thorium, and tungsten in 

Idaho: Idaho Bur. of Mines and Geology Pamph. 102, 53 p.; see 

p. 13-15.

Uranium-bearing veins have been found in 5 mines of the Couer d'Alene 

district in northern Idaho since the original discovery of uraninite in the 

lower workings of the Sunshine mine in 1949. The uraniferous veins of the 

district are in quartzite of the St. Regis formation of Precambrian age. 

Most of the uranium is in veinlets in the wallrock of the silver ore bodies, 

which contain argentiferous tetrahedrite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, 

siderite, and quartz. The silver-bearing veins are along faults and shear 

zones that cut the uranium veinlets. The age of the uraninite is 750 million 

years, which dates it as Precambrian.

At the Garm-Lamoreaux mine, 11 miles north of North Fork, torbernite 

and autunite(?) are associated with quartz, chlorite, pyrite, hematite, galena, 

and gold in a northwest-trending fracture that cuts fine-grained quartzite 

of the Belt series. At the Moon Claim, 3 miles northwest of Gibbonsville, 

torbernite is in fractures cutting a gold quartz vein in quartzite and mica 

schist. A radioactive material (gummite?) coats fractures in granite east of 

Naples in Boundary County. Uranium of ore grade is in a property currently 

being developed in the Hailey gold belt, 12 miles southwest of Hailey, Blaine 

County. The uranium occurs as finely divided uraninite associated with 

quartz, pyrite, gold, galena, and sphalerite. The deposit is in fractured monzonite that has been intensely bleached and silicified.

Several vein-type uranium deposits close to the Idaho border in adjacent 

States are briefly described. These include the deposits on the Colville Indian 

Reservation northwest of Spokane, Wash., where uranium ore containing 

autunite and uranophane is principally in mica schist near a granite contact. 

Pitchblende is reported from a nearby molybdenum mine. Autunite in fractures in granite was discovered in 1955, 20 miles northeast of Spokane.

The report includes a map of Idaho and adjacent areas showing the location of the uranium deposits described in the report.

29 Cook, E. F., 1957, Radioactive minerals in Idaho: Idaho Bur. of Mines 

and Geology Mineral Resources Rept. 8, 5 p.

This report summarizes the radioactive minerals of Idaho and was taken 

largely from Pamphlet 102 of the Idaho Bur. of Mines and Geology [annotation 28]. Only additional information on uranium-bearing veins is included 

here.

"Uranium occurs in two mines in the Gibbonsville district of northern 

Lemhi County; both deposits are associated with quartz veins which cut 

quartzite and mica schist. At one of these deposits, 3 miles northwest of 

Gibbonsville, 100,000 tons of uranium ore averaging better than 0.1 percent 

UaOs have been blocked out in a shattered quartz zone about 30 feet wide.

"In Stanley Basin late in the summer of 1955 uranium was discovered in 

a silicified fault zone cutting granitic rock. Little is yet known about the 

grade or extent of the deposit, but uranophane and autunite have been identified, and samples with high radioactivity apparently contain a finely divided black uranium mineral, possibly uraninite.

"A relatively new discovery of radioactivity associated with sedimentary 

rocks has been made along the North Fork of Big Lost River in Custer County. 

A narrow, but possibly extensive, zone of radioactive fault gouge and breccia
346 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

in graphitic argillite and quartzite may contain uranium." Excerpts from 

author's text

30 Cook, F. S., and Wylie, E. T., 1956, The geology of the Woodrow mine, 

New Mexico [abs.]: Econ. Geology, v. 51, p. 112-113.

Anaconda's Woodrow mine, on the Laguna Indian Reservation in Valencia 

County, N. Mex., has produced uranium ore from a nearly vertical pipelike 

structure in the Jurassic Morrison formation.

The inside of the pipe, from 20 to 30 feet in diameter, has been dropped 

from 25 to 40 feet in relation to the surrounding rocks. Uranium oxides, 

pyrite, and minor amounts of other minerals occur in or near the resulting 

gouge and brecciation. Mining has been in process to the 100-foot level. 

Drilling has revealed that mineralization occurs at greater depth. The origin 

of the deposit, though still in doubt, is believed by the writers to be hydrothermal. Authors' abstract

31 Davis, D. L., and Hetland, D. L., 1956, Uranium in clastic rocks of the 

Basin and Range province: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of 

Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium and 

thorium, p. 387-391; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 351- 

359.

Several uranium deposits in lacustrine sedimentary rocks and tuffs of the 

Basin and Range province are discussed. Only the deposits that show an affinity to vein-type deposits are described in the following annotation.

Anomalous radioactivity extends over an area about 1 mile wide and 8 

miles long in lacustrine sedimentary rocks of Miocene age near Tonopah, 

Nev. Local concentrations of higher radioactivity and uranium are concentrated in areas of weak northward-trending shears. The deposits of the Silver 

Queen group are along an iron-stained northward-trending shear zone in 

tuffaceous beds of the Siebert tuff. No uranium minerals have been identified, 

though yellow radioactive coatings are found on collophanite and opal. Most 

of the uranium is in the collophanite. The uranium may be of hydrothermal 

origin or may have been leached from the tuff and reconcentrated in the 

present beds.

A uranium deposit is in water-laid tuff near the head of Dacie Creek in 

northwestern Lander County, Nev. The highest radioactivity in this deposit 

is confined to minor fractures in the tuffs, though no uranium minerals have 

been observed.

In the Garfield Hills about 10 miles southeast of Hawthorne, Nev., carnotite 

is in a series of closely spaced vertical fractures in tuffaceous sandstone of 

the Esmeralda formation of Tertiary age.

The report contains a geologic and isorad map of the Silver Queen group.

32 Davis, H. C., 1954, Summary report of reconnaissance and exploration 

for uranium deposits in northern Nevada: U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. RME-2013 (pt. 1, revised), 23 p., issued by U. S. Atomic 

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

This report is a summary of reconnaissance for radioactive deposits in 

northern Nevada and an adjacent part of California. The report briefly 

describes the following vein-type deposits: Coaldale deposit, Lovelock and 

Nickel mines, East Walker River area deposits, Majuba Hills mine, Round 

Mountain area deposits, Stalin's Present prospect, Chalk Mountain mine,
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 347

Currant claims, Early Day claims, Getchell mine, Long Lease mine, Moonlight group, Southam claims, and the Truckee Canyon group. Each of the 

deposits are described as to location, geology, and radioactivity. Very little 

exploration has been done at most of the deposits. A few of the veins contain pitchblende or uraninite. Most of the veins contain only secondary 

uranium minerals, and at a few deposits no uranium minerals were visible.

33 Derzay, R. C., 1953, Uranium occurrence at the Cherokee mine, Queen 

Mineral Ranch, Gilpin County, Colorado: U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. RME-4041, 8 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

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

Pitchblende-bearing vein material was found on the dump of the Cherokee 

mine about 2 miles southeast of Central City, Gilpin County, Colo. Handpicked samples from the dump contain from 0.40 to 1.97 percent Ug08. The 

country rock is predominantly Precambrian quartz biotite schist and schistose 

gneiss with lenses of pegmatite. About 800 feet southeast of the Cherokee 

mine is a stock of quartz monzonite porphyry of Tertiary age from which 

dikes of the same composition radiate outward into the older rocks. Two of 

these dikes crop out in the vicinity of the mine. Two nearly vertical veins 

trend east-west in the immediate area of the mine, the American Girl-Cherokee and the Annie. The veins consist of chalcopyrite, galena, pyrite, and 

sphalerite, in a gangue of quartz and altered schist. The uranium is in pitchblende veinlets %2 inch to 2 inches wide. The report includes a plan and 

longitudinal section of the Cherokee mine.

34 Derzay, R. C., 1956, The Los Ochos uranium deposit: Internat. Conf. 

on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, 

Geology of uranium and thorium, p. 468-472.

Derzay, R. C., 1956, Geology of the Los Ochos uranium deposit, 

Saguache County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, 

p. 137-141.

The Los Ochos mine is in the Cochetopa mining district in the northwest 

corner of Saguache County, Colo. Precambrian schist, granite, and gneiss 

overlain by the Morrison formation of Jurassic age and by the Dakota and 

Mancos formations of Cretaceous age crop out in the mine area. These rocks 

are cut by four sets of well-defined high-angle faults of Late Cretaceous or 

Tertiary age. A major east-west-trending high-angle reverse fault, the Los 

Ochos, is traceable for several miles. At the Los Ochos mine this fault intersects a steeply dipping northeast-trending pitchblende-bearing shear zone. 

The two faults form the sides of the Los Ochos ore body that is triangular in 

plan and mainly a steeply plunging pipe. "The ore body measures 82 feet 

along the northeast-trending shear, 85 feet in width, and 120 feet along the 

Los Ochos fault. It extends at least 60 feet above the drift and downward 

for an undetermined distance."

"The deposit consists predominantly of pitchblende that fills the interstices 

of brecciated sandstone of the Morrison formation and Precambrian granite 

and schist within the pipe. Sparse yellow to orange-yellow secondary uranium minerals are associated with the pitchblende * * *. The primary 

mineral assemblage, believed to be epithermal, includes marcasite, chalcedony, 

and minor ilsemannite. * * * Clear to very dark quartz masses, pods, and 

veinlets; chalcedony; and yellowish barite constitute the gangue minerals.
348 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

* * *. In the mine area intense hydrothermal alteration obscures much of the 

original nature of the rocks. Silicification and kaolinization of the vein zone 

and wall rocks, where exposed by mining operations, are predominant." The 

mineralization is believed to be of Tertiary age. This deposit and nearby 

prospects indicate that intersections of northeast-trending shear zones and 

east-west-trending faults are important ore controls.

A photogeologic map of the vicinity of the Los Ochos deposit and a geologic 

map and sections of the Los Ochos mine are included.

35 Dings, M. G., and Schafer, Max, 1953, Radiometric reconnaissance in 

the Garfield and Taylor Park quadrangles, Chaffee and Gunnison 

Counties, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-255 (pt. 1), 25 p., 

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

Oak Ridge, Term.

At the Madonna mine half a mile south of Monarch, anomalous radioactivity is associated with a small lead-zinc ore body in the Manitou dolomite of 

Ordovician age along a northwest-trending reverse fault that dips steeply 

southwest. No radioactive minerals have been identified, but radioactivity is 

greatest in the oxidized material bordering the primary sulfide minerals. Selected samples of radioactive material from the mine dump contain an average of 0.05 percent uranium. The primary sulfide ore is weakly radioactive, 

averaging only 0.004 percent equivalent uranium.

Specimens of Manitou dolomite from the dump of the Silent Friend mine 

in the Quartz Creek mining district contain carbonaceous shale seams that 

are anomalously radioactive. The mine workings were not accessible, but the 

mine is reported to have yielded silver and lead ore from a vein along a northwest-trending reverse fault in the Manitou dolomite. Two samples of the 

radioactive material contain 0.038 and 0.067 percent uranium. The radioactivity is confined almost entirely to the black carbonaceous shale. The uranium probably is secondary and was carried downward by surface waters 

along the fault zone and precipitated by the carbonaceous shale.

Brannerite associated with pyrite, molybdenite, beryl, and other minor 

constituents occurs in very minor quantities in the California vein in the 

Mount Antero region.

The report contains generalized geologic maps of the Taylor Park and Garfield quadrangles and tables showing equivalent uranium and chemical uranium content of samples from the Madonna and the Silent Friend mines.

36 Drake, A. A., Jr., 1957, Geology of the Wood and East Calhoun mines, 

Central City district, Gilpin County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Bull. 1032-C, p. 129-170.

The Wood-East Calhoun area is underlain by complexly folded Precambrian gneiss and pegmatite. The major fold is an anticline that trends about 

N. 60° E. The Precambrian rocks are intruded by bostonite porphyry dikes 

of Tertiary age. All the rocks are cut by eastward- to northeastward-trending faults that have been filled by precious-metal-sulfide veins which have 

been worked chiefly for gold. The Wood vein, which has produced much of 

the uranium of the Central City district, fills an east-trending fault; the Calhoun vein is in a northeast-trending fault.

The veins consist chiefly of quartz; pyrite is the predominant metallic 

mineral and chalcopyrite ranks next in abundance. Sphalerite, galena, 

tetrahedrite-tennantite, and pitchblende occur locally. Alteration-stage
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 349

quartz and pyrite were deposited first, followed in order of deposition by 

pitchblende, light-yellow pyrite, massive quartz, yellow pyrite, sphalerite, 

comb quartz, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite-tennantite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and gray to light-brown fine-grained quartz. The veins of the district 

are zoned; quartz-pyrite veins are near the center, and galena-sphalerite 

veins are on the periphery. The pitchblende bodies occur between these veins, 

but, paragenetically, the pitchblende is earlier than all other metallic 

minerals.

A trace-element study of the ore shows an association of bismuth, antimony, and arsenic with copper and of cadmium with zinc; high-grade uranium samples contain unusually large quantities of zirconium and 

molybdenum.

Pitchblende and other ore minerals are concentrated in ore shoots. These 

are in open spaces controlled by the competency of the wall rocks, the presence of a prevailing direction of weakness in the rocks, and changes in strike 

and dip of the vein. The pitchblende is believed to be a local constituent of 

the quartz-pyrite ores and was deposited by residual solutions from the 

quartz bostonite magma. Author's abstract

A geologic map of the Wood-East Calhoun area, geologic maps and sections of the mines, and several tables showing production and assay data 

are included.

37 Duncan, D. C., 1953, A uranium-bearing rhyolitic tuft9 deposit near 

Coaldale, Esmeralda County, Nevada: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 

291, 7 p.

A small deposit of uranium-bearing rhyolitic tuff is exposed at the northern end of the Silver Peak Mountains about 4 miles south of Coaldale in 

Esmeralda County, Nev. The deposit consists of weakly mineralized welded 

tuff containing veinlets and small irregular pods of higher grade uraniumbearing rock. The conspicuous ore minerals are autunite and phosphuranylite, which coat some fractures and partly fill some feldspar crystal cavities 

in the tuff. Uranium is also present in small amounts in siliceous material 

that occurs as scattered veinlets and as matrix of a breccia pipe. Numerous 

limonite-stained joint surfaces on the welded tuff also contain small amounts 

of uranium. No identifiable uranium minerals were found in the siliceous 

vein material or in the limonite-stained fracture coatings. Several samples 

collected from weathered outcrops contained from 0.002 to 1.86 percent uranium. Author's abstract

A geologic sketch map of the deposit and a table summarizing data on 

samples obtained from the deposit are included.

38 Everhart, D. L., 1949, The geologic environment of primary vein deposits of uranium: Michigan Coll. Mining and Technology, Conf. 

on Radioactive Ores, May 6,1949, p. 13-15.

Most primary uranium veins of the world, except the hypothermal uraniumbearing veins at Cornwall, England, probably formed in a mesothermal 

environment. In this environment minerals containing such elements as Au, 

Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Co, Ni, and U together with quartz and carbonate minerals 

may be deposited as vein fillings in open spaces along fissures and to a lesser 

extent may replace wall rock. The deposits are vertically zoned so that deeper 

parts of the vein are highly siliceous and pyritic and contain the most Au, 

Cu, and Zn. Higher in the vein away from the loci of the greatest heat, Pb
350 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

and Ag minerals occur in greatest quantity. "Minerals reflecting the higher 

temperatures appear to have been deposited in the early stages of mineralization and those deposited under conditions of lower temperature in the later 

phases. Each phase may replace a preceding one, with sulfides commonly 

replacing gangue, but rarely vice versa. In this scheme of sequence and 

zoning, the primary uranium oxides, pitchblende and uraninite, in general 

occupy an intermediate to early position."

The source of the hydrothermal solutions for the primary uranium-bearing 

veins is probably magma, which in many places formed nearby sizable plutons of intrusive igneous rock. Although the source magma is generally believed to be of granitic or "acidic" composition, this has not been fully proved. 

The strongest evidence for this concept is the association of the pitchblendebearing veins in the Joachimsthal district, Czechoslovakia, and in the Central 

City district, Colorado, with intrusive bodies of granite and quartz monzonite.

Age determinations of pitchblende from known deposits indicate a wide 

variation in their age, and no particular metallogenic epoch in geologic history is characterized by abundant uranium mineralization.

Geologic, mineralogic, and chemical guides which may be used in the 

search for primary vein deposits of uranium are listed and briefly discussed.

39 Everhart, D. L., 1950, Some features of the secondary redistribution 

of uranium in oxidation zones [abs.] : Geol. Soc. America Bull., 

v. 61, p. 1458.

The problem of finding uraninite-bearing primary veins involves a careful 

consideration of the redistribution of uranium in areas of intense oxidation.

Secondary uranium phosphates and sulfates can be formed in at least two 

ways as the result of the reconstitution of uraninite in primary veins or 

by ground-water action on uranium-bearing accessory minerals in igneous 

rocks. Such uranium deposits commonly are found in or near fractures cutting intrusive rocks, and have been formed under semiarid or arid climatic 

conditions.

Suggested criteria for determining the presence of primary uraninite-bearing veins in association with deposits of these secondary minerals have been 

established for deposits in Portugal and the Marysvale district in southwestern Utah: (1) the presence of uranium-bearing minerals which include base 

metals in their lattice, (2) rigid structural control by normal and reverse 

faults, (3) the relationship of uranium minerals to zones of hydrothermal 

alteration, and (4) the association of typical mineral assemblages including 

limonite, quartz, hematitic jasper, clay minerals with distinctive base-exchange properties, sericite, and other secondary minerals. Deposits of secondary uranium minerals in parts of the Mojave Desert area, California, 

exhibit characteristics that differ markedly from those described above and 

are believed to have resulted from redistribution of uranium from accessory 

minerals of granites by ground-water action.

It is believed that the suggested criteria should be applied to known torbernite-autunite deposits in other semiarid or arid areas of the world. Author's abstract

40 Everhart, D. L., 1951, Geology of uranium deposits condensed version, with mineral tables by Muriel Mathez: U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. RMO-732, 33 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 351

The general geologic features of the major types of uranium deposits, 

together with examples, are discussed. The use of field instruments for radiation detection, suggested sampling procedures, and the evaluation of uranium 

ore bodies are briefly described. A table showing data on the common uranium minerals is included.

The general features of the major hydrothermal uranium-bearing veins 

of the world are summarized as are those of vein deposits in the United States. 

The Shinkolobwe mine in the Belgian Congo, the largest and richest primary 

vein deposit known in 1951, is briefly described.

The uranium-bearing vein deposits of the United States, are typically mesothermal base-metal veins* The most favorable host rocks are felsic igneous 

rocks and siliceous metasediments. The characteristic uranium mineral in the 

veins is pitchblende, which may be associated with iron, copper, lead, silver, and zinc sulfides, and native silver and hematite. The major gangue 

minerals are quartz, opal, chalcedony, siderite, calcite, fluorite, and barite.

The pitchblende-bearing veins are open-space fillings of fractures or faults. 

Replacement of other vein minerals and the host rock by pitchblende has 

occurred only on a very small scale. The relative age of the pitchblende 

with respect to the other minerals is variable. In oxidized parts of pitchblende veins secondary uranium minerals generally have formed. These minerals are largely phosphates, sulfates, and hydrous silicates which may be 

associated with secondary metallic minerals that are derived from sulfides 

or oxides of base metals, and with gangue minerals that are typical of hydrotherm-al deposits. The wallrock of such deposits may have been altered in 

part to clays or affected by chloritization, sericitization, or silicification.

41 Everhart, D. L., 1956, Uranium-bearing vein deposits in the United 

States: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium and thorium, p. 257- 

264; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 97-103.

More than 100 vein deposits in the United States contain significant amounts 

of uranium minerals, though deposits of this type have not been as important commercially as disseminated deposits in sedimentary rocks. In the 

Western United States, the uranium-bearing vein deposits are distributed 

generally throughout the Rocky Mountain system and the Basin and Range 

province. In Michigan a few uraniferous veins are along the southern edge 

of the Canadian Shield.

The uranium-bearing veins of the United States may be divided into five 

mineralogic types as follows: (1) uranium and iron oxides, silica, and fluorite; (2) uranium oxides, copper, lead and molybdenum sulfides, silica, and 

fluorite; (3) uranium oxides, copper, cobalt, nickel, lead, zinc, and silver 

sulfides, and carbonates; (4) uranium oxides, silica, and gold-bearing pyrite; and (5) uraniferous hydrocarbon. The six types of host rocks most 

favorable for uranium-bearing veins are felsic intrusive rocks, rhyolitic extrusive rocks, schist and gneiss of sedimentary origin, quartzite, metavolcanic 

rocks, and arenaceous sedimentary rocks.

Structurally the veins, in nearly all places, show evidence of open-space 

filling in tension fractures. Different degrees and types of hydrothermal 

alteration are adjacent to most of the veins. Silicification is greatest in 

granitic host rocks. Argillization is common in igneous host rocks of nearly 

all types. Sericitization is prevalent where abundant potassium was avail-
352 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

able and chloritization occurs where iron and silica were abundant, Hematitization is especially evident in metasedimentary host rocks.

The uraniferous veins of the Western United States are of Tertiary age and 

are closely related in time to igneous activity of that period, but the uraniumbearing veins of the Sunshine mine, Idaho, may be of Precambrian age. The 

uranium-bearing veins in the southern part of the Canadian Shield in Michigan also appear to be of Precambrian age, as do all others in the Shield in 

Canada.

The uranium vein deposits in the United States, as in other parts of the 

world, seem to have been precipitated from uraniferous hydrothermal solutions, derived at the end of a granitic or syenitic magmatic cycle. Precipitation occurred under pressure and temperature zones ranging from hypothermal to epithermal. The gold-uranium and cobalt-nickel-silver type ores 

characterize the mesothermal zone. The simpler mineralogic types (types 1 

and 2) seem to be deposited through a greater range of temperature and 

pressure.

The report contains a map of the United States showing the distribution of 

significant uranium-bearing vein deposits. Two tables are included. "In table 1 the mineral-assemblage types are recorded along with the favorable 

host-rock types, indicating the nature and incidence of selected type examples 

of vein deposits in the United States. In table 2, the principal and (or) geologically significant vein deposits of the country are tabulated, summarizing 

their major geologic characteristics, following the classification scheme shown 

on table 1."

42 Everhart, D. L., and Wright, R. J., 1951, The paragenesis of pitchblende-bearing veins: Denison Univ. Sci. Lab. Jour., v. 42, art. 7, 

p. 66-74.

The age relations of pitchblende in twelve vein deposits are described. On 

the whole, pitchblende occupies a variable paragenetic position; in some deposits it is one of the earliest minerals to form and in others it is one of the 

latest. It is noted that in the Precambrian deposits studied, pitchblende is 

early in the mineral sequence, in late Paleozoic-early Mesozoic deposits it is 

variable in position, in late Mesozoic-early Tertiary deposits it is commonly 

late in the sequence.

The variable paragenetic position of pitchblende is ascribed to its probable deposition from a colloidal solution. Because of its high valences, 

uranium is particularly susceptible to coagulation from a colloid. Author's 

abstract

Most of the pitchblende-bearing veins described in this report are outside 

the United States. The pitchblende-bearing veins in the United States described are in the Coeur d' Alene, Colorado Front Range, and Marysvale 

districts. These deposits are of late Mesozoic and early Tertiary age and in 

all of them pitchblende is late in the mineral sequence.

43 Everhart, D. L., and Wright, R. J., 1953, The geologic character of 

typical pitchblende veins: Econ. Geology, v. 48, p. 77-96.

Information concerning geologic features of pitchblende veins throughout 

the world has been assembled. Thirteen of these deposits are described 

briefly and their features are summarized and classified.

Several of the deposits * * * [are of the] nickel-cobalt-native silver type 

and are dominantly in metamorphic host rocks. The remaining deposits have
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 353

certain features in common, namely: simple mineralogy, pyrite and/or 

galena as the representative metallic minerals, silica or fluorite gangue, 

and granitic or monzonitic host rock. These deposits appear to constitute a 

second type of pitchblende-bearing deposits, which is described as the siliceous-pyrite-galena type.

Three uranium metallogenic epochs are recognized: those of Precambrian

age in Africa and the Canadian Shield, late

Mesozoic-early Tertiary in the Cordillera of North and South America.

Other features common to many of the described deposits include the variable paragenetic position of pitchblende, the controlling influence of tensional fractures on pitchblende deposition, and the widespread association of 

pitchblende with hematitic alteration. Anthers' abstract

Pitchblende-bearing veins in the United States in the Coeur d' Alene, Colorado Front Range, and Marysvale districts are described. The following information is summarized in tabular form for each of the 13 deposits described : Host rocks, mineral association, paraj;enesis, structural relationships, 

hydrothermal alteration, geologic age, and scarce references.

appear

hypog'

44 Fischer, R. P., 1955, Vanadium and

[abs.]: Geol. Soc. America Bull., 

v. 50, p. 775.

Vanadium apparently does not tend to cone 

environment, and specifically it does not 

gene veins containing uranium ore. If this 

conditions might be required to explain a 

uranium in deposits containing commercial c 

Excerpt from author's abstract

45 Gabelman, J. W., 1956, Uranium

Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 387-404,

The uranium deposits of the Grants distri 

blende and secondary uranium minerals in 

of Jurassic age. The deposits for the most 

characteristics of vein-type deposits. The 

pitchblende are commonly elongated re] 

anticlinal crests within larger shallow syncli 

consist entirely of secondary uranium minerals

Several vein-type deposits containing 

anomalous radioactivity distributed along 

and marine limestones are briefly described, 

scribed from Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming,

The uraniferous fluorite pipes and veins in 

Silurian age in the Thomas Range, Utah, also

uranium in rocks and ore deposits 

v. 66, p. 1558; Econ. Geology,

46 Gale, H. S., 1908, Carnotite and associated minerals in western Routt 

County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 340-D, p. 257-262.

Carnotite is associated with copper, vanadium, selenium, manganese, chromium, and iron oxide minerals in a deposit near Skull Creek in western Routt, 

now Moffat, County, Colo. The deposit is in a massive, coarse-grained crossbedded sandstone of Jurassic age. "The deposit as a whole occupies a brecciated zone in the rock, the minerals being concentrated in or evidently distributed from the coarser joints or more porous layers. To a less extent 

some of the minerals are found impregnating the more massive sandstone."

Paleozoic in Europe, and late

titrate in the normal hypogene 

to concentrate in most hypos true, ifnusual processes and 

 ene source of vanadium and

 ncentrations of both metals. 

deposits in limestone: U. S. Geol.

New Mexico, contain pitchtie lacustrine Todilto limestone 

part do not have the geologic 

primary ore bodies containing 

placement bodies confined to minor 

iiies. However, some ore bodies

in networks of fractures, 

secondary uranium minerals or 

joints and fractures in lacustrine 

Deposits of this type are deTexas, and New Jersey, 

dolomitized marine limestone of 

re briefly described.
354 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

47 Gillerman, Elliot, 1952, Fluorspar deposits of Burro Mountains and 

vicinity, New Mexico: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 973-F, p. 261-289; 

see p. 285.

Uranium minerals are associated with fluorite in two small fluorspar deposits in southwestern Grant County, N. Mex. The Langford fluorspar deposit, in sec. 25, T. 22 S., R. 16 W., is in a silicified breccia zone 5 feet wide in 

granitic rock. The deposit contains fine-grained dark-purple fluorite associated with quartz and calcite, A few crystals of autunite are near the fluorite, 

and a primary uranium-bearing mineral may occur within the fluorite.

The Hines fluorspar deposit, in sec. 34, T. 21 S., R. 14 W., is in a fracture 

zone in quartzite of the Bliss (?) sandstone of Cambrian (?) age. The darkpurple finely crystalline fluorite is in veins 1 inch to 1 foot wide. Autunite 

and possibly uranophane are along fractures in the quartzite near, but 

not in contact with, the fluorite. Tungsten and molybdenum are in a parallel 

vein 50 feet east of this deposit.

48 Gillerman, Elliott, and Whitebread, D. H., 1956, Uranium-bearing 

nickel-cobalt-native silver deposits, Black Hawk district, Grant 

County, New Mexico: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1009-K, p. 283-313.

The Black Hawk (Bullard Peak) district, Grant County, N. Mex., is 21 

miles by road west of Silver City. Since 1893, there has been no mining in the 

district except during a short period in 1917 when the Black Hawk mine was 

unwatered and reopened.

Precambrian quartz diorite gneiss * * * is the most widespread rock in the 

district. The quartz diorite gneiss is intruded by many Precambrian and 

younger rocks, including * * * monzonite porphyry, * * * probably of Late 

Cretaceous or early Tertiary age * * *.

The ore deposits are in fissure veins that contain silver, nickel, cobalt, and 

uranium minerals. The ore minerals, which include native silver, argentite, 

niccolite, millerite, skutterudite, nickel skutterudite, bismuthinite, pitchblende, and sphalerite, are in a carbonate gangue in narrow, persistent veins, 

most of which trend northeast. Pitchblende has been identified in the Black 

Hawk and the Alhambra deposits and unidentified radioactive minerals were 

found at five other localities. The deposits that contain the radioactive minerals constitute a belt 600 to 1,500 feet wide that trends about N. 45 E. and 

is approximately parallel to the southeastern boundary of the monzonite 

porphyry stock. All the major ore deposits are in the quartz diorite gneiss 

close to the monzonite porphyry. Excerpts from, authors? abstract

A geologic map of the Black Hawk mining district and geologic maps of 

the Black Hawk mine and vicinity and of the Alhambra mine and vicinity are 

included.

49 Goddard, E. N., 1946, Fluorspar deposits of the Jamestown district, 

Boulder County, Colorado: Colorado Sci. Soc. Proc., v. 14, no. 1, 

47 p.; see p. 5,19.

Minute grains of pitchblende are disseminated through several of the large 

fluorspar deposits of the Jamestown district in central Boulder County, 

Colo. The fluorspar deposits occupy veins and breccia zones in altered granite 

of Precambrian age and granodiorite of Tertiary age on the west and south 

sides of a sodic granite-quartz monzonite porphyry stock of Tertiary age. 

"In nearly all the deposits, early coarse-grained fluorite is strongly brec-
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 355

elated and cemented by fine-grained fluorite mixed with clay minerals, 

quartz, pyrite, and some carbonates. Fragments of sulfide minerals, chiefly 

galena and pyrite, are found in some deposits, and minute grains of pitchblende are sparingly present." The fluorite ranges in color from nearly 

white through purple to deep violet. The deep violet color appears to be 

related to the pitchblende. The equivalent uranium content of several samples of fluorite ore ranged from 0.00029 to 0.0515 percent.

50 Granger, H. C., 1955, Dripping Spring quartzite, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for 

June 1 to Nov. 30, 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-590, p. 187-191, 

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

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The most promising uranium deposits in the Dripping Spring quartzite of 

Precambrian age are within a few feet of discordant contacts between favorable siltstone host rocks and diabase intrusive bodies. In places heat and 

emanations from diabase have converted the siltstone to feldspathized 

siltstone. Deposits in and near feldspathized siltstone commonly follow the 

margins of narrow rheomorphic breccia zones and dikes and contain visible 

blebs and discontinuous veinlets of fine-grained uraninite associated with 

disseminated pyrrhotite and molybdenite. The deposits in unmetamorphosed 

siltstone contain the primary uranium mineral, in a form not yet identified, 

that is finely disseminated in the walls of tight joints. Much of the uranium 

may be absorbed on clay minerals. Pyrite is common in most of these 

deposits.

The author suggests that the uranium was derived from hydrothermal 

fluids resulting from the differentiation of diabase magma. None of the 

igneous facies produced by differentiation of the diabase magma contained 

any minerals with which the uranium could combine; therefore, much uranium was expelled in fluid emanations into the surrounding sedimentary 

rocks along joints, bedding planes, permeable beds, and the margins of 

rheomorphic dikes and breccias. Uraninite was deposited where the temperature and other conditions were favorable. "Further from the source the 

uranium was adsorbed by clay minerals and fine-grained carbon. An essential factor in deposition of uranium was a strongly reducing condition 

brought about by finely divided carbon and the original pyrite content in 

the rocks."

51 Granger, H. C., and Bauer, H. L., Jr., 1952, Uranium occurrences on 

the Merry Widow claim, White Signal district, Grant County, 

New Mexico: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 189,16 p.

The Merry Widow claim is about 1 mile west of White Signal, Grant 

County, N. Mex. Uranium minerals were discovered in the White Signal district in the early 1920's; several mines in the district had been worked previously for gold, silver, and copper.

The Precambrian granite country rock is intruded by numerous dikes ranging in composition from basalt to pegmatite. The uranium minerals torbernite and autunite generally are in basalt or diabase near intensely oxidized 

quartz-pyrite veins that are common in the district. At some places, including the Merry Widow mine, the uranium minerals are in fractured granite 

or in latite adjacent to a quartz-pyrite vein. At a depth of 520 to 550 feet 

the persistent veins are completely oxidized; and, although secondary ura-
356 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

nium minerals and radioactive fracture surfaces were visible in drill core, 

no primary uranium minerals were identified.

The spatial relationship between secondary uranium minerals and oxidized quartz-pyrite veins, suggests that the unoxidized parts of the veins 

may contain primary uranium minerals. "The generally high phosphate content of the basic intrusive rocks in the district may account for the localization of phosphate-bearing uranium minerals near the intersections of quartzpyrite veins with diabase and other subsilicic rocks."

The report includes a geologic map of the Merry Widow claim and of the 

40- and 60-foot levels of the Merry Widow mine. An assay plan map of 

trenches and two tables show the results of sampling on the claim and in 

the mine.

52 Granger, H. C., and Raup, R. B., Jr., 1954, Dripping Spring, Arizona, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, June 1 to Nov. 30, 1954: U. S. GeoL Survey TEI-490, p. 112-117, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

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

Uranium deposits have been known in the Dripping Spring quartzite of Precambrian age since early 1950, and ore-grade material is now being mined 

from at least six different deposits in southeastern Arizona.

Most of the known uranium deposits are restricted to thinly laminated 

indurated siltstone in the middle unit of the upper member of the quartzite 

or to the gradational part of the lower unit just below. The deposits "are 

controlled by fractures that trend either N. 10°-30° E. or N. 65°-85° W., 

although some disseminated ore minerals are in the wall rocks adjacent 

to the fractures. In some deposits the fractures are filled with as much as 2 

inches of gouge, gossan, sulfides, and locally vein quartz. In others the 

fractures are so tight that only disseminated minerals are visible. In unoxidized parts of the better developed deposits, pitchblende, pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, and rarely sphalerite are present. In the oxidized parts of 

the deposits the uranium minerals are metatorbernite, autunite, uranophane, bassetite, and perhaps other minor minerals. These are associated 

with hydrous iron oxides, gypsum, and more rarely malachite, azurite, and 

fluorescent opal."

"Most deposits appear to extend through a stratigraphic interval of from 

6 inches to 20 feet. The rock adjacent to the fractures may be abnormally 

radioactive for several hundred feet, but, unless the fractures are very 

closely spaced, the ore width is commonly less than 5 feet. The length over 

which a fracture may be mineralized varies from a few feet to over 150 feet." 

All the deposits are near diabase intrusions, and the largest deposits 

are near conspicuous structures that are contemporaneous with or predate the intrusions.

53 Gruner, J. W., Fetzer, W. G., and Rapaport, Irving, 1951, The uranium deposits near Marysvale, Piute County, Utah: Econ, Geology, 

v. 46, p. 243-251.

Uranium-bearing veins were discovered in 1949 about 3 miles north of 

Marysvale in south central Utah. The country rock consists of volcanic and 

intrusive rocks of Tertiary age. The older volcanic rocks, the Bullion Canyon 

series, were intruded by relatively small intrusives of latite porphyry, quartz 

monzonite, and granite or aplite. Younger volcanic rocks, the Mount
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 357

Belknap series, were deposited on the eroded surface of the intrusives and 

older volcanic rocks.

The uranium deposits are in nearly vertical veins or ore zones that strike 

northeast. The veins are chiefly in quartz monzonite, but some uranium 

mineralization extends into the overlying agglomerate. The ore zones consist of one or more narrow veins or veinlets containing quartz, fluorite, 

calcite, pyrite, and jordisite. Pitchblende occurs in very thin seams or as 

grains in and between the veins. The chief concentrations of pitchblende 

are confined to a maximum of a few inches in any one zone. The width of 

the ore zones is still unknown, but they appear to swell and pinch within 

short distances. Extensive oxidation to a depth of 200 feet produced 

secondary uranium minerals including schroeckingerite, autunite, torbernite, 

a uranophanelike silicate, and two unidentified minerals. Other secondary 

oxidation products include goethite and ilsemannite. Hydrothermal argillic 

alteration and weathering are closely associated. The deposits probably 

formed in the shallow epithermal zone late in Tertiary time.

The Prospector, Buddy, Bullion Monarch, and Freedom No. 2 mines are 

briefly described.

54 Gruner, J. W., and Gardiner, Lynn, 1950, Some observations on the 

ores of Hack Canyon 50 miles southwest of Fredonia, Arizona, in 

Third progress report for period Mar. 1 to July 1, 1950: U. S. 

Atomic Energy Comm. RMO-746, p. 8-8a. (Available for consultation in U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Depository Libraries.)

The Hack Canyon uranium deposit, in sec. 26, T. 37 N., R. 5 W., 50 miles 

southwest of Fredonia, Ariz., is in a dropped block of Coconino sandstone 

of Permian age. The ore consists of malachite, torbernite, and azurite 

in fractures and bedding planes in the sandstone. Thin films of erythrite 

coat some fractures. In some places the mineralized rock grades from yellowish soft sandstone inward into hard sandstone cemented with a black 

material. X-ray examination indicates that the black cementing material 

probably contains covellite and uraninite.

55 Grutt, E. W., Jr., 1955, Geologic notes on some Wyoming uranium 

districts: Mines Mag. [Colorado], v. 45, no. 3, p. 106-108.

The geology of several uranium districts in Wyoming is briefly described. 

Only vein-type deposits are discussed in this annotation.

In the Esterbrook and Copper Mountain districts uraninite is present in 

steeply dipping veins of hydrothermal origin that cut rocks of Precambrian 

age. Although the deposits are near old copper prospects, the uraninite is 

not intimately associated with copper mineralization. In the Esterbrook district uraninite ore is present as much as 200 feet below surface outcrops that 

show only trace amounts of uranium.

An occurrence of uranium in the Pedro Mountains seems to represent hightemperature hydrothermal mineralization. The uranium is in tiny uraninite 

crystals that are embedded in or intergrown with grains of molybdenite and 

pyrite. The deposit is in sheared graphitic rocks and coarsely crystalline 

siliceous rock of Precambrian age.

Some uranium deposits in the Lance Creek district have been localized by 

well-defined vertical fracture zones in individual beds of the White River 

formation of Oligocene age. Locally, the fracture zones are silicified and filled 

with chalcedony or calcite.
358 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

At the north end of the Crooks Gap area in the Green Mountains, several 

uranium deposits containing principally autunite, associated with gypsum, 

hematite, and limonite occur near a large fault and appear to "resemble 

vein deposits more than disseminated deposits, but the origin of the uranium 

is unknown."

The most important deposits in the Maybell-Lay area of Moffat County, 

Colo., contain uranium as disseminations in fine- to medium-grained sandstone in the Browns Park formation. An unidentified yellow uranium mineral 

and small grains of asphaltic material occur in fracture and breccia zones 

along steeply dipping faults.

56 Gude, A. J., 3d, and McKeown, P. A., 1953, Results of exploration at 

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

Survey open-file report, 18 p.

At the Old Leyden coal mine in northern Jefferson County, Colo., uranium 

occurs in a brecciated, silicified coal bed and in an overlying silicified sandstone in steeply dipping beds of the Laramie formation of Late Cretaceous 

age. Six diamond-drill holes were drilled by the U. S. Bureau of Mines to 

explore the lateral and downward extent of the deposit. "Small lenticular 

bodies of uraniferous material * * * occur at intervals in the coal and silicified coal over a strike length of about 800 feet. These bodies contain 0.10 to 

0.50 percent uranium. Data obtained from drilling indicate a discontinuous 

radioactive zone between these higher grade bodies; assays of samples from 

the cores range from 0.001 to 0.10 percent uranium. The uranium is localized where the zone of coal or carbonaceous clay that underlies the 

silicified sandstone unit is in or adjacent to the shear zones associated with 

the faulting. The only identified uranium mineral * * * is carnotite."

A geologic map of the mine area, geologic sections through the mine adit 

and selected diamond-drill holes, and logs of the six diamond-drill holes are 

included.

57 Hadfield, J. P., Jr., 1953, Reconnaissance in the western part of the 

Trans-Pecos region of Texas: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME 

4021, 15 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Reconnaissance, which was concentrated in and around the mining districts 

of the Trans-Pecos region of southwest Texas, revealed many areas of 

slightly abnormal radioactivity, but only a few deposits contain uranium minerals. At one of these, the Rossman prospect, 3 miles northeast of Allamore 

in Hudspeth County, tyuyamunite and an unidentified uranyl vanadate occur 

in a small area of veinlets in an irregular fracture zone that cuts silicified 

limestone of the Millican formation of Precambrian age. One selected chip 

sample taken across the veinlets contained 0.017 percent U808.

58 Harrison, J. E., and Leonard, B. F., 1952, Preliminary report on the 

Jo Reynolds area, Lawson-Dumont district, Clear Creek County, 

Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 213, 9 p.

Pitchblende occurs in the deposit of the Jo Reynolds area, which was primarily a lead-zinc-silver ore body. The reported production in 1919 of 8 

tons of high-grade uranium ore, presumably from the lowest workings of 

the mine, is still unconfirmed but has a fair degree of credibility. The deposit consists of 3 (possibly 4) veins, but the ore was concentrated prin-
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 359

cipally along the No. 2 vein. The No. 2 vein is localized along a fault, which 

is independent of the Precambrian structures in the bedrock. The age of the 

mineralization is inferred to be Tertiary.

The deposits of the Jo Reynolds area appear to contain an ore shoot, 

which has a trend of N. 17° E., a plunge of 60° NE., and a rake of 70° NE. 

Localization of the ore body in a shoot, or possibly shoots, is attributed 

either to intersection of the main shear with a transverse set of joints or 

the movement along a curved fault surface. Authors' abstract

The report includes geologic maps of the Jo Reynolds area and part of the 

Jo Reynolds mine and a plan and section of the Jo Reynolds mine.

59 Harrison, J. E., and Wells, J. D., 1956, Geology and ore deposits of 

the Freeland-Lamartine district, Clear Creek County, Colorado: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1032-B, p. 33-127.

The Freeland-Lamartine district is in Clear Creek County, Colo., about 3 

miles west of Idaho Springs. The district is underlain by igneous and metasedimentary rocks of Precambrian age. These rocks have been intruded by 

dikes and plugs of Tertiary age. The ore deposits are in typical mesothermal 

veins. Two principal transitional types of ore, pyrite-gold and galenasphalerite, have been mined in the district.

"Every accessible mine in the district was examined for radioactivity, and 

the dumps of inaccessible mines were traversed with a scintillation counter. 

Secondary uranium minerals torbernite, autunite, and dumontite(?) occur 

in vugs or fractures or in gouge, along several veins. Hydrous iron oxides 

from veins and from recent deposits on mine walls commonly show an unusual amount of radioactivity. In most of the radioactive material sampled, 

however, no discrete uranium minerals could be identified. It is tentatively 

concluded that large areas containing only pyrite-gold veins are poor in 

uranium and that areas of pyrite-gold or galena-sphalerite veins containing 

chalcopyrite are more favorable localities in which to look for uranium deposits." Authors' abstract, in part

60 Hart, 0. M., 1955, Uranium investigations in Mohave County, Arizona: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2029, 18 p., issued by 

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

Tenn.

Radiometric examinations were made of virtually all mines in Mohave 

County, Ariz., south of the Colorado River and exclusive of the Hualapai 

Indian Reservation.

In the Cerbat Mountains uranium occurs in lead-zinc bearing quartz-sulfide 

veins in the Ithaca Peak granite of Mesozoic(?) age. The uranium appears 

to be associated with sphalerite portions of the veins and was probably 

deposited during the last stage of mineralization. Samples from the district contained from 0.008 to 0.50 percent UgOs.

At the Red Hills (Tate) property in sec. 7, T. 11 N., R. 13 W., in the Rawhide Mountains, uranium occurs in a vein consisting of fault or sedimentary 

breccia at the base of the Artillery formation. "The radioactive and associated minerals appear to be fracture coatings and not constituents of the 

chalcedonic quartz phase of mineralization. Chrysocolla is locally abundant with yellow and orange uranium minerals, A hematite-stained portion 

of the vein is particularly radioactive and contains accessory calcite, fluorite, 

hematite, and a little limonite." Channel samples at 5-foot intervals across
360 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OP URANIUM GEOLOGY

the vein contained an average of 0.06 U3O8 for an average width of 10 feet. 

Individual samples from the property assayed from 0.01 to 0.314 percent 

U308.

In the Fools Peak area 3 miles west of Rawhide, uranium is along shear 

zones or in fracture fillings in kaolinized coarse-grained granite. The radioactivity is associated with hematite stains and slight silicification. Uranium 

minerals cannot be distinguished megascopically. Samples from prospects 

in the area contained from 0.01 to 0.28 percent Ug08.

61 Hart, O. M., and Hetland, D. L., 1953, Preliminary report on uraniumbearing deposits in Mohave County, Arizona: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-4026, 52 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy 

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

Radiometric examinations were made of mines in the Wallapai district 

and selected properties in the Maynard and Greenwood districts, Mohave 

County, Ariz. Sulfide-bearing veins in the Wallapai district of probable 

mesothermal origin are in granite, gneiss, and schist of Precambrian age. 

The veins are near the Ithaca Peak granite stock of Mesozoic(?) age and may 

be genetically related to the granite. Uranium was found in a few veins in 

the district that contain predominantly sphalerite, and generally some galena, 

along with varying amounts of quartz, pyrite, arsenopyrite, and limonite. 

The uranium minerals in the veins were not specifically identified, but are 

probably finely divided primary uraninite and very minor amounts of autunite. The authors believe the uranium minerals were introduced during the 

last stages of mineralization following brecciation and shearing of the 

earlier precious metal and base-metal sulfide vein filling.

The uranium-bearing veins at the Democrat and State mines in the Maynard and Greenwood districts, respectively, are geologically similar to veins in 

the Wallapai district. Autunite, however, is the predominant uranium mineral in the State mine.

The Detroit group, De La Fontaine mine, Prosperity claim, Bobtail mine, 

and the Lower Summit mine in the Wallapai district, the State mine in the 

Greenwood district, and the Democrat mine in the Maynard district are 

described.

The report contains geologic maps of most of the properties described.

62 Hauptman, C. M., 1956, Uranium in the Pryor Mountain area of southern Montana and northern Wyoming: Uranium and Modern Mining, v. 3, no. 11, p. 14-21.

The uranium deposits of the Pryor Mountain district are in two adjacent 

areas; the northern area is in the Pryor Mountains in eastern Carbon 

County, Mont., and the southern, or Little Mountain area, is on the north 

end of the Bighorn Mountains in Big Horn County, Wyo. Ore has been 

shipped from properties in both areas.

The deposits in both areas of the district are in the upper part of the 

Madison limestone of Mississippian age and are believed to be cavern fillings 

in which the uranium was deposited either from descending ground water 

solutions or from ascending hydrothermal solutions. Tyuyamunite is the only 

uranium mineral definitely identified. It occurs as a finely crystalline brightyellow powder filling vugs and fractures in brecciated cavern fill.

The deposits on Big Pryor Mountain are associated with highly silicified 

breccia zones and have a relatively low lime content (less than 4 percent). 

Ores from East Pryor Mountain and Little Mountain have a high lime content.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 361

63 Hawley, C. C., and Moore, F. B., 1955, Control of uranium deposition 

by garnet-quartz rock in the Fall River area, Clear Creek County, 

Colorado [abs.] : Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 66, p. 1675.

Tertiary vein deposits in the Fall River area, Clear Creek County, Colo., 

contain gold- and silver-bearing base-metal ores and locally uranium. The 

veins cut Precambrian metasedimentary and granitic wall rocks.

Uranium occurs in five veins, but only at the intersections of the veins with 

garnet-quartz rock layers. The uranium occurs as hard lustrous pitchblende 

that was deposited early in the paragenetic sequence and as soft sooty pitchblende (of probable supergene origin). Associated metallic minerals are pyrite, 

chalcopyrite, tennantite, galena, and sphalerite. Gangue minerals are quartz, 

carbonates, and barite.

The garnetiferous rock contains more than 50 percent garnet and quartz in 

approximately equal proportions. Biotite, magnetite, and amphibole are other 

constituents. This rock is interlayered with biotite gneiss and amphibolite 

and cut by biotite-muscovite granite and pegmatite. The garnet-quartz rock 

is pyritized adjacent to the vein; the other wall rocks are silicined and 

sericitized.

The cause of uranium deposition may have been physical or chemical or 

some combination of both. The garnetiferous rocks formed a more highly 

fractured vein zone than did the associated biotite gneiss and amphibolite. 

A chemical control is suggested by the fact that other competent rocks, such 

as granite and pegmatite, do not contain significant quantities of uranium 

at their intersections with the veins. Authors' abstract

64 Hetland, D. L., 1955, Preliminary report on the Buckhorn claims, 

Washoe County, Nevada and Lassen County, California Pt. 1: 

U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2039, 12 p., issued by U. S. 

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

The Buckhorn claims are about 29 miles north of Reno on the west slopes of 

the Antelope Range along the California-Nevada border. Secondary uranium 

minerals, including gummite, uranophane(?), and autunite(?), occur along 

narrow steeply dipping silicified fractures in Tertiary volcanic rocks of 

rhyolitic composition. The uranium minerals are in two zones separated 

stratigraphically by a thick bed of volcanic tuff. Several other uranium deposits have been discovered in the Tertiary volcanic rocks both north and 

south of the Buckhorn claims. All of these deposits contain uranium minerals 

and ore-grade material has been exposed at one.

A geologic map and section of the Buckhorn claims are included.

65 Hillier, R. L., 1954, Preliminary report on the uranium occurrence of 

the Jeep No. 2 claim, Clark Mountain mining district, San Bernardino County, California: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME2011,11 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service 

Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Jeep No. 2 claim is about 30 miles northeast of Baker, in the Clark 

Mountain mining district, San Bernardino County, Calif. The mine was 

worked for copper in 1907. Carnotite coatings on brown jasper are associated 

with oxidized copper, zinc, lead, and manganese minerals in small replacement bodies and in well-defined veins in partially dolomitized limestone. Small 

amounts of radioactive material have been found in the underground work-
362 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

ings and on the old dumps. The average uranium content of 5 samples from 

the mine is 0.073 percent uranium.

A geologic map and cross section of the claim, a geologic map of the underground workings, and a scintillometer and sample map of the underground 

workings are included. A table shows the assay data on samples taken 

from the claim.

66 Hillier, R. L., 1956, Preliminary report on uranium occurrence, Silver 

King claims, Tooele County, Utah: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

RME-2035 (revised), 25 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm, 

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

Uranium was discovered on the Silver King claims in the fall of 1953. 

The claims are on the west flank of the Sheeprock Mountains in the eastern 

part of the Erickson mining district, Tooele County, Utah. Uraninite occurs 

in north- to northwest-trending copper-nickel-silver bearing fissure veins near 

the margin of a granitic stock of probable late Tertiary age. Sedimentary 

rocks in contact with the granite are chiefly dolomite and quartzite of Middle 

and Upper Ordovician age. Excerpt from author's abstract

A geologic map and cross sections of the Silver King area, plans and 

geologic maps of the workings, and cross sections of diamond-drill holes are 

included. A table shows analyses of samples taken from the claims.

67 Hilpert, L. S., and Corey, A. F., 1955, Northwest New Mexico, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress 

report for June 1 to Nov. 30, 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-590, 

p. 104-118, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. 

Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The geology of the uranium deposits of northwestern New Mexico is very 

briefly summarized. An index map shows the locations of the deposits which 

are labeled according to type and age of host rock. A table lists the deposits 

by name, location, and by host-rock formation. The deposits are of several 

geologic types and occur in metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks of 

various ages. Only vein-type deposits are referred to in this annotation.

Uranium occurs in a copper-quartz-fluorite vein cutting crystalline rocks of 

Precambrian age in the Zuni Mountains, Valencia County. Uranium deposits 

along the Rio Grande Valley in Socorro, Bernalillo, and Santa Fe Counties 

occur in shear zones that cut acidic and basic intrusive and extrusive rocks of 

Tertiary age. The deposits generally contain copper-bearing minerals. The 

Foutz No. 2 deposit in McKinley County is related to fractures in the Westwater Canyon member of the Morrison formation. The mineralogy is obscure 

and it is not known whether the fracturing preceded or followed the initial 

mineralization.

The Woodrow deposit north of Laguna occurs in a vertical breccia pipe in 

the Brushy Basin member of the Morrison formation of Jurassic age. The 

Charley No. 2 deposit in Socorro County consists of disseminated autunite and 

perhaps carnotite in fractured bentonitic mudstone in the Popotosa formation of Tertiary age. This deposit is close to a fault that separates the 

Tertiary rocks from Precambrian crystalline rocks.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 363

68 Heinrichs, E. N., 1954, Moab-Inter-river area, Utah strip-mapping, in 

Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, June 1 to Nov. 30, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-490, 

p. 35-36, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The uranium deposits in the Moab-Inter-river area south of Moab, Utah, 

may be classified into two groups based on the most obvious controls localizing the ore: (a) deposits along northwest-trending faults on anticlines 

or domes and (b) bedded channel deposits not apparently related to tectonic 

structures. Deposits of the first group are in fault gouge and in brecciated 

sandstone and arkose along and between northwest-trending high-angle 

faults, 10 to 50 feet apart, that cut the north flank of the Cane Creek anticline. The deposits are in the canyon of lower Cane Creek in the Rico, Cutler, 

and Chinle formations. Uranium minerals coat fractures and carbonaceous 

material. Minerals identified from field examination of hand specimens include andersonite or schroeckingerite, tyuyamunite, zippeite(?), chalcocite, 

malachite, and brochantite(?). The ratio of uranium to vanadium in the ore 

produced from the vein deposits is 1:2 in contrast to a 3:1 ratio in ore 

produced from bedded channel deposits.

69 Hubbard, C. R., 1955, A survey of the mineral resources of Idaho: 

Idaho Bur. of Mines and Geology Pamph. 105, p. 60-62.

The first reported shipment of uranium ore from Idaho was made in April 

1955 from the McConnell-Sargent claims about 6 miles south of Salmon, 

Lemhi County. This deposit contains stringers of uranophane and autunite 

in rhyolite of the Challis volcanics of Tertiary age. A similar occurrence has 

been noted on Williams Creek in sec. 12, T. 20 N., R. 21 E.

Exploration work was done in 1954-55 on the Hailey Trust Co. deposit 12 

miles southwest of Hailey in Blaine County. This deposit contains uraninite 

in quartz veins containing gold, galena, and sphalerite in monzonite host 

rock.

Exploration work was continued in 1954-55 at the Garm-Lamoreaux mine, 

11 miles north of North Fork in Lemhi County. The geology of the GarmLamoreaux mine and of the uranium-bearing veins in the Coeur d'Alene 

district in Shoshone County also is very briefly described.

70 Huntting, M. T., 1957, Uranium in Washington: Washington Dept. 

Conserv. Devel., Div. Mines and Geology Inf. Circ. 26, 10 p.; extracted with minor changes from uranium section of Washington 

Div. Mines and Geology Bull. 37, Inventory of Washington Minerals, Part II, Metallic Minerals, p. 350-357.

Information on about 100 uranium deposits known within the State of 

Washington is summarized. The following information, where available, is 

given for each deposit: Location, owner, ore, gangue, type of deposit, development, assays, production, and references. Most of the occurrences are 

vein-type deposits.

"All the verified occurrences of uranium in Washington are either in 

granitic rock or in metamorphic rocks intruded by granite. Uraninite and 

secondary uranium minerals have been found in pegmatite dikes in this 

State but not in commercial quantities. The more promising uranium deposits in Washington have been found (1) in and near the contact of granite
364 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

and rock the granite intrudes, (2) in shear zones cutting these rock types, 

and (3) as secondary minerals impregnating the fractured, decomposed, and 

disintegrated granitic and metamorphic rocks adjacent to contacts and shear 

zones."

As of February 1957, uranium ore had been shipped in quantities of more 

than one carload each from five properties in Washington, all in Stevens 

and Spokane Counties. These properties include the Midnite mine operated 

by the Dawn Mining Co., the Dahl, Lowley, and Huffman properties operated by Daybreak Uranium, Inc.; and the Lehmbecker property operated by 

North Star Uranium, Inc.

71 Button, C. 0., 1957, Sengierite from Bisbee, Arizona: Am. Mineralogist, v. 42, p. 408-411.

The hydrated copper uranyl vanadate, sengierite, has been identified from 

specimens of copper ore from the Cole shaft, Bisbee, Ariz. The only other 

known occurrences of sengierite are in Morocco and in the Belgian Congo. 

The sengierite at Bisbee occurs as efflorescent patches on specimens of chalcocite obtained from a silver-bearing copper sulfide vein in the Escabrosa 

limestone of Mississippian age. In addition to the sengierite, small crystals 

of tyuyamunite line fractures in the limestone country rock adjacent to the 

massive chalcocite-covellite ore bodies.

72 Isachsen, Y. W., Mitcham, T. W., and Wood, H. B., 1955, Age and sedimentary environments of uranium host rocks, Colorado Plateau: 

Econ. Geology, v. 50, p. 127-134.

The Bald Eagle mine is one of several contiguous uranium-vanadium mines 

in the marine Hermosa limestone [Pennsylvanian] located on the northeast flank of the Gypsum Valley anticline, about 13 miles southwest of 

Naturita, Colorado * * *. Carnotite appears to be localized along closely 

spaced irregular fractures that give the rock a high permeability.

Yellow uranium minerals occur in a fluvial sandstone of the Rico formation [Pennsylvanian] in Cane Springs Canyon about 10 miles southwest of 

Moab, Utah. Bleaching of the red sandstone accompanies the uranium minerals which impregnate the sandstone along a fault.

Copper-uranium-vanadium ore is found in the Middle (?) Supai formation 

[Permian] at the Ridenour mine, about 30 miles north of Peach Springs, 

Ariz. The host rock is fluvial red sandstone and shale, bleached to light graygreen in the vicinity of the ore. The uranium occurs sporadically in the hanging wall of a copper vein.

Copper-uranium-lead ore, associated with abundant limonite and pyrite, is 

found in the Coconino sandstone [Permian] at the Orphan Lode mine, which 

is about 1,200 feet below the south rim in the Grand Canyon and about 1^ 

miles from Bright Angel Lodge. The host rock is an eolian sandstone. The 

ore occurs along fracture zones, and the uranium component appears to be 

intimately associated with fine-grained galena.

Uranium-vanadium mineral concentrations are found in the Wingate sandstone [Triassic] at Temple Mountain in the southeast corner of the San 

Rafael Swell, Emery County, Utah. Ore occurs within a collapse zone, and 

is scattered throughout the Wingate sandstone for a distance of 300 feet 

laterally from the fractured area.

Copper-uranium mineral concentrations are found in the Navajo formation
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 365

[Jurassic] about 2 miles west of Red Mesa Trading Post, Utah. The host 

rock is a massive light-red eolian sandstone. Mineralized pods occur along 

fractures that parallel a basic dike lying 500 feet to the southeast.

Several deposits containing yellow uranium minerals, concentrated along 

fractures in sandstone [Browns Park formation, Pliocene-Miocene age] occur 

% mile north of [Maybell-Lay area] Juniper Springs, Colo. Uraninite-uranophane ore is found in veinlets injected into a [Tertiary] monzonite porphyry 

plug in the Henry Mountains of Garfield County, south central Utah. Fluorite and fine-grained quartz intergrowths are associated with the uraninite 

stringers. Excerpts from authors' text

73 Jarrard, L. D., 1957, Some occurrences of uranium and thorium in 

Montana, with sections on prospecting for radioactive minerals: 

Montana Bur. Mines and Geology Misc. Contr. 15,90 p.

This report describes the geology of the uranium and thorium deposits of 

Montana and briefly describes vein-type deposits at Shinkolobwe, Belgian 

Congo; Great Bear Lake and Beaverlodge Lake, Canada; Marysvale, Utah; 

Sunshine mine, Idaho; and the Midnite and Daybreak mines in Washington. 

The general geology of uranium, uranium minerals, and the various geologic 

types of uranium deposits are briefly discussed.

Most of the uranium deposits in Montana are vein-type deposits. Uraniumbearing veins in the granitic rocks of the Boulder batholith in western Montana are of two types: (a) the siliceous reef or chalcedony type and (b) 

the base-metal sulfide type. The siliceous reef deposits appear to be the 

more important type and exploration and mining operations have been concentrated on these deposits, particularly those in the Clancey area. One of 

these properties, the W. Wilson claim, yielded about 700 tons of uranium ore 

averaging about 0.5 percent U3 0s. The veins contain uraninite and secondary uranium minerals associated with base-metal sulfides in a gangue 

of cryptocrystalline quartz.

Autunite occurs as fracture coatings in a fault zone in the St. Regis quartzite of the Belt series near Saltese in western Montana.

"During the late summer of 1956 a comparatively high-grade showing of 

uranium ore was found adjacent to the West Fork of the Bitterroot River 

directly opposite the mouth of Deer Creek in southern Ravalli County." Uraninite, gummite, and uranophane occur as narrow veinlets and fracture coatings along near-vertical faults in a phyllite bed in quartzitic sedimentary 

rocks of the Ravalli (?) group of the Belt series of Precambrian age.

Small amounts of tyuyamunite are closely associated with tear and thrust 

faults along the east front of the Beartooth Mountains south of Red Lodge.

The most important uranium deposits in Montana are those discovered in 

the fall of 1955 in the Pryor Mountains, Carbon County. These deposits are 

along major faults and anticlines in the upper part of the Madison limestone 

of Mississippian age. "The ore bodies appear to be invariably associated 

with collapsed caverns in the limestone although the better grade of material 

has been found to lie below the collapse itself. The collapse areas have been 

brecciated and recemented by silicification, and uranium minerals [tyuyamunite] are contained within the collapse breccia." In some places fluorite is 

associated with tyuyamunite, thus suggesting a possible hydrothermal origin 

for the deposits, although the author believes that "the deposits occur as a 

result of deposition from meteoric or surface waters * * *." The deposits 

contain ore of relatively high grade (up to 6 percent UaOs), and the majority
366 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OP URANIUM GEOLOGY

range in size from 100 to 1,500 tons. Geologically similar deposits are just 

south of the State line on Little Mountain, Wyo.

A map showing the National Forests of Montana with known uranium occurrences, a geologic map of the Boulder batholith and vicinity, and a geologic map of the Pryor Mountains are included.

74 Jarrard, L. D., and Mead, W. E., 1955, Exploration diamond drilling in the Boulder batholith, Jefferson and Silver Bow Counties, 

Montana: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2031 (pt. 1), 13 p., 

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

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

In 1953 the Atomic Energy Commission conducted a diamond-drilling program in the Boulder batholith to explore the character and extent of uranium mineralization beneath surface outcrops and shallow workings.

Sixteen holes were drilled in base-metal-type deposits including the Gray 

Eagle-Comet shear zone, Lone Eagle mine, Nickelodeon claim, and the Uncle 

Sam mine. Very slight radioactivity was found in only five of the holes.

Forty-four holes were drilled in siliceous-reef-type deposits. Thirty-seven 

of these holes were drilled on the President group of claims. Most of these 

deposits are below ore grade. Drilling indicates that in most instances the 

small isolated zones of uranium minerals in the outcrops do not persist 

even to moderate depths.

Drilling at 3 other siliceous-reef-type deposits penetrated ore-grade material over a width of half a foot at the Mooney claim, 4 miles west of 

Butte. Anomalous radioactivity was found in holes drilled at the RedstoneAtomizer claims and at the Red Rock claim. The radioactive material in both 

deposits was not of ore grade.

The report contains a geologic map of the Boulder batholith showing the 

location of drilling areas.

75 Kaiser, E. P., 1951, Uraniferous quartzite, Red Bluff prospect, Gila 

County, Arizona: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 137,10 p.

Abnormally radioactive zones occur in 2 favorable layers each about 20 

feet thick in the upper silty part of the Dripping Spring quartzite of Precambrian age at the Red Bluff prospect, 12 miles northeast of Roosevelt 

Dam, Gila County, Ariz. The zones are spatially associated with a diabase 

dike and a diabase sill. The quartzite is nearly horizontal.

The uranium appears to be rather evenly disseminated through the rock 

in the abnormally radioactive zones which are estimated to contain an average of 0.026 percent uranium. An exception to this general rule are some 

northwest-trending fractures and black streaks that are highly radioactive 

only within the favorable zones. The principal uranium mineral in the radioactive zones has not been definitely identified, though small quantities of 

autunite and uranophane have been observed. The uranium may be contained in very small grains of pitchblende.

The deposits are localized by favorable structures and by favorable host 

rock. The report includes a geologic map and section of the central part of 

the Red Bluff prospect.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 367

76 Kerr, P. F., 1956, Rock alteration criteria in the search for uranium: 

Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, 

Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium and thorium, p. 679-684; U. S. 

Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 633-639.

The hydrothermal alteration of host rocks of many uranium-bearing veins 

may be used as a guide in the search for uranium. Although alteration effects are more easily detected in igneous and metamorphic rocks, they are 

also observed in sedimentary rocks. Types of hydrothermal alteration perhaps related to the deposition of uranium, particularly in the Western United 

States, include ferrugination, fluoritization, chloritization, argillization, alunitization, and dolomitization.

77 Kerr, P. F., 1956, The natural occurrence of uranium and thorium: 

Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, 

Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium and thorium, p. 5-59.

This paper is a summary of geologic knowledge on the natural occurrence of uranium and thorium compiled largely from papers submitted to 

the first International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy. 

The author considers the natural occurrence of uranium and thorium from 

three points of view: (a) original sources, (b) mechanisms of transport and 

deposition, and (c) types of deposits produced.

Individual uranium deposits and districts of the various geologic types 

of deposits are described. Uranium-bearing veins are discussed under an 

older group and under a younger group. Deposits of the older group are 

those of Precambrian and Paleozoic age and include those at Great Bear Lake 

and Lake Athabasca, Canada; Shinkolobwe, Belgian Congo; and Joachimsthai, Czechoslovakia. Deposits of the younger group are those of Tertiary 

age in the Western United States and include deposits in the Colorado Front 

Range; Marysvale district, Utah; Spokane Indian Reservation, Wash.; 

Thomas Range, Utah; and the Los Ochos mine, Colorado.

78 Kerr, P. F., Anderson, T. P., and Hamilton, P. K., 1951, BellevueRochester mine, in Annual report for July 1, 1950, to June 30, 

1951: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RMO-797, p. 45-57, issued 

by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

Soft black powder and friable black masses of uraninite are in two fissure 

veins in the Bellevue-Rochester mine, 1 mile west of Lawson, Clear Creek 

County, Colo. One vein is nearly vertical and ranges from a thin seam to 

several inches in width. The second vein dips about 60° N. and seems to strike 

parallel to the first and may intersect it above the tunnel level. The host 

rock of the veins is biotite schist of the Idaho Springs formation of Precambrian age. Each vein is enclosed by an alteration zone; the inner portion 

is argillic and the outer portion is chloritic. The uranium mineralization 

and the wallrock alteration are closely associated and are believed to be of 

hydrothermal origin.

The major part of this report is a discussion of the mineralogy of the 

wallrock alteration.
368 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

79 Kerr, P. F., Brophy, Gerald, Dahl, H. M., Green, Jack, and Woolard, 

L. E., 1952, A geologic guide to the Marysvale area, in Annual 

report for July 1, 1951, to June 30, 1952, Part 1: U. S. Atomic 

Energy Comm. RMO-924, 57 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy 

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

The Marysvale area is in Piute County, Utah, about 200 miles south of 

Salt Lake City. The country rock includes two series of extrusive volcanic 

rocks, the older Bullion Canyon formation and the younger Mount Belknap 

formation. The Bullion Canyon formation is the most widely exposed rock 

in the area and consists of a great thickness of lavas and tuffs of post 

Oligocene age. This formation has been invaded by small bodies of intrusive 

rocks consisting mostly of quartz monzonite and lesser amounts of granite, 

monzonite porphyry, latite, and latite porphyry. These intrusive rocks and the 

Bullion Canyon formation were extensively eroded and unconformably overlain 

by flows and tuffs of the Mount Belknap formation.

The uranium mines are along the western border of a quartz monzonite 

intrusive near its contact with an overlying mass of Mount Belknap rhyolite. 

The uranium-bearing veins are along northwest- and northeast-trending 

fracture zones. The veins are almost entirely localized in altered host rocks 

that were originally quartz monzonite, granite, vitrophyre, or rhyolite. Most 

of the veins are in quartz monzonite and uranium is most abundant in places 

of prominent clay-mineral alteration and silicification. At depth the veins 

contain sooty black uraninite intimately mixed with fine-grained pyrite and 

fluorite. Other primary minerals include quartz, adularia, jordisite, hematite, and magnetite. Secondary uranium minerals are in the oxidized zone 

above the uraninite ore bodies and include autunite, torbernite, schroeckingerite, and uranophane(?). Other secondary minerals are limonite and 

ilsemannite.

The uranium in the deposits at Marysvale is believed to have come originally from a magmatic source, and it is probable that both liquids and gases 

were present in the veins when the uranium was originally deposited.

The report contains a topographic map showing the principal mines and 

prospects in the area, a reconnaissance geologic map of the area, and maps 

and sketches showing alteration zones in surface areas and in several mine 

workings.

80 Kerr, P. F., Rasor, C. A., and Hamilton, P. K., 1951, Uranium in 

Black King prospect, Placerville, Colorado, in Annual report for 

July 1,1950, to June 30, 1951: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RMO797, p. 25-43, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. 

Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Black King prospect is near Placerville, in San Miguel County, southwestern Colorado. The area is underlain by nearly horizontal sedimentary 

rocks of Permian to Cretaceous age, which have been intruded by igneous 

rocks of Tertiary age and cut by numerous faults. At the Black King prospect, tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and possibly skutterudite occur 

along faults of considerable displacement that cut sandstone and arkose 

beds of the Dolores formation. The faults show some postmineralization 

movement. "Masses and segregations of an uranium-bearing hydrocarbon 

corresponding in many respects to thucolite are found both in the sedimentary strata and along fissures. Minute specks of uraninite occur dissemi-
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 369

nated through the hydrocarbon. Earlier hydrocarbons appear to have been 

replaced by later generations, forming microtextures indicative of chemical replacement * * * it is believed that the mineralization is due to hydrothermal activity."

A plan map and sections of the Black King mine are included.

81 Kerr, P. F., and Robinson, R. F., 1953, Uranium mineralization in the 

Sunshine mine, Idaho: Mining Eng., v. 5, no. 5, p. 495-511.

Uranium was discovered in 1949 at the Sunshine mine, a well-known silverlead producer, in the Coeur d'Alene district of northern Idaho. The uranium 

occurs in the footwall of the Sunshine vein from the 2,900- to the 3,700-foot 

levels. Several silver-bearing veins, including the Sunshine vein, cut the overturned north limb of the Big Creek anticline. The Sunshine vein dips about 

60° S. approximately parallel to the axial plane of the anticline and cuts 

rocks of the Belt series of Precambrian age. The uranium-bearing part of 

the vein is in quartzite of the St. Regis formation.

The deposition of silver and uranium seem to belong to distinct epochs resulting from several periods of emplacement. Veinlets of the early uraninite 

contain pyrite and jasper and have been extensively divided and recemented 

into short segments. The later silver-bearing tetrahedrite-siderite veins are 

more massive and may extend without a break for hundreds of feet. The 

silver ores are in major fractures that are steeply inclined. The uraninite is 

not restricted to major vein fractures and above the 3,250-foot level is in 

shear zones related to fracture cleavage. On the 3,700-foot level, however, 

uraninite is largely restricted to a fissure vein. The uranium-bearing veins 

are characteristically associated with fine-grained silica stained red, brown, 

or pink, and commonly arsenopyrite.

The age of the uraninite, on the basis of isotopic analyses is 750 ± 50 million years, which agrees with geologic data, suggesting that phases of the 

Sunshine mineralization are of Precambrian age. It is not clear, however, 

whether the silver-bearing veins constitute a late phase of Precambrian mineralization or belong to a later period, possibly Tertiary.

Geologic maps of the 3,100-foot level and a section showing the general 

geologic structure of the Sunshine mine are included. Also included are 

photographs of polished surfaces of uraninite-bearing ore and several diagrams showing the structure and mineralized zones of various veins.

82 Kerr, P. F., Simpson, W. L., and Hamilton, P. K., 1953, Deer Trail 

area, Marysvale, Utah, m Annual report for June 30, 1952, to 

Apr. 1, 1953: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-3046, p. 52-57, 

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

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Uranium occurs in the Deer Trail mine about 6 miles southwest of Marysvale, Utah. The Deer Trail mine intermittently yielded ores of mercury, lead, 

silver, and gold and is presently yielding lead ore. The mine is located along 

the Tushar fault on the east slope of the Tushar Mountains. The ore deposits 

are in lens-shaped replacement bodies from 1 to 5 feet in thickness and are 

parallel to the bedding which dips 15° to 20e W. The host rock is limestone 

of Permian (?) age. No uranium mineral has been identified in the deposits, 

but chemical analyses indicate that small amounts of uranium occur along 

the upper and lower margins of a lead-zinc-silver replacement ore body.
370 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

This deposit is particularly interesting because it is the only uranium deposit in the Marysvale district not in volcanic and intrusive rocks of Tertiary age.

A geologic map of the main tunnel of the Deer Trail mine and a cross 

section of the uranium occurrence are included.

83 Keys, W. S., 1956, Deep drilling in the Temple Mountain collapse, 

San Rafael Swell, Utah: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of 

Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium and 

thorium, p. 371-378.

Keys, W. S., and White, R. L,, 1956, Investigation of the Temple Mountain collapse and associated features, San Rafael Swell, Emery 

County, Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 285-298.

Temple Mountain is on the southeast flank of the San Rafael Swell about 

44 miles southwest of Green River, Utah. The Temple Mountain collapse is 

a synclinal depression about 500 feet wide by 2,000 feet long, and has a 

maximum subsidence of 300 feet. The center is bleached and brecciated. 

The collapse was drilled to investigate "its structure and its relation to the 

uranium ores * * *."

A primary uranium mineral, probably pitchblende or uraninite, in hard, 

brittle asphaltite, is distributed along fractures and bedding planes in the 

sedimentary rocks of the collapse structure. The ore-bearing asphaltite 

also occurs as breccia cement and as disseminations in brecciated sandstone. 

In places the asphaltite has partly replaced quartz grains. Realgar and 

native arsenic are associated with, and seem to be genetically related to, the 

asphaltic uranium-ore. Secondary uranium-vanadium minerals, commonly 

hewettite and carnotite, occur as oxidation products of the asphaltic ore. No 

secondary uranium-vanadium minerals were found in the drilling, however, 

and the highest grade ore consists of uraniferous asphaltite. It is believed 

that the fractures which accompanied the subsidence provided a channel 

for the uranium-bearing solutions.

More than 95 percent of the uranium production of the Temple Mountain 

region has come from an area about 2,000 feet south of the Temple Mountain 

collapse. This area is known as the Temple Mountain mineral belt. Ore 

bodies within the mineral belt are similar in mineralogy to most of the ore 

in the collapse and are generally localized along bedding planes. Small 

bodies of uranium ore have been mined from a vertical fault zone at the 

Lopez mine, and localization of ore along faults has been reported from other 

mines.

A geologic map of the Temple Mountain mining area is included.

84 Killeen, P. L., and Ordway, R. J., 1955, Radioactivity investigations at 

Ear Mountain, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 1945: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1024-C, p. 59-94.

The Ear Mountain area is about 100 miles north-northwest of Nome on 

the north side of the Seward Peninsula. Radioactive material believed to be 

of replacement origin occurs along a tourmalinized mafic dike and an associated vein filling of quartz and tourmaline. The steeply dipping dike and 

vein are parallel and can be traced by float rocks for nearly a mile across the 

granite stock that constitutes the central part of Ear Mountain. Two 

trenches about 2,500 feet apart were dug across the vein and dike. An 8-foot 

channel sample along 1 trench contained 0.01 percent uranium. An 18-inch 

sample across a zone of red oxidized material in this trench contained 0.012
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 371

percent equivalent uranium. A light-green secondary uranium mineral, identified as intermediate between metazeunerite and metatorbernite, occurs in 

vugs in both the granite host rock and the tourmaline-quartz vein. The 

discovery of this deposit in 1945 was the first verified lode deposit of radioactive minerals in Alaska.

A topographic and geologic sketch map of Ear Mountain is included.

85 King, R. U., 1954, Colorado, in Geologic investigations of radioactive 

deposits-Semiannual progress report, Dec. 1, 1953, to May 31, 

1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-440, p. 174, issued by U. S. Atomic 

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

Secondary uranium minerals were discovered in an abandoned copperfluorspar mine near Copperdale, about 3 miles northwest of the Ralston Creek 

area, Jefferson County, Colo. The uranium deposit is associated with a 

northeast-trending fault that crosses the Rogers "dike" breccia reef. "The 

reef * * * consists of massive brecciated white quartz with lenses of darkpurple fluorite and fragmented wall rocks with hematite and limonitic material. A pale-yellow uranium mineral (schroeckingerite?) occurs as aggregates of tiny micaceous flakes along fractures and joints. A sample of 

the uranium-bearing material contains 0.11 percent uranium."

86 King, R. U., and Granger, H. C., 1952, Torbernite occurrence at the 

Robineau claims, Clear Creek County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey TEM-24A, 7 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

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

The Robineau claims are about \Vz miles southwest of Lawson in Clear 

Creek County, Colorado. They include the George Peabody, MacGregor, and 

Little Mac claims.

"Fractured iron-stained granite pegmatite has been prospected by two 

shallow shafts on the George Peabody claim and several prospect pits on 

the other claims. As the mine workings were inaccessible at the time of 

examination, July 1949, radiometric traverses were made of the area covered 

by the claims, and the dump at one shaft was sampled. Torbernite and an 

unidentified radioactive mineral are associated with hydrous iron oxides 

on fracture surfaces in pre-Cambrian granite and pegmatite. A composite 

sample from the George Peabody dump contained 0.013 percent U308." 

Excerpt from authors' abstract

87 King, R. U., Leonard, B. F., Moore, F. B., and Pierson, C. T., 1953, 

Uranium in the metal-mining districts of Colorado: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Circ. 215,10 p.

The most favorable areas in Colorado for uranium ore deposits, exclusive 

of the Colorado Plateau, are the metal-mining districts of the central mineral 

belt. These districts have produced about 300 tons of high-grade uranium 

ore, most of which was mined between 1872 and 1919 from deposits on Quartz 

Hill in the Central City district. The uranium occurs in metalliferous pitchblende-bearing veins that occur chiefly in igneous and metamorphic rocks 

of Precambrian age. A few veins also occur in monzonite of post-Cretaceous 

age or in late Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. The time of uranium deposition in the veins is thought to be Tertiary because of their association with Tertiary intrusive rocks. In Colorado, pitchblende has been 

found in six types of veins: (a) pyritic gold-quartz, (b) lead-zinc-silver,
372 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

(c) fluorite, (d) gold-telluride, (e) pyrite-siderite, and (f) polymineralic 

hydrocarbon veins.

The vein types listed above are briefly described, and geologic guides for 

prospecting for uranium deposits are discussed. The report contains a 

map showing the relation of pitchblende deposits to bostonite dikes in the 

Front Range mineral belt, a map showing the relation of pitchblende deposits to mineral zoning in the Central City district, and an index map 

showing the distribution of 51 uranium deposits in Colorado, generally exclusive of the Colorado Plateau. Also included is a table that lists each 

deposit, giving its geologic type, country rock, and radioactive minerals.

88 King, R. U., Moore, F. B., and Hinrichs, E. N., 1952, Pitchblende deposits in the United States, in Selected papers on uranium deposits in the United States: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 220, p. 8-12.

Pitchblende is found in the United States in (1) veins and breccia zones, 

(2) pyrometasomatic deposits, (3) pegmatites, and (4) sedimentary rocks.

Most of the vein deposits containing pitchblende are in the Front Range 

mineral belt of Colorado, but a few are in Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, 

and Utah. The pitchblende deposits in the Front Range mineral belt appear 

to be coextensive with alkali-rich Tertiary intrusive rocks, but a similar 

relation is not known elsewhere in the United States.

Pitchblende-bearing vein deposits can be classified on the basis of mineral 

association as (1) quartz-sulfide type, (2) quartz-sulfide-carbonate type, (3) 

quartz-sulfide-carbonate-hematite type and (4) fluorite-quartz type.

Pitchblende is finely disseminated in deposits of the fluorite-quartz type. 

In mesothermal veins, pitchblende occurs as pods and stringers distributed 

erratically over relatively narrow vertical limits. In many deposits, pitchblende occurs both as hard botryoidal masses and as powdery films and 

coatings.

The metallic minerals commonly associated with pitchblende in vein deposits include galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, silver minerals, and 

gold. In contrast to well-known deposits in Canada and Africa, cobalt or 

nickel minerals have been found in only a few of the domestic pitchblendebearing veins. In a few places, veins containing secondary uranium minerals 

near the surface contain pitchblende at depth.

The relationship of pitchblende-bearing veins to types of wall-rock alteration has not been clearly established. Authors' abstract

A sketch map showing the relation of pitchblende deposits to bostonite 

dikes in the Front Range mineral belt, Colorado, and cross sections showing 

depth of pitchblende deposits in the Front Range are included.

89 King, R. U., and Theobald, P. K., 1955, Blackhawk district, Gilpin 

County, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for Dec. 1, 1954, to May 31, 1955: U. S. 

Geol. Survey TEI-540, p. 141-142, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Radioactivity is associated with quartz-hematite breccia in the northwesttrending Blackhawk fault zone at the Priscilla claim, 1^ miles southeast of 

Blackhawk. The discovery, made early in 1955, is 1% miles southeast of the 

Silver Hill uranium deposit. A sample of the breccia from the discovery 

cut contains 0.17 percent uranium, and dump material from a nearby abandoned shaft in the fault zone contains 0.017 percent uranium.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 373

The Silver Hill deposit, a vein-type deposit that contains disseminated 

secondary uranium minerals in weathered schist, is being explored by drifting 

along the vein. Additional ore-grade material is being found as the drift 

is advanced. A sample from the vein contains 0.43 percent uranium.

These two deposits extend the favorable area of the Central City district 

eastward in the direction of the known uranium deposits of the Ralston 

Creek-Golden Gate area and suggest that further prospecting of breccia 

reefs and major faults may disclose additional uranium deposits Authors' 

complete text

90 King, R. U., and Theobold, P. K., 1955, Colorado, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for 

Dec. 1, 1954, to May 31, 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-540, p. 

208-209, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service 

Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Radioactivity and minor uranium mineralization occur in a copper-bearing fault zone at the P.M.D. mine in Jefferson County, Colo. The average 

uranium content of 3 samples from the property was 0.018 percent uranium.

Uranium-bearing material of ore-grade was discovered in the radioactive 

breccia reef at Idledale, Jefferson County. "One core drill hole intersected 

the breccia-filled fault zone at a depth of about 200 feet, and an eigth-foot 

interval is reported to contain 0.58 percent uranium. In the drill core small 

masses of a black radioactive mineral tentatively identified as pitchblende 

are disseminated in a carbonate and feldspar matrix that contains angular 

fragments of altered wall rock and hematite-stained quartz."

91 Klemic, Harry, 1955, Northeast district, in Geologic investigations of 

radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for Dec. 1, 

1954, to May 31, 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-540, p. 205, issued 

by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

A ^4-inch veinlet of pitchblende containing small amounts of galena and 

pyrite was found at 1 locality in the Grandfather Mountain window area in 

Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina. Several occurrences of 

torbernite and other secondary uranium minerals were found in the area. 

Most of the deposits are between Morgantown and Blowing Rock, near Highways 181 and 321.

92 Klepper, M. R., 1950, Forty-Niner, King Solomon Ridge, and West End 

claims near Clancy, Jefferson County, Montana: U. S. Geol. Survey TEM-31, 2 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. 

Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Forty-Niner, King Solomon Ridge, and West End claims are on the 

crest of an east-west-trending ridge on the north side of Clancy Creek 

about 1 to 1 % miles west of Clancy, Jefferson County, Mont.

The crest of the ridge is composed of a light-colored aplitic granite that 

appears to form a thick east-trending dike in quartz-monzonite. Radioactivity occurs in and adjacent to dark-gray siliceous slightly pyritic veins 

that cut the aplitic granite. One vein is 18 to 30 inches wide and contains a 

few crystals of secondary uranium minerals, possibly zeunerite and rutherfordine. A selected sample of the vein material contained 0.096 percent 

uranium.
374 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Altered aplitic granite contains secondary uranium minerals, probably 

autunite and zeunerite, in thin crusts or fracture fillings. The material 

contains only 0.084 percent uranium.

93 Leonard, B. F., 1952, Relation of pitchblende deposits to hypogene 

zoning in the Front Range Mineral Belt, Colorado [abs.]: 

Econ. Geology, v. 47, p. 773; Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 63, p. 

1274-1275.

The distribution of pitchblende deposits in several Front Range mining 

districts shows a distinctive relation to the pattern of hypogene zoning. The 

deposits appear to be restricted to an intermediate or transitional zone between central areas of pyritic gold veins and peripheral areas of silver-leadzinc veins. At present we do not know whether pitchblende is more common 

in the inner or the outer part of the intermediate zone. In at least one 

district (Central City) significant quantities of copper in the form of 

chalcopyrite have been produced from the intermediate zone. The position of 

uranium in an intermediate zone between gold and zinc was tentatively implied by W. H. Emmons (1926) in his generalized treatment of hypogene 

zoning.

At least seven local geologic factors must be considered in interpreting 

the zonal distribution of Front Range pitchblende deposits: Bostonite intrusives, fault patterns, multiple stages of uranium mineralization, differences between paragenetic sequence and position of minerals in successive 

zones, correlation of pitchblende with copper sulfides (and sulfosalts?), scale 

and complexity of zoning in plan and in section, and effective depth of 

mineralization. The significance of some of these factors can already be 

evaluated.

The concept of the position of pitchblende in hypogene zoning is developed 

to stimulate and guide the systematic search for pitchblende deposits. Though 

the zonal position of pitchblende deposits is best known for areas of complex 

base-metal mineralization dominantly of mesothermal (possibly xenothermal) character, knowledge of the zonal position of uranium deposits in 

widely different geologic environments might be similarly useful in a search 

for ore. Author's abstract

94 Love, J. D., 1954, Pedro Mountains, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, June 1 to Nov. 30, 

1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-490, p. 229-230, issued by U. S. 

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

A small shipment of uranium ore has been made from a deposit in the 

Pedro Mountains in sec. 14, T. 27 N., R. 84 W., Carbon County, Wyo. The 

uranium is associated with a graphite layer about 6 feet thick, underlain 

by thin quartzite(?), and intruded and surrounded by granite of Precambrian age. Within the weathered zone secondary uranium minerals are 

abundant along fractures and are disseminated in the granite adjacent to 

the graphite bed. A lesser amount of mineralization occurs in the quartzite(?), and the graphite contains a finely disseminated fluorescent mineral. 

Sulfides, chiefly pyrite, are concentrated below the weathered zone. A black 

mineral that appears to contain uranium is finely disseminated in the 

unweathered granite.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 375

95 Love, J. D., 1954, Shirley Mountains, in Geologic investigations of 

radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, June 1 to Nov. 

30, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-490, p. 227-228, issued by 

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

Tenn.

Secondary uranium minerals occur in vertical calcite veins that cut the 

Tensleep sandstone of Pennsylvanian age in sec. 30 and 31, T. 25 N., R. 

81 W., and in sec. 36, T. 25 N., R. 82 W., in the Shirley Mountains, Carbon County, Wyo. The veins are as much as 24 feet thick. Some are 

more than 1,000 feet long and extend vertically for more than 500 feet. 

The uranium content of samples from several shallow test pits ranges 

from 0.03 to 0.39 percent.

96 Levering, T. G., 1954, Radioactive deposits of Nevada: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Bull. 1009-C, p. 63-106.

This report is a brief summary of the information available through 1951 

on uranium deposits in Nevada. The location, ownership, development, 

geology, and grade of ore is summarized for each deposit. The only deposit 

that has produced ore is the Green Monster mine in Clark County 

from which 5 tons of 1.09 percent uranium ore was shipped in 1951. This 

mine was the source of a considerable tonnage of zinc and lead ore mined 

from a steeply dipping mineralized breccia zone in the Bullion dolomite 

member of the Monte Cristo limestone of Mississippian age. "Secondary 

uranium minerals occur in a zone 1 to 2 feet thick on the footwall side of 

the ore body. Kasolite and an unidentified uranium mineral are associated 

with malachite, azurite, cuprite, cerrusite, calamine, and limonite in a 

yellow earthy ore as replacement deposits in the upper stope * * *" where 

most of the uranium has been found and where selected samples assayed 

as high as 9 percent uranium.

The grade of the ore "decreases rapidly with depth; 0.057 percent uranium 

was the highest value obtained 80 feet below the upper stope." The 

uranium reserves of this deposit are small.

In the Washington district in Lyon County, uranium-bearing quartz fissure veins cut porphyritic granite of probable Jurassic age. The veins average a few inches in width and range in uranium content from 0.001 to 

0.14 percent. Pitchblende, kasolite, and torbernite are associated with copper-silver-lead minerals chiefly chrysocolla, chalcocite, chalcopyrite, galena, 

and argentite.

At the Majuba Hill mine in Pershing County, a vein 3 feet wide containing 

copper, tin, and an average of almost 0.3 percent uranium cuts quartz 

porphyry and rhyolite of Tertiary age. Secondary uranium minerals including zeunerite, torbernite, metatorbernite, autunite, and gummite are associated with sooty chalcocite, pyrite, and arsenopyrite. Uranium also 

occurs in the country rock adjacent to the vein, in fault gouge, in tourmalinized intrusion breccia, and in the rock adjacent to the breccia.

At the Stalin's Present prospect in Pershing County, pitchblende occurs 

as scattered grains in a tabular body of diopside-rich rock and gummite 

coats fracture surfaces in the adjacent country rock. Samples taken across 

the diopside-rich rock contained from 0.042 to 0.18 percent uranium. The 

deposit has been interpreted as a foot-thick layer of uranium-bearing metamorphic rock composed of diopside, epidote, and chlorite enclosed by 

granitic country rock. The deposit also has been interpreted as narrow,
376 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

discontinuous uranium-bearing replacement veins of diopside-rich rock 

which cut a dike or tongue of quartz porphyry. This body of quartz 

porphyry is about 75 feet wide and has intruded metasediments near the 

workings.

Several other uranium-bearing veins are described in this report. Samples obtained from these properties contain less than 0.1 percent uranium.

97 Lovering, T. G., 1956, Radioactive deposits in New Mexico: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Bull. 1009-L, p. 315-390.

This report summarizes information on the radioactive deposits of New 

Mexico. The deposits are discussed by counties, and for each deposit the 

location, general geology, mineralogy, and radioactivity are described. References are given to published reports that describe the areas. Vein-type 

deposits are described below.

In southwestern New Mexico uranium-bearing veins occur in the White 

Signal and Black Hawk districts in Grant County. In the White Signal 

district autunite and torbernite occur as fracture coatings and disseminations in oxidized pyritic quartz veins that cut granite of Precambrian age 

and diabase. Uraniferous limonite is common locally in the veins. The following deposits in the White Signal district are described: The Merry Widow, 

Apache Trail, Blue Jay, Monarch No. 2, and Tunnel Site No. 1 claims and the 

Uncle Sam silver mines. In the Black Hawk district at the Black Hawk and 

Alhambra mines pitchblende is associated with nickel, cobalt, and silver 

minerals in quartz veins cutting granite of Precambrian age. All mine 

workings in the district are inaccessible. There are no known minable reserves of uranium ore in either the White Signal or Black Hawk districts, 

though there is some vein material of ore grade at the Jderry Widow 

mine.

Two other vein deposits in Grant County contain minor amounts of uranium minerals. At the Hines No. 1 prospect southeast of White Signal, 

fluorite and autunite (?) occur in a nearly vertical breccia zone in the 

Bliss (?) sandstone of Cambrian age. At the Langford prospect southwest of 

White Signal, radioactive dark-purple fluorite and autunite (?) are associated with pink calcite in a silicified breccia zone cutting granite of Precambrian age.

At the Terry prospect in Sierra County, 2 miles northeast of Monticello, 

uranophane is associated with fluorite in a silicified breccia zone. The nearly 

vertical breccia zone is in limestone of Mississippian age that has been 

altered to jasperoid. Samples from the deposit contain from 0.004 to 0.45 

percent US08.

At a deposit near San Acacia, Socorro County, autunite, torbernite, uranophane, and carnotite are sparsely disseminated in a breccia zone cutting 

an andesitic flow rock of Tertiary age. The uranium minerals are associated with secondary copper minerals, calcite, and quartz. A selected sample of dump material contained 0.026 percent uranium.

Although the deposits in the Todilto limestone of Jurassic age in .the 

Grants district, Valencia and McKinley Counties, are classified by the author 

as disseminated-type deposits, some of them are structurally controlled by 

concentration of carnotite and tyuyamunite along joint surfaces. In this 

respect where induced cavities have been partly instrumental in localizing 

the uranium minerals, the deposits show vein affinities.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 377

Geologic maps and sections of several deposits are included. Tables 

show analyses of samples from various deposits, and the significant features 

of the radioactive deposits of New Mexico are summarized in tabular form.

98 Lovering, T. S., and Goddard, E. N., 1950, Geology and ore deposits 

of the Front Range, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 

223, p. 175,183, and 190.

Pitchblende associated with sulfides occurs in east-northeast-trending 

veins on the south slope of Quartz Hill in the Central City-Idaho Springs 

district of Colorado. The pitchblende-bearing veins are near two strongly 

radioactive north-northwest-trending bostonite dikes and it is suggested 

"that the uranium-bearing solutions are related to a deep bostonite magma 

apexing in a narrow northerly zone at depth and that these fluids first 

followed fissures or dikes transverse to the east-northeasterly veins in which 

the ore has been found." Pitchblende has been reported from the Alps, 

Belcher, Calhoun, German, Kirk, Leavenworth, Mitchell, Pewabik, Wood, 

and Wyandotte mines where it occurs as a minor component of the pyritic 

gold-silver ores for which the mines have been primarily worked.

At the German and Belcher mines low-grade uranium ore containing 

about 0.25 to 0.5 percent uranium oxide consisted of altered schist or pegmatite impregnated with pyrite, sphalerite, and pitchblende. High-grade uranium ore formed irregular masses in the low-grade disseminated ore. The 

pitchblende is generally cut by small veins of sulfides.

At the Jefferson-Calhoun mine pitchblende is cut by many later veinlets 

of pyrite, sphalerite, quartz, and galena. The ore contained as much as 29 

percent Ua08.

99 McKay, E. J., and Hyden, H. J., 1956, Permian of north Texas and 

southern Oklahoma, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits-Semiannual progress report for June 1 to Nov. 30, 1956: 

U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-640, p. 208-216, issued by U. S. Atomic 

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

Uranium ore was mined from a vein-type deposit in the Rush Springs 

sandstone of Permian age at Cement in Caddo County, Okla. The deposit 

is localized along joints, parallel to the axis of the Cement anticline. "The 

deposit is about 150 feet long, 3 to 5 feet wide, and is worked to a depth of 

3 to 6 feet. Ore minerals tyuyamunite and carnotite are disseminated 

in sandstone parallel to joints which dip about 80 degrees to the southwest. 

The uranium-vanadium ratio is 2:1 in ore; the average calcium carbonate 

is 9 percent. Concentrations of ore minerals appear to be in poorly defined 

pockets along the strike of the joints." Fractures along similar anticlines 

in the Andarko basin may contain other concentrations of uranium minerals.

100 McKelvey, V. E., 1955, Search for uranium in the United States: U. S. 

Geol. Survey Bull. 1030-A, 64 p.

This report briefly summarizes "the information on the common uranium 

minerals, the kinds of deposits in which uranium is found, the methods used 

in the search for uranium, the important deposits found in this country thus 

far, the outlook for future discoveries, and the recent literature on the 

geology of uranium deposits in the United States."

Only a few of the uranium-bearing veins and related deposits that have 

been found in recent years in the United States have yielded any production,
378 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

and no vein deposit of major importance by world standards has been 

found. Most of the deposits are fracture fillings in igneous or metamorphic 

rocks, and a few are in breccia and fault zones in carbonate rocks. Most 

of the veins are metalliferous quartz-sulfide deposits, mainly of the 

simple type high in lead, copper, silver, or gold. A few are uraniferous 

fluorite deposits. Most of these veins contain pitchblende and, where oxidized, secondary uranium minerals such as autunite and torbernite. Secondary enrichment is uncommon, and most oxidized vein deposits are less 

uraniferous than the lodes from which they were derived.

The more important vein deposits at Marysvale, Utah, in the Colorado 

Front Range, and near Boulder, Mont., are briefly described. The report 

includes a map showing vein and replacement deposits of uranium in the 

United States. The names of the deposits and references to them are 

listed.

101 McKelvey, V. E., Everhart, D. L., and Garrels, R. M., 1955, Origin of 

uranium deposits, in Bateman, A. M., ed., Econ. Geology, 50th 

anniversary volume, 1905-1955, Pt. 1, p. 464-533.

This report briefly summarizes the geochemistry of uranium and discusses 

the occurrence and origin of uranium in igneous rocks, veins, sandstone-type 

deposits, coal and associated carboniferous shale, and in marine sedimentary rocks. The following annotation refers to the vein-type deposits.

The occurrence of uranium in certain granitic and syenitic igneous rocks 

suggests its tendency to concentrate in late-stage differentiates. The hydrothermal solutions formed at the end of such a magmatic series may move 

upward along open fractures to form uranium-bearing veins.

The authors classified the uranium-bearing vein deposits of the world into 

three major types designated as nickel-cobalt-native silver, silica-iron lead, 

and iron-titanium veins. The three types of deposits have definite characteristics in regard to their associated metallic and gangue minerals, host 

rock, structural habit, and geochemical history.

Uraninite, davidite, brannerite, and coffinite are the four major primary 

uranium minerals in vein deposits of all types. Secondary uranium 

minerals may form as alteration products of these primary minerals. In 

deeply oxidized zones secondary uranium minerals may constitute the major 

part of the ore down to the water table. In deposits of this type, grade 

does not change significantly between the secondary and primary ores.

The major metals in uraniferous veins in their general order of abundance 

are iron, copper, cobalt, lead, nickel, silver, and zinc. Other less common 

metals include molybdenum, bismuth, titanium, vanadium, and gold.

There are three major groups of nonmetallic gangue minerals in uraniferous veins silica minerals, carbonate minerals, and fluorite. Crystalline 

quartz occurs in nearly every known uranium-bearing vein. Chalcedony 

and jasper are common and opaline silica is prominent in a few. Nearly 

all the common carbonate minerals have been reported; dolomite, ankerite, 

and siderite are the most common. Dark fluorite is common, particularly in 

veins of simple mineralogy.

Primary uranium minerals occupy a variable position in the paragenetic 

sequence. In deposits of Precambrian age pitchblende is early in the sequence. In deposits of late Paleozoic and Mesozoic age its position is variable, and in deposits of late Mesozoic and early Tertiary age it is commonly 

late in the sequence.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 379

The distribution of pitchblende in a pattern of hypogene zoning has been 

suggested for relatively few deposits. In the Colorado Front Range pitchblende seems to be in a transitional zone between central areas of pyritic 

gold veins and peripheral areas of silver-lead-zinc veins. In the Cornwall 

deposits pitchblende apparently occurs in the copper-bearing zone. A similar relationship has been suggested for a few other districts characterized 

by complex base-metal mesothermal mineralization.

Field evidence suggests that uranium may be deposited in veins as an 

oxide at temperatures ranging from room temperature to several hundred 

degrees centigrade. In laboratory experiments pitchblende has been precipitated from solutions ranging from 25° to 233° C. Field evidence indicates that most uranium-bearing veins were formed at depths shallow 

enough and at pressures low enough to be deposited as open-space fillings. 

Replacement has occurred in only a few deposits, primarily in carbonaterich host rocks. Precipitation of primary uranium minerals may be caused 

solely by decrease in temperature and (or) pressure, or may be the result 

of chemical interaction with the wall rock. Chemical reaction with wall 

rock would seem to be the more important process in most hydrothermal 

deposits. The structural control of primary uranium mineralization is 

characterized by open-space fissure filling within straight parts of the veins. 

Tight segments, such as may be found along bends in the veins, are generally barren of ore.

The report includes a table listing the three major types of uranium 

veins. For each type, typical host rocks and metallic and gangue minerals 

are listed. Well-known deposits are listed as examples of each type of 

deposit.

102 MeKelvey, V. E., Everhart, D. L., and Garrels, R. M., 1956, Summary of hypotheses of genesis of uranium deposits: Internat. 

Conf. on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., 

v. 6, Geology of uranium and thorium p. 551-561; U. S. Geol. 

Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 41-53.

The distribution of uranium in igneous rocks and veins is explained by 

Larsen and Phair as a function of the size, valence, and abundance of the 

uranium ion and of equilibrium between oxidation and reduction. Because 

of the low concentration of uranium in basic magmas and the large size and 

tetravalence of the uranium ion, it neither precipitates as a separate mineral 

nor isomorphously substitutes in plagioclase and other rock-forming minerals. Hence, it concentrates in silicic magmas from which it may be deposited as a minor constituent of accessory minerals in which it can substitute isomorphously. More uranium is deposited as discrete minerals and 

less enters the accessory minerals as differentiation proceeds toward the 

highly hydrous pegmatite stage, probably because increase in the water 

content of the magma reduces the solubility of tetravelent uranium compounds. During very late magmatic stages the uranium is oxidized to the 

hexavalent state, which forms relatively soluble compounds in aqueous 

solutions and is carried off in hydrothermal solutions. Deposition of uranium 

in veins takes place when conditions once again become reducing, a conclusion in accord with the facts that the common vein mineral is pitchblende, the one richest in low-valent uranium, and that sulfides are a constant component of pitchblende veins. Excerpt from authors' abstract

Three important types of uraniferous veins have been recognized:
380 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

nickel-cobalt-native silver veins, such as those at Shinkolobwe, Belgian 

Congo, and Great Bear Lake, Canada; silica-iron-lead veins, such as those 

at Urgerica, Portugal, and Marysvale, Utah; and iron-titanium veins, such 

as those at Radium Hill, Australia.

Little is known directly about the composition of uranium-bearing hydrothermal solutions. Studies indicate, however, that uranium is transported 

as the uranyl ion in sulfate or carbonate aqueous solutions that may be 

either acid or alkaline. Liquid COa has also been suggested as the oretransporting solution. "Prom the mineral assemblages and some experimental evidence the silica-iron-lead veins that contain pitchblende are classed 

as epithermal; the other silica-iron-lead veins and the cobalt-nickel-silver 

veins are believed to be mesothermal; and some uraninite, brannerite, and 

davidite veins, which somewhat resemble pegmatite deposits, are regarded 

as hypothermal."

"Precipitation of primary uranium minerals in veins may be caused 

solely by a reduction in the amounts of sulfate or carbonate in solution by 

whatever cause, by a decrease in temperature or pressure or both, or by 

chemical interaction with the host rock. Most of the pitchblende vein deposits show a marked structural control, a tendency to be deposited along 

straight parts of fractures rather than along crooked parts. In a few 

deposits pitchblende is found impregnated in wall rock, but most deposits 

away from throughgoing structures are along related tensional fractures. 

Replacement deposits are rare except in carbonate or carbonaceous host 

rocks and in some high temperature deposits."

The report also discusses the occurrence and origin of uranium in sandstone, coal and associated carbonaceous shale, black shale, and marine 

phosphorites.

103 MacKevett, E. M., 1956, Kern River area, California, in Geologic 

investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for Dec. 1, 1955, to May 31, 1956: U. S. Geol. Survey 

TEI-620, p. 227-229, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

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

The uranium deposits in the Kern River area, California, consist chiefly 

of secondary uranium minerals localized discontinuously along regional fractures that cut the Isabella granodiorite. "The deposits are chiefly openspace fillings that coat fracture surfaces or form pods or veinlets. Minor 

disseminations of secondary minerals are found locally in gouge or altered 

wall rock." Most of the deposits are rich in autunite and contain minor 

flecks of an unidentified dark uranium (?) mineral, limonite, and opal. Finegrained bluish-black ore, consisting of sooty pitchblende, secondary molybdenum minerals, carbonaceous (?) matter, limonite, and minor fluorite forms 

the core of some autunite-rich deposits mostly in the Kergon shear zone. 

All the deposits are generally accompanied by argillic alteration and 

iron staining and are characterized by a scarcity of common gangue minerals.

All samples of the Isabella granodiorite that were analyzed chemically 

contain abnormal amounts of uranium associated with accessory xenotime 

and zircon. This may indicate that the uranium deposited in the fractures 

was leached from the Isabella granodiorite.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 381

104 Matthews, T. C., 1955, Oregon radioactive discoveries in 1954 and 

1955: Oregon Dept. Geology and Mineral Industries, Ore.-Bin, 

v. 17, no. 12, p. 87-92.

This reference consists of two tables containing information on the known 

deposits of radioactive materials in Oregon. In table 1 the deposits are 

listed by counties, and the location, uranium minerals, host rock and associated minerals, equivalent UsOs, chemical analysis for UsOs, fluorescence, 

and presence or absence of mercury are given for each deposit where the 

information is available.

Table 2 gives the results of qualitative spectrographie analyses of many 

samples from the deposits. The report includes a map of Oregon showing the 

location of reported radioactive occurrences. Several of the occurrences listed 

in table 1 are vein-type deposits.

105 Matthews, T. C., 1956, Radioactive occurrences in Oregon, 1956: 

Oregon Dept. Geology and Mineral Industries, Ore.-Bin, v. 18, 

no. 12, p. 105-107.

Information on discoveries of radioactive minerals in Oregon during 1956 

is presented in tabular form. The location, uranium minerals, host rock 

and associated minerals, equivalent USO8 , chemical analyses for USO8 , 

fluorescence, and presence or absence of mercury are given for each deposit 

where the information is available. Several of the deposits listed in the 

table are vein-type deposits. An index map shows the location of the deposits. Numbers on the map correspond to those listing the deposits in the 

table.

106 Miller, R. D., 1954, Copper-uranium deposit at the Ridenour mine, 

Hualapai Indian Reservation, Coconino County, Arizona, Part 

1: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2014, 18 p., issued by 

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

Tenn.

The Ridenour mine is in the northern part of the Hualapai Indian Reservation in sec. 6, T. 31 N., R. 8 W., about two miles southeast of the 

Colorado River. The mine is near the middle of the top sandy member of 

the Supai formation which is Permian in age. Total thickness of the Supai 

formation in this area is about 900 feet. The ore minerals occur in veins 

and brecciated zones which form a semicircular pattern in plan view. 

Carnotite mineralization forms an enclosing envelope around copper-bearing 

veins which contain major amounts of malachite, azurite, and chalcocite 

and minor amounts of chrysocolla, bornite, and chalcopyrite. Gangue minerals are chiefly pyrite and limonite. A grab sample of the carnotite zone 

in the hanging wall in one stope assayed 1.8 percent UsOs, and a select 

sample from a very thin veinlet in another stope assayed 2.5 percent U«Os. 

The dimensions of the uranium-vanadium bearing zone generally have not 

been exposed by the workings sufficiently to determine the production potential or uranium reserves of the property. Author's abstract

The report includes geologic maps and sections of the mine, a table summarizing the stratigraphy in the mine area, and a table showing the results 

of chemical analyses of samples from the mine.
382 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

107 Moen, W. S., 1954, Uranium mineralization at the Mooney claim, 

Silver Bow County, Montana: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

RME-2006, 15 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

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

Uranium is in a nearly vertical east-west-trending vein at the Mooney 

claim about 10 miles west of Butte, Mont. The vein is of the silicified reef 

type in altered granitic rock of the Boulder batholith. The vein contains white vein quartz, black and brownish cherty quartz, banded chalcedonic quartz, and lesser amounts of stibnite, galena, and pyrite. Abnormal radioactivity occurs in the black cherty quartz and in small 

irregular concentrations of meta-autunite. Meta-autunite occurs along 

fracture surfaces in the vein and in wall rock, and also is disseminated in 

the wall rock.

"No primary uranium mineral has been identified, but it is probable 

that the black cherty quartz, some of which assays 0.64 percent equivalent 

uranium, may contain finely disseminated pitchblende or uraninite.

"Chemical assays of samples taken from the point of highest radioactivity on the outcrop of the Mooney vein showed 0.09 percent uranium 

oxide across 1 foot of quartz and 0.32 percent from 6 inches of adjacent 

wall rock. A section of diamond-drill core from 55 feet beneath the above 

samples assayed to 0.61 percent uranium oxide across 1 foot of vein material, while a 3-inch section of the core assayed as high as 2.4 percent 

uranium oxide."

It is believed that uranium was leached at and near the surface.

A geologic map and cross section of the Mooney vein are included.

108 Moore, F. B., and Butler, C. R., 1952, Pitchblende deposits at the 

Wood and Calhoun mines, Central City mining district, Gilpin 

County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 186, 8 p.

Pitchblende has been mined in commercial quantities from 4 gold-and 

silver-bearing pyrite-sphalerite-galena veins that occur in an area about 

% mile square on the south side of Quartz Hill, Central City district, 

Gilpin County, Colo. These veins are the Kirk, the German-Belcher, the 

Wood, and the Calhoun.

Two of these veins, the Wood and the Calhoun, were studied in an attempt to determine the geologic factors favorable for pitchblende deposition.

The pitchblende-bearing veins cut both pre-Cambrian granite gneiss and 

quartz-biotite schist; however, the gneiss was the more favorable host rock. 

Two bostonite porphyry dikes of Tertiary (?) age were crosscut by the Wood 

and Calhoun veins.

The pitchblende occurs in lenses erratically distributed along the veins 

and in stringers extending outward from the veins. In the lenses it forms 

hard masses, but elsewhere it is soft and powdery. The pitchblende is 

contemporaneous with the pyrite but earlier than the sphalerite and galena 

in the same vein. All the observed pitchblende was at depths of less than 

400 feet. The veins probably cannot be mined profitably for the pitchblende alone under present conditions. Excerpts from authors' abstract

A geologic map of part of the Central City district and geologic maps 

and sections of the Wood and Calhoun mines are included. Tables showing 

assay data and production of uranium ore from the Wood mine are also 

included.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 383

109 Moore, F. B., and Cavender, W. S., 1952, Pitchblende deposit at the 

Caribou mine, Boulder County, Colorado [abs.]: Econ. Geology, 

v. 47, p. 775; Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 63, p. 1281.

Pitchblende occurs at the Caribou mine in a mesothermal carbonate vein 

that contains silver, lead, and zinc minerals. Unlike most of the large wellknown pitchblende deposits of the world, it does not contain nickel- and 

cobalt-bearing minerals. The deposit is believed to be unique in that the 

host rock is a Tertiary monzonite. The pitchblende is in a tension fracture 

(the Radium vein) of an interconnecting vein system, at vertical depths 

between 875 and 1075 feet. Two pitchblende ore shoots are known; the 

largest one has a vertical dimension of 200 feet and a horizontal dimension 

of 70 feet. Within the ore shoots, pitchblende forms a discontinuous seam 

as much as 6 inches thick along the side of sulfide veins. The sulfides 

and the pitchblende are not intergrown. There is no apparent difference in 

mineralogy, other than the presence of pitchblende, between the pitchblendebearing vein and the other veins in the system. The pitchblende is predominantly a soft, sooty variety, but the larger masses also contain a hard, 

botryoidal variety. The soft pitchblende is believed to have been deposited 

later and at a lower temperature than the hard pitchblende. Authors' 

abstract

110 Moore, G. W., and Levish, Murray, 1955, Uranium-bearing sandstone in the White River badlands, Pennington County, South 

Dakota: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 359, 7 p.

Carnotite occurs as efflorescent coatings on chalcedony veins in the Brule 

formation of Oligocene age at several localities about 3 miles southwest of 

Scenic, S. Dak. Chalcedony veins as much as 2 inches thick are common in 

the area and 1511 nearly vertical fractures cutting very fine grained sandstone and siltstone of the Brule formation. The veins rarely extend into 

the underlying bentonitic claystone of the Chadron formation. The source 

of the uranium and the silica (in the chalcedony) may have been volcanic 

ash in the Brule formation and the overlying rocks of Miocene age. Downward moving ground water may have leached the uranium and silica and 

deposited it in the rocks below.

111 Moore, R. B., and Kithil, K. L., 1913, A preliminary report on uranium, radium, and vanadium: U. S. Bur. Mines Bull. 70, p. 

43-47, 52-53.

Five mines in the Quartz Hill area, about 2 miles from Central City, Gilpin 

County, Colo., have produced uranium from pitchblende-bearing veins. 

These mines the Kirk, the German, the Belcher, the Wood, and the Calhoun 

 were originally worked for gold.

The Kirk mine is developed on a fissure vein 3 to 6 feet wide that trends 

east-west and dips 80° S. The vein cuts gneiss and mica schist and contains 

gold, silver, and copper in addition to pitchblende. The pitchblende ore 

shoot seems to pitch from east to west, and, except for one place, the 

ore was on the hanging wall. The richest ore was found between the 140- 

and 250-foot levels. The mine is reported to have produced about 20 tons of 

ore averaging 35 percent U8O8 and 100 tons averaging 3 to 4 percent 

UsOs. Most of this ore was produced in 1905-06. Production before that 

time could not be determined.
384 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

The German and Belcher mines are on a vein that dips steeply south 

and cuts gneiss, mica schist, intrusive andesite, and granite. In addition 

to pitchblende the vein contains gold and silver and sulfides of iron, copper, 

lead, and zinc. As at the Kirk mine, pitchblende and gold do not occur together. The pitchblende ore shoot plunges from west to east. The mines 

are reported to have produced about 8 tons of ore containing about 9.4 percent UsO8 in the 3 years before 1913.

The Wood and Calhoun mines have produced a small amount of pitchblende but in 1913 were worked only for gold. The Wood vein is 9 to 18 

inches wide, and contains lead, zinc, copper, silver, and gold in addition to 

pitchblende. In general, the mines are similar as regards the character 

of the veins and quality of pitchblende. A porphyry dike, which may be 

related to the deposition of the pitchblende, crops out just west of the mines; 

the workings of the Calhoun mine extend into the dike.

A well-defined fissure vein 1 to 4 feet wide has been found about 9 miles 

from Russel Siding, Huerfano County, Colo. The vein, which was originally 

worked for copper, yielded assays ranging from 2.6 to 7.35 percent vanadium and assays are reported to show as much as 1.75 percent USOS. 

"The ore is heavy, black, and banded and is probably gneiss impregnated 

with vanadium minerals."

112 Morehouse, G. E., 1951, Investigation of thucholite deposits near 

Placerville, Colorado: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RMO-910, 

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

Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Near Placerville, Colo., two somewhat unusual occurrences of uranium are 

found in an extensive fault zone which cuts the Dolores formation. The 

uranium mineral, which has been identified as uraninite, is intimately associated with asphaltic material. This combination of radioactive organic 

material has been considered to be thucholite.

At the Black King prospect, thucholite is found in the fault associated 

with primary sulphides of copper, lead, zinc, molybdenum, and antimony; 

it is also found in the adjacent hanging-wall beds which have been highly 

altered. At the White Spar prospect, 1% miles southeast, the mineral assemblage and occurrence are similar to those of the Black King, but the 

exposed wall rock is less altered. A radiometric survey along the fault zone 

between the two deposits failed to indicate the presence of additional uranium-bearing material. Although no uranium ore has been shipped from 

either property, material of commercial grade exists. Author's abstract

A generalized geologic map of the Placerville area and sketch maps of 

the Black King No. 5 and the White Spar prospects are included. Tables 

show the sedimentary formations near Placerville and the results of sample 

analyses from the two properties.

113 Nelson, H. E., and Hillier, R. L., 1954, Preliminary report on the uranium occurrence of the Silver Lady claim, Jaw Bone mining 

district, Cross Mountain quadrangle, Kern County, California: 

U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2012, 18 p., issued by U. S. 

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

Tenn.

High radioactivity and metatorbernite are associated with a shear zone at 

the Silver Lady claims about 20 miles north of Mojave, Calif., in the south-
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 385

eastern extremity of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The deposits are along 

the Silver Lady fault, a nearly vertical shear zone 50 feet wide and over 

2,000 feet long that cuts intrusive granites of Jurassic (?) age and volcanic 

rocks of Pliocene (?) age. The radioactivity and metatorbernite occur at 

intervals for 1,500 feet along the north side of the Silver Lady fault and 

in west-northwest-trending spurs splitting off from the north side of the 

fault. The metatorbernite is associated with molybdenite, ferrimolybdite, 

pyrite, manganese oxide, sericite, and smoky quartz, and occurs disseminated 

in the hydrothermally altered granite breccia of the oxidized shear zone. 

There seems to be a zonal arrangement of metals with uranium, molybdenum, iron, and manganese predominating successively from west to east 

along the fault. A channel sample 4% feet wide from the most radioactive 

fault breccia contains 0.071 percent USO8.

A topographic and geologic map of the Silver Lady claim area and a 

topographic map of the Cross Mountain quadrangle showing major faults 

are included.

114 Nininger, R. D., 1954, Minerals for atomic energy: New York, D. 

Van Nostrand Co., Inc., p. 43-58, 80-83,116-148.

Primary vein deposits of uranium although relatively few in number, 

have supplied most of the world's uranium to date. Most of this uranium 

came from the veins at Shinkolobwe in the Belgian Congo, at Joachimsthal 

in Czechoslovakia and adjacent areas in Saxony, and at Port Radium, 

Northwest Territories, Canada. These and other primary vein deposits of 

uranium in the following areas are briefly described: Beaverlodge area, 

Canada; Devon and Cornwall, England; Urgeirica mine and adjacent areas, 

Portugal; Massif Central, France; Radium Hill, South Australia; Tete 

district, Mozambique; Rum Jungle, Northern Territory, Australia; Marysvale district, Utah; Boulder area, Montana; and Front Range, Colo. In addition to primary vein deposits, deposits of secondary uranium minerals in 

fractures and fracture zones are briefly described. These deposits were 

formed in fractures in near-surface rocks by ground waters that have 

moved the uranium varying distances from its original, and often unknown, 

source. Some of these deposits may prove to be merely oxidation products 

in place of primary deposits. Deposits of this type that are described 

include those at Tyuya Muyun, U.S.S.R.; Kara-Tau, U.S.S.R.; Red Bluff 

deposit, Gila County, Ariz.; Silver Cliff mine, Wyoming; Bukhovo, Bulgaria; 

Cuneo-Turisia district, Italy; and Mount Painter, South Australia.

Major areas of the world which are described as being particularly favorable for primary vein deposits of uranium include shields, massifs, and 

principal mountain systems.

115 Norman, H. W., 1957, Uranium deposits of northeastern Washington: Mining Eng., v. 9, p. 662-666.

Vein-type uranium ore deposits in northeastern Washington occur in two 

distinct geologic environments: (a) in and near the contact of metamorphic rocks and granitic intrusives and (b) in sheared and faulted zones 

within granitic intrusives.

The deposits on the Spokane Indian Reservation are along mineralized 

contact zones. The Midnite mine, the best example of this type of deposit, 

is on the sheared contact of the Loon Lake granite of Late Cretaceous age 

and the Deer Trail argillite of probable Precanibrian age. The argillite is
386 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

altered to calc-silica hornfels and quartz-mica schist near the contact. The 

strike of the contact approximately parallels the strike of the bedding 

which averages N. 15° E. and dips from 55° to 65° E. The dip of the contact 

is irregular and ranges from horizontal to 70° E. Scattered concentrations 

of secondary uranium minerals are in individual bodies or pods along the 

sheared contact zone. Enriched zones occur where transverse gash fractures interesect the major shear zone. Although shears occur in both the 

metasedimentary and igneous rock, most of the uranium is in the metasedimentary rock. The uranium minerals in order of decreasing abundance are 

uranophane, autunite, and torbernite. Uraninite has been found in drill 

cores from the metasedimentary rock, but, as of 1957, mining operations 

were in the oxidized surface zone. The uranium minerals are associated 

with pyrite and with minerals tentatively identified as pyrrhotite and molybdenite. Calcite and quartz are the most abundant nonmetallic minerals. 

The uranium mineralization is not believed to be the direct result of contact metamorphism because no significant replacement of the host rock 

by uranium minerals is evident. Exploration drilling along the contact 

zone has indicated a large tonnage of ore reserves.

A deposit on a similar sheared contact is on the Lowley lease, 7 miles south 

of the Midnite mine. The zone of oxidation is shallow and virtually all 

production has been from ore containing uraninite and coffinite commonly 

associated with pyrite and pyrrhotite. Minor amounts of uranophane and 

autunite were near the surface but did not persist at depth.

The Mount Spokane uranium district occupies an area of about 100 square 

miles along the east margin of the Loon Lake granite batholith. Uranium 

deposits in the district are in faults and fractures. The Daybreak mine is 

the most extensively developed deposit and is on an east-west shear zone 

that dips 8 °to 10° N. and is intersected by a series of northwest gash fractures and by less well-developed northeast tension faults. Uranium minerals are throughout the shear zone and in many of the transverse fractures, 

but the largest and richest ore bodies are at the intersection of the main 

shear zone and the northwest fractures. The geologic characteristics of 

the Daybreak mine are typical of many nearby deposits. The Mount Spokane deposits are unique in that uranium occurs in only one mineral, metaautunite, which may be a primary mineral.

116 Olson, J. C., Shawe, D. R., Pray, L. C., and Sharp, W. N., 1954, 

Rare-earth mineral deposits of the Mountain Pass district, 

San Bernardino County, California: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. 

Paper 261, 75 p.

Small amounts of thorium and traces of uranium are in the rare-earth 

mineral deposits of the Mountain Pass district, San Bernardino County, 

Calif. These deposits are veinlike bodies of rare-earth-bearing carbonate 

rocks that cut metamorphic rocks of Precambrian age. The veins are 

spatially and genetically related to potash-rich igneous rocks of probable 

Precambrian age that intrude the metamorphic rocks. Most of the veins 

are less than 6 feet thick; however, one mass of carbonate rock is 700 feet 

in maximum width and 2,400 feet long. Carbonate minerals make up about 

60 percent of the veins and of the large carbonate body, and are chiefly 

calcite, dolomite, ankerite, and siderite. The other constituents are barite, 

bastnaesite, parisite, quartz, and variable small quantities of sulfides, oxides, 

silicates, phosphates, and fluorite and wulfenite. Radioactive minerals are
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 387

in mineralized shear zones containing abundant hematite and goethite and 

in the carbonate rocks. The principal source of radioactivity is thorium 

in thorite and monazite. The uranium content of the deposits is low; the 

highest sample contained only 0.02 percent uranium. The Th03 content is 

more than 2 percent in some samples. Radioactive age determinations 

on monazite from one of the carbonate bodies indicates a Precambrian age 

for the deposits.

117 Osterwald, F. W., 1956, Relation of tectonic elements in Precambrian 

rocks to uranium deposits in the Cordilleran foreland of the 

Western United States: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of 

Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium 

and thorium, p. 293-298; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, 

p. 329-335.

The Cordilleran foreland is a large area immediately east of the main 

folded and thrusted belts of the Middle Rocky Mountains. Within the 

foreland a series of simple folded mountains alternates with broad asymmetric basins. Most of the structures are caused by vertical movements of 

blocks in the Precambrian basement rocks that are expressed at the surface 

by flexures and high-angle normal and reverse faults.

Many of the tectonic elements of the region were active at various times 

during geologic history. The tectonic pattern of the region is related to 

structures in the Precambrian rocks which have influenced the later movements, and it is likely that the pattern is the result of a set of large structures which were established during the Precambrian.

Most uranium deposits in the Cordilleran foreland, irrespective of the 

type of deposit, are related to the tectonic pattern on both a small and a 

large scale. They are clustered where large northwestward-trending structures, such as major basins and mountain ranges, are intersected by later 

more subdued northeastward-trending structures; where large northwestward-trending structures are intersected at acute angles by in-echelon faults 

or folds; or near the axial parts of major basins. Structure-contour maps, 

showing the configuration of the Precambrian basement rocks, may be used 

to point out areas of structures favorable to the deposition of uranium, 

even though only flat-lying Tertiary sedimentary rocks crop out at the 

surface.

The observed relation is thought to be caused by one or more of the following: (1) Repeated deformation along old structures has influenced sedimentation, resulting in rock types favorable for concentration of uranium 

in restricted positions with respect to the various tectonic features; (2) intersections of major tectonic elements may be places in which the energy 

levels are changed, allowing small amounts of uranium to be released from 

rock minerals and to be concentrated in places of favorable lithologic character and structure; (3) margins of major tectonic elements may be places 

in which the energy levels are changed, allowing uranium to be released 

and concentrated in smaller, oblique folds and faults; (4) repeated deformation of old structures causes even relatively young Tertiary rocks to be 

slightly deformed and jointed, thereby providing a favorable structural 

environment for uranium deposition. The areas of high energy change also 

provided foci for volcanic activity during Tertiary time. Author's abstract

The report contains a map showing structural trends of the Cordilleran 

foreland and a structure-contour map of the top of Precambrian rocks in
388 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

the southern Powder River Basin, Wyo., showing localities of uranium or 

high radioactivity.

118 Page, L. R., 1956, Geologic prospecting for uranium and thorium: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 627-631; Internat. Conf. 

on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, 

Geology of uranium and thorium, p. 688-691.

The search for uranium and thorium in the United States has emphasized 

the value of geologic guides in prospecting. Prospecting for new districts is 

based on very general geologic criteria; prospecting for individual ore deposits in new or old districts requires specific guides that in part are of 

only local significance.

New districts of high-grade epigenetic deposits are sought in (1) broad 

areas in the vicinity of small potassic or sodic intrusives, exposed or buried, 

and associated pyroclastic materials, (2) areas of terrestrial sedimentary 

rocks in depositional and structural basins, and (3) areas of deeply eroded 

batholithic rocks. Such areas are commonly characterized by relatively 

recent crustal instability.

Structure is a primary guide to vein deposits because veins occur in 

faults, shear zones, and other tectonic features in otherwise impermeable 

rocks; secondary guides are zonal distribution of metals, mineral associations, alteration, and type of wall rocks.

Pitchblende or uraninite ore is closely associated with (I) dark-colored 

fluorite and quartz; (2) mixed lead, zinc, copper, and silver or cobalt, nickel, 

and silver minerals; (3) ferrous iron- and carbonate-rich parts of wall 

rocks; and (4) hematitic and argillic alteration with or without silicification. Scattered yellow and green oxidized minerals are guides to pitchblende 

and uraninite in depth. Molybdenite in radioactive veins commonly indicates 

the presence of brannerite. Excerpts from author's abstract

119 Pearce, Richard, 1895, Some notes on the occurrence of uraninite in 

Colorado: Colorado Sci. Soc. Proc., v. 5, p. 156-158; 1916, Mining and Sci. Press, v. 113, p. 44.

Pitchblende coated with a canary-yellow secondary uranium mineral was 

discovered on the dump of the Wood mine near Central City, Colo., by Richard Pearce in 1871. This is believed to be the first discovery of pitchblende 

in Colorado. The original shaft was sunk through the center of a vertical 

vein of pitchblende, and, consequently, most of the pitchblende was lost. The 

remaining pitchblende was extracted in 1871 and yielded 3 tons of ore containing about 60 percent pitchblende, which was. shipped to London and sold 

for about $7,500. The mine was reopened in 1894 and another lenticular 

deposit of pitchblende was found at greater depth.

120 Phair, George, 1952, Radioactive Tertiary porphyries in the Central 

City district, Colorado, and their bearing upon pitchblende deposition: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-247, 53 p., issued by U. S. 

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

Tenn.

In the Central City district of Colorado pitchblende occurs in veins as 

"fissure fillings in gneiss cf Precambrian age associated with early auriferous pyrite and chalcopyrite and is itself one of the earliest minerals to be 

deposited. Subsequently more or less sphalerite, galena, and late chal-
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 389

copyrite were introduced." Of the 17 mines in the district known to contain 

pitchblende, 16, including the 6 known commercial sources of pitchblende 

production, are within 500 feet of highly radioactive (0.008-0.010 percent 

equivalent uranium) bostonite porphyry dikes. The pitchblende deposits 

were formed shortly after the intrusion of these dikes, which are the third 

and youngest of a series of genetically related radioactive intrusives of 

Tertiary age. The two earlier rocks of this series include (1) slightly to 

moderately radioactive (eU<0.007 percent) monzonite stocks and dikes and 

(2) excessively radioactive (eU>0.014 percent) nonporphyritic quartz bostonite dikes. The quartz bostonite dikes contain as much as 25 times more 

equivalent uranium than the best available average for granitic rocks. Individual samples contain as much as 0.01 percent uranium and 0.05 percent 

thorium. Most of the uranium and at least part of the thorium in the quartz 

bostonites is believed to occur in cyrtolite or naegite, which have crystallized 

as primary constituents of the rock.

"The implication of the field and chemical evidence is that uranium-rich 

solutions given off by a cooling quartz bostonite mass at depth became 

further enriched by leaching uranium from the quartz bostonite channelways 

while enroute to higher levels. Zircon, the probable host for much of the 

uranium and part of the thorium in the rocks, separated in reduced amounts 

from the youngest quartz bostonite liquids a change which, in effect, tended 

to throw uranium into the residual liquid. Possible mechanisms by which 

uranium became concentrated with respect to thorium in the derived aqueous 

solutions are considered. In this connection the late magmatic introduction 

of fluorite and of ferric oxides may be of special significance."

The report contains a map showing the distribution of radio elements in 

Tertiary porphyry intrusives near Central City, Colo.

121 Phair, George, and Shimamoto, K. 0., 1951, Hydrothermal uranothorite in fluorite breccias from the Blue Jay mine, Jamestown, 

Boulder County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-144, 16 p., 

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

Oak Ridge, Tenn.; 1952, Am. Mineralogist, v. 37, p. 659-666.

Uranothorite was identified from samples of fluorite breccia ore from the 

Blue Jay mine, one of the larger fluorite producers in the Jamestown district, Boulder County, Colo. The Jamestown fluorite deposits are at the 

northern end of the Front Range mineral belt and probably are of epithermal 

or mesothermal origin. The uranothorite associated with the fluorite ores is 

clearly of hydrothermal origin in contrast to all thorites and uranothorites 

previously described in the literature, which, except for a single microscopic 

crystal or thorite (?) from the high-temperature tin veins at Llallagua, 

Bolivia, occur either as residual concentrates in places or in place in granitic 

rocks, especially pegmatites.

122 Pierson, C. T., Burbank, W. S., and Singewald, Q. D., 1952, Some 

uranium occurrences in the central and southwestern parts of 

tiie Colorado Mineral Belt [abs.]: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 

63, p. 1368.

Uranium minerals are associated with base- and precious-metal veins in 

the Alma, St. Kevin, and Lower Uncompahgre districts; and with pyritic 

veins and copper-lead-silver volcanic breccia pipe deposits in the Red Mountain district. They occur as coatings on fracture surfaces and as dissemina-
390 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

tions in country rocks in the Leadville, St. Kevin, and Upper Uncompahgre 

district.

Pitchblende has been found in the Alma, Leadville, Upper and Lower Uncompahgre, and Red Mountain districts. Torbernite and pitchblende (?) 

occur in the St. Kevin district.

In the Lower Uncompahgre district, a genetic relationship between the uranium deposits and the zoning of metalliferous deposits related to the eruptive 

center of the Lower Uncompahgre district is suggested by the occurrence of 

uranium close to the boundary between a pyrite-gold-base-metal core and an 

outer silver-lead-zinc zone. No clearly denned zonal relationships were noted 

in the other districts.

The pitchblende (?) in the veins of the Red Mountain district, and in the 

Alma, St. Kevin, Leadville, and Upper and Lower Uncompahgre districts 

was probably deposited by hypogene processes. In the St. Kevin district, 

torbernite and sooty pitchblende (?) are alteration products of primary pitchblende (?). Excerpt from authors' abstract

123 Pierson, C. T., and Singewald, Q. D., 1953, Results of reconnaissance 

for radioactive minerals in parts of the Alma district, Park 

County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 294, 9 p.

Pitchblende in the Alma district is associated with Tertiary veins of three 

different geologic environments: (1) veins in Precambrian rocks, (2) the 

London vein system in the footwall block of the London fault, and (3) veins 

in a mineralized area east of the Cooper Gulch fault. Pitchblende is probably not associated with silver-lead replacement deposits in dolomite.

Secondary uranium minerals, as yet undetermined, are associated with 

pitchblende on two London vein system mine dumps and occur in oxidized 

vein material from dumps of mines in the other environments. Excerpts 

from authors' abstract

The report contains a generalized geologic map of the Alma district showing areas tested for radioactivity, a geologic sketch map of part of the 

Orphan Boy mine, and a table listing the localities tested for radioactivity 

with a brief description of each.

124 Pierson, C. T., and Singewald, Q. D., 1954, Occurrences of uraniumbearing minerals in the St. Kevin district, Lake County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 321,17 p.

The St. Kevin district is on the east flank of the Sawatch range about 5 

miles northwest of Leadville, Lake County, Colo. The ore deposits are in 

composite veins along fissure zones. The district yielded principally silver 

and subordinate amounts of gold, zinc, and lead. Turquoise occurs in a 

few prospects.

"Uranium minerals in the St. Kevin district and vicinity are found in 

metalliferous veins of Tertiary age and as disseminations and fracture coatings in Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks that were hydrothermally altered in advance of vein formation.

"Anomalously radioactive vein material was found in the St. Kevin district at 11 mine dumps * * * and, also, at several places within the few 

underground workings now accessible * * *. The radioactive vein material 

consists of gouge and intensely sericitized and silicified granite transected 

by veinlets of vuggy quartz containing minor amounts of sulfide minerals. 

Samples of the vein material contain as much as 0.013 percent uranium,
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 391

but the radioactive mineral, which probably is secondary, has not been 

identified.

Although no primary uranium minerals have been found, it is probable 

that the uranium minerals in the vein material * * * formed as a result of 

supergene alteration of primary pitchblende."

The report contains a generalized geologic map of the Sugar Loaf and St. 

Kevin district, showing vein pattern; maps of selected localities; maps showing localities tested for radioactivity; and a table listing the radioactivity 

anomalies with a brief description of each.

125 Powers, J. F., 1954, Nevada-Utah district, in Geologic investigations 

of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, June 1 to 

Nov. 30, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-490, p. 231-232, issued 

by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

Uranium ore was shipped from the Moonlight mine in northern Humboldt County, Nev., where uranium minerals occur along an eastward-dipping fault that displaces volcanic rocks of Tertiary age.

Uranium deposits occur in breccia pipes in the Kaibab limestone of 

Permian age along the Hurricane fault in southern Iron County and Washington County, Utah. "The pipes are at the intersection of a smaller set 

of faults with the main Hurricane fault. Sampling indicates that in four 

places along the fault there is a fair amount of ore-grade material. Twentyeight tons of ore recently were shipped from one of the properties."

126 Quigley, J. E., 1950, Primary uranium ore now being mined in Utah: 

Eng. Mining Jour., v. 151, no. 8, p. 90-93.

About 150 tons of uranium ore is being produced per day from 3 mines in 

the newly discovered uranium district 4 miles northeast of Marysvale, 

Utah. The deposits are in the old Durkee mining district which has produced 

gold, silver, iron, and alunite. The uranium ores consist primarily of autunite. Pitchblende has been produced from the lower level of the Prospector 

mine.

The rocks exposed in the area are of Tertiary age and consist of an older 

series of volcanic rocks intruded by a coarse-grained monzonite and a finer 

grained monzonite which grades into granitic phases. These rocks are unconformably overlain by siliceous rhyolite. The uranium ore being mined 

occurs in veins cutting the coarse grained monzonite. Autunite is in the 

older volcanic rocks, the younger rhyolite, and in the fine-grained monzonite 

intrusives.

The ore is in fracture zones extending outward from the contact of the 

rhyolite and the coarse-grained monzonite or in fracture zones parallel to 

the contact. The fractures are iron stained and contain, in addition to 

autunite, lesser amounts of other secondary uranium minerals including 

torbernite, schroeckingerite, and uranophane. The veins also contain fluorite 

and quartz. The wallrock of the veins containing secondary uranium minerals has been altered to iron-stained clay minerals. The black sooty pitchblende found at a vertical depth of 70 feet in the Prospector mine occurs 

with fresh pyrite and small amounts of autunite. The wallrock shows very 

little alteration. The author suggests the alteration which accompanies 

the overlying secondary uranium ores is the result of the action of sulfuric 

acid produced by the weathering of pyrite in the near surface parts of the 

veins.
392 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

The report contains brief descriptions of the Farmer John, and Prospector 

mines, and the Freedom and Buddy claims. The history of the discovery and 

development of the uranium deposits is briefly reviewed.

127 Raup, R. B., 1953, Southwest district, in Geologic investigations of 

radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, June 1 to Nov. 

30, 1953: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-390, p. 209-212, issued by 

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

Tenn.

Uranium minerals occur along fractures and are disseminated in the Dripping Spring quartzite of Precambrian age in two areas north of Globe, Ariz. 

A significant amount of uranium ore has been produced from one of the 

areas.

A narrow torbernite(?)-bearing zone extends 30 feet along the footwall 

of a gold quartz vein in granite in the Weaver Mountains, Yavapai County, 

Ariz. The uranium content is inferred to be 0.05 percent or less.

Exploration for copper in the Tyrone district, Grant County, N. Mex., revealed abnormal radioactivity in several holes drilled in granite and quartz 

monzonite. At the surface, abnormal radioactivity was detected in fracture zones and in remnants of discarded drill sludge. The uranium content 

of the deposits is below ore grade and no uranium minerals were identified.

128 Raup, R. B., 1954, Southwest district, in Geologic investigations of 

radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, Dec. 1, 1953, 

to May 31, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-440, p. 180-182, 

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

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Flecks of uranophane or autunite occur in a narrow carbonate vein at 

Fluorine Hill, 2% miles east of Pearce, Cochise County, Ariz. The vein contains a small amount of dark-purple fluorite and is enclosed in a host rock 

of rhyolite porphyry. A grab sample of vein material contained 0.11 percent uranium.

Samples of vein material from dumps of the Abe Lincoln mine in the 

Black Rock district, Yavapai County, Ariz., contain a secondary uranium 

mineral identified as schoepite. Pitchblende also may be present. The uranium content of the samples ranged from 0.074 to 0.46 percent. Samples of 

radioactive material in place could not be obtained as most of the mine 

workings are inaccessible. The Abe Lincoln vein system occupies a northeast-trending fault zone in a gneiss-schist complex of Precambrian (?) age. 

Ore minerals are copper sulfides and carbonates in a gangue of pyrite, 

quartz, calcite, fluorite, and limonite.

129 Reyner, M. L., 1950, Reconnaissance of Basin-Boulder-Clancey area, 

Jefferson County, Montana: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

RMO-674, 13 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. 

Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

This report summarizes the geology and radioactivity of 15 of the more 

radioactive deposits of a total of about 30 quartz-sulfide vein deposits examined in the Boulder batholith, Montana. Secondary uranium minerals 

are reported from some deposits, and samples of ore grade (0.1 percent 

UsOa) or better have been reported from the Comstock claims and the Josephine and Lone Eagle mines.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 393

An index map showing mines and prospects examined for radioactivity 

is included.

130 Rickard, Forbes, 1913, Pitchblende from Quartz Hill, Gilpin County, 

Colorado: Mining and Sci. Press [San Francisco, Calif.], v. 

106, no. 23, p. 851-856.

Several mines near the west end of Quartz Hill, 1% miles west of Central 

City, Colo., have produced small quantities of high-grade pitchblende. This 

report describes the pitchblende deposits at the German and Belcher mines, 

which are connected and worked as one mine. The country rock of the 

district consists of gneisses and schists of Precambrian age that are intruded by granite dikes and porphyrytic andesite dikes. The pitchblendebearing veins of the district are without exception associated with finegrained aplitic granite dikes. The veins trend northeast and contain ores 

of two types. One is characterized by pitchblende, accessory pyrite, and 

sphalerite and galena in subordinate quantities. The other type of ore consists of pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and galena, and gold and silver in 

varying amounts.

The pitchblende vein at the German and Belcher mines is associated with 

a granite dike 5 to 9 feet wide. The vein ranges from 4 to 20 inches in 

width, and at places occupies a position in the center of the dike. Pitchblende 

streaks or lenses in the vein are seldom more than 3 to 4 inches wide. The 

grade of ore ranges from 2% to 4 percent U808. Gangue minerals of the 

pitchblende vein are of pegmatitic character. Quartz which is abundant in 

the gold-silver vein is not seen in association with pitchblende. The goldsilver vein was formed after the pitchblende vein, and, for the most part, 

follows the trend and occupies the footwall side of the preexisting pitchblende vein. The author suggests that the pitchblende may have crystallized 

directly from magma.

131 Ridland, G. C., 1950, Radioactivity at the Caribou silver mine, Boulder County, Colorado: Mining Eng., v. 187, no. 1, p. 98-101; 

Am. Inst. Mining Metall. Engineers Trans., v. 187.

Exploration for radioactive deposits conducted in 1945 in the Colorado 

Front Range resulted in the discovery of pitchblende in the historic silver 

deposits of Caribou Hill, 35 miles northwest of Denver. The silver veins at 

Caribou Hill occupy shear zones that cut a quartz monzonite stock of probable Tertiary age. The stock is on the axis of a major anticline in biotite 

schist of the Idaho Springs formation of Precambrian age.

Pitchblende was found on the dump of the old Caribou mine. Subsequent examination of the accessible workings revealed a pitchblende-bearing 

vein on the 1,040-level of the mine. The pitchblende is in a silver ore body 

in a siliceous-carbonate gangue. The ore body is in a northeast-trending 

fracture, and branches off to the east along a subsidiary east-west fracture. 

The pitchblende is in a continuous black seam 1 to 16 inches wide, which 

extends from a point 45 feet southwest of the junction of the 2 fractures to 

a point 110 feet east of the junction. The seam is on the footwall of the ore 

body, along the northeast-trending fracture, and is in the center of the 

east-west trending fracture.

The black seam is composed of veinlets of black vitreous colloform pitchblende associated with galena, sphalerite, ruby silver, colloform pyrite,
394 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OP URANIUM GEOLOGY

proustite, and chalcopyrite. These minerals are in a gray colloform groundmass believed to be an intimate mixture of pitchblende and proustite.

132 Roberts, W. A., and Gude, A. J., 3d, 1953, Geology of the area adjacent to the Free Enterprise mine, Jefferson County, Montana: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 988-G, p. 143-155.

This report describes the geology of the Free Enterprise mine, 2 miles 

west of Boulder, Mont., and of an adjacent area of about 2 square miles 

extending northeastward from the mine.

The uranium minerals are in an epithermal silver-bearing cryptocrystalline silica vein in quartz monzonite and alaskite of the Boulder batholith. 

The Free Enterprise vein is one of many silicified reeflike veins in this 

area, most of which trend about N. 60° E. and dip steeply to the northwest. 

Many of the veins are slightly to moderately radioactive, but the Free 

Enterprise vein is the only one known to contain uranium minerals. The 

veins commonly are in groups within lenticular silicified zones that range in 

width from a few inches to several tens of feet and are composed of stringers and veins of silica arranged in a subparallel to an echelon pattern. 

Many of the zones "are brecciated, and gouge or microbreccia is found at the 

margins or within some of them." Where quartz monzonite is the wallrock, the veins are bordered by an altered zone, but no alteration is present 

where alaskite is the wall rock. The quartz monzonite seems to be a more 

favorable host rock for the veins and associated uranium minerals than is 

alaskite.

"At the Free Enterprise mine small amounts of pyrite, galena, ruby silver, argentite, native silver, molybdenite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, and 

barite have been found in the vein. The uranium minerals present are 

uraninite, gummite-type hydrous oxides, autunite, metatorbernite, and some 

zeunerite and uranophane and an unidentified dark brown primary uranium 

mineral resembling samarskite. The primary [uranium] minerals occur as 

pods in the vein, and the secondary [uranium] minerals occur as fracture linings and as scattered crystals in and adjacent to the vein. Leaching 

by downward percolating waters has removed most of the uranium from 

the near-surface part of the vein and probably has slightly enriched parts of 

it and the adjacent wall rock from the bottom of the leached zone to the 

ground water level. The nature of the Free Enterprise deposit, the abundance 

of silicified veins, and the weak to moderate surficial radioactivity of some 

of these veins suggest that many small deposits of uranium and silver 

minerals may occur in this area in significant concentrations at relatively 

shallow depth. Cost of exploring and mining, however, might be prohibitive,"

133 Roberts, W. A., and Gude, A. J., 3d, 1953, Uranium-bearing deposits west of Clancey, Jefferson County, Montana: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Bull. 988-F, p. 123-141.

The geology of the Clancey district, Jefferson County, Mont., and nine 

uranium deposits in an area west of Clancey are discussed. These deposits 

include the following claims: W. Wilson, Harry S., A. Lincoln, G. Washington, Forty-niner, and other unnamed prospects.

Most of the mineral production in the district has come from vein and 

placer deposits of silver, gold, lead, and copper; none of these is abnormally radioactive. Uranium occurs only in and adjacent to silicified 

breccia fracture zones in quartz monzonite and related rocks of the Boulder
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 395

batholith. The uranium minerals are in short discontinuous silica stringers, 

along fractures, and in pore spaces in the adjacent wallrocks of either 

altered quartz monzonite or alaskite. The uranium minerals seem to be 

concentrated in pockets along the silicified zones. These pockets range from 

6 inches to 18 feet in their greatest dimension and contain as much as 3 

percent uranium. Dark-gray cryptocrystalline silica in some of the deposits 

is radioactive, probably due to sparsely disseminated pitchblende.

One or more secondary uranium minerals including torbernite-zeunerite, 

autunite or uranocircite, rutherfordine, voglite, and uranophane were found 

at each of the properties examined. These minerals occur as fracture linings and in pore spaces in and adjacent to the silicified zones. At the W. 

Wilson deposit they enclose and seem to replace pitchblende.

A geologic map of the area west of Clancey and geologic maps of several 

of the deposits are included.

134 Robinson, R. F., 1950, Discussion Uraninite in the Coeur d'Alene 

District, Idaho: Econ. Geology, v. 45, p. 818-819.

The author comments on several statements made by Thurlow and Wright 

in their paper on "Uraninite in the Coeur d'Alene district, Idaho," [annotation 173].

According to Thurlow and Wright, the uraninite-bearing veins appear to 

intersect the Sunshine vein system. Robinson points out the reverse interpretation is most likely correct and states that "uraninite-bearing zones * * * 

are definitely observed to be intersected by later major siderite-tetrahedrite veins. These veins contain no more than a trace of radioactivity * * *. This indicates to us that much of the uraninite is an early phase 

of the Sunshine mineralization epoch." Robinson also points out that the 

uraninite occurs with an early generation of pyrite, not recognized by 

Thurlow and Wright, and suggests that many of the other sulfides and 

oxides are of multiple generations and that present research will bring out 

a much more complex paragenesis than that set forth by Thurlow and 

Wright.

135 Schafer, Max, 1955, Preliminary report on the Lakeview uranium occurrences, Lake County, Oregon: Oregon Dept Geology and 

Mineral Industries, Ore.-Bin, v. 17, no. 12, p. 93-94.

The first uranium ore produced in Oregon was shipped in 1955 from the 

White King and Lucky Lass mines, both about 14 miles northwest of Lakeview. The region is underlain by a thick sequence of volcanic and tuffaceous 

rock of Tertiary age. The White King deposit is in an area of numerous 

faults; it is believed that some of these faults were the main control for 

mineralization. At the White King mine, secondary uranium minerals, 

chiefly of the novacekite-saleeite group, coat fractures in opalized tuff and 

are disseminated through the overlying unconsolidated clayey tuff. Cinnabar, 

pyrite, stibnite, orpiment, and realgar are associated with the uranium 

minerals. The deposit probably was formed at relatively low temperature 

and pressure.

The Lucky Lass deposit is in volcanic rocks stratigraphically above the 

mineralized tuffs of the White King mine. The deposit is cut by many 

steeply dipping faults resulting in blocks of ore having sharp boundaries 

with unmineralized rock. The uranium minerals are similar to those at the
396 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

White King deposit and occur as fracture coatings, vesicle fillings, and 

disseminations in clayey gouge. The only associated metal determined was 

a trace of mercury.

136 Schafer, Max, 1956, Uranium prospecting in Oregon, 1956: Oregon 

Dept. Geology and Mineral Industries, Ore.-Bin, v. 18, no. 12, 

p. 101-104.

Uranium ore is in tuffaceous agglomerate or breccia of Tertiary age at 

the White King property in Lake County, Oreg. The ore solutions may have 

been hydrothermal and may have been channeled by the many small vertical 

faults in the area. The richer ore is in layers of porous tuff overlain by 

nonporous clayey tuff which acted as a caprock to contain the solutions. 

The sulfide minerals associated with the uranium mineralization are typical 

of a hydrothermal deposit of low-temperature and low-pressure origin.

In the Pike Creek area in Harney County, uranium occurs in the Pike 

Creek volcanic series of Pliocene age. The deposit is along the contact of a 

rhyolitic intrusive breccia and a bedded acid tuff. Autunite(?) occurs along 

bedding and joint surfaces in the tuff and at the contact.

In the Bear Creek area near Bend, Crook County, uranium occurs along 

a small shear zone in silicified and porous tuff of the Clarno formation of 

Eocene age. Two narrow, vertical zones contain secondary uranium minerals and high radioactivity extends for several feet on each side of the 

visible mineralization. Samples from the deposit contain traces of mercury 

in addition to the uranium.

137 Schnabel, R. ~W., 1955, compiler, The uranium deposits of the United 

States: U. S. Geol. Survey Mineral Inv. Resource Map MR-2 

(with text).

This map shows the location of important uranium deposits in the United 

States and distinguishes deposits in veins, igneous rocks, pegmatites, 

clastic terrestrial sedimentary rocks, limestone, coal, shale, phosphorite, 

and placers. The geology of each type is briefly summarized in the text. 

The deposits are listed by name and are further distinguished as (a) deposits 

actively or formerly mined for uranium or potentially minable under June 

1955 market conditions, (b) deposits too low in grade to be mined for 

uranium alone, or (c) deposits of possible importance but unevaluated because of insufficient data.

138 Sharp, B. J., 1955, Uranium occurrence at the Moonlight mine, 

Humboldt County, Nevada: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME2032 (pt. 1), 15 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. 

Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Moonlight mine is in the Kings River Valley, Humboldt County, Nev., 

about 15 miles south of the Oregon border. Uranium minerals are along 

a normal fault that dips 60° E. At the surface the fault displaces volcanic 

rocks of probable Miocene age. Granodiorite of probable Jurassic age crops 

out north of the mine and is also exposed in the lower workings.

About 170 feet below the collar of the shaft granodiorite is in fault contact 

with the rhyolite and is on the footwall of the fault. The uranium minerals, 

including autunite, torbernite, meta-autunite, metatorbernite, and possibly 

gummite and uraninite, are disseminated in gouge and broken material in the 

fault and in small tension and shear fractures in the wall rock. Gangue
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 397

minerals include iron oxides (in the oxidized zone), pyrite, smoky quartz, 

fluorite, and clay minerals. The deposit has yielded several carloads of 

uranium ore of marginal grade. Anomalous radioactivity was detected 

north of the mine along the Moonlight fault for a distance of about 2 miles. 

However, no anomalous radioactivity has been detected along other faults 

parallel to the Moonlight fault.

139 Sharp, B. J., 1956, Preliminary report on a uranium occurrence and 

regional geology in the Cherry Creek area, Gila County, Arizona: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2036 (revised), 16 p., 

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

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Black Brush uranium claims in the Cherry Creek area, Gila County, 

Ariz., are approximately 36 miles north of Globe, Ariz. The area is underlain by essentiality flat-lying sedimentary rocks of the Precambrian Apache 

group which have been block faulted and intruded by diabase of possible 

Tertiary age. Uranium occurs in the upper member of the Dripping Spring 

quartzite and is associated with sets of fractures (joints) which trend N. 

20° E. and N. 70° W. The mineralized zone is one to one-and-a-half feet 

thick and extends an unknown (probably several feet) distance away from 

the fractures.

The mineral assemblage at the Black Brush workings is similar to other 

deposits in the Dripping Spring quartzite. Uraninite is the main uraniumbearing mineral at the property and it occurs in paper-thin lenses and local 

disseminations in the quartzite. Secondary uranium minerals are not abundant, but torbernite * * * has been recognized and bassetite * * * tentatively identified. Gangue minerals include pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, 

bornite, marcasite, and galena which occur along fractures and as local 

disseminations.

Selected samples have assayed as high as 1.75 percent U308 and several 

mining width samples assayed above 0.20 percent. One sample from the 

ore pile indicated that it contains several hundred tons of ore-grade material. 

Excerpts from author's abstract and text

140 Sharp, B. J., 1956, Uranium deposits in volcanic rocks of the Basin 

and Range province: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of Atomic 

Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium and 

thorium, p. 252-256; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 

79-83.

Volcanic rocks have been generally considered unfavorable hosts for uranium ore deposits. The discovery of uranium minerals in rhyolite at Marysvale, Utah, was the first of several in the Basin and Range province. In addition to the Marysvale occurrence, uranium has been found in veins in 

rhyolite breccia in the Kings River area, Humboldt County, Nev. Other 

localities in this region that are known to contain uranium minerals in 

volcanic rocks include areas in Lassen and Kern Counties, Calif., and in 

Esmeralda, Lincoln, and Washoe Counties, Nev.

Vein-type uraninite deposits in granitic rocks in the Marysvale district 

are closely associated with volcanic rocks. Uranium minerals occur in red 

rhyolite agglomerate and in felsitic to glassy dikes. Uraninite has been 

identified in the rhyolite agglomerate in close association with fluorite.
398 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Other uranium minerals identified are autunite, meta-autunite, torbernite, 

and uranophane.

In the Kings River area, uranium occurs along a northward-trending 

fault which displaces Miocene volcanic rocks. The volcanic sequence was 

extruded upon an old erosion surface of granodiorite of Jurassic (?) age 

which crops out north of the ore deposit and is also exposed in mine workings. Uranium minerals include autunite, torbernite, and possibly gummite and uraninite. Gangue minerals are pyrite, quartz, fluorite, and clays. 

The structure is mineralized throughout its exposed depth of 270 feet. 

Excerpts from author's abstract

Other deposits in volcanic rocks in the Basin and Range province are 

briefly described and include those in the Antelope Range, Nev., and California; the Atlanta and Coaldale areas, Nevada; Beaver, Utah; and Rosamond, 

Calif. These deposits seem to be localized by small fractures, faults, and 

shear zones in volcanic rocks varying from rhyolitic tuff and agglomerate 

to dacite. Most of the deposits contain only secondary uranium minerals. 

Uraninite was tentatively identified from the Atlanta district, Nevada.

The report contains a geologic map and cross sections of underground 

workings in the rhyolite agglomerate in the Marysvale area, Utah, and a 

geologic map of the Kings River area, Nevada.

141 Sharp, B. J., and Hetland, D. L., 1954, Preliminary report on uranium occurrence in the Austin area, Lander County, Nevada: U. S. 

Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2010, 16 p., issued by U. S. Atomic 

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

Uranium was discovered in 1953 in mineralized fracture zones in the 

southern part of the Reese River silver mining district, Lander County, Nev. 

The deposits are 3 miles south of Austin in and near the southern margin of a body of quartz monzonite of Jurassic (?) age that intrudes metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, dominantly quartzites and phyllites, of Cambrian (?) and Silurian (?) age. Metatorbernite and autunite (?) associated 

with quartz, pyrite, limonite, and hematite occur in east-west-, westnorthwest-, and northeast-trending fracture zones that cut the intrusive 

quartz monzonite and the metamorphosed sedimentary rocks. The mineralized fracture zones contain silica and fine-grained dike material and 

form reeflike ridges where they cut the intrusive rocks. They do not form 

reefs where they cut the metamorphosed sedimentary rocks. The mineralized 

fractures are generally more radioactive in the metamorphosed sedimentary 

rocks than in the intrusive quartz monzonite. Silver mines in the central 

and northern parts of the Reese River district were developed along veins 

similar to those in which uranium occurs; however, no abnormal radioactivity was detected on the dumps of the silver mines examined. The 

authors suggest that the metals in the district may be zoned outward from 

the central Austin area.

Development work has been done at the Early Day and Eldorado claims.

The report includes a table showing the results of radiometric and chemical assays on samples from the Early Day and Eldorado claims and a 

geologic map of the area south of Austin.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 399

142 Sharp, B. J., and Myerson, B. L., 1956, Preliminary report on a 

uranium occurrence in the Atlanta area, Lincoln County, Nevada: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2048 (revised), 18 p., 

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

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Uranium occurs at the Blue Bird claims, in the Atlanta area, Lincoln 

County, Nev., about 35 miles north of Pioche. The country rock is limestone, 

quartzite, and dolomite of Ordovician age unconformably overlain by Tertiary volcanic rocks. The Ordovician rocks are moderately folded and are 

cut by bedding-plane faults and numerous block faults. The overlying 

Tertiary volcanic rocks are cut by some of the faults. Silicified breccia pipes 

occur in the Ely Springs dolomite, the youngest of the Ordovician rocks. 

The pipes are parallel to or along major fault systems and are believed to 

be of intrusive origin, though no igneous rock is present in the breccia. Some 

of the pipes are mineralized with gold, silver, and uranium minerals.

The uranium ore in the Blue Bird mine is in highly silicified pods within 

the brecca pipe. Uraninite, the major ore mineral, is in black cryptocrystalline silica that cements limestone and quartzite breccia. Fine-grained pyrite 

is abundant in the ore pods. Near the surface secondary uranium minerals line vugs and coat joints and small fractures. The ore averaged 

slightly more than 0.3 percent US08.

Anomalous radioactivity and uranium was detected in similar silicified 

breccia pipes and zones, including the Atlanta mine and several abandoned 

gold and silver workings.

Geologic maps and cross sections of the Atlanta area and the Blue 

Bird mine are included.

143 Sheridan, D. M., 1956, Ralston Buttes, Colorado, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for 

June 1 to Nov. 30, 1956: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-640, p. 125- 

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

Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The uranium deposits in the Ralston Buttes district, Jefferson County, 

Colo., are grouped in two main areas, the Golden Gate Canyon and the Ralston 

Creek. The uranium deposits are hydrothermal veins in metamorphosed 

crystalline rocks of Precambrian age and are located where major northwest-trending Laramide breccia reefs split into a complex network of 

faults and fractures. In the northwestern part of the district the breccia 

reefs are commonly cemented by quartz, fluorite, and hematite, and in the 

remainder of the district by ankerite and potash feldspar. The uranium 

deposits seem to be localized where the fracture zones cut metamorphic 

rocks rich in hornblende and biotite, or garnet and biotite. Pitchblende is the 

principal uranium mineral in the deposits and is associated with minor 

amounts of base-metal sulfides in a gangue of carbonate minerals, potash 

feldspar, and quartz. Secondary uranium minerals at the deposits are torbernite, metatorbernite, uranophane, autunite, uranopilite, and meta-autunite. 

Some veins contain as much as 0.14 percent vanadium oxide in an unknown 

mineral. Native bismuth has been recognized from one deposit and uraniferous asphaltite from another. Paragenetic studies indicate pitchblende preceded the deposition of sulfide minerals. Postmineralization movement is 

common in some of the deposits.
400 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

"The uranium deposits range in thickness from thin mineralized veinlets 

less than an inch thick to major ore shoots as much as 6 to 8 feet thick. 

Commonly the uraniferous material occurs in lenses or shoots that are discontinuous along strike. Individual ore bodies range in size from small pods 

or lenses containing 50 tons or less to large shoots containing over 1,000 

tons of ore."

A brief description is given of the Schwartzwalder mine, the largest mine 

in the Ralston Buttes district.

Geologic maps of the Ralston Buttes district and of the Schwartzwalder 

mine are included.

144 Shoemaker, E. M., 1956, Structural features of the central Colorado 

Plateau and their relation to uranium deposits: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 155-170.

Most uranium deposits in the central Colorado Plateau do not appear to 

be directly related to faults and joints, though the relation of some deposits 

to such structures has been subject to different interpretations. A few 

deposits "are known where the field evidence has been interpreted by nearly 

all observers as indicating a genetic relation between uranium deposits and 

faults."

The report briefly describes some vein deposits that are along faults and 

fractures, many of which are related to salt anticlines. The deposits contain 

secondary uranium minerals which in many deposits are associated with 

copper minerals. Deposits of the type outlined above include the Red Head 

claims, Utah; Rajah mine, Colorado; Hidden Treasure mine, Colorado; deposits north of the Ute Mountains, Colo.; deposits near Hanksville, 

Utah; and a deposit between the Henry and Abajo Mountains, Utah. Deposits in the collapse structure at Temple Mountain also are briefly 

described.

145 Sims, P. K., 1954, Colorado Front Range, in Geologic investigations 

of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, June 1 to 

Nov. 30, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-490, p. 135-137, issued 

by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

Although uranium is widespread in Tertiary vein deposits in the Central 

City-Georgetown area of the Colorado Front Range, known individual deposits are small. At least 10 mines were being explored for uranium in 

1954, and uranium was produced from the Carroll and Cherokee mines. The 

uranium within Tertiary veins in the area is nearly as widespread as other 

metals but not so abundant. Field studies largely substantitate the conclusion 

that the uranium was derived from the widespread radioactive bostonite 

intrusives of Tertiary age.

Uranium was discovered in 1954 on Silver Hill (sec. 7, T. 3 S., R. 72 W.) 

in the northeast part of the Central City district, in an area not known 

previously to contain uranium. Two veins are radioactive along a linear distance of 800 feet. The uranium occurs in secondary uranium minerals which 

in part replace altered schist wall rocks. The grade of the deposits is 

estimated to be between 0.1 and 0.2 percent uranium.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 401

146 Sims, P. K., 1956, Colorado Front Range, in Geologic investigations 

of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for Dec. 

1, 1955, to May 31, 1956: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-620, p. 217- 

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

Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

"Studies of the Tertiary intrusive rocks in the central part of the Front 

Range mineral belt, Colorado, show that these rocks probably consolidated 

from two magma series and that both uranium and thorium were concentrated during differentiation of each series. The maximum enrichment 

in the radioactive elements took place in the youngest members of the 

series. Uranium, which was deposited in faults as pitchblende, was given off 

by late-stage, aqueous fluids of quartz bostonite and possibly also biotitequartz latite magmas."

147 Sims, P. K., 1956, Paragenesis and structure of pitchblende-bearing 

veins Central City district, Gilpin County, Colorado: Econ. 

Geology, v. 51, p. 739-756.

Pitchblende occurs locally along early Tertiary gold-, silver-, and sulfidebearing quartz veins in the Central City district, Colorado, within the mineral 

belt of the Front Range. The veins cut a complex mass of Precambrian 

metamorphic and igneous rocks and early Tertiary intrusive porphyritic 

rocks.

The veins are fissure fillings that formed at intermediate temperatures 

and pressures. They consist mainly of pyrite, sphalerite, and galena in a 

quartz gangue, but also contain tennantite, chalcopyrite, enargite, and pitchblende. The veins differ in quantitative mineralogy, and they can be classified as pyrite-type and galena-sphalerite-type veins.

Vein filling took place during three stages of mineralization, from oldest to youngest: a uranium stage, a pyrite stage, and a base-metal stage. 

Major periods of fracturing and vein reopening took place between the 

vein-forming stages.

The pyrite and base-metal stages of mineralization were of broad areal 

extent and produced a concentric zonal arrangement of the ores in the 

district. In contrast, the uranium stage of mineralization was local in extent 

and resulted in scattered clusters of uranium deposits, which show no 

definite spatial relation to the district-wide zoning pattern.

Pitchblende is present in only a few veins. The ore bodies are localized 

in structurally controlled open spaces along faults. They occur locally 

along four of the six vein sets of the district, in the form of ore shoots or 

small lenses and pods that are separated by vein material essentially devoid 

of uranium. The shoots are small and measure at most a few tens of feet in 

height and length, and average less than a foot in width; few contain 

more than 50 tons of ore. Some of the shoots are systematically arranged 

within the veins but others are erratically distributed. Author's abstract

The report includes a map of the Central City district showing relation of 

significant uranium deposits to zoning of mineral deposits, a vertical longitudinal projection of the Carroll mine, a detailed geologic map showing 

details of pitchblende-bearing ore along part of the Carroll vein, and a 

sketch showing the character of pitchblende-bearing veinlets between footwall and hanging-wall seams in the Carroll mine.
402 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

148 Sims, P. K., 1956, Uranium deposits in the Front Range, Colorado: 

Mines Mag. [Colorado], v. 46, no. 3, p. 77-79.

Most of the known uranium deposits in the Front Range are in the northern part of the "Front Range mineral belt" near Central City and in the 

"Foothills belt" in Jefferson County. The deposits are vein fillings in faults 

that were formed during the Laramide orogeny.

At Central City uranium is in veins containing gold, silver, and basemetal sulfides. The principal uranium mineral is pitchblende, which is 

altered to torbernite or kasolite in the oxidized parts of some veins. Only a 

small percentage of the veins in the district contain uranium, and, where 

present, it is in discrete ore shoots, pods, and lenses. Most of the uranium 

ore is high grade, but individual shoots seldom contain more than 100 

tons of uranium ore.

The uranium deposits of the "Foothills belt" are in or near faults of the 

breccia-reef type that are largely filled with breccia fragments of country 

rock cemented by carbonate and hydrous iron oxide. The deposits are in 

areas of complex faulting where the faults change from a general northwesterly trend to a westerly trend. The major deposits of the "Foothills 

belt," those of the Ralston Creek area, are within a belt of hornblende garnet 

rocks which, when fractured, yielded the maximum amount of open space for 

filling by the uranium minerals. In Golden Gate canyon, 2 miles south of the 

Ralston Creek area, the deposition of uranium seems to have been controlled 

by the chemical character of the rocks rather than by their physical character. "The uranium in the deposits within the 'Foothills belt' is largely 

in pitchblende. A small quantity of uranium-bearing asphaltite was found 

at 2 localities. Base-metal sulfides, gold, and silver are sparse, and are not 

valuable constituents of the veins. Surface exposures commonly show 

some green secondary copper minerals and sparse green to yellow secondary uranium minerals. Individual ore shoots in the Ralston Creek area 

appear to contain several hundred tons of uranium ore."

149 Sims, P. K., Drake, A. A., and Moench, R. H., 1954, Preliminary 

geologic and vein maps of part of the Central city district, 

Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey 

open-file report, 8 p.

This reference consists of three maps. Figure 1 is an index map showing 

the location of the mapped area. Figure 2 is a geologic map of part of the 

Central City district, Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties, Colo. Figure 3 is a 

preliminary map of the same area showing veins and principal mines. The 

scale of the maps in figures 2 and 3 is 1 inch 500 feet. A table listing 

459 shafts and adits identified by number on figure 3 is included. The 

name of the mine or claim is given where known. The table also indicates 

at which properties pitchblende has been produced or observed underground, where it occurs on the dump, or where it has been reported but 

unconfirmed.

150 Sims, P. K., Osterwald, F. W., and Tooker, E. W., 1955, Uranium 

deposits in the Eureka Gulch area, Central City district, Gilpin 

County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1032-A, 31 p.

The Eureka Gulch area of the Central City district, Gilpin County, 

Colo., was mined for ores of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc, but there 

has been little mining activity in the area since World War I. Be-
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 403

tween 1951 and 1953 nine radioactive mine dumps were discovered in 

the area by the U. S. Geological Survey and by prospectors. The importance of the discoveries has not been determined as most of the mines 

are inaccessible, but the distribution, quantity, and grade of the radioactive 

materials found on the mine dumps indicate that the area is worthy of 

additional exploration as a possible source of uranium ore.

The uranium and other metals are in or adjacent to steeply dipping mesothermal veins of Laramide age that cut Precambrian metasedimentary 

rocks, granite gneiss, pegmatite, and Laramide intrusive rocks. Pitchblende 

is present in at least four veins, and metatorbernite, which is associated at 

places with kasolite, is found along two veins for a linear distance of about 

700 feet. The pitchblende- and metatorbernite-bearing ores appear to be 

mutually exclusive and seem to occur in different veins. Colloform grains 

of pitchblende were deposited in the veins essentially contemporaneously with 

pyrite. The pitchblende is earlier in the sequence of deposition than galena 

and sphalerite. The metatorbernite replaces altered biotite-quartz-plagioclase gneiss and altered amphibolite, and to a lesser extent forms coatings 

on fractures in these rocks adjacent to the veins; the kasolite fills vugs in 

highly altered vein material and in altered wall rocks. Much of the pitchblende found on the dumps has been partly leached and is out of equilibrium. 

Selected samples of metatorbernite-bearing rock from one mine dump contain as much as 6.11 percent uranium.

The pitchblende is a primary vein mineral deposited from uranium-bearing hydrothermal solutions. The metatorbernite probably formed by oxidation, solution, and transportation of uranium from primary pitchblende, 

but it may be a primary mineral deposited directly from fluids of different 

composition from those that deposited pitchblende. Authors' abstract

The report contains geologic maps of the Eureka Gulch area and the north 

slope of Nigger Hill and a geologic map and section of McKay shaft, R.H.D. 

claim.

151 Sims, P. K., and Phair, George, 1952, Geology of the Copper King 

mine area, Prairie Divide, Larimer County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. 

Survey TEI-311 (Pt. 1), 44 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy 

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

The Copper King mine, in Larimer County, Colo., in the northern part of 

the Front Range of Colorado, was operated for a short time prior to 

World War II for copper and zinc, but since 1949, when pitchblende was 

discovered on the mine dump, it has been worked for uranium.

The bedrock in the mine area consists predominantly of Precambrian (Silver Plume) granite with minor migmatite and metasediments biotite-quartzplagioclase gneiss, biotite schist, quartzite, amphibolite, amphibole skarn 

and biotite skfils. The metasediments occur as inclusions that trend northeast in the granite. This trend is essentially parallel to the prevailing foliation in the granite. At places the metasediments are crosscut sharply by 

the granite to form angular, partly discordant, steep-walled bodies in the 

granite. Faults, confined to a narrow zone that extends through the mine, 

cut both the Precambrian rocks and the contained sulfide deposits. The 

Copper King fault, a breccia zone, contains a deposit of pitchblende; the 

other faults are believed to be later than the ore.

The two types of mineral deposits massive sulfide and pitchblende deposits in the mine area, are of widely different mineralogy, age, and origin.
404 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

The massive sulfide deposits are small and consist of pyrite, sphalerite, 

chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and in places magnetite in amphibole skarn, mica 

sk61s, and quartzite. The deposit at the Copper King mine has yielded small 

quantities of high-grade sphalerite ore. The massive sulfides are pyrometasomatic deposits of Precambrian age.

The pitchblende at the Copper King mine is principally in the Copper King 

vein, a tight, hard breccia zone that cuts through both granite and the 

massive sulfide deposit. A small part of the pitchblende is in small fractures near the vein and in boxwork pyrite adjacent to the vein; the postore 

faults, close to their intersection with the Copper King vein, contain some 

radioactive material, but elsewhere, so far as is known, they are barren. 

The pitchblende in the deposit forms a steeply plunging ore shoot that has 

a horizontal length of more than 50 feet and a vertical height of about 85 

feet. The thickness of the ore shoot averages about 2 feet, but it ranges 

from a featheredge to about 4 feet. The hard pitchblende is intimately 

intergrown with siderite; other gangue minerals include pyrite, quartz, and 

finely comminuted fragments of the wall rocks. The vein was repeatedly 

reopened during mineral deposition as shown by several stages of brecciation and recementation by the vein matter. The pitchblende deposit 

probably formed at intermediate temperatures and depths and, according to 

the Pb/U ratio, is about 60 million years old an early Tertiary age. Aitthors' abstract

An outcrop map of the Copper King mine area and geologic maps and sections of the mine are included.

152 Sims, P. K., and Tooker, E. W., 1956, Pitchblende deposits in the 

Central City district and adjoining areas, Gilpin and Clear 

Creek Counties, Colorado: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of 

Atomic Energy, Geneva, 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium 

and thorium, p. 265-269; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, 

p. 105-111.

The Central City district and adjoining areas, in Gilpin and Clear Creek 

Counties, Colo., are in the mineral belt of the Colorado Front Range, an 

area of coextensive Laramide intrusions and mineral-producing districts. 

The Central City district is characterized by gold-, silver-, and sulfidebearing quartz veins. Small quantities of high-grade pitchblende ore have 

been shipped intermittently from the district since 1872, largely as a byproduct of gold mining. The total production exceeds 100,000 pounds of 

U808.

The country rock consists of a wide variety of folded and highly metamorphosed gneisses and granitic rocks of Precambrian age, which are intruded by many small dikes and stocks of porphyritic igneous rocks, principally monzonite and bostonite of early Tertiary age.

The vein deposits occur in faults of Laramide age that trend eastward, 

northeastward, and northwestward. They are largely fissure fillings that 

formed at intermediate temperatures and pressures. In the Central City 

district, a pattern of hypogene mineral zoning is well developed. A core 

area containing pyritic veins is surrounded by an area containing galenasphalerite veins; an intermediate zone contains veins of composite type 

composed of minerals characteristic of veins in both the core and fringe 

areas. Pitchblende, a local constituent of the ores, is associated with veins 

of all types, but it is most abundant in composite and galena-sphalerite veins.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 405

Pitchblende, characteristically showing colloform texture, was the first ore 

mineral to form; it was deposited contemporaneously with quartz and was 

followed closely by pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, tennantite, and galena. 

Carbonate minerals locally form a part of the gangue.

The pitchblende occurs in shoots, small pods, or lenses that are systematically arranged in. some veins and erratically distributed in others. The 

shoots are small, the largest being about 40 feet high, 20 feet long, and a 

maximum of a foot thick. Most of the ore is selectively mined and hand 

sorted, and the material shipped ranges from less than 1 percent to as much 

as 65 percent U80s.

The pitchblende was leached and altered by acid meteoric waters in the 

oxide portions of the veins. In veins of the galena-sphalerite type, however, where the supergene solutions were only slightly acid, some of the 

uranium was reprecipitated as torbernite and other secondary minerals in 

the lower part of the zone of oxidation. The torbernite was preferentially 

deposited in biotite-quartz-plagioclase gneiss and amphibolite wall rocks 

that had been altered largely to montmorillonite. Locally the torbernite 

replaced these rocks. Authors' abstract

153 Smith, L. E., and Baker, K. E., 1951, Uranium in Fall River area, 

Clear Creek County, Colorado: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

RMO-913, 12 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. 

Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Pitchblende occurs in veins at the Golconda and Almaden mines in the 

Fall River area 4 miles northwest of Idaho Springs, Clear Creek County, 

Colo. The predominant country rock in the area is quartz-biotite schist of 

the Idaho Springs formation of Preeambrian age. A stock of quartzmonzonite porphyry of Tertiary (?) age crops out northeast of the Golconda mine. Veins in the area are of three mineralogic types: quartz-pyrite, 

galena-sphalerite, and a, combination of the two. Pitchblende occurs in both 

the quartz-pyrite and the combination type.

At the Golconda mine uranium occurs in two veins which strike northwest 

and dip to the northeast. The Virginia vein contains only a minor amount 

of uranium. The No. 4 vein contains pitchblende, quartz, crushed schist 

and pyrite, some chalcopyrite and galena, and a small amount of carbonate 

gangue. The pitchblende is in black streaks 0.2 to 5 inches wide and is 

closely associated with fine-grained pyrite and crushed schist fragments. The 

vein contains 2 narrow pitchblende shoots 45 and 65 feet long, averaging 

10 inches in width and 0.183 percent in UaOs. Unidentified yellow and 

green secondary uranium minerals were noted on the walls of the tunnel.

At the Almaden mine pitchblende occurs in the nearly vertical east-westtrending Blazing Star vein. This vein has yielded small but high-grade 

shipments of gold, silver, and lead ore from narrow scattered lenses. The 

vein zone is barren except for small veinlets containing quartz, calcite, 

pyrite, galena, and some sphalerite and chalcopyrite. The pitchblende is in 

a small veinlet 1 inch wide and is associated with proustite and yellow and 

green secondary uranium minerals. A sample from the veinlet contained 

0.90 percent U3Os and a selected sample from the dump contained 2.4 

percent U308.

No other significant occurrences of radioactivity were noted in the Fall 

River area.

The report includes an index map of the Fall River district showing prop-
406 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

erties examined for radioactivity; a plan for the Golconda tunnel, and assay 

and geologic maps of the No. 4 vein, Golconda mine; and a vertical section 

through the Blazing Star vein, Almaden mine.

154 Smith, W. C., and Gianella, V. P., 1942, Tin deposit at Majuba Hill, 

Pershing County, Nevada: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 931-C, 

p. 39-55.

Tin and copper deposits occur at Majuba Hill, Pershing County, Nev., 

about 35 miles north of Lovelock. The country rock is an intrusive rhyolitic 

porphyry of Tertiary age nearly all of which has been silicified and 

sericitized. Torbernite is associated with secondary copper minerals and 

copper sulfides along the Majuba Hill fault. This fault displaces a small 

deposit of cassiterite which occurs as a replacement of altered rhyolite 

breccia. The copper minerals were deposited later than the tin as lenses in 

the fault about 300 feet from the tin deposit. The dominant minerals in each 

deposit are different and the two deposits "appear to be products either of 

two separate mineralizations or of two distinct phases of a protracted 

mineralization * * *."

Geologic maps and sections of Majuba Hill and the Majuba Hill mine are 

included.

155 Staatz, M. H., and Bauer, H. L., Jr., 1950, Preliminary examination 

of the uranium prospect at the Spider No. 1 claim, Honeycomb 

Hills, Juab County, Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey TEM-165, 7 p., 

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

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Spider No. 1 claim is in the Fish Springs mining district, 20 miles 

southeast of Callao, Juab County, Utah. Uranophane(?) and autunite(?) 

occur chiefly as coatings along steeply dipping minor fractures in tuff. In 

a few places the uranium minerals are disseminated unevenly through the 

tuff. Samples of the deposit taken by the U. S. Geological Survey range in 

grade from 0.009 to 0.053 percent equivalent uranium. Samples obtained by 

one of the claim holders are reported to range in grade from 0.02 to 0.19 

percent uranium.

156 Staatz, M. H., and Bauer, H. L., Jr., 1953, Uranium in the East 

Walker River area, Lyon County, Nevada: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Bull. 988-C, p. 29-43.

Uraniferous quartz veins and uraniferous deposits of other types occur in 

an area at least 6 miles long and 3 miles wide, along the East Walker River 

in Lyon County, Nev. Most of the deposits are on the west side of the river.

Six properties or areas were mapped, sampled, and tested radiomentrically. 

These properties are: the Far West Willys group, Northwest Willys group, 

West Willys group, Silver Pick property, Grant View hot spring, and the 

Boerlin ranch radioactive area.

The East Walker River area is underlain by coarse-grained porphyritic 

granite. Cutting the granite are numerous aplite dikes and a few perthitequartz pegmatites. Faults were seen in a few places.

Radioactive material was found in the East Walker River area in deposits 

of four types: (1) quartz veins carrying small amounts of copper, lead 

and silver minerals; (2) partly altered granite adjacent to quartz veins; 

(3) gouge zones; and (4) hot springs. The quartz vein deposits are the
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 407

most abundant. The uranium minerals pitchblende and kasolite occur in the 

quartz veins, in aggregates and streaks associated with copper and silver 

minerals, galena, and barite. In many quartz veins abnormal radioactivity 

is absent or only locally present, Samples collected from quartz veins contain from 0.001 to 0.14 percent uranium; only 5 of 46 samples contain more 

than 0.025 percent uranium.

Partly altered granite adjacent to the quartz veins in the West Willys No. 

7 property contains scattered torbernite, but the highest uranium content 

in deposits of this type is 0.006 percent.

The third type of deposit is represented on the Silver Pick property, 

where a gouge zone of differing thickness contains scattered flakes of 

torbernite. Five samples from this deposit contain from 0.005 to 0.013 percent uranium.

The uraniferous material found to date in the area is of too low grade 

and small size to be of value at present. Excerpt from authors' abstract

Geologic maps and sections of the areas examined are included.

157 Staatz, M. H., and Osterwald, F. W., 1956, Uranium in the fluorspar 

deposits of the Thomas Range, Utah: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology 

of uranium and thorium p. 275-278; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. 

Paper 300, p. 131-136.

Uranium-bearing fluorspar deposits on Spors Mountain in the western 

part of the Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, constitute the largest known 

reserve of uraniferous fluorspar in the United States.

Spors Mountain is made up largely of a thick sequence of conformable 

Ordovician to Devonian sedimentary rocks, most of which are limestone and 

dolomite; the fluorspar deposits are in dolomite of Middle Silurian age. Many 

small volcanic plugs and dikes intrude the sedimentary rocks. The rocks of 

the district are cut by close-spaced and complex faults.

The uraniferous fluorspar deposits have three structural habits: (1) oval 

to irregular pipes, (2) veins, and (3) disseminated deposits. The fluorspar 

occurs chiefly in the pipes. These differ considerably in size and are for the 

most part adjacent to faults or adjacent to intrusive breccia bodies. The 

ore, containing 65-94 percent fluorite, closely resembles brown, white, or 

purple clay, and forms either soft pulverulent masses or boxworks. The 

pipelike ore bodies commonly become smaller and lower in grade with depth.

Uranum contents of 155 fluorite samples range from 0.003 to 0.33 percent. 

The uranium content of some individual deposits varies systematically vertically and nonsystematically horizontally. Other deposits show no systematic 

vertical variation. At most deposits uranium is enriched near the surface, 

presumably as a result of leaching of uranium from the upper part of 

the deposit and redeposition by adsorption in the dry underlying fluorite a 

few inches to as much as 30 feet below the position from which it was 

removed.

The fluorspar is believed to have been formed from fluorine-rich fluids 

carrying minor amounts of uranium, which rose along faults and shattered 

zones in the dolomite. These fluids probably were derived from the same 

source that formed abundant topaz in rhyolites that make up most of the 

eastern half of the Thomas Range. The uranium was originally dispersed 

throughout the fluorite, probably within the crystal structures. Authors' 

abstract
408 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

The report includes a geologic map of the east pit of the Fluorine Queen 

mine and block diagrams showing the shape of the Lucky Louie pipe and the 

large pipe on the Bell Hill property.

158 Steinhauser, S. R., 1956, Uranium in the Gulf Coastal Plain of Texas: 

Mines Mag. [Colorado], v. 46, no. 3, p. 73-76.

At Tordilla Hill in western Karnes County uranium occurs in soft 

friable sandstone and intensely silicified sandstone and tuff along a probable 

fault or shear zone in the Fayette sandstone of late Eocene age. "Some of 

the silicified sandstone is black and practically quartzitic. Some samples of 

this material are quite uraniferous yet contain no identified uranium minerals. Pyrite, marcasite, and ilsemannite have been identified in it. Opal 

and minor chalcedony are the cementing materials. This deposit undoubtedly 

is genetically related to faulting; but whether the uranium was introduced by ground water, hydrothermal waters, or a combination of the two 

is not certain."

159 Stephens, J. G., 1955, Crooks Gap area, Fremont County, Wyoming, 

in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual 

progress report for June 1 to Nov. 30, 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey 

TEI-590, p. 181, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. 

Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The ore mined at the Hazel mine in sec. 9, T. 28 N., R. 92 W., in the 

Crooks Gap area of southeastern Fremont County, Wyo., occurred along the 

plane of a high-angle reverse fault, which places the Chugwater formation of Triassic age on the Cody shale of Cretaceous age. The other uranium 

deposits in the area all occur in conglomeratic arkose in the Wasatch(?) 

formation of Eocene age.

160 Stewart, R. H., 1951, Radiometric reconnaissance examination in 

southeastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey: U. S. Geol. 

Survey TEM-255, p. 6-8, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy 

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

The Stockton torbernite locality is in a sandstone quarry half a mile 

northwest of Stockton, Hunterdon County, N. J. Quarrying operations in 

sandstones and shales of the Stockton formation of Triassic age have revealed a tabular mineralized zone 10 feet wide trending N. 35° W. Joint 

surfaces within the mineralized zone are coated with manganese stains, 

hematite, limonite, and, in places, with torbernite, metatorbernite, and muscovite. The rock within the mineralized zone contains an approximate average of 0.009 percent uranium. A few small spots contain up to 1.24 percent 

uranium. "The mineralogy suggests a possible hydrothermal origin, and 

primary uranium minerals may exist below the zone of oxidation * * *." All 

other occurrences of copper mineralization examined in the area contained 

less than 0.001 percent equivalent uranium.

161 Stocking, H. E., and Page, L. R., 1956, Natural occurrence of uranium in the United States a summary: Intemat. Conf. on 

Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva, 1955, Proc., v. 6, 

Geology of uranium and thorium, p. 211-216; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 5-12.

This report summarizes data on uranium in the United States from pa-
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 409

pers submitted to the International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of 

Atomic Energy held in Geneva in 1955. Uranium in igneous rocks, veins, 

terrestrial sedimentary rocks, chemical precipitates, coals, marine sedimentary rocks, and in petroleum and asphaltites is discussed. The following 

excerpt from the authors' abstract pertains to uranium-bearing veins.

Pitchblende-bearing veins of Tertiary age are mined at Marysvale, Utah; 

Ralston Buttes, Gunnison, and Central City, Colo.; and Boulder, Mont. In the 

Couer d'Alene district, Idaho, uranium-bearing veins of Precambrian age 

are known. Numerous other uraniferous veins are found in crystalline 

rocks of the United States. The pitchblende may be associated with copper, 

lead, silver, zinc, and gold minerals; with sulfides and fluorite; or with 

carbonate and silica gangue minerals and only minor amounts of sulfides. In 

the Thomas Range, Utah, are uraniferous fluorite veins and pipes of ore 

grade. Secondary uranium minerals occur in the upper parts of many of 

the veins.

162 Stow, M. H., 1953, Report of geological reconnaissance in south-central Montana and northwestern Wyoming: U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. RME-3069, 34 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

Tech. inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Geological reconnaissance in south-central Montana and northwestern 

Wyoming revealed high radioactivity and secondary uranium minerals along 

fractures in the Flathead quartzite of Cambrian age near its contact with 

Precambrian crystalline rocks. The most radioactive deposits examined are 

the Weaver prospect, 3 miles west of Red Lodge, and the Royse claim, about 

7 miles south of Red Lodge. The Weaver prospect is on or very near the 

Willow Creek fault; the Royse claim is near small faults transverse to the 

Beartooth thrust fault.

Generalized geologic maps of the east front of the Beartooth Mountains 

showing the location of the radioactive deposits examined are included.

163 Stow, M. H., 1955, Report of radiometric reconnaissance in Virginia, 

North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and parts of South Carolina, 

Georgia, and Alabama: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME3107, p. 15-18, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. 

Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Reconnaissance for radioactivity in several Southeastern States during 

the summer of 1954 revealed uranium minerals in the Hampton-Morgantown 

area in northeastern Tennessee and the adjacent part of North Carolina. 

The deposits are in the Cranberry granite of Precambrian age and are along 

fracture and schistose zones close to prominent faults. The uranium content of samples from these deposits ranges from 0.021 to 0.50 percent. The 

most significant deposit is on North Harper Creek in Avery County, N. C. 

At this deposit uraninite is in veins and schistose zones in the Cranberry 

granite. One uraninite vein is One-half inch wide, and extends across the 

streambed for about 15 feet.

164 Stugard, Frederick, Jr., Wyant, D. G., and Gude, A. J., 3d, 1952, 

Secondary uranium deposits in the United States, in Selected 

papers on uranium deposits in the United States, p. 19-25: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 220.

Secondary uranium minerals occur in small quantities in many metallic
410 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

vein deposits. In a few places, notably in the veins at Marysvale, Utah, 

secondary uranium minerals are abundant enough to constitute ore. In most 

deposits their main value is as an indicator of possible primary ore.

The weathering and alteration of primary uranium oxides in a vein may 

result in the formation of different secondary uranium minerals in different 

zones. The minerals will vary with the composition of the vein, of country 

rock, and of the solutions formed by weathering. A diagram in this report 

shows the hypothetical vertical zonation of secondary uranium minerals in 

weathered veins. Near the surface the veins may contain efflorescent uranium sulfates and carbonates. This zone may grade downward into a zone 

containing uranium silicates, phosphates, arsenates, and vanadates. These 

minerals may grade downward into a zone of secondary uranium oxides, 

accompanied by relict primary uranium oxides. Below this zone are 

unaltered primary oxides. The weathering of the pitchblende-bearing veins 

at Marysvale, Utah, produced a zonation of secondary uranium minerals 

similar to that outlined.

165 Taylor, A. 0., Anderson, T. P., O'Toole, W. L., and others, 1951, 

Geology and uranium deposits of Marysvale, Utah, interim report on the producing area: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RMO896, 30 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. 

Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Rocks within the currently known area of uranium ore deposits at Marysvale, herein designated as the "central" area, are exclusively of igneous 

origin. In order of first appearance, they include: (a) quartz-monzonite 

porphyry; (b) porphyritic quartz-monzonite; (c) quartz-monzonite; (d) 

granite. These, all intrusives, are overlain by (e) the late Tertiary 

extrusive Mt. Belknap rhyolite. All of the intrusives invaded the early 

Tertiary Bullion Canyon volcanic series, but all except a few traces of this 

older group was eroded before the rhyolitic effusion.

Faulting and fissuring later than the rhyolite flow gave rise to extensive 

alteration of the fractured rocks and mineralization by uranium, though it 

is not yet proved that the two effects were simultaneous. Shear zones with 

a northeasterly trend have thus far been the most productive of uranium 

ores, but fractures in other directions show increasing possibilities.

The primary uranium mineral is pitchblende, most commonly soft and 

pulverulent, occasionally the hard, botryoidal variety. It is associated with 

calcedonic silica, adularia, pyrite, calcite, jordisite, purple to black fluorite, 

hematite, magnetite, and tentatively identified siderite and marcasite. Deposition is believed to have been epithermal, possibly solfataric or fumarolic. 

Some of the sooty pitchblende found at depths less than 60 feet may be 

secondary, but much of it is associated with minerals which show no 

evidence of oxidation except near the boundary between primary and secondary uranium mineralizations.

Alteration of primary oxides has yielded a considerable variety of secondary uranium minerals, including autunite, torbernite, schroeckingerite, 

uranophane, and a few others not yet identified. Uranophane is most abundant near outcrop, but the others, apparently more susceptible to atmospheric decomposition, occur 5 to 10 feet deeper.

A red, hematitic zone, resulting from rock alteration, is almost invariably 

associated with uranium minerals in the primary zone, sometimes persisting 

up into the zone of supergene alteration. Its usefulness as a guide to ore,
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 411

however, is somewhat diminished by reason of its small and inconspicuous 

size in proportion to the mass of mineralized material. Authors' 

abstract

The report includes a map of the uranium-producing area and contains 

descriptions of the following properties: The Prospector, Freedom No. 2 

and No. 1 (Seegmiller), Bullion Monarch, and Buddy mines and the Yellow 

Canary prospect.

166 Taylor, A. 0., and Powers, J. F., 1955, Uranium occurrences at the 

Moonlight mine and Granite Point claims, Humboldt County, 

Nevada: U. S. Geol. Survey TEM-874-A, 16 p., issued by 

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

Tenn.

The Moonlight mine and Granite Point claims are on the west flank of 

the Double H Mountains between the Kings River and Quinn River valleys 

in northern Humboldt County, Nev.

At the Moonlight mine uranium minerals occur along a north-trending 

eastward-dipping fault that displaces intensely altered volcanic rocks of 

Tertiary age. Near the surface the principal uranium mineral is autunite, 

but at depth torbernite, "gummite(?)," and pitchblende (?) are the ore minerals. The uranium minerals are associated with fluorite, pyrite, and smoky 

quartz and are erratically distributed along the fault. Some ore-grade 

material is in the brecciated zone that forms the hanging wall of the fault. 

The deposit probably formed under epithermal conditions after brecciation 

and silicification of the rock.

The Granite Point claims are 2 miles north of the Moonlight mine at the 

base of a rhyolite cliff. The rhyolite is abnormally radioactive; 1 sample 

contained 0.02 percent US08, but no uranium minerals were found.

A geologic map and cross section of the Moonlight mine are included.

167 Theobald, P. K., and Guilinger, R. R., 1955, A radioactive copperbearing shear zone in the vicinity of the F.M.D. mine, Jefferson 

County, Colorado, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for June 1 to Nov. 30, 

1955: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-590, p. 202-212, issued by U. S. 

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

Uranium occurs in a copper-bearing northwest-trending shear zone cutting hornblende gneiss of Precambrian age at the F.M.D. mine, 4% miles 

west of Morrison, Jefferson County, Colo. The shear zone is slightly silicified 

and contains copper sulfides, pyrite, and limonite. The wallrock of the 

shear zone is altered to chlorite, biotite, sericite, and clay minerals. Uranium 

occurs in limonite-rich zones, but is spotty and low in grade. The highest 

grade of 3 samples contained only 0.028 percent uranium.

168 Theobald, P. K., and King, R. U., 1954, Colorado-Wyoming district, 

in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual 

progress report, June 1 to Nov. 30, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey 

TEI-490, p. 223-225, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

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

Eight abnormally radioactive deposits in Boulder, Jefferson, and Gilpin 

Counties in the Colorado Front Range are briefly described. The deposits are 

in shear zones and veins cutting crystalline rocks of Precambrian age.
412 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Secondary uranium minerals occur in the deposit near Diamond Lake, 

Boulder County, and in the deposit on Silver Hill, Gilpin County. Samples 

from the Diamond Lake deposit contained 0.035 and 0.21 percent uranium. Although no uranium minerals have been identified, ore-grade material 

is reported from a deposit in brecciated and bleached hornblende gneiss 

along the South Platte River in southern Jefferson County.

Pitchblende (?) has been found in a vein in Trail Creek, 6 miles north of 

Esterbrook, Wyo., in the Laramie Range. Moderate radioactivity occurs in a 

northeast-trending breccia reef a quarter of a mile south of the Trail Creek 

deposit.

169 Thurlow, E. E., 1956, Uranium deposits at the contact of metamorphosed sedimentary rocks and granitic intrusive rocks in 

Western United States: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of 

Atomic Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium 

and thorium, p. 288-292; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, 

p. 85-89.

On the Spokane Indian Reservation in northeastern Washington uranium 

minerals occur in the sheared contact zone of the Loon Lake granite of 

Cretaceous (?) age and the Deer Trail argillite of late Paleozoic (?) age. 

Secondary uranium minerals also occur along shear zones parallel to and 

near the contact within the metamorphosed sedimentary rocks. Autunite 

and uranophane are the principal uranium minerals in the oxidized zone, 

and uraninite and pyrite have been found in drill cores from a depth of 150 

feet. Gangue minerals other than pyrite are very rare, and the host rock 

shows very little replacement.

Near Austin in Lander County, Nev., autunite and metatorbernite occur 

in fractures in quartz monzonite of Jurassic (?) age and in metamorphosed 

sedimentary rocks of possible Cambrian or Silurian age. The uranium minerals are in mineralized fractures containing finely divided sericite and 

quartz. The veins are in both igneous and metamorphic rocks near the 

contact zone. The richest concentrations of uranium minerals are in fractures 

in the metamorphic rocks.

Geologic maps of parts of the Spokane Indian Reservation and the Austin 

area are included.

170 Thurlow, E. E., and Jarrard, L. D., 1954, Boulder batholith potential Montana uranium province: Mining Eng., v. 6, no. 7, p. 

697-698.

Uranium occurs in veins in the quartz monzonite of the Boulder batholith 

of early Tertiary age in western Montana. Uranium ore has been produced from three widely separated small deposits in the batholith. The veins 

are grouped into a younger silicious reef type and an older base-metal vein 

type. Base-metal sulfide ores are not common in the younger type, which 

has been valuable mainly for precious metals. Silver-lead and gold-silver 

ores are in both types. Uraninite is in both types, thus suggesting that 

uranium, along with cryptocrystalline quartz, was introduced into both types 

of veins simultaneously.

The silicious reefs are steeply dipping brecciated tabular shear zones cemented by cryptocrystalline quartz which causes them to stand out in prominent outcrops. Pyrite is the only common sulfide mineral. Small amounts of 

chalcopyrite, molybdenite, galena, and ruby silver are present. Secondary
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 413

uranium minerals, principally autunite and metatorbernite, are generally 

associated with the anomalous radioactivity that is found at closely spaced 

intervals along the reefs. In deposits of higher grade, gummite is commonly 

associated with remnants of pitchblende. The uranium in the reefs seems to 

be concentrated principally in pods measuring tens of feet along both strike 

and dip.

Small amounts of uranium are in the base-metal veins of the Butte district and in many other parts of the batholith. A small shipment of 

uranium ore was produced from a base-metal vein at the Long Eagle mine 

west of Clancey. The uranium is primarily in pitchblende in thin seams and 

coatings on fracture surfaces and is intimately associated with dark-gray 

to black chalcedonic quartz. The pitchblende occurs with vein material that 

is not of ore grade for its base-metal content. Pitchblende in the Butte 

district is associated with reddish siliceous vein material containing much 

pyrite, but at present the occurrences are of academic interest only.

171 Thurlow, E. E., and Reyner, M. L., 1950, Free Enterprise uranium 

prospect, Jefferson County, Montana: U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. RMO-678, 12 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

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

The Free Enterprise property is located in the Boulder mining district, 

Jefferson County, Mont. Secondary uranium minerals occur here in small 

irregular concentrations in and adjacent to a narrow silicified fracture zone 

in quartz monzonite. The zone has been prospected to a depth of 150 feet. 

Small amounts of a black to brownish uranium mineral, presumably 

pitchblende, have been observed, and the secondary minerals are characteristic of the alteration of pitchblende and uraninite. Indications are that a 

primary uranium mineral which was introduced with quartz and sulphides 

has been reconstituted by the action of surface and near-surface waters, 

reprecipitating uranium in secondary minerals. Below the present water 

level, where the vein is relatively unaltered and unenriched, only small 

amounts of uranium are present. Authors' abstract

A geologic map and section of the Free Enterprise mine are included.

172 Thurlow, E. E., and Reyner, M. L., 1952, Preliminary report on 

uranium-bearing deposits of the northern Boulder batholith region, Jefferson County, Montana: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

RMO-800, 62 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. 

Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Uranium-bearing veins were discovered in the northern part of the Boulder batholith in western Montana in 1949. The batholith crops out for a 

length of 60 miles and averages about 18 miles in width. It intrudes sedimentary rocks of Precambrian to Cretaceous age, and is composed predominantly of quartz monzonite with dikes and irregular masses of aplite, 

alaskite, and other granitic rocks. Uranium has been found in two types of 

veins, a younger siliceous reef type and an older base-metal type.

The younger siliceous reef veins contain the most uranium, and a minor 

amount of precious metals has been produced from a few deposits of this 

type. The veins contain chiefly cryptocrystalline quartz and varying amounts 

of pyrite, galena, ruby silver, native silver, and uranium minerals. The 

uranium is chiefly in secondary minerals, such as autunite, metatorbernite, 

and gummite. Uraninite occurs at two deposits. Zeunerite, phosphuranylite,
414 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OP URANIUM GEOLOGY

and uranophane have been tentatively identified. The secondary uranium 

minerals occur along fractures within the veins and as disseminations in 

the wallrock. In general, the veins are highly brecciated, and all are nearly 

vertical and trend predominantly northeast. They occur mainly in 

quartz monzonite that is deficient in hornblende. Argillic alteration of the 

wallrock is pronounced.

Uraninite and secondary uranium minerals including autunite and meta^ 

torbernite also occur in some of the base-metal sulfide veins in the batholith. 

These veins are probably older than the siliceous reef veins, and have 

yielded gold, silver, lead, zinc, and copper. The veins typically contain 

quartz, pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and tetrahedrite. 

Following the deposition of these minerals, the veins seem to have been 

brecciated and reopened with the introduction of uraninite, cryptocrystalline 

silica, ankerite, and pyrite and possibly arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite. The 

uraninite fills fractures within and adjacent to vein material. The uraninite 

fillings are generally thin, but botryoidal coatings of pitchblende occur. 

There are many variations in the mineralogy and general character of the 

veins.

About 50 mines and prospects were examined, and 14 of these containing 

more than a trace of uranium are described. One property, the Free Enterprise mine, has shipped uranium ore. The report contains geologic maps 

and sections of several of the properties described.

173 Thurlow, E. E., and Wright, R. J., 1950, Uraninite in the Coeur 

d'Alene district, Idaho: Econ. Geology, v. 45, p. 395-404.

Uraninite occurs in the lower levels of the Coeur d'Alene and Sunshine 

mines, two silver-base-metal producers, in the Silver Belt area of the Coeur 

d'Alene district, Idaho.

The Coeur d'Alene district is underlain by quartzite, argillite, and limestone of the Belt series of Precambrian age. These rocks are complexly 

folded and faulted, and intruded by monzonitic stocks presumably related 

to the Idaho batholith. Most of the ore deposits of the Silver Belt and 

the uraninite-bearing veins are in quartzite of the St. Regis formation on 

the north limb of the overturned Big Creek anticline.

In the Sunshine mine the uraninite-bearing veins are primarily in the footwall of the Sunshine shear (vein) system. In general, the veins are parallel 

to tile strike of the bedding and are mainly controlled by fracture cleavage. 

The veins appear to be independent of the Sunshine vein which "is localized 

primarily along a shear zone with little regard for bedding or cleavage." 

In places the uranium-bearing veins appear to intersect the Sunshine vein. 

The width of the uranium-bearing veins rarely exceeds 18 inches, and in 

places radioactivity is found along paper-thin seams. Locally, the veins are 

numerous and closely spaced, forming broad mineralized zones.

The mineralogy of the uranium-bearing veins is similar to that of the 

copper-silver ores and consists of pyrite, tetrahedrite, arsenopyrite, and 

chalcopyrite in gangue of siderite and quartz. Small spherulites of uraninite 

replace vein quartz, quartzite wall rock, and, to a lesser extent, tetrahedrite. 

Minor amounts of secondary uranium minerals have formed presumably 

since mine development. All veins with significant radioactivity are bordered by a brownish-red alteration zone in the quartzite wallrock. These 

zones range from a fraction of an inch up to a foot in width and are 

believed due to finely disseminated hematite. The red-colored alteration is
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 415

uniquely associated with the uranium mineralization and is not known 

elsewhere in the mine.

The authors suggest that the uraninite may have been introduced during 

a separate epoch of mineralization or, more probably, that it was deposited 

in the late stages of the deposition of the main silver-base metal ores.

The report contains several photographs and photomicrographs of polished surfaces of uraninite-bearing ore. Two maps show the general geology 

and structure of the west end of the Silver Belt, and one map shows the 

location of the uranium-bearing veins in part of the Sunshine mine.

174 Thurston, W. R., Staatz, M. H., Cox, D. C., and others, 1954, Fluorspar deposits of Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1005, 53 p.; 

see p. 5,17, 28, 30, 34, 38, 40.

The fluorspar deposits of the Thomas Range district in Juab County, Utah, 

are abnormally radioactive, but generally no uranium minerals can be seen. 

The fluorspar deposits are epithermal pipelike bodies and veins in dolomite 

of Silurian age and in rhyolite porphyry of Tertiary age. Fluorite constitutes 65 to 95 percent of each deposit. Other visible minerals include 

dolomite, calcite, quartz, opal, and clay minerals. Carnotite has been found in 

a few deposits. Assays of 45 fluorspar samples from the district ranged from 

0.005 to 0.33 percent uranium. Samples from the Bell Hill, Harrisite, and 

Eagle Rock properties contained more than 0.1 percent uranium.

The Monarch, or Staats, fluorspar deposit in T. 29 S., R, 16 W., in 

west-central Beaver County, contains autunite and uranophane as local 

coatings on the fluorite. The fluorspar deposit is along a faulted contact 

separating rhyolite porphyry of Tertiary age and limestone of Cambrian 

age.

175 Trites, A. F., Jr., and Tooker, E. W., 1953, Uranium and thorium 

deposits in east-central Idaho and southwestern Montana: U. S. 

Geol. Survey Bull. 988-H, p. 157-209.

This report describes the results of examinations conducted in 1950 by 

the Geological Survey to determine the grade, reserves, and mode of occurrence of uranium and thorium in 39 mines and prospects in 7 districts in 

east-central Idaho and southwestern Montana. Only 6 of the 39 properties 

examined seemed to contain significant amounts of uranium. These deposits are the Garm-Lamareaux mine and the Moon claim in the North 

Fork-Shoup district, Idaho; the Carnotite, R. and M., and Uranium claims 

in the Melrose district, Montana; and the lola prospect in the Deer Creek 

district, Montana.

Uranium is in gold, lead, copper, and quartz-hematite veins that cut 

quartzite and phyllite of the Belt series of Precambrian age and Paleozoic 

limestone and shale. The cobalt-copper and lead-silver veins examined do 

not seem to contain significant amounts of uranium. The uranium deposits 

are near upper Mesozoic granitic intrusive rocks of the Idaho and Boulder 

batholiths or near post-Paleozoic granite that probably is related to the 

Boulder batholith. The uranium minerals are torbernite and autunite, associated with pyrite, galena, copper, gold, hydrous iron oxides, malachite, 

azurite, manganese minerals, quartz, chlorite, and clay minerals. "The uranium minerals commonly occur in small lenses and stringers in fracture 

zones. They form coatings on fractures outward from the vein fillings or 

on small crosscutting fractures in the vein. Rarely the uranium deposits are
416 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

as much as 150 feet long and 5 feet wide." The grade and reserves of the 

known uranium deposits are poorly known because the deposits have 

not been extensively developed, but the reserves probably are small. Samples 

from the deposits indicate a range from 0.02 to 0.1 percent uranium.

176 Vickers, R. C., 1953, An occurrence of autunite, Lawrence County, 

South Dakota: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 286, 5 p.

In July 1952 an occurrence of autunite was found in the northern part 

of the Black Hills, S. Dak., during a reconnaissance for radioactive deposits. 

[The deposit is 5 miles west of Lead in the Bald Mountain mining district 

and is known as the Annie Creek autunite prospect.]

The autunite occurs as fracture coatings and disseminations in siltstone 

of the Deadwood formation of Cambrian age and is concentrated mainly in 

the lower 2 feet of the siltstone at the contact with an intrusive rhyolite 

porphyry; the radioactive zone is exposed in two old workings, which are 90 

feet apart. An 18-inch vertical channel sample of the autunite-bearing siltstone contained 0.048 percent uranium. The gangue minerals are fluorite 

and limonite.

The uranium is believed to have been introduced into the siltstone by solutions of magmatic origin that migrated along the lower contact of the siltstone after or during emplacement of the porphyry. Author's abstract

The report includes a geologic map and cross section of the deposit and 

a table showing semiquantitative spectrographic analyses for several elements and chemical analyses for uranium.

177 Vickers, R. C., 1953, North-Central district, in Search for and geology 

of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for Dec. 

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

204-206, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Pitchblende and secondary uranium minerals occur in small stringers 

and pods in quartz and calcite veinlets in a low-angle shear zone along the 

East Branch of the Huron River in sec. 1, T. 51 N., R. 30 W., Baraga 

County, Mich. The shear zone is 10 to 30 feet thick and cuts black slates of 

the Michigamme slate of Precambrian age. A study of polished surfaces 

from the deposit indicates two hypogene stages and one supergene stage of 

mineralization. Quartz and minor hematite were introduced into the sheared 

slate during the first stage. The second stage was initiated by fracturing 

of the quartz and deposition of calcite, pyrite, pitchblende, native copper, 

and tennantite, followed by bornite and chalcopyrite. Secondary copper 

minerals and secondary uranium minerals including secondary (?) pitchblende were formed during the supergene stage.

178 Vickers, R. C., 1954, Occurrences of radioactive minerals in the 

Bald Mountain gold-mining area, northern Black Hills, South 

Dakota: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 351, 8 p.

Six radioactive occurrences were found in July 1953 during a reconnaissance of the Bald Mountain gold-mining area, Lawrence County, S. Dak.

The rocks in the area consist mainly of the flat-lying Deadwood formation 

of Cambrian age intruded by many sills, laccoliths, and dikes of Tertiary 

age. Associated with the intrusive rocks are gold-silver deposits which have 

been interpreted as being localized by solutions migrating up fractures and
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 417

replacing favorable beds, mainly in the Deadwood formation. The radioactive occurrences are in fractured and altered siltstone of the Deadwood 

formation and the overlying Whitewood limestone and in altered intrusive rocks. Samples contain as much as 0.19 percent equivalent uranium 

and also contain thorium and the rare earths. All the occurrences are in 

the weathered zone, and differential leaching has probably disturbed the 

original thorium/uranium ratio. The increase in rare-earth content toward 

the center of the gold-producing area and the occurrence of uranium minerals (autunite and torbernite) on the fringe of the productive area are 

probably related to a zonal pattern.

Although none of the occurrences are large enough to constitute ore, 

uranium-bearing hydrothermal solutions were probably present during 

Tertiary mineralization in the Bald Mountain area and may have given rise 

to the carnotite-type deposits in the sediments surrounding the Black 

Hills. Author's abstract

The report contains a geologic map of the Annie Creek autunite occurrence and tables showing analyses of uranium-bearing samples from properties in the Bald Mountain area.

179 Walker, G. W., 1953, Rosamond uranium prospect, Kern County, 

California: California Div. Mines Spec. Rept 37, 8 p.

Small quantities of autunite, hydrous uranium and calcium phosphate, and 

another radioactive mineral not yet identified occur in tuffaceous sedimentary 

rocks of the Rosamond formation of Miocene age at the Rosamond prospect, 

which is about 10 miles south of Mojave, Kern County, Calif., in the western Mojave Desert.

The results of examination of the property in January, 1952, by George 

W. Walker and Luther H. Baumgardner, of the U. S. Geological Survey, 

indicated that the autunite occurs principally as coatings on fracture and 

joint surfaces and, to a lesser extent, as disseminations in the tuffaceous 

rocks adjacent to faults. A waxy reddish-brown to black radioactive mineral 

is found in small quantities on slickensided fault surfaces associated with 

iron oxides and chlorite(?). The uranium minerals are erratically distributed over an area of about 15 acres. Assays of 12 samples indicate a 

uranium content ranging from 0.002 to 0.59 percent and an average 

content of slightly less than 0.08 percent uranium. Author's abstract

A geologic map and section of the prospect and a table showing the results 

of sample analyses are included.

180 Walker, G. W., 1956, Relationship between uranium-bearing veins 

and their host rocks, in Geologic investigations of radioactive 

deposits Semiannual progress report for Dec. 1, 1955, to May 

31, 1956: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-620, p. 359-360, issued by 

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

Tenn.

Study of the relationship between uranium-bearing veins and their host 

rocks shows that veins are in all varieties of rocks but are most abundant 

in holocrystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks characterized by moderate to high silica contents; these host rocks have widely variable chemical 

composition but have similar physical characteristics in that they tend to 

rupture under stress rather than to undergo plastic deformation.
418 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Conceivably this tendency to rupture and the detailed characteristics of the 

resultant fractures, shears, faults, and fragmentation, affecting the adsorptive properties of the host rocks, may have an important bearing on 

the apparent preferential deposition of uranium * * *.

Locally, the chemical and (or) mineralogic composition of the host rocks 

appears to aid in the deposition and localization of uranium in individual 

veins * * *. For most vein deposits, however, no such chemical relationship 

can be established, possibly owing to (1) lack of adequate data, (2) inert 

chemical properties of ore solutions with respect to the host rocks, or (3) 

marked differences in chemical interaction between ore solutions and host 

rocks from one deposit to another. Excerpt from author's text

181 Walker, G. W., and Adams, J. W., 1956, Mineralogy of uraniumbearing veins, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits, 

Semiannual progress report for June 1 to Nov. 30, 1956: U. S. 

Geol. Survey TEI-640, p. 220-221, issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

A study of the mineralogy of uranium-bearing vein deposits in the United 

States, based largely on published data but supplemented by the examination of polished and thin sections of ore specimens from a number of widely 

separated vein deposits, suggests new and significant relationships, namely: 

(1) the primary textures of uraninite (pitchblende) in veins are almost 

universally colloform textures considered by many geologists to result 

from colloidal deposition, (2) idiomorphic crystals of uraninite are extremely 

rare, having been reported in only two vein deposits, and (3) in general, 

uraninite (pitchblende) is early in the paragenetic sequence and commonly 

was followed by brecciation before other metallic vein minerals were introduced. Authors' complete text

182 Walker, G. W., Levering, T. G., and Stephens, H. G., 1956, Radioactive deposits in California: California Div. Mines Spec. Rept. 

49, 38 p.

This report describes deposits of radioactive minerals in California. For 

each deposit, where the information is available, the location, ownership, 

development, geology, and grade of samples, is given. Many of the deposits 

are veins or veinlike and may be divided into three groups: (a) deposits 

in quartz fissure veins, (b) deposits on minor fractures, and (e) replacement 

deposits along fractures.

Uranium-bearing quartz fissure vein deposits are at the Rathgeb mine, 

Red Devil claim, Wild Bill group, Paymaster mine, and the Perry Jones 

claims. The uranium in these veins is generally of limited and erratic 

distribution. The primary or secondary uranium minerals are commonly 

mixed with base-metal sulfides or their oxidation products. The only primary uranium mineral identified from this type of vein is uraninite from the 

Rathgeb mine. Nearly all the veins of this type occur in granitic rocks.

Most of the vein deposits in California belong to the second group in 

which secondary uranium minerals coat fracture surfaces. Commonly the 

minerals are in fault gouge or are erratically distributed on joint surfaces 

adjacent to mineralized faults. Many different varieties and ages of host 

rocks have been noted for these deposits. The Miracle mine and others in the 

Kern River Canyon area, Kern County, are developed on vein deposits belonging to this second group.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 419

The third group of vein deposits are base-metal sulfide bodies containing 

uranium, which in part, replace limestone along fractures. An example is 

the deposit on the Yerih group of claims in San Bernardino County.

The report includes geologic maps of selected deposits in Kern County, a 

map of California showing the location of 92 radioactive deposits, and a 

table summarizing information on each of the deposits.

183 Walker, G. W., and Osterwald, F. W., 1956, Relation of secondary 

uranium minerals to pitchblende-bearing veins at Marysvale, 

Piute County, Utah: Internat. Conf. on Peaceful Uses of Atomic 

Energy, Geneva 1955, Proc., v. 6, Geology of uranium and 

thorium, p. 283-287; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 300, p. 

123-129.

Secondary uranium minerals in vein-type deposits are more abundant at 

Marysvale than elsewhere in the United States and are the near-surface 

expression of pitchblende- and fluorite-bearing veins at depth. The primary 

veins and their secondary counterparts yield ore of about the same grade. 

The gradational boundary between the zone of primary and secondary uranium minerals is extremely irregular, ranging from a few tens of feet to 

as much as 400 feet in depth beneath the ground surface.

Primary vein minerals include vein quartz, chalcedony, adularia, pyrite, 

marcasite, calcite, siderite, jordisite, fluorite, hematite, magnetite, and pitchblende. Most commercial deposits of uranium are restricted to quartz-pyriteadularia-fluorite-pitchblende veins. Some of the pitchblende-bearing veins 

contain molybdenum minerals. The assemblage of secondary minerals reported at Marysvale contains iron and manganese oxides, ilsemannite, autunite, torbernite, metatorbernite, schroeckingerite, uranophane, phosphuranylite, £-uranotil, tyuyamunite, rauvite, umohoite, zippeite, johannite, 

uranopilite, and sooty pitchblende.

Host rocks for the veins include extrusive and pyroclastic rocks of postOligocene age, quartz monzonite and other rocks that intrude the extrusive 

and pyroclastic rocks, and flows and tuffs of late Tertiary age that unconformably overlap the older rocks. Most of the ore mined has been from veins 

in quartz monzonite.

The host rocks are cut by three sets of vertical to moderately steep faults 

that trend northeast, northwest, and north. Pitchblende and secondary uranium minerals are most common in northoast-trending faults, less common in northwest-trending faults, and rare or absent in north-trending 

faults. The uranium-bearing veins pinch and swell, and the ore is commonly localized in shoots in both the primary and secondary zones.

The assemblage of secondary uranium minerals varies, in part, with respect to the type and degree of alteration of wall rock, to the primary 

mineralogy of the veins, and to the depth beneath the ground surface. 

The secondary uranium minerals occur as disseminations in altered wall 

rock and as fracture coatings and are most abundant within 10 feet of the 

originating vein.

As pitchblende- and fluorite-bearing veins show no marked tendency to be 

richer in uranium than their overlying secondary counterparts, it is probable that the solution of primary uranium minerals and redeposition as 

secondary ones occurred essentially in place. Some of the secondary uranium 

minerals may have been deposited by warm solutions, either juvenile water 

or heated phreatic water.
420 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

The assemblage of secondary minerals is somewhat similar to that of 

deposits at Wolsendorf, Germany, and in the Boulder batholith, Montana. 

These deposits, however, contain at least small amounts of base-metal sulfide minerals which are absent at Marys vale. Primary mineralogy of the 

veins, therefore, seems to have little influence on the assemblage of secondary uranium minerals developed in the oxidized zone. Authors' abstract

184 Walker, G. W., and Osterwald, F. W., 1956, Uraniferous magnetitehematite deposit at the Prince mine, Lincoln County, New Mexico: Econ. Geology, v. 51, p. 213-222.

A pyrometasomatic magnetite-hematite deposit in sedimentary rocks of 

Permian age near the margin of the Lone Mountain stock in Lincoln County, 

N. Mex., contains between 0.015 percent and 0.031 percent uranium. The 

deposit is composed mainly of magnetite with lesser amounts of hematite, 

hydrated iron oxides, pyrite, leuchtenbergite(?), gypsum, chalcopyrite, 

metatorbernite, torbernite(?), covellite, sphalerite(?), quartz, marcasite, 

and an unidentified uranium-bearing mineral; it is surrounded by an aureole 

of recrystallized limestone, gypsum, epidote, and actinolite with lesser 

amounts of specularite, phlegopite, fluorite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. Autoradiographs and polished-section studies suggest that most of the uranium 

is dispersed in the iron oxide minerals. The association of iron and uranium 

may be related to the melting points of the elements. The deposit probably 

formed at a rather low temperature by self-oxidation of a ferrous hydroxide 

hydrosol contained in a mildly alkaline solution Authors' abstract

185 Wallace, S. R., 1955, Zonal relations of uranium deposits in metalliferous districts, in Geologic investigations of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for Dec. 1, 1954, to May 

31, 1955: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-540, p. 149-150, issued by 

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

Tenn.

The six-weeks study during 1954 of radioactivity in the Bisbee district 

was a preliminary reconnaissance to determine the district's suitabilty for a 

study of the relation between uranium and zoning. The Bisbee district was 

selected for three reasons: (1) significant concentrations of uranium had 

been reported from the district, (2) the geographic position of different 

types of ore within the district suggested a zonal distribution of the ores, and 

(3) the total amount of metal deposited within the district was known to 

be large, suggesting that the quantity of uranium might be appreciable.

The results of the preliminary investigation suggest that most of the 

uranium in the district is associated with massive sulfide replacement ore 

bodies in limestone; apparently there is little difference in uranium content 

of lead-zinc ores and copper ores. The low-grade disseminated copper ore 

of the Sacramento Hill porphyry stock exhibits no abnormal radioactivity. 

Most of the high values previously reported are the result of secondary 

salts deposited on the walls of mine workings in and near the ore bodies. 

A few, very small, high-grade pods containing primary uranium minerals 

were discovered, but no minable concentrations of uranium ore are known 

in the district.

Some of the acid mine waters from Bisbee and other mining districts in 

the southwest are exceptionally rich in uranium, and suggest that there 

may be localities where concentration and flow are sufficient to encourage 

attempts to extract uranium from solution. Author's complete text
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 421

186 Wallace, S. R., and Laub, D. C., 1954, Zonal relations of uranium 

deposits in metalliferous districts, in Geologic investigations 

of radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report, June 1 to 

Nov. 30, 1954: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-490, p. 146-147, issued 

by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

In the Gold Hill district, Boulder County, Colo., gold telluride veins apparently bear no direct genetic relation to the relatively few pyritic gold 

veins or to the lead-zinc-silver veins believed to be both earlier and later 

than the telluride veins. District zoning of uranium deposits [annotation 

25] cannot be demonstrated because parts of many veins of all types are 

anomalously radioactive. The radioactivity of most deposits is generally 

of low intensity and probably no economic concentrations of uranium exist 

in the district.

187 Weathers, Gerald, 1954, Uranium occurrence at the King No. 1 claim, 

Gila County, Arizona: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-2016 

(pt. 1), 14 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. 

Service Ext., Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The King No. 1 claim is about 4 miles south of Miami, Gila County, Ariz. 

The claim is on a northwest-trending fissure vein in the Solitude granite of 

Precambrian age. The vein averages 1% feet in width and contains chiefly 

quartz and lesser amounts of pyrite, chalcopyrite, malachite, manganese 

oxides, iron oxides, and metatorbernite. The wallrock is kaolinized and 

sercitized muscovite granite. The metatorbernite occurs as aggregates of 

crystals along minute fractures within the quartz and altered muscovite 

granite. Present exposures of ore-grade material are confined to near the 

surface. Similar veins are exposed at the south end of the claim. Projections 

of these veins suggest an intersecting or echelon vein system.

The report includes a geologic map of the claim, a geologic map of part of 

the Globe Copper district, and a map of the original mine workings showing the vein and radiometric readings.

188 Webb, B. P., and Coryell, K. C., 1954, Preliminary regional mapping in the Ruby Quadrangle, Arizona: U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. RME-2009, 12 p., issued by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm, 

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

Reconnaissance mapping in the Ruby Quadrangle, Ariz., indicates the 

existence of a complex assemblage of volcanic rocks and associated sediments, divisible into a younger and older series. The young series consists of 

flat-lying tuffs, lavas, and tuffaceous conglomerates of late Cenozoic(?) age. 

The older series consists of (acidic and intermediate) lavas, tuffs, conglomerates, and associated sediments of Mesozoic(?) age, locally folded 

and extensively intruded by a dioritic magma Excerpt from authors' 

abstract

Uranium deposits seem to be confined to acidic lavas of the older rock 

series. At the Annie Laurie prospect, 2 miles south of Ruby, minor amounts 

of galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and pitchblende occur in minor shear 

zones cutting acidic lava associated with the Oro Blanco conglomerate.

The White Oak mine on the northern flank of the Pajarito Mountains has 

yielded a few tons of uranium ore from a northwest-trending shear at the
422 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

intersection with a main northeast-trending shear. The host rock is a 

porphyritic rhyolite member of the Pajarito lavas. Anomalous radioactivity 

occurs at the Little Doe prospect and the Iris and Natalia claims near the 

northwest corner of the quadrangle. The host rocks are acidic lavas which 

are considered to be correlatable with the Pajarito lavas.

The report contains a reconnaissance geologic map of the Ruby quadrangle.

189 Wedow, Helmuth, Jr., White, M. G., and Moxham, R. M., 1952, Interim report on an appraisal of the uranium possibilities of 

Alaska: U. S. Geol. Survey, open-file report, 123 p.

The authors have divided the Territory of Alaska into nine major regions 

and for each of these regions they have summarized the geology and mineral 

deposits and appraised the uranium possibilities. The appraisals are based 

on known occurrences of radioactive materials and geologic criteria that 

suggest the presence of uranium. Vein-type deposits from which uranium 

has been identified are briefly described below.

The York tin district of the western Seward Peninsula contains mineral 

deposits in veins and replacement deposits along and in the vicinity of the 

contact between granite of probable Mesozoic age and limestone and shale of 

Paleozoic age. The mineralogy of these deposits is similar to the uranium-tin 

mineralization at Cornwall and the Erzgebirge. Prospects in the Lost River 

and Brooks Mountain areas contain minor amounts of uranium closely 

associated with hematite, limonite, wolframite, molybdenite, pyrite, tetrahedrite, fluorite, and hydrous copper carbonates. The maximum uranium 

content of a few samples from the Lost River area was 0.049 percent 

uranium.

Metatorbernite and uraniferous hematite have been reported from a veintype replacement deposit near Ear Mountain on the Seward Peninsula.

Uranium has been found associated with iron oxides and sulfides in veinlets on the Mountain View property in the Hyder district on the east edge 

of the Coast Range batholith in southeastern Alaska. Mineral deposits of 

the Hyder district occur in hydrothermal veins of intermediate-temperature 

range containing such typical minerals as argentiferous galena and 

tetrahedrite.

In the lower Yukon-Kuskokwim region of southwestern Alaska, zeunerite 

occurs with chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, and pyrite in quartz veins cutting 

granitic rock on Mission Creek [Konechney prospect].

190 Wells, J. D., and Harrison, J. E., 1954, Radioactivity reconnaissance 

of part of north-central Clear Creek County, Colorado: U. S. 

Geol. Survey Circ. 345, 9 p.

A radioactivity reconnaissance of 334 vein deposits in north-central Clear 

Creek County, Colo., made during the field seasons of 1951 and 1952 disclosed 7 deposits containing uranium of ore grade.

"Within the area studied, * * * [veins] containing chalcopyrite have the 

highest grade and highest percent of occcurrences of significant abnormal 

radioactivity. Zones of galena-sphalerite veins have approximately the same 

rate of occurrence of significant abnormal radioactivity as zones of galenasphalerite with chalcopyrite. Any locality or zone containing pyritic-type 

veins without chalcopyrite is considered unlikely to contain a uranium 

deposit." Excerpt from, authors' abstract, in part
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 423

The report contains a map showing radioactivity of localities examined 

and a table showing radioactivity and mineralogic data for localities of 

high, moderate, and low abnormal radioactivity.

191 Wells, R. L., and Rambosek, A. J., 1954, Uranium occurrences in Wilson Creek area, Gila County, Arizona: U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. RME-2005 (Revised), 17 p., issued by U. S. Atomic 

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

The Walnut No. 2, York No. 1, Shepp No. 2, and May No. 2 claims are in 

the Wilson Creek area 10 miles southeast of Young, Gila County, Ariz. 

Uranium minerals and radioactivity occur in zones up to several feet in 

thickness in the upper member of the Dripping Spring quartzite of Precambrian age. Metatorbernite, the only uranium mineral identified, occurs 

in minute aggregates of crystals in tiny vugs scattered through the quartzite 

and is intergrown with iron oxide coating fracture surfaces. At the Shepp 

No. 2 claim uranium is localized in a steeply dipping northeast-trending 

fracture. The uranium has penetrated the host rock to a maximum of 

2 feet on each side of the fracture. The metatorbernite is associated with a 

minor amount of malachite.

The report includes columnar sections of the Dripping Spring quartzite, 

a map showing the location of the uranium claims, and geologic sections 

through the radioactive zones.

192 West, W. S., 1952, Reconnaissance for radioactive deposits in the 

lower Yukon-Kuskokwim region, Alaska, 1952: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 328,10 p.

Trace amounts of metazeunerite have been identified in vein material from 

the Konechney prospect in the Russian Mountains. The prospect is on a 

mineralized zone about 200 feet wide that consists of quartz veins and thin 

layers of breccia and gouge. The deposit, which is reported to contain 

copper, gold, and silver, is in a quartz monzonite stock of Tertiary age and 

in nearly vertical basalt dikes that strike parallel to the trend of the mineralized zone.

A geologic map of the Russian Mountains and several tables showing 

equivalent uranium analyses of samples from the region are included.

193 West, W. S., and Benson, P. D., 1955, Investigations for radioactive deposits in southeastern Alaska: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 

1024-B, p. 25-57.

Above-normal radioactivity was detected on the Mountain View property 

in the Hyder district, southeastern Alaska. The Mountain View property is 

on the contact between rocks of the Hazelton group, which are chiefly volcanic rocks of probable Jurassic age, and the Texas Creek granodiorite, a 

batholithic intrusive of probable Jurassic or Cretaceous age. Quartz-sulfide 

veins cut both the granodiorite and rocks of the Hazelton group. The most 

radioactive vein sample contained 0.049 percent equivalent uranium. The 

radioactive material seems to be chiefly uranium in an unidentified highly 

radioactive opaque mineral and in trace amounts in the sulfides of the vein 

deposits. Some radioactive material is disseminated in the igneous rocks, and 

some secondary uranium minerals occur as thin coatings on fracture surfaces in veins and rocks.
424 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

194 West, W. S., and White, M. G., 1952, The occurrence of zeunerite at 

Brooks Mountain, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 214, 7 p.

Zeunerite occurs near the surface of a granite stock on the southwest 

flank of Brooks Mountain, Alaska. The largest deposit is at the Foggy Day 

prospect. Zeunerite is disseminated in hematite which partially or totally 

fills openings and vugs in a highly oxidized lens-shaped body of pegmatitic 

granite and, to a minor extent, in openings and cracks in the weathered 

granite enclosing the lens. Although a few specimens from the pegmatitic 

lens contain as high as [2.2 percent uranium], the average content of the 

lens rock is between 0.1 and 0.2 percent equivalent uranium and that of both 

the lens material and the surrounding zeunerite-bearing granite is about 

0.07 percent equivalent uranium. A smaller concentration of zeunerite occurs as surface coatings on a few of the quartz-tourmaline veins that occupy 

joint fractures in granite on Tourmaline No. 2 claim. The vein material 

here contains about 0.05 percent equivalent uranium. Zeunerite, in trace 

amounts, was identified in a sample from a site near Tourmaline No. 2 

claim and in two samples from other sites near the Foggy Day prospect. 

The zeunerite at these three localities is probably related in source to the 

Tourmaline No. 2 claim and Foggy Day prospect deposits. Excerpts 

from authors' abstract

A geologic map of the Brooks Mountain area and a table showing the 

results of analyses of selected samples from the Brooks Mountain area are 

included.

195 Wilmarth, V. R., 1953, Garo, Colorado, in Search for and geology of 

radioactive deposits Semiannual progress report for Dec. 1, 

1952, to May 31, 1953: U. S. Geol. Survey TEI-330, p. 109-110, 

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

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The uranium-vanadium deposit at the Shirley May mine near Garo, Park 

County, Colo., is in the Maroon formation of Permian age on the northeast 

flank of the Garo anticline. Tyuyamunite and carnotite, the principal uranium minerals, are associated with vanadium and copper minerals and occur 

as disseminations, cementing material, and fracture fillings in three separate 

medium- to coarse-grained sandstone beds. The gangue minerals are 

calcite, manganite, and hematite. The average grade of ore produced is 

0.16 percent uranium and 0.72 percent VzOs. "The localization of ore at the 

Garo deposit is controlled principally by faulting and the porosity of the 

sandstones adjacent to the faults."

196 Wilmarth, V. R., 1953, Yellow Canary uranium deposits, Daggett 

County, Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 312, 8 p.

The Yellow Canary uranium deposit is on the west side of Red Creek 

Canyon in the northern part of the Uinta Mountains, Daggett County, Utah. 

Two claims have been developed by means of an adit, three opencuts, and 

several hundred feet of bulldozer trenches. No uranium ore has been produced from this deposit.

The deposit is in the (pre-Cambrian) Red Creek quartzite. This formation is composed of intercalated beds of quartzite, hornblende, garnet schist, 

staurolite schist, and quartz-mica schist and is intruded by dioritic dikes. A
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 425

thick unit of highly fractured white quartzite near the top of the formation 

contains tyuyamunite as coatings on fracture surfaces. The tyuyamunite is 

associated with carnotite, volborthite, iron oxides, azurite, malachite, brochantite, and hyalite. The uranium and vanadium minerals are probably 

alteration products of primary minerals.

The uranium content of 15 samples from this property ranged from 0.000 

to 0.57 percent. Author's abstract

The report contains a generalized geologic map of the north flank of the 

Uinta Mountains showing the location of the Yellow Canary No. 1 and No. 

2 claims and a geologic map and section of part of the claims.

197 Wilmarth, V. R., Bauer, H. L., Jr., Staatz, M. H., and Wyant, D. G., 

1952, Uranium in fluorite deposits, in Selected papers on uranium deposits in the United States: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 

220, p. 13-18.

The association of small quantities of fluorite with uranium minerals 

in veins has been reported for many localities. Recent studies in Colorado, 

Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico further indicate that uranium is a common 

constituent of many fluorite deposits,

Fluorite deposits known to contain uranium occur in breccia zones, veins, 

pipes, and bedded replacement deposits. These deposits can be grouped on 

the basis of essential minerals as (1) fluorite, (2) fluorite-quartz-sulfide, and 

(3) fluorite-sulfide deposits. The deposits contain pitchblende or other primary uranium minerals, together with such secondary uranium minerals as schroeckingerite, torbernite, autunite, uranophane, carnotite, and 

sklodowskite.

In some deposits the uranium occurs as fine-grained primary minerals disseminated through the fluorite ore body; in others the uranium is in the 

fluorite itself in a form not yet identified. Secondary uranium minerals coat 

fracture surfaces and vugs in both the ore bodies and adjacent wall rocks.

Purple fluorite is commonly associated with radioactive deposits, but because of the many exceptions to this rule it is of limited value. Authors' 

abstract

Geologic maps of the Fluorine Queen property, Juab County, Utah, the 

Burlington mine, Jamestown, Colo., and the Thursday property, Juab County, 

Utah, are included.

198 Wilmarth, V. R., and Johnson, D. H., 1954, Uranophane at Silver 

Cliff mine near Lusk, Wyoming: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1009- 

A, p. 1-12.

The uranium deposit at the Silver Cliff mine near Lusk, Wyo., consists 

primarily of uranophane which occurs as fracture fillings and small replacement pockets in faulted and fractured calcareous .sandstone of Cambrian (?) age. The country rock in the vicinity of the mine is schist of 

pre-Cambrian age intruded by pegmatite dikes and is unconformably overlain 

by almost horizontal sandstone of Cambrian (?) age.

The mine is on the southern end of the Lusk Dome, a local structure probably related to the Hartville uplift. In the immediate vicinity of the mine, 

the dome is cut by the Silver Cliff fault, a north-trending high-angle reverse 

fault about 1,200 feet in length with a stratigraphic throw of 70 feet. 

Uranophane, metatorbernite, pitchblende, calcite, native silver, native copper, chalcocite, azurite, malachite, chrysocolla, and cuprite have been deposited in fractured sandstone.
426 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

The fault was probably mineralized throughout its length, but, because 

of erosion, the mineralized zone is discontinuous. The principal ore body 

is about 800 feet long. The width and depth of the mineralized zone are 

not accurately known but are at least 20 feet and 60 feet, respectively.

The uranium content of material sampled in the mine ranges from 0.001 

to 0.23 percent uranium, whereas dump samples range from 0.076 to 3.39 

percent uranium. Authors' abstract

Geologic maps and sections of the Silver Cliff mine are included.

199 Wilmarth, V. R., and Vickers, R. C., 1953, The Robinson and Weatherly 

uraniferous pyrobitumen deposits near Placerville, San Miguel 

County, Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey open-file report, 47 p.

Uranium deposits that contain uraniferous pyrobitumen of possible hydrothermal origin occur at the Weatherly and Robinson properties near Placerville, San Miguel County, Colo. These deposits were mined for copper, silver, 

and gold more than 50 years ago and were developed for uranium in 1950.

The Robinson property, half a mile east of Placerville, consists of the 

White Spar, New Discovery Lode, and Barbara Jo claims. The rocks in 

this area are nearly horizontal sandstones, shales, limestones, and conglomerates of the Cutler formation of Permian age and the Dolores formation 

of Triassic and Jurassic (?) age. These rocks have been faulted extensively 

and intruded by a Tertiary (?) andesite porphyry dike. Uranium-bearing 

pyrobitumen associated with tennanite, tetrahedrite, galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, bornite, azurite, malachite, calcite, barite, and quartz occurs in a 

lenticular body as much as 40 feet long and 6 feet wide along a northwesttrending steeply dipping normal fault. The uranium content of eleven 

samples from the uranium deposit ranges from 0.001 to 0.045 percent uranium and averages about 0.02 percent uranium.

The Weatherly property, about a mile northwest of Placerville, consists of 

the Black King claims Nos. 1, 4, and 5. The rocks in this area include the 

complexly faulted Cutler formation of Permian age and the Dolores formation of Triassic and Jurassic (?) age. Uranium-bearing pyrobitumen and 

uranophane occur along a northwest-trending steeply dipping normal fault 

and in the sedimentary rocks on the hanging wall of the fault. Lens-shaped 

deposits in the fault zone are as much as 6 feet long and 2 feet wide and 

contain as much as 9 percent uranium; whereas channel samples across the 

fault zone contain from 0.001 to 0.014 percent uranium. Tetrahedrite, 

chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, fuchsite, malachite, azurite, erythrite, 

bornite, and molybdite in a gangue of pyrite, calcite, barite, and quartz are 

associated with the uraniferous material. In the sedimentary rocks on the 

hanging wall, uranium-bearing pyrobitumen occurs in replacement lenses 

as much as 8 inches wide and 6 feet long and in nodules as much as 6 

inches in diameter for approximately 100 feet away from the fault. Pyrite 

and calcite are closely associated with the uraniferous material in the sedimentary rocks. Samples from the replacement bodies contain from 0.007 

to 1.4 percent uranium. Authors' abstract

The report contains geologic maps and sections of the deposits, tables 

showing stratigraphic sections, and tables showing analyses of samples 

from the properties.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 427

200 Winterhalder, E. C., 1954, Geologic and radiometric reconnaissance 

of North Park, Jackson County, Colorado: U. S. Atomic Energy 

Comm. RME-1008, p. 7-8. (Available for consultation at U. S. 

Atomic Energy Comm. Depository Libraries.)

Uranium is in a mineralized breccia zone of Tertiary age cutting Precambrian granite at the Pedad prospect in sec. 27, T. 9 N., R. 82 W., on the 

east side of the Park Range, Jackson County, Colo. The deposit was originally 

prospected for fluorite. The uranium is associated with black chert, finegrained pyrite, and dark-purple fluorite. Chip samples from the prospect 

pit contained 0.14 and 0.34 percent U308. Anomalous radioactivity has 

been traced for 600 feet along the breccia zone, and radioactive outcrops 

were found on parallel breccia zones.

201 Wolfe, H. D., 1953, Preliminary examination of the Hanosh Mines 

property, Monticello, New Mexico, and reconnaissance of other 

fluorite properties in Grant, Lincoln, Sierra, and Socorro Counties, New Mexico: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-1020, 13 

p. (Available for consultation in U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. 

Depository Libraries.)

The Hanosh Mines uranium-bearing fluorite deposit (Terry prospect) is 

about 2 miles northeast of Monticello, in Sierra County, N. Mex. The mineralization is in brecciated chert that, in part, seems to replace limestone 

of Paleozoic age. The brecciated chert occurs as a lenticular xenolith in 

andesitic intrusive rock of Tertiary age. Dark-purple uranium-bearing fluorite and minor amounts of uranophane and gummite are found in the chert 

breccia in small veins and as interstitial cementing material. The chertfluorite zone is about 12 feet wide and averages about 0.035 percent UsOg 

at its greatest width. The zone is at least 50 feet long and tends to narrow 

and lens out in both directions along the strike. Select samples from the 

more radioactive parts of the zone contain as much as 0.48 percent UaOs.

"Reconnaissance of 29 other fluorite properties in Grant, Lincoln, Sierra, 

and Socorro Counties disclosed only one additional property with any appreciable radioactivity * * *." This property is the Purple Rock mine in sec. 

22, T. 18 S., R. 18 W., near Red Rock, Grant County. The radioactivity is 

caused by dark-purple fluorite in brecciated veins or lenses cutting granite of 

Precambrian age. Three samples from the property contained an average 

of 0.0037 percent U308.

Uranium-bearing fluorite also has been reported in breccia veins at the 

Langford and Hines fluorspar deposits in Grant County. These deposits do 

not contain uranium in commercial quantities.

202 Wright, H. D., 1954, Mineralogy of a uraninite deposit at Caribou, 

Colorado: Econ. Geology, v. 49, p. 129-174.

At the Caribou mine, near Nederland, Colo., a vein of uraninite-bearing 

sulfide ore in monzonite is enveloped by an alteration halo up to 4 feet 

thick. Alteration began with the development of chlorite, calcite, epidote, 

and pyrite in pyroxene and bioMte followed by an argillic phase of montmorillonite and kaolinite formation chiefly in plagioclase and orthoclase, and 

finally a sericitic and silicic phase strongly developed adjacent to the vein. 

The zonal arrangement is complicated by a sericitized zone lying outside the 

argillized zone. The alteration was reflected chemically by strong leaching
428 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

of lime and soda, increases in potash and silica adjacent to the vein, and 

little change in magnesia and alumina.

Deposition of vein minerals took place in 2 stages separated by a period of 

brecciation. In Stage A, quartz, calcite, and siderite were followed successively by pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and galena. Uraninite was 

deposited early in Stage B, following gersdorffite and chalcedony. Sphalerite, 

chalcopyrite, pyrite, argentite, proustite, and native silver completed the 

sequence. Uranium leakage from the vein extended to the outer limit of 

altered wall rock, beyond lead and zinc dissemination. The metals appear to 

have been transported by ionic diffusion through porous wall rock, and 

penetration was controlled by the amount of porous rock formed by hydrothermal alteration, rather than by abundance and spacing of fractures.

Uraninite at Caribou has characteristic colloform texture, and a colloidal 

origin appears probable. Sulfides showing similar forms are believed not 

to have had a colloidal origin. Measurement of the three best X-ray powder patterns of uraninite gave lattice constant values of 5.368 A, 5.385 A, 

and 5.398 A. The variation may be due to differences in U6 / total U ratio 

in the 3 different specimens Author's abstract

The report includes several diagrams showing variations in density and 

chemical composition of the different alteration zones along the Radium vein.

203 Wright, H. D., and Emerson, D. 0., 1957, Distribution of secondary 

uranium minerals in the W. Wilson deposit, Boulder batholith, 

Montana: Econ. Geology, v. 52, p. 36-59.

Weathering of pitchblende in the "siliceous reef" deposit at the W. Wilson 

mine, near Clancey, Mont., has produced an assemblage of secondary uranium minerals, including meta-autunite, meta-uranocircite, metatorbernite, 

metazeunerite, uranophane, beta-uranophane, phosphuranylite, gummite, 

and an unidentified mineral, possibly a complex uranium silicate. The 

secondary minerals show a distinct zonation about primary uranium concentrations. Variation in composition of the ground-water solutions with 

depth, together with the differences in solubility of the secondary minerals, 

may be responsible for the zonation. Vitreous orange and yellow gummite 

replaced pitchblende directly, and a fine-grained yellow mixture of oxides, 

silicates, and phosphates of uranium (called gummite in the field) was deposited in the vein and wall rock breccias around the pitchblende. Metaautunite and some meta-uranocircite were deposited farther out from 

pitchblende in the intergranular pore spaces of the wall rock. Metatorbernite and metazeunerite tend to be concentrated along fractures at considerable depths below the surface, due, it is thought, to the probable higher 

concentration of copper in the solutions with increasing depth.

The apparent deposition of the bulk of the uranium secondaries within a 

short distance from the primary source, pitchblende, appears to indicate 

that supergene enrichment in the oxidation zone is not important. The 

sparse distribution of sulfides in the siliceous veins and the apparent lack of 

other strongly reducing conditions below the water table would seem to 

render unlikely the possibility of a pitchblende enrichment by reduction of 

the U9* ion in meteoroic water moving downward below the water table. 

Authors' abstract
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 429

204 Wright, H. D., and Shulhof, W. P., 1957, An investigation of the 

amount and distribution of uranium in sulfide minerals in vein 

ore deposits Annual report for July 1, 1955, to Mar. 31, 1956: 

U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RME-3142, 29 p., issued by U. S. 

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

Material collected from 40 deposits in Idaho, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, 

and Colorado was studied to determine uranium content and distribution in 

galena, sphalerite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite associated with pitchblende in 

vein deposits.

Uranium determinations were made of 91 sulfide samples from 19 deposits. 

The uranium content generally ranges from 1 ppm to several hundred parts 

per million; some samples contain more than 1,000 ppm. Sulfides concentrated from ore in barren parts of uranium-bearing mines generally contain 

less than 10 ppm uranium. Thus far, the data obtained show a rough correlation between uranium content of the sulfides and radioactivity of the 

ore at the sampling site. Not enough data are available to compare the level 

of uranium content in different sulfides occurring together or in a given 

sulfide from different deposits and districts.

205 Wright, H. D., and Shulhof, W. P., 1957, Mineralogy of the Lone Eagle 

uranium-bearing mine in the Boulder batholith, Montana: Econ. 

Geology, v. 52, p. 115-131.

The Long Eagle mine is the only producing uranium deposit among the 

"base metal" veins in the Boulder batholith, Montana. Steeply dipping 

fracture fillings in quartz monzonite contain sparsely distributed pitchblende, 

together with pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and minor chalcopyrite and argentine 

in a gangue of quartz, calcite and siderite. Deposition of coarsely crystallized quartz and the sulfides was followed by extensive brecciation prior to 

the introduction of microcrystalline quartz, pitchblende, and minor finegrained sulfides. The latter assemblage strongly resembles the "siliceous 

reef" uranium deposits in the batholith. Of the three varieties of pitchblende recognized, only one appears to represent primary introduction of 

uranium. Detailed data were obtained on the pitchblende varieties and an 

unusual, fine-grained galena associated with pitchblende.

Study of the wall rock provided detailed information on the nature and 

composition of the feldspars, the percentage mineral composition and 

texture of the rock, and its chemical composition. The rock may be classified 

petrographically as a peraluminous granodiorite (Shand) or an adamellite 

(Johannsen).

The alteration halo, extending as much as 30 feet from the vein, has a 

mineral assemblage sericite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, chlorite, quartz, 

calcite, siderite, and pyrite similar to that associated with the "siliceous 

reefs" and to the Butte alteration decsribed by Sales and Meyer. Of the 

plutonic minerals, only quartz, apatite, and zircon are found adjacent to the 

vein. Study of the alteration zoning was inhibited by the lack of adequate 

samples more than a few feet from the vein. Authors' abstract

206 Wright, R. J., 1950, Current status of atomic raw materials, Part 

2: Earth Science Digest, v. 5, no. 1, p. 3-8.

This paper briefly summarizes the similar features in the geologic environment of the few major vein deposits of the world from which pitchblende-bearing ore has been produced. These features are 
430 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

(1) A large proportion of the deposits are in Precambrian sedimentary 

rocks or their metamorphic equivalents.

(2) Ores are generally complex mineralogically, and cobalt, nickel, and 

silver minerals are commonly associated with the pitchblende.

(3) Gangue minerals of the veins are primarily carbonates and quartz.

(4) Mineralization appears to have occurred in the medium- to hightemperature range.

(5) The veins commonly form in tension fractures.

(6) Associated igneous rocks are primarily granitic.

(7) Hematitic alteration of the wallrock and (or) the gangue minerals 

is common.

The use of some of these geologic features to guide prospecting has resulted in the discovery of pitchblende-bearing veins at several mines in the 

Western United States, including the Caribou mine in Colorado and the 

Couer d'Alene and Sunshine mines in the Couer d'Alene district, Idaho.

207 Wright, R. J., 1950, Reconnaissance of certain uranium deposits in 

Arizona: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RMO-679, 19 p., issued 

by U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. Tech. Inf. Service Ext., Oak 

Ridge, Tenn.

This report presents the results of investigation of 17 uranium-bearing 

mineral deposits in Arizona. The deposits are grouped and discussed under 

four types: (a) vein deposits with associated base and precious metals; (b) 

vein deposits in granite which contain only minor metallic minerals; (c) 

deposits in sedimentary rocks near intrusive contacts; (d) deposits in broad 

shear zones in volcanic rocks.

Deposits in type (a) include the Hillside, Papago Chief, Jim Kane, and 

Iris Mines and the St. Joe and "Spelbrink" claims. These deposits are 

mesothermal veins containing mixed sulfide ores of copper, lead, and rarely 

zinc, and commonly containing trace amounts of gold and silver. The host 

rocks of 5 of the 7 deposits in this group are volcanic rocks. The other 2 

deposits are in schist and gneiss of Precambrian age. The examination of 

most of these deposits was limited to near-surface outcrops which contained 

only secondary uranium minerals. Pitchblende was identified in samples 

from the Hillside and Jim Kane mines. In general, the uranium seems to 

be most closely associated with copper minerals.

Deposits of type (&) include the Big Ledge, Glen, Lena, and the "R. F. 

Howard" claims. The radioactivity in some of these deposits seems to be associated with iron oxides and red jasper.

Deposits of type (tc) include the Red Bluff claims in Gila County. At this 

deposit, uranophane, metatorbernite, and other secondary uranium minerals 

coat fractures in, and are intimately distributed through, siltstone of the 

Dripping Spring quartzite of Precambrian age. Radioactivity in the siltstone 

seems to decrease away from a steeply dipping diabase dike, which has 

been emplaced along a fault. Two other deposits of this type, the Black Dike 

prospect and the Valley View claim, are briefly described.

Deposits of type (d) include the Annie Laurie deposit and the Golondrina 

claim. The Annie Laurie deposit contains pitchblende in sheared and 

strongly silicified rhyolite. At the Golondrina claim uranium-bearing 

pyromorphite is associated with secondary lead and copper minerals on 

fracture surfaces in a sheared zone in volcanic flow rock.
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 431

The report includes a geologic map of Santa Cruz County and southern 

Pima County and tables listing the location and analyses of samples for deposits examined as well as other deposits reported to the author.

208 Wright, R. J., 1951, Annie Laurie prospect, Santa Cruz County, 

Arizona: U. S. Atomic Energy Comm. RMO-677, 8 p., issued by 

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

Tenn.

The Annie Laurie uranium prospect is 3 miles south of Ruby, in the Oro 

Blanco district of southern Arizona. The uranium is in lens-shaped zones of 

pitchblende several inches long and less than 1 inch thick. The deposits 

are in a strongly silicified porphyritic andesite flow rock that overlies limestone, shale, and conglomerate. The rocks are nearly horizontal and all probably are of Tertiary age. The pitchblende zones are dark gray and are 

bordered by red zones of hematite alteration. Several bright-yellow secondary 

uranium minerals including metatorbernite and uranophane are within a 

few feet of the surface. The near-surface occurrence of pitchblende, within 

6 feet of the surface at one place, may be related to the intense silicification 

of the rock which has made it resistant to weathering. The silicified host 

rock is brecciated and recemented by veinlets up to several inches wide 

containing minor fluorite, pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite in 

a gangue of carbonate minerals. Pitchblende was not seen in these veinlets. 

The results of sampling and a radiometric survey of the area suggest the 

extent of the pitchblende-bearing rock is narrowly limited. Selected grab 

samples have contained as much as 0.79 percent U808.

The report includes an isorad map of the prospect and the immediate 

vicinity outlining the areas of abnormal radioactivity.

209 Wyant, D. G., 1954, The East Slope No. 2 uranium prospect, Piute 

County, Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 322, 6 p.

The secondary uranium minerals autunite, metatorbernite, uranophane(?), 

and schroeckingerite occur in altered hornfels at the East Slope No. 2 

uranium prospect. The deposit, in sec. 6, T. 27 S., R. 3 W., Piute County, 

Utah, is about 1 mile west of the Bullion Monarch mine which is in the 

central producing area of the Marysvale uranium district.

Hornfels, formed by contact metamorphism of rocks of the Bullion Canyon 

volcanics bordering the margin of a quartz monzonite stock, is in fault 

contact with the later Mount Belknap rhyolite. The hornfels was intensely altered by hydrothermal solutions in pre-Mount Belknap time. 

Hematite-alunite-quartz-kaolinite rock, the most completely altered hornfels, 

is surrounded by orange to white argillized hornfels containing beidellitemontmorillonite clay, and secondary uranium minerals. The secondary 

uranium minerals probably have been derived from pitchblende, the primary ore mineral in other deposits of the Marysvale area.

The two uranium-rich zones, 4 feet and 5 feet thick, have been traced on 

the surface for 60 feet and 110 feet, respectively. Channel samples from 

these zones contained as much as 0.047 percent uranium.

The deposit is significant because of its position outside the central 

producing area and because of the association of uranium minerals with 

alunitic rock in hydrothermally altered hornfels of volcanic rocks of early 

Tertiary age. Author's abstract
432 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Geologic maps and cross sections are included. Tables show the results 

of radiometric and chemical analyses of samples from the prospect and 

spectrographic analyses of samples from alteration zones in the deposit.

210 Wyant, D. G., and Stugard, Frederick, Jr., 1951, Indian Creek uranium prospects, Beaver County, Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey openfile report, 7 p.

Metatorbernite(?) and autunite(?) are sparsely disseminated in an argillized and silicified zone in the Bullion Canyon latite of Tertiary age at 

Indian Creek, 20 miles west of Marysvale, in Beaver County, Utah. The 

deposits are on the Sniffer and Mystery groups of claims about one-quarter 

mile east of a large stock of quartz monzonite of Tertiary age. The deposits 

are in a landslide area where exposures are scarce and the trend of the 

alteration aad accompanying uranium minerals cannot be definitely established. The altered zone appears to trend approximately east-west and is at 

least 1,000 feet long and 300 feet wide. The altered zone is cut by many 

veinlets and irregular blebs of purple fluorite. The geologic setting of the 

deposits is similar to some in the Marysvale district.

The report contains a geologic map and section of the deposits.

211 Anonymous, 1957, Eastern uranium mine prepares to ship product: 

Eng. Mining Jour., v. 158, no, 6, p. 81.

The Ramapo Uranium Corp. is mining uranium and iron ore from magnetite veins in some old iron mines near Warwick, N. Y. The original uranium discovery was made at the Miles Standish mine. The magnetite 

veins, in granitic rock, contain uraninite associated with pyrite on the footwall side of the veins. Three nearly parallel radioactive zones are in an 

area 2% miles long by 1 mile wide. The uranium-bearing magnetite reportedly contains from 0.05 to 0.15 percent U8O8 ; 25,000 tons of ore has 

been proven. Pockets of ore are reported to contain as much as 1 percent
INDEXES

AUTHORS

Adams, J. W. ... .... ~

Alsdorf, P. R.... .. ....

Andersnn, T. P.

Bain, G. W. ... ..._

Barrett, D. C- ._.._

Bauer, H. L., Jr. ___

Behre, C. H., Jr. ____

Bergin, M. J.

Beroni, E. P. ____ .

Bethke, P. M. .__._

Bird, A. G. ______ . 

Boutwell, J. M...

Boyd, F. S., Jr......__ ..

Brock, M. R. ___ ..

Bromley, C. P.. _ . _

Brophy, Gerald

Burbank, W. S. ___ 

Butler, A. P., Jr.- _.

Butler, C. R.. .... - _

Campbell, R. H. _____ 

Cavender, W. S. ___ 

Christman, R. A. ___ 

Cook, E. F. __ ____

Cook, F. S.

Coryell, K. C... _____ 

Cox, D. C. . ___ __ .

Davis, D. L ___ . _____ 

Davis, H. C.--- _

Dahl, H. M. . . . ...... .

Dings, M. G,

Fetswr. WT O,

Reference No. 

1-3, 181

4

5

78, 165

» O

10

12

13 14

 . . - 61, 155, 166, 197

.. _____ ....... _ _..__ 12

193

17, 18

________ ..... _ 2

19

. __ .. ___ ___. __ .___ 20 

21

22

26

22

79

23, 122

24

108

. ___ ___.___._. _ . __ 26

_ . _ . ________ 26, 27

.. _ _._. 28, 29

30

174

_______ .___ __ 31

33, 34

35

Sfi. 1.19

QfT

203

QQ^ _43 1 fti 1 no

63

Gabelman, J. W. ______ 

Gale, H. S._ ___ ..._. _ 

Gardiner, Lynn. . _ .

Garrels, R. M. . . ....

Gianella, V. P. . __ ... 

Gillerman, Elliot _____ 

Goddard, E. N...... _ ...

Gott, G. B.. . _.__. .....

Granger, H. C...... .. ....

Green, Jack ... _ . _ _

Grimaldi, F. S.. ....

Gruner, J. W.._. ______ 

Grutt, E. W., Jr.. __ ...

Gude, A. J., 3d ___ ._____. 

Guilinger, R. R.

Hadfleld, J. P. Jr............ 

Hamilton, P. K. ..__..__....

Hart, O. M. .

Hetland, D. L......... .......

HiDier, R. L. ._....___....

Hinrichs, E. N. ..._.._

Huntting, M. T. ..........

Hutton, C. O. ...........

Hyden, H. J. .... ......

Isachsen Y W

Jarrard, L. D... ... _ ...

Kerr, P. F.... . . __ .

Keys, W. S. _ ... _ ......

Killeen, P. L..._. .... __

King, R. U._

Kithil, K. L. .

Laub, D. C.

Love, J. D. . ........ .

Levering, T. G. _ 

I-overine. T. S....

Reference No. 

44

______ . _ ..._ 45

.. .. . 54

_._ 101. 102

. _______ ___ 154

___________ 47, 48 

49, 98

27

60-52, 86

79

9

............... _..._... 53. 54

_ __ ................... 55

. _ .... 2, 66, 132, 133, 164 

_______...__..-- 167

___.._._ 78, 80, 82

._._.____._...........__. 58, 69, 190

____.._._ - .. 60, 61

CO

CO

...... ___ . 31, 61, 64, 141

27

67

_>Q OQ

69

...... .. _...-..-- 70

.... ..._____...__..._..__-. 71

.. ..... ........... 99

.____ ____ 73. 74, 170

_ __._..... _ 198

19, 76-82

.. . .. 83

.............. ... .... 84

.... ....... . 86-90, 168

111

91

92

186

6R, 87, 93

110

_. ___ . - 94,96

.__. ______ . 96, 97, 182

98

433
434 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Reference No. 

McKay, E. J...__ . . 99

MacKevett, E. M. ..... 103

McKelvey, V. E. . _ 100-102

McKeown, F. A. _ __ 66

Mageby, D. N..._.._ 11

Matthews, T. C. __....... 104, 105

Mead, W. E. .__ .. 74 

Miller, R. D.-.. ...__ 106

Milton, Charles - _.....__............_.... 9

Mitcham, T. W.........__.__ .... _. 72

Moen, W. S.._.........__ __........... 107

Moench, R. H........_..._............._...._._...._.. 149

Moore, F. B.... _____.........________ 63, 87, 88, 108, 109

Moore, G. W. .._........_................_....._..

Moore, R. B._........_....._.. ......_.._._........

Morehouse, G. E .._. _... _ ......_ ..

Moxham, R. M. .__. ____._ _.............

Murata, K. J._ . _._ . 

Myerson, B. L..........._........_... _.._.......

Nelson, H. E. - 

Nininger, R. D.. 

Norman, H. W.

110

111

112

189

9

142

113

114

115

Olson, J. C. .. ... ..______._. 116

Ordway, R. J._____.__._.._..______.._ 84

Osterwald, F. W. _ _ 117, 160, 167, 183, 184 

O'Toole, W. L............._._........_.._........_.. 165

Page, L. R...... . _-. . 118, 161

Pearce, Richard ........___.. __ ._....... 119

Pearson, R. C..._ ____ .._.._._...._.-_ 26

Phair, George ._..._.......__ ...._.._.__.. 120, 121, 151

Pierson, C. T .__._..._..__........ 23, 87, 122-124

Powers, J. F.._......~._....__.._._..._._._.____ 125, 166

Pray, L. C.~................. _.. 116

Quigley, J. E. 126

Rambosek, A. J..........._..........._._.............. 191

Rapaport, Irving _.......__.... _._......._ 63

Rasor, C. A..__._............._._..._.._..._._._ 80

Raup, R. B., Jr. __.._...__.__.......________62, 127, 128

Reyner, M. L........_._.......__..........._. 129, 171, 172

Rickard, Forbes......_...._.._.__.._......._..... 130

Ridland, G. C _...__._.__-..._.......... 131

Roberts, W. A....._..._._...__.._.._........ _,_... 132, 133

Robinson, R. F.__....._..__.........._._..._.._... 81, 134

Schafer, Max ....._._._........... .._...._. 36, 135, 136

Schnabel, R. W. _... ..._.._..._.._..._.__ 34, 137 

Sharp, B. J....._........_...._............_......_.__ 138-142

Reference No. 

.. __. 116 

_......... 116

._..-..... 143

........... 121

........_.. 144

Sharp, W. N.. ....__....._...._.._..__.......

Shawe, D. R. ....._...____..._._........

Sheridan, D. M. .... ..._..._. ....

Shimamoto, K. O. . . -_.._._....._. _._

Shoemaker, E. M.......__.._.._........ ...._.

Shulhof, W. P.-___..._ __ . ... 204, 205 

Simpson, W. L..._..._....___._.._......_.. 82

Sims, P. K..._............ .-....._.. .. 146-152

Singewald, Q. D......_......_......_._.._.._ 26, 122-124

Smith, L. E..__... _............_......._ __....... 153

Smith, W. C.____.._...._..._...............__.. 154

Staatz, M. H......._........_..._...... 165-167, 174, 197

Steinhauser, S. R....._......_...__............._.. 158

Stephens, H. G.-. -----_.__._ . 182

Stephens, J. G. -. ..__.._......... . 159

Stewart, R. H. .....___ __........ 160

Stocking, H. B. ~ 161

Stow, M. H... __ . . _.. 162, 163 

Stugard, Frederick .__ . 3, 164, 210

Taylor, A. O.._-_ 165, 166

Theobald, P. K._ ......_ _ . 89, 90, 167, 168

Thurlow, E. E . . _ 169-173

Thurston, W. R. __ . 174 

Tooker, E. W.__ ....... __. . 160, 152, 175

Trites, A. F., Jr. _____ 175

Vickers, R. C. - 176-178, 199

Wallace, S. R. _.... 185, 186

Walker, G. W ~_ ___- 179-184

Weathers, Gerald .__..__._...___ ___.._....... 187

Webb, B. P.. __---_.._... -.. 188 

Wedow, Helmuth, Jr. _.__ . 189 

Weis, P. L. ._. ._ 8

Wells, J. D.._. . .. . 69, 190 

Wells, R. L... __ 191

West, W. S. - 192-194

White, M. G.~~~ ~ - 189, 194

White, R. L.___ . .. 83

Whitebread, D. H . . . 48 

Wilmarth, V. R. -.... -.._ 195-199

Winterhalder, E. C. - . 200

Wolfe, H. D. . - . 201

Wood, H. B.. . .. 72

Woolard, L. E .__ __._._ . _ 79 

Wright. H. D. . 202-205

Wright, R. J. 42, 43, 173, 206-208

Wyant, D. G. - 164, 197, 209, 210 

Wylie, E. T._~ ___ 30

Anonymous _ ....~______________ 211
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 435

GEOGRAPHIC AREAS

Reference No. 

Alaska.

Seward Peninsula:

Brooks Mountain area...___.... 189,194 

Ear Mountain area____..__ 84,189 

Foggy Day Prospect_____. 194 

Lost River area_________ 189 

Tourmaline No. 2 claim.._. 194 

York district ___________ 189

Southeastern Alaska:

Hyder district __________ 189,193 

Mountain View property___ 189,193

Southwestern Alaska:

Konechney prospect______ 189,192 

Lower Yukon-Kuskokwim region

Mission Creek. 

Russian Mountains

Arizona

Cochise County: 

Bisbee district. 

Cole shaft._ 

Fluorine Hill.

R. F. Howard claimValley View claim-..

Coconino County:

Orphan Lode mine.... 

Ridenour mine.

Gila County _____

 189,192 

_ 189 

189, 192 

45, 88, 204, 207

185

71

128

207

207

Black Brush mine__ 

Cherry Creek area_

King No. 1 claim__ 

May No. 2 claim__ 

Red Bluff prospect.. 

Shepp No. 2 claimWalnut No. 2 claii 

Wilson Creek areaYork No. 1 clair

72

72,106 

__ 114 

__ 139 

__ 139

Dripping Spring quartzite 50, 52, 75, 

127,139,191 

187 

191

75, 207 

191 

191 

191 

191

Graham County, Golondrina claim-. 207 

Mohave County:

Big Ledge claimu._._.. 

Bobtail mine _____

Cerbat Mountains_____

De La Fontaine mine.._. 

Democrat mine __.._....

Detroit group.____.......

Fool's Peak area.__.__ 

Greenwood district..___ 

Hack Canyon deposit._ 

Jim Kane mine_ 

Lower Summit mine_... 

Maynard district __ 

Prosperity claim __ 

Rawhide Mountains 

Red Hills (Tate) property..__ 

State mi ne._________._____ 

Wallapai district___.___._ 

Pima County:

Black Dyke prospe 

Glen clair

207

61

60

61

61

61

60

61

54

207

61

61

61

60

60

61

61

207

207

Reference No.

Arizona Continued.

Pima County Continued. 

Iris mine..________ 

Lena claim _______.

207

207

207

207

Papago Chief mine___... _ 

St. Joe claim 

Santa Cruz County:

Annie Laurie prospect-__ 188, 207, 208

Ruby quadrangle

Spelbrink clair

White Oak mine________

Yavapai County:

Abe Lincoln mine_.____

Black Rock district...____ 

Hillside mine__________

188

207

188

128

128

9,207

Weaver Mountains _________ 127

Australia.

Mount Painter_...______.____ 114 

Radium Hill __.__..________ 102,114 

Rum Jungle ____._____. 114

Belgian Congo.

Shinkolobwe mine__ 10, 40, 73, 77, 102, 114

Bulgaria.

Bukhovo _______________

California ____..____._._._ _

Calaveras County, Rathgeb mine... 

Kern County __.

Cross Mountain quadrangle_.

Jaw Bone district______._

Kern River ar

Miracle mine .

114

182

182

.. 11, 140

113

113

. 103,182

182

Rosamond prospect..-_._-__ 140, 179

Silver Lady claim..____ 

Lassen County________

Buckhorn claims _...__ 

Mojave Desert ________.

113

140

64

11,39

Mono County, Wild Bill group........ 182

Nevada County, Truckee Canyon

group _____.______ 82

Plumas County, Perry Jones claims 182

San Bernardino County _ 11 

Clark Mountain district__..... 65,116 

Jeep No. 2 claim...___.__.... 65 

Mountain Pass district__._.. 65, 116 

Paymaster mine ______-_ 182 

Red Devil claim.._______.... 182 

Yerih group.__________... 182 

Canada.

Beaverlodge area._______ 73, 77,114

Eldorado mine (Great Bear Lake) 10, 73, 77,

102,114 

Colorado ___________________ 87, 204

Boulder County:

Blue Jay mine__________ 121 

Burlington mine ~ . 197 

Caribou mine.___._ 109,131, 202, 206 

Diamond Lake area..- ___ 168 

Gold Hill area__________ 25,186

Jamestown distr 49,121,197
436 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Reference No. 

Colorado Continued.

Central City district__ 87, 93, 98, 120,146, 

147-160, 162, 161 

See also Gilpin County. 

Chaffee County:

California mine___________

Garfield quadrangle _______

Madonna mine_____________

Clear Creek County__.___.__ 

Almaden mine.._._____.__ 

Bellevue-Rochester mine __ 

Fall River area_____________

1,36

36

36

190

163

78

63, 163

69

163

14,68

68

86

Freeland-Lamartine district_ 

Golconda mine ______________

Jo Reynolds mine_____.___ 

Lawson-Dumont district.____ 

Robineau claims ____.._____

Custer County:

McKinley Mountain area___ 26 

Waiter's ranch prospect..___ 26 

Wet Mountains thorium district _____________.. 27

Fremont County:

Griffin property____._...__ 27 

McKinley Mountain area____ 26 

Wet Mountains thorium district _________.__._ 27

Front Range___ 42, 43, 77, 88, 93, 98, 100, 

101, 114, 145, 146, 148, 168 

See also Gilpin, Clear Creek, 

and Jefferson Counties, 

and Central City district.

Gilpin County:

Alps mine________.____ 98 

Belcher mine______ 98,108, 111, 130 

Blackhawk district _______ 89 

Calhoun mine ______ 36, 98,108, 111 

Carroll mine ______.___.. 145, 147 

Cherokee mine.._________ 33, 146 

Eureka Gulch area_______ 160 

German mine ____ 98, 108, 111, 130 

Jefferson mine.____._____ 98 

Kirk mine._____..._.___ 98, 108, 111 

Leavenworth mine ... ____ 98 

Mitchell mine...___._...___ 98 

Pewabik mine._.__......____... 98

Priscilla claim __.______ 89

Quartz Hill area...___ 4, 13, 14, 87, 98,

108, 111, 130

Wyandotte mine_____._.... 98

Gunnison County____..__._ _ 23 

Garfleld quadrangle.__.___... 35 

Silent Friend mine__._.__._ 35 

Taylor Park quadrangle __ 35

Huerfano County_.____.___.. .. Ill

Jaekson County, Pedad prospect. 200

Jefferson County...._.____..__ 148, 168 

Buckman property ._._____. 2 

Copperdale area_..__._._._. 86 

F.M.D. mine _________- 90, 167 

Golden Gate Canyon area _.._. .. 2, 3, 143 

Idledale deposit __.___--- 90 

Ladwig claims_._.__.__ . 2

Reference No. 

Colorado Continued.

Jefferson County Continued.

Nigger shaft (Hoffmeister

prospect) _________ ._ 2 

North Star mine. _______ _ _ 2 

Old Leyden coal mine... _____ 66 

Ralston Buttes district ____ .. 143, 161 

Ralston Creek area ______ ._ 2, 143 

Schwartzwalder (Ralston

Creek) mine ______ ..... 2, 20, 143 

South Platte River area _ .._.. 168 

Union Pacific prospect. .. _ ... 2, 3 

Lake County :

Leadville district _____ __....._. 122 

St. Kevin district __ ....... ___ 122, 124

Larimer County, Copper King mine

Moffat County :

Maybell Lay area ________ 

Skull Creek area ________ ..

Montezuma County, Ute Mountains

Montrose County, Rajah mine __ _.

Ouray County _____________

151

17

46, 72

144

144

23

23, 122

23, 122

Red Mountain district _____ 

Uncompahgre district _____ 

Park County :

Alma district ___________ 122, 123

Garo area _____________ 

Orphan Boy mine___________

Shirley May mine____._____

Pitkin County:

Aspen area_______________

Smuggler mine ____________

Saguache County, Los Ochos mine

San Juan County. __________

195

123

195

22

22

34, 77,

161

23

Red Mountain district___ 23, 122

San Miguel County:

Bald Eagle mine_________ 72 

Barbara Jo claim________. 199 

Black King prospect.___ 80, 112, 199 

Hidden Treasure mine_____ 144 

New Discovery Lode claim__ 199 

Placerville area._________. 112, 199 

Robinson property _______ 199 

Weatherly property______ 199 

White Spar prospect........_._ 112, 199

Czechoslovakia.

Erzgebirge region......_.__..___.... 10, 13, 77

Joachimsthal area _________ 114 

England.

Cornwall _._.__......._ 10, 13, 38, 101, 114

Devon __._._ .._ ..._______ 114 

France.

Massif Central... _____......... 114

Germany.

Wolsendorf ..__ .__,.______. _ _ 183

Idaho ......... . ...____...... 88, 175, 204

Blaine County:

Hailey gold belt______.___ 28

Hailey Trust Company deposit 69

Boundary County, Naples area..._ 28
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 437

Reference No. 

Idaho Continued. 

Ouster County:

North Fork of Big Lost River.. 29 

Stanley Basin ______.__... 29 

Lemhi County:

Garm-Lamoreaux mine. 8, 28, 66, 175 

Gibbonsville district.____._..... 29

McConnell-Sargent claims.__ 69 

Moon claim.____._.___..... 28,175

Williams Creek area___....... 69

Shoshone County:

Coeur d'Alene district__ 28, 42, 43, 69,

134, 161, 173

Coeur d'Alene mine.....____ 173, 206

Sunshine mine____...... 28, 41, 73, 81,

134, 173, 206 

Italy.

Cuneo-Turisia district____.___ 114 

Michigan ______.._..___..._..._____ 41 

Baraga County, Huron River deposit __.___.____.__ 177 

Montana __..________.____..... 88,175

Beaverhead County, lola prospect. 176 

Boulder batholith ____ 16, 73, 74,100, 107, 

114, 129, 132, 161, 170, 

172, 183, 203, 205 

See also Jefferson County. 

Carbon County:

Beartooth Mountains_____... 73,162 

Pryor Mountains _____....._ 7, 62, 73

Royse claim __.__ 

Weaver prospect.....__

Jefferson County. ____. 

A. Lincoln claim.__... 

Clancey district.............

Comet area.__.__._... 

Comet mine-___..-.. .. 

Comstock claims._.._

162

162

129

133

133

16

74

129

Forty-Niner claim __.____ 92, 133 

Free Enterprise mine.-_ 15, 132,171, 172

Gray Eagle mine..__._. 

G. Washington claim.........

Harry S. claim. _... ._. 

Josephine mine ____....

74 

133 

133 

129

King Solomon Ridge claim__ 92 

Lone Eagle mine ........... 74, 129,170, 205

Nickelodeon claim...._.____. 74

President group _________ 74 

Red Rock claim______.__ 74 

Redstone-Atomizer claims . _ 74 

Uncle Sam mine____..__.... 74

West end claim____...__.._ 92 

W. Wilson claim...____... 73, 133, 203 

See also Boulder batholith. 

Madison County:

R. and M. claims ...______ 176 

Uranium claims_____....._. 175

Mineral County, Saltese area_._ 73 

Ravalli County, West Fork of Bitter root River ________ 73

Reference No. 

Montana Continued. 

Silver Bow County:

Carnotite claims ___ 

Mooney claim_ 

Mozambique.

Tete district._____ 

Nevada ______.__.

175 

___... 74,107

114

88,96

Churchill County:

Chalk Mountain mine... _.._ 

Lovelock mine ___ . 

Nickel mine _.._.......... 

Clark County___........._._.__

Desert Valley prospect _._. 

Goodsprings district_ ._. 

Green Monster mine. - 

Singer-Tiffin mine ____ _

Elko County, Southam claims 

Esmeralda County ______________

32

32

12

12

12

12,96

12

32

140

Coaldale deposit_____ _ 32, 37,140 

Silver Queen group____ 31 

Tonopah area__..__._..___. 31

Humboldt County:

Getchell mine_.__ ._- __- 32 

Granite Point claims_..___ 166 

Kings River area.______._ 140,166 

Moonlight mine__-..- 32,125, 138, 166

Lander County:

Austin area _____............ 32, 141, 169

Dacie Creek __________- 31 

Early Day claims.-___..__ 32, 141 

Eldorado claim _. 141

Lincoln County____ . 140 

Atlanta area____.___ ___._ 140,142

Atlanta mine ._. . . 

Blue Bird claims........__.___._

Lyon County:

Boerlin ranch_._______ 

East Walker River area.._____

Far West Willys group. _ 

Grant View hot spring______

Northwest Willys group_.___ 

Silver Pick property__..._ _. 

West Willys group. _.__._

Mineral County, Garfield Hills__.

Nye County _____ .._.__

142

142

166

32, 156

156

156

156

156

156

31

11

32

32

Currant claims ____________

Round Mountain area____

Pershing County:

Long Lease mine ..._ ... 82 

Majuba Hill mine .....__.___ 32,154 

Stalin's Present prospect..___ 82

Washoe County-__..__.___. 140

Buckhorn claims_._.____- 64

New Jersey______ ._. - - 45

Hunterdon County, Stockton deposit ______.____-- 160 

New Mexico__________-__ 46, 67, 97, 204

Bernalillo County __... _______ 67

Colfax County____._ ..____ 5

Eddy County, Rocky Arroyo area. 5

Grant County:

Alhambra deposit_____.__ 48, 97 

Apache Trail claim_______ 97
438 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

Reference No. 

New Mexico Continued.

Grant County Continued.

Black Hawk (Bullard Peak)

district _________._ 5, 48, 97 

Black Hawk mine__._____. 48, 97 

Blue Jay claim___.__.__._._. 97 

Burro Mountains _....___..... 47 

Hines deposit _____.... 5, 47, 201 

Langford deposit_______ 6, 47, 201

Merry Widow claim___.__ 

Monarch No. 2 claim.._.._ 

Purple Rock mine______... 

Tunnel Site No. 1 claim... ......

Tyrone district_____...__- 

Uncle Sam, mine__________

White Signal district.......

Hidalgo County_____________

Lincoln County:

Capitan Mountain ___ 

Prince mine_______.

McKinley County:

Poutz No. 2 deposit........

Grants district_________

Santa Fe County___________

Sierra County ______________

Caballo Mountains..

Hanosh Mines property____..

Terry Brothers property...._..

Truth and Consequences areaSocorro County_______________

Charley No. 2 deposit..___._. 

Valencia County:

Grants district_______.___

Laguna area_________.___

51,97

97

201

97

127

97

. 6, 61, 97

6

5

184

67

46

67

5

6

. 6, 201

6,201

5

67

67

Woodrow mine _ 

Zuni Mountains . 

New York.

Orange County :

Miles Standish mine 

Warwick area . 

North Carolina. 

Avery County

North Harper Creek -

Burke County. _________

Pisgah National Forest . _

Grandfather Mountain ....

Oklahoma.

Caddo County, Cement deposit. _ ..

46

30

6, 30, 67

67

211

211

163

163

163

91

91

99

Oregon .. __ . 104, 106, 136

Crook County, Bear Creek area.... _ 136

Harney County, Pike Creek area 136 

Lake County :

Lucky Lass mine ___ . ___ ... 135

White King mine.__ ____ 136, 136

Portugal ___________ ______ ___ ._ 39

Urgerica mine ____ __..__. ___ 10, 102, 114 

South Dakota.

Lawrence County :

Annie Creek deposit __ _ __ 176, 178

Bald Mountain area ______ 176, 178

Penningrton County, Scenic area_~ 110

Tennessee.

Carter County 

Texas ___________

H-dspeth County, Rossman prospect _________________

Karnes County, Tordilla Hill 

Trans-Pecos region 

United States________

Reference No.

163

45

Eastern _____ 

Western ______

U.S.S.R.

Kara-Tau ____ 

Tyuya Muyun.

Utah

Beaver County: 

Beaver area _

______ 67 

Hill____ 158 

______ 67 

24, 41, 88,100.118, 

137, 161,164.181 

______ 24

24, 41,117,169

114

114

88, 204

Indian Creek prospects. .. 

Monarch deposit________ 

Mystery group ... 

Sniffer group________. 

Staats deposit __________

Daggett County, Yellow Canary 

deposit _______________

Emery County:

Lopez mine _____

140

210

174

210

210

174

196

83

72

72, 83,144

72

San Rafael SwellTemple Mountain

Garfleld County, Henry Mountains

Grand County:

Cane Creek area...._______ 68, 72 

Jesse D claims__________ 21 

Red Head claims._____.___ 144

Iron County, Hurricane fault area 126

Juab County:

Bell Hill property___ 

Eagle Rock property. 

Fish Springs district 

Fluorine Queen mine. 

Harrisite property___ 

Honeycomb Hills ____________

Lucky Louie deposit.______ 

Spider No. 1 claim______.. 

Spors Mountain ________ 

Thomas Range __ 46, 77,167, 161,174 

Thursday property _____ 197

Marysvale district __19,39,42,43,73,77,

79, 100,102,114,126,

140, 161,164, 165, 183

Buddy mine______.___ 53, 126,165

Bullion Monarch mine.-._..._... 63,165

Deer Trail mine.___.__..._ 82

East Slope No. 2 prospect........ 209

Farmer John mine_______ 126 

Freedom No. 1 (Seegmiller)

mine _____________ 165 

Freedom No. 2 mine____ 53, 126,165 

Great Western mine______ 19 

New Deer Trail mine__.___ 19 

Prospector mine______. 53,126,165 

Shamrock mine._________ 19 

Tushar Mountains _______ 19 

Yellow Canary prospect____ 165
GEOLOGY OF URANIUM-BEARING VEINS IN THE U.S. 439

Reference No. 

Utah Continued.

Piute County. See Marysvale district.

San Juan County-__________ 144 

Cane Creek area.__.._.___ 68, 72 

Sevier County. See Marysvale district. 

Tooele County:

Erickson district.____.__ _._ 66 

Silver King claims_....____ 66

Washington County, Hurricane

fault area __________ 126

Wayne County, Hanksville area _ 144

Washington __...__.___._______ 70,115

Colville Indian Reservation ___ 28

Spokane County:

Daybreak (Dahl) mhae.__. 70,78,115 

Huffman property________ 70 

Lehmbecker property ___._ 70 

Stevens County:

Lowley property_______...... 70, 115

Midnite mine__._..__.__. 70, 73, 115

Reference No. 

Washington Continued.

Stevens County Continued.

Spokane Indian Reservation.... 77,115,

169

Wyoming ___________________ 44, 55 

Big Horn County, Little Mountain

area _____________ 62, 78 

Carbon County:

Pedro Mountains ________ 55, 94 

Shirley Mountains _______ 95 

Converse County:

Esterbrook district ______ 55 

Trail Creek deposit _._____ 168 

Fremont County:

Copper Mountain district___ 55 

Crooks Gap area.________ 55,159 

Green Mountains ._.____ 55 

Hazel mine____________ 159 

Niobrara County:

Lance Creek district.._.___ 55

Silver Cliff mine- .._. 114,198
440 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF URANIUM GEOLOGY

SUBJECT

Reference No. 

General.

Geologic character of typical pitchblende veinsGeologic environment of primary

vein deposits of uranium..

Geologic prospecting for uranium

and thorium________

Geology, fissionable materials_____

uranium deposits ____________

Minerals for atomic energy_______

Occurrence of uranium and thorium ____________________

43

38

118

10

40

114

77

Origin of uranium deposits_____ 101, 102

Uranium in the United States__ 24, 41, 88,

100,161,164

Age of mineralization_____.___._ 38, 41, 43

Controls for ore_______________ 102 

Faults, Los Ochos, Colo_______ 34 

Wall rocks:

Golden Gate Canyon, Colorado 3 

Fall River area, Colorado___ 63

Classification.

Elemental classification ._.___ 88,101, 102 

Mineralogic classification_.____ 10, 41

Geographic distribution.

United States ____...... 24, 41, 100,117,137

World _____.____.......____.. 114

Host rocks ___ ___...

Metallogenic epochs__________

Mineralogic studies.

Caribou mine, Colorado..__ 

Lone Eagle mine, Montana. 

Marysvale, Utah _______

_..... 41, 43,180 

_____ 38,43

Hillside mine, Arizona____________

Sengierite from Bisbee, Ariz_____

Uranium in sulfide minerals______

W. Wilson mine, Montana ...._._

Origin of uranium __.._.__ 38, 41, 77,101, 102 

Dripping Spring quartzite_____ 50 

Gilpin County, Colo..______ 4, 13, 14, 120

202

205

183

9

71

204

203

Reference No.

Origin of Uranium Continued. 

Goodsp rings, Nev________

Marysvale, Utah_______

______ 12 

______ 79 

Paragenesis and sequence of mineralization ______ 38, 42, 43, 101,181 

Boulder batholith, Montana____ 16,172 

Caribou mine, Colorado_______ 202 

Central City district, Colorado__ 13,14,

36, 147

Jefferson County, Colo_______ 2, 3 

Sunshine mine, Idaho______ 134,173 

Precipitation of uranium______ 77,101,102 

Absorption ___________.__ 12, 50 

Changes in pH. 10

Reaction with phosphate or vanadate __ .

Reduction, by carbon and by sulfide

ions _____________

by ferrous and sulfide ions___

Secondary redistribution of uranium_

Thomas Range, Utah_________

W. Wilson mine, Montana______

Structure.

Tension fractures __________. 

Tectonics.

Cordilleran foreland___..__.__ 117 

Transport of uranium_________ 77,101,102 

Colloidal ______________ 42,181, 202 

Vanadium and uranium in rocks and

deposits __________ 44 

Wall-rock alteration ______ 40, 41, 43, 76, 88

10

50

3

39

157

203

41,43

Caribou mine, Colorado._____

Lone Eagle mine, Montana____. 

Los Ochos mine, Colorado. ~ 

Marysvale, Utah_________________

Zoning __________

Austin area, Nevac 

Bisbee, Ariz ._______

Front Range, Colo_____

Gold Hill, Colo_..~._.-_-

202

205

34

79

101

141

186

93

25,186
Selected Bibliographies 

of Uranium Geology

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1059

This bulletin was printed 

as separate chapters, A-G

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1960
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

FRED A. SEATON, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Thomas B. Nolan, Director

The U.S. Geological Survey Library has catalogued this publication as follows:

U.S. Geological Survey.

Selected bibliographies of uranium geology. Washington, 

U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1960.

440 p. maps (4 fold, in pocket) 24 cm. (Its Bulletin 1059).

This bulletin was printed as separate chapters A-G.

This compilation was done on behalf of the U.S. Atomic 

Energy Commission and is published with the permission 

of the Commission.

1. Geology U.S. Bibl. 2. Uranium U.S. Bibl. I. Title. 

(Series)
CONTENTS

Page 

[The letters in parentheses preceding the titles designate separately published chapters]

(A) Selected annotated bibliography of the geology of uranium-bearing 

coal and carbonaceous shale in the United States, by Thomas 

M. Kehn __________.______________________ 1

(B) Selected annotated bibliography of the geology of uranium-bearing

phosphorites in the United States, by Diane Curtis_ __ ._. 29

(C) Selected annotated bibliography of the geology of sandstone-type

uranium deposits in the United States, by Robert E. Melin . 59

(D) Selected annotated bibliography of the geology of uraniferous and 

radioactive native bituminous substances, exclusive of coals, in 

the United States, by Harriet Nell Jones__________..._- 177

(E) Selected annotated bibliography of the uranium geology of igneous

and metamorphic rocks in the United States, by Diane Curtis 205

(F) Selected annotated bibliography of the geology and occurrence of 

uranium-bearing marine black shales in the United States, by 

Carolyn E. Fix... _ __ _ _____ __ 263

(G) Selected annotated bibliography of the geology of uranium-bearing

veins in the United States, by Basil G. Dean __...__ 327

ILLUSTRATIONS

[Plates 1-4 in pocket]

PLATE 1. Index map of the United States showing location of native 

bituminous substances, exclusive of coals, that have been 

tested for uranium or radioactivity.

2. Localities of igneous rocks in the United States for which 

published chemical uranium analyses are available.

3. Map of occurrences of uranium-bearing marine black shales in 

the United States; uranium content and key to references.

4. Index map of the United States showing the location of 

uranium-bearing vein deposits referred to in the annotations.

Page

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

the United States . _ - _- 2

2. Index map of uranium-bearing phosphorites in the United

States _ . . _ .._ ..__-_.__________ 34

3. Index map of uranium-bearing phosphorites in Alaska._._... 35

4. Index map of the United States showing the location of some 

sandstone-type uranium deposits, groups of deposits, and 

districts .___ __ __..._ ___..______ 62