Uranium Distribution and 

Geology in the Fish Lake 

Surficial Uranium Deposit, 

Esmeralda County, Nevada 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1910 
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Uranium Distribution and 

Geology in the Fish Lake 

Surficial Uranium Deposit, 

Esmeralda County, Nevada 

By DAVID L. MACKE, R. RANDALL SCHUMANN, 

and JAMES K. OTTON 

Uranium-enriched lacustrine and 

marsh sediments in the Fish Lake Valley 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1910 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

MANUEL LUJAN, JR., Secretary 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Dallas L. Peck, Director 

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purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1990 

For sale by the 

Books and Open-File Reports Section 

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Box 25425 

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Ubrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 

Macke, David L. 

Uranium distribution and geology in the Fish Lake surficial uranium 

deposit, Esmeralda County, Nevada : uranium-enriched lacustrine and 

marsh sediments in the Fish Lake Valley I by David L. Macke, R. Randall 

Schumann, and James K. Otton. 

p. cm.-(U.S. Geological Survey bulletin; 1910) 

Includes bibliographical references. 

Supt. of Docs. no.: I 19.3:1910 

1. Uranium ores-Nevada-Fish Lake Watershed. 

2. Geology-Nevada-Fish Lake Watershed. 3. Lake sedimentsNevada-Fish Lake Watershed. I. Schumann, R. Randall. II. Otton, 

James K. Ill. Title. IV. Series. 

QE75.B9 no. 1910 

[QE370.2.U7) 

557.3 s-dc20 

[553.4'932'0979335] 89-600369 

CIP 
CONTENTS 

Abstract 1 

Introduction 1 

Physiography and climate .2 

Regional geology .2 

Ground water and springs 3 

The Fish Lake surficial uranium deposit 5 

Stratigraphy and uranium distribution of the marsh 7 

Reconnaissance sampling 11 

Results of study 11 

Fish Lake marsh 11 

Reconnaissance samples 1.2 

Summary and conclusions 13 

References 13 

Appendixes 15 

FIGURES 

1. Location map of Fish Lake Valley .2 

2. Generalized geologic map of the Fish Lake Valley showing water- and 

sediment-sample localities 4 

3. Map of the Fish Lake area showing auger-hole localities and lines of cross 

sections 5 

4. Diagrams showing chemical analyses of spring-water samples from Fish Lake 

Valley and surrounding mountain ranges 6 

5. Cross sections showing stratigraphy and uranium concentrations of the Fish 

Lake area 8 

6. Histograms and scatterplots of uranium content and loss-on-ignition values for 

samples from the Fish Lake marsh 10 

TABLE 

1. Summary of results of reconnaissance sampling 11 

Contents Ill 

Uranium Distribution and Geology in the 

Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, 

Esmeralda County, Nevada 

By David L. Macke, R. Randall Schumann, and James K. Otten 

Abstract 

Fish Lake Valley, in southern Nevada and California, 

contains about 675 acres of uranium-enriched lacustrine and 

marsh sediments in an arid alluvial-fan environment. A 

change in the trend of the Silver Peak Range, which forms 

the valley's eastern margin, and bedrock spurs that divert 

clastic sediments away from the marsh have allowed a large 

deposit of lacustrine and marsh sediment to accumulate. 

Section lines across the deposit were sampled at 0.3-m 

intervals to a maximum depth of 6.5 m. All samples were 

dried and analyzed for uranium and organic matter content. 

Uranium concentrations in the sediments ranged from 6 to 

800 ppm and averaged 64.3 ppm (253 samples). Uranium 

values correlate with organic content of the samples. 

The marsh is fed by ground water and surface runoff 

derived from the Silver Peak Range. Tertiary volcanic rocks of 

the Silver Peak Range supply uranium to the base of the 

deposit in upwelling ground water. The uranium is concentrated in organic-rich layers in the marsh sediments. 

Water migrating laterally through the marsh sediments at the 

edge of the permanent pond in the southern part of the area 

may also contribute uranium to the sediments. 

Reconnaissance sampling in the surrounding valley 

and mountain areas showed minor enrichment of uranium 

(as much as 150 ppm) in wetland areas and localized 

accumulations of organic-rich sediments. 

INTRODUCTION 

Surficial uranium deposits have been broadly 

defined as "uraniferous sediments or soils, commonly of 

Tertiary to Holocene age, that have not been subjected to 

deep burial and may or may not have been cemented to 

some degree" (Toens and Hambleton-Jones, 1984, p. 9). 

Surficial uranium deposits occur in wetland, arid-land, 

Manuscript approved for publication, September 26, 1989. 

and tropical settings (Otton, 1984a). Uranium-fixation 

mechanisms vary according to the geological setting. The 

initial fixation of uranium in wetland surficial uranium 

deposits is probably by adsorption of U(VI) from ground 

or surface water onto organic matter. Organic-rich sediments are so efficient in trapping uranium that surficial 

uranium deposits (defined as having uranium concentrations greater than 100 ppm; Otton, 1984a) can form 

from water containing as little as 5-10 ppb uranium 

(Otton, 1984a). Modern surficial uranium deposits 

typically contain very low concentrations of uranium 

daughter products. Radiometrically equivalent uranium 

values (uranium calculated from the radioactivity of its 

decay products) are commonly only 5 to 10 percent of 

chemical uranium (R. R. Culbert, written commun., 

1982). The relative paucity of uranium decay products 

limits the amount of high-energy gamma rays produced 

by these deposits and, therefore, their detection by 

conventional radiometric techniques (Otton, 1984b; Culbert and Leighton, 1981). 

Surficial uranium deposits pose an environmental 

hazard because the uranium can be remobilized in 

unconsolidated sediments. Ingested from drinking water, 

uranium is chemically toxic to the kidneys and may also 

have a finite radiation toxicity (Cothern and others, 

1983). Many surficial deposits may exist, and more 

information on the geologic setting and geochemistry of 

surficial uranium deposits is needed to assess their 

potential impact on public health. 

The surficial uranium deposit in Fish Lake Valley 

(fig. 1) was first identified in 1982 during reconnaissance 

sampling of the Great Basin area (R.R. Culbert, written 

commun., 1982). Culbert reported values exceeding 

1,500 ppm (analysis by low-energy gamma-ray spectrometry). The Fish Lake uranium deposit is significant 

because it is an organic-rich surficial uranium deposit of 

the type normally associated with humid climates (Otton, 

Introduction 
1984a) and is in a geologic and climatic setting where 

silcrete, calcrete, or pedogenic uranium aCcumulations 

are expected to occur (Toens and Hambleton-Jones, 

1984). 

Acknowledgments.-The authors acknowledge the 

help of Charles T. Pierson with the statistical analysis of 

the data. Richard W anty provided modal analyses of the 

water-chemistry data, and the interpretation of the water 

chemistry is based primarily on an analysis of the data by 

Robert A. Zielinski. 

PHYSIOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE 

Fish Lake Valley is an area of approximately 

2,600 km2 (square kilometers) bounded by the White 

Mountains to the west, the Candelaria Hills and the 

Volcanic Hills to the north, the Silver Peak Range to the 

east, and the Palmetto Mountains, Sylvania Mountains, 

and the Last Chance Range to the south (fig. 1). The 

valley floor ranges in elevation from about 1,585 m near 

its southern end to about 1,430 m at the playa in the 

northeast (Rush and Katzer, 1973). The Volcanic Hills 

separate the northern end of the valley into two parts. 

I 

117°30' 

50 KILOMETERS 

I 

30 MILES 

Figure 1. Location map of Fish Lake Valley, Nevada and 

California, showing adjacent valleys and mountain ranges. 

The surface drainages from the northwestern part of the 

valley skirt the Volcanic Hills and terminate in the playa 

lake in the northeastern part. 

The climate of the region is arid, but at higher 

elevations topographic effects increase rainfall. Precipitation averages 100 to 150 mm on the valley floor and fan 

apron, and approximately 610 mm in the White 

Mountains at elevations above 3,570 m, where it falls 

principally as snow (Rush and Katzer, 1973). 

REGIONAL GEOLOGY 

Sedimentary rocks of Precambrian to Ordovician 

age are exposed in the ranges surrounding the valley. 

Jurassic and Cretaceous intrusive rocks occur at Mineral 

Ridge and in the White and Palmetto Mountains 

(Krauskopf, 1971; McKee and Nash, 1967). The White 

Mountains are an outlier of the Inyo batholith, a 

composite granitic batholith that is exposed throughout 

an area of 1,300 km2 in east-central California. 

Tertiary rock units exposed in the Silver Peak 

Range are thick sequences of tuffaceous volcanic sandstone and siltstone and interbedded air-fall tuff. Tertiary 

basalt flows and cinder beds in the Volcanic Hills are 

locally as much as 240m in thickness and are approximately contemporaneous with andesite flows and their 

intrusive equivalents in the White Mountains (Robinson 

and Crowder, 1973; Crowder and others, 1972). Deposits 

of late Pleistocene and Holocene age include glacial 

moraines above 2,590 m in the White Mountains 

(Krauskopf, 1971 ), alluvium (which may in part be 

glacial outwash), bedded clay and silt, landslide deposits, 

desert wash, colluvium, playa deposits, and freshwater 

limestone (Albers and Stewart, 1972). 

The most abundant Quaternary deposits in the 

area are alluvial-fan deposits, including desert wash, 

colluvium, and alluvium, together with playa-lake 

deposits. Quaternary deposits may be several hundreds 

of meters in thickness. A large area in the northeastern 

part of the valley is covered by playa-lake and mud-flat 

deposits, which are generally crusted by a thin layer of 

salt (Albers and Stewart, 1972). 

The Fish Lake surficial uranium deposit is a postglacial(?) freshwater marsh within Fish Lake Valley at a 

bend in the Silver Peak Range where the fault zone 

bounding the northwestern part of the range apparently 

ends beneath Fish Lake Valley (figs. 1, 2). North of the 

bend, the bounding fault is downthrown to the west; 

south of the bend, the west flank of the range dips under 

the valley, apparently without a bounding fault (Albers 

and Stewart, 1965). Fault scarps on the eastern and 

western sides of the valley displace alluvial fans by several 

meters and indicate Quaternary faulting. 

2 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 
GROUND WATER AND SPRINGS 

The principal source of ground water in Fish Lake 

Valley is the valley-fill alluvium, and four of the five 

major spring complexes in the valley flow from the 

alluvium. The spring at Fish Lake (figs. 2, 3; sample 

FLW85-1, appendix 1), however, apparently flows from 

carbonate rock, based on field observations (Garside and 

Schilling, 1979; Robinson and others, 1976; Rush and 

Katzer, 1973), and is the largest of a line of springs in the 

spring complex that begins at Fish Lake and trends 

northeastward along the flank of the Silver Peak Range, 

following the fault zone that forms the northeastern edge 

of the valley. The Fish Lake spring (figs. 2, 3) has an 

estimated discharge of 0.085 m3 /s (cubic meter per 

second), which is more than half of the approximately 

0.156 m3 /s discharge of the spring complex. The 

temperature of the Fish Lake spring is 24 oc (Garside 

and Schilling, 1979). The spring has total dissolved solids 

of 246 mg!L (milligrams per liter; calculated from data by 

R.A. Zielinski, written commun., 1985), compared to an 

earlier reported value of 363 mg!L (Garside and Schilling, 1979). Water samples from the springs at Fish Lake 

and Dyer cemetery (figs. 2, 3; sample FL W85-2, 

appendix 1) contained 9 ppb (parts per billion) and 2 ppb 

uranium, respectively. 

In addition to the springs at Fish Lake and Dyer 

Cemetery, six other springs were sampled for chemical 

analysis (appendix 1 ): three within the valley in the 

valley-fill alluvium, one in carbonate rock in the Silver 

Peak Range, and two in valley-fill alluvium in the White 

Mountains. The higher calcium content of the samples 

from Fish Lake and Dyer cemetery springs (samples 

FLW85-1 and 2, appendix 1), relative to other water 

samples (fig. 3), may reflect the influence of local 

carbonate rock. The higher total dissolved solids of 

samples FLW85-4 and 5 may indicate interaction of the 

water with evaporitic salts in the playa sediments, or 

evaporative concentration. 

The three springs sampled in the valley, away from 

the marsh area, are the Pinto Hill spring, the Lower 

McNet Ranch spring, and a spring at the southern end of 

the playa lake (fig. 2). The Pinto Hill spring (sample 

FL W85-3, appendix 1) is at an elevation of 1,658 m, and 

the sample was taken from a seep on the south side of the 

hill. The Lower McNet Ranch spring (sample FLW85-4, 

appendix 1) is at an elevation of 1,445 m and flows 

approximately 0.012 m3 /s (Rush and Katzer, 1973) at a 

temperature of 25 °C (Garside and Schilling, 1979) from 

a well drilled into a natural spring. There are two springs 

at this locality, and they seem to flow at about the same 

rate. These springs drain into a boggy area covered by 

grasses and reeds that begins about 60 m downslope from 

the springs and extends northeast, almost to the playa 

lake. The playa-lake spring (sample FLW85-5, appendix 

1) is at an elevation of 1,435 m, near the southern end of 

the playa. At the spring is a shallow pool 2-3 m in 

diameter that is surrounded by grasses and reeds. 

The McAfee Canyon spring (sample SPW85-1, 

appendix 1) is at an elevation of 2,270 m, along the thrust 

fault separating overlying Cambrian shale, quartzite, and 

limestone from underlying Ordovician shale, chert, and 

limestone (Stewart and others, 1974). When we sampled 

the spring, it was little more than a trickle, but diversion 

structures for livestock use imply that it has had larger 

discharge. 

The two springs sampled in the White Mountains 

are in the Indian Creek and Trail Canyon drainages. The 

Indian Creek and Trail Canyon springs flow from 

Quaternary alluvium that fills valleys cut into the granitic 

Inyo batholith. The Indian Creek spring (sample 

WMW85-1, appendix 1) is just below Post Meadow at an 

elevation of2,240 m. The spring is on the northern side of 

the valley near the southern end of an area of small 

springs. The Trail Canyon spring (sample WMW85-2, 

appendix 1) is just upstream from a small livestock pond 

at an elevation of 2,455 m. A boggy meadow is just below 

the spring. 

Water from all five springs (samples FLW85-1 

through 5, appendix 1) in the valley has similar majorelement chemistry (fig. 4A-E), dominated by sodium, 

potassium, and bicarbonate (HC03). Water from the 

springs in the Silver Peak and White Mountains, however, has major-element chemistry dominated by calcium 

and bicarbonate (HC03; figs. 4F-H). Garside and Schilling (1979) and Trexler and others (1983) suggested that 

the water of the Fish Lake and the Lower McNet Ranch 

springs is related to hydrothermal systems associated 

with the Silver Peak caldera complex or the Volcanic 

Hills extrusive rocks, or both. Edmiston and Benoit 

(1984) investigated the thermal water of Fish Lake 

Valley in subsurface wells. 

The composition of water samples in this study 

suggests that there are two types of springs in the valley: 

feeder springs, and springs affected by evaporative 

concentration or interaction with evaporite beds, or both. 

Sample FLW85-4, in particular, appears to have 

major-element and chlorine abundances consistent with 

a three- to four-fold concentration of water similar to 

FL W85-3. Other trace elements are less concentrated 

(boron, potassium, strontium, lithium, and uranium) and 

may be enriched by selective desorption and dissolution 

of these highly soluble elements from the host sediments. 

Still other trace elements (organic carbon, zinc, barium, 

vanadium, and nickel) appear to be precipitating during 

evaporation. 

The spring-water samples from the White 

Mountains are typical of water in granitic rocks; silica 

contents are low and in equilibrium with quartz, and 

calcite is undersaturated. The water sample from the 

Ground Water and Springs 3 
Td 

5 

I I I I 

10 KILOMETERS 

I 

5 MILES 

EXPlANATION 

Quaternary alluvial, playa, 

landslide, and moraine deposits 

Tertiary deposits-Includes alluvial, 

volcaniclastic, and volcanic deposits; 

may include minor Quaternary 

volcanic deposits 

Cretaceous and Jurassic batholithic 

rocks-May include minor Triassic 

plutons 

Paleozoic and Precambrian 

sedimentary rocks 

---- Contact 

----r--- Fault-Dashed where approximately 

located; dotted where concealed; 

bar and ball on downthrown side 

• • Thrust fault 

• Trail Spring-water sample localityCreek Showing name 

Figure 2. Generalized geologic map of the Fish Lake Valley showing localities of spring water and sediment samples. 

Geology of California from Jennings (1977). Geology of Nevada from Stewart and Carlson (1978). 

Silver Peak Range, however, is higher in silica content, 

approaching saturation with amorphous silica, possibly 

indicating equilibrium with volcanic glass. Calcite is 

oversaturated in the Silver Peak Range water sample, 

and the concentration is consistent with the presence of 

calcite-rich sediments in the section. The Fish Lake 

Valley spring-water samples (FLW85-1 to -5) are also 

silica rich, and their silica concentrations appear to be 

limited by the solubility of amorphous silica. Authigenic 

silica gels may ultimately precipitate from this water. 

4 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 
I I 

R 35 E 

.5 

I 

1 KILOMETER 

I 

1/2 MILE 

Figure 3. Map of the Fish lake area showing auger-hole 

locations in the Fish lake marsh and lines of cross sections 

shown in figure 5 (base from Rhyolite Ridge, Piper Peak, 

Davis Mountain (1963), and Mt. Barcroft (1962) 15-minute 

topographic quadrangle maps, scale 1 :62,500). The 

original Fish lake is directly east of auger hole 18. The old 

reservoir to the west of Fish lake is manmade. The new 

dam (see text) floods the entire marsh area to a point 

approximately 300m south of holes 19 and 21. 

Calcite saturation varies, perhaps indicating slow kinetics 

of calcite precipitation as water becomes saline in 

composition (see, for example, the compositions of 

samples FLW85-3 and FLW85-4, appendix 1). 

Based on molar rates of (total alkalinity)/2 

(Ca + 2 + Mg+ 2), this dilute water would evolve upon 

evaporation to a saline-alkaline brine by precipitation of 

calcite and dolomite, possibly with the precipitation of 

magnesium-rich clays. Gypsum is greatly undersaturated 

in all the water samples, and gypsum precipitation is not 

predicted during the evaporative concentration of these 

water compositions. 

Uranium is introduced as uranyl carbonate species 

and should be stabilized and enriched in carbonate-rich 

formation water as long as the water is sufficiently 

oxidizing to keep uranium in a U(VI) oxidation state. 

Carbonate-rich water is less likely to give up uranium to 

coexisting organic matter (Zielinski and Meier, 1988). 

An Eh of approximately zero should be sufficient to 

reduce uranium, and adsorbed uranium may ultimately 

be fixed in this way. The relatively high concentration 

of both iron and uranium in some sampled feeder 

springs (Lower McNet Ranch, samples SPW85-1 and 

WMW85-1, appendix 1) suggest a rather restricted Eh 

range of approximately 0-0.2 volts (mildly oxidizing). At 

lower Eh values, uranium should precipitate as U (IV) 

minerals (minerals with low uranium solubility). At 

higher Eh values, iron precipitates as Fe(OHf. Other 

water types generally have a more oxidizing chemical 

signature (high uranium, high V, high N03, high As, and 

low iron and manganese). 

Arsenic concentrations are high and rather constant in all of the Fish Lake Valley water samples, and 

perhaps are controlled by sorption on Fe(OH)3. 

THE FISH LAKE SURFICIAL 

URANIUM DEPOSIT 

Fish Lake and Fish Lake marsh are on the eastern 

margin of Fish Lake Valley and on the western flank of 

the central Silver Peak Range (figs. 1, 2). Fish Lake is the 

only permanent natural body of water within the 

extremely arid valley and is maintained by discharge from 

the Fish Lake spring. Fish Lake marsh extends about 

2, 7 40 m along the axis of the valley and is generally less 

than 800 m wide. On U.S. Bureau of Land Management 

aerial photographs taken in 1980, the marsh consists of 

roughly 2.7 km2

• Fish Lake spring is near the southern 

end of the marsh, and the Dyer cemetery spring is near 

the center of the marsh. 

Field work for this study was conducted in the fall 

of 1985. During the previous winter, an irrigation-storage 

dam was built near the center of the marsh (fig. 3), just 

south of the Dyer cemetery spring, flooding the southern 

part of the marsh area. As a result, access to the southern 

part of the marsh was limited. Therefore, the area was 

divided into northern and southern sampling areas, and 

the northern part of the marsh was sampled more 

extensively than the southern part. 

The marsh deposits were sampled using a 25-mmdiameter soil auger, and sample localities were less than 

60 m to 150 m apart. Samples were collected at 30-cm 

intervals within each hole, air dried, and analyzed for 

uranium by delayed-neutron technique and for organic 

matter content by weight loss on ignition at 550 °C 

(appendix 2). Uranium and loss-on-ignition analyses 

The Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit 5 
A 

D 

Na+K 

.2 percent) 

HCO, 

(30.8 percent) 

B 

E 

Na+K Na+K 

(27.9 percent) (40.9 percent) 

Mg 

c 

F 

Na+K (6.5 percent) 

HCO, (41.4 percent) HCO, 

(44.8 percent) 

Ca (38.3 percent) 

G H 

Figure 4. Major-element composition of spring water from Fish Lake Valley and vicinity, Nevada and California. The total 

cations and the total anions of the major elements balance within approximately 5 percent; the difference is due to minor 

elements (appendix 1). Location of springs shown on figure 2. A, the spring at Fish Lake, sample FLW85-1; 8, the spring at 

the Dyer cemetery, sample FLW85-2; C, the spring at Pinto Hill, sample FLW85-3; D, the spring at Lower McNet Ranch, 

sample FLW85-4; E, the spring at the south end of the playa lake, sample FLW85-5; F, the spring in McAfee Canyon, Silver 

Peak Range, sample SPW85-1; G, the spring in Indian Creek canyon, White Mountains, sample WMW85-1; and H, the spring 

in Trail Canyon, White Mountains, sample WMW85-2. 

were performed by U.S. Geological Survey laboratories 

at Denver, Colo. Cross sections of the northern marsh 

(figs. SA, B, C, and D) were prepared based on field 

descriptions of the auger samples. 

The extent of the marsh deposits is primarily 

controlled by the discharge from the Fish Lake and Dyer 

cemetery springs (fig. 3). Although a relatively large 

marsh extends north of the Dyer cemetery spring, it has 

been drained and is covered by meadow grasses. 

The topography of the Silver Peak Range and the 

asymmetry of the Fish Lake Valley are secondary 

controls on the extent of the Fish Lake marsh deposits. 

Both the Fish Lake and Dyer cemetery springs are at the 

base of bedrock spurs that have shielded the immediate 

vicinity of the springs from clastic sediments. Also, a local 

change in the trend of the Silver Peak Range from 

northwest to northeast determined the orientation of the 

nearby Icehouse Canyon (northwest) and Piper Canyon 

(southeast) drainages, sheltering the marsh from easterly 

derived clastic sediments. Larger drainage areas, higher 

relief, and greater precipitation in the White Mountains 

have produced larger alluvial fans than those of the Silver 

Peak Range, and the valley axis shifted to the east. The 

White Mountain front is approximately 3.7 km west of 

the marsh, and the alluvial-fan sediments that reach the 

marsh are fine-grained distal silt and clay. Only distal fan 

6 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 
sediments reach the marsh area from the alluvial fans of 

the Silver Peak Range as well, because the bend in the 

range directed the drainages north and south of the 

marsh to the northeast and the southeast, away from the 

marsh area. The result might be called a "clastic shadow 

zone" in the marsh area, which, together with the bedrock spurs and the small drainage basin immediately to 

the east of the springs, have allowed organic sediments to 

accumulate in quiet water conditions with relatively little 

contamination by clastic material. 

The original size of Fish Lake was about 25 m wide 

by 100 m long. During our field work, the outline of the 

original pond could still be seen as a ring of vegetation 

within the reservoir. We estimated the original depth of 

the pond to be between 3 and 4 m, and it had a nearly 

vertical wall on the western side (near auger hole 18, fig. 

5D). The quiet water conditions within the Fish Lake 

marsh and the low local input of detritus maintained the 

size of the pond and the position of its western edge, as 

the sides of the pond were built nearly vertically by 

accumulation of marsh-plant and diatomaceous sediments, with a minor amount of fine-grained clastic 

sediments (fig. SD). 

At the Dyer cemetery spring, there is no pond 

comparable to Fish Lake, probably due to the smaller 

discharge of the spring or to an increase in clastic 

sediments from the Silver Peak Range at the northern 

end of the marsh, or both. The spring at the Dyer 

cemetery is on the northwest flank of a small bedrock 

spur in an area that has received a larger amount of 

clastic sediments from adjacent alluvial fans than did the 

area at the Fish Lake spring. Several small, discontinuous 

layers of organic-rich material within the northern marsh 

area (fig. SC, for example, auger hole 8) are analogous to 

accumulations in and around channels seen on the 1980 

aerial photographs. Aerial photographs show that the 

densest vegetation around the Dyer cemetery spring 

occurs within the lowest channels of the axial drainage. 

Stratigraphy and Uranium 

Distribution of the Marsh 

The stratigraphy of the areas sampled is very 

persistent (fig. SA, B, C, and D). Many of the beds within 

either the northern or the southern marsh areas can be 

traced across the entire sampled area. The units consist 

of clastic sequences that become finer grained upward 

and can be traced laterally into correlative organic-rich 

layers. An idealized unit in the marsh is composed of 

fine-grained clastic sediments at the base that grade 

upward to marsh sediments consisting of either a thin 

peat or a siliceous, diatom-rich organic muck. 

Sedimentary unit I in the cross sections (fig. SA, B, 

C, and D) is made up of two groups of organic sediments, 

based on field descriptions. The first group generally 

contains greater than 20 percent organic matter, and the 

second group generally contains 15 to 20 percent organic 

matter. Unit II consists of dark clay and silt containing 

less than 15 percent organic matter. Units III to V are 

light-colored clastic sediments ranging from clay to 

coarse sand that generally contain less than 5 percent 

organic matter but commonly include layers of finely 

fragmented (less than 3 mm in length), unoxidized plant 

fragments. 

The coarse-grained pebbly sand at the base of the 

cross sections probably represents alluvial-fan deposits 

over which the marsh sediments were deposited. At Fish 

Lake, the base of the organic-rich deposits slopes 

downward to the northwest and is deepest in auger hole 

20 (fig. 5D), northwest of the modern pond. There is a 

steep break in slope on the basal alluvial-fan deposits 

between holes 21 and 18 (section C-C', fig. 5D). A 

similar break in slope was observed between holes 4 and 

3 (section B-B', fig. SB) and may represent a fault scarp 

on the buried alluvial-fan surface, analogous to modern 

fault scarps within the valley. Displacement on the 

possible fault is approximately 1 m in both locations. 

Uranium concentrations in 253 samples from the 

marsh averaged 64.31 ppm. In the northern area, 

uranium concentrations in 176 samples ranged from 6.63 

to 591 ppm and averaged 52.8 ppm. In the southern area, 

uranium concentrations in 69 samples ranged from 6.07 

to 798 ppm and averaged 90.6 ppm. 

Surficial uranium deposits associated with organic 

matter have been studied extensively in both the United 

States and Europe (Otton, 1984b; Wilson, 1984), where 

it is assumed that the uranium is fixed by the organic 

material. Models for fixation of uranium on organic 

matter have been proposed by Zielinski and Otton 

(1986) and Zielinski and Meier (1988). Statistical 

analysis of the uranium distribution and organic matter 

content (as measured by loss on ignition) for the Fish 

Lake Valley samples shows that uranium in the Fish 

Lake marsh is associated with the organic matter 

(significant correlation at the 99-percent level, 

R2 = 0.969). Data was analyzed using the threeparameter log-normal transformation of Miesch (1981) 

to reduce the skewness of the data (fig. 6). 

The highest concentration of uranium in the northern part of the marsh is in auger hole 4 (section B-B ', 

figs. 3, SA, B). The interval from 1.8- to 2.4-m depth 

Figure 5 (following 2 pages). Cross sections showing stratigraphy and uranium concentrations of the Fish Lake area, 

Fish Lake Valley, Nevada and California. Section locations 

are shown on figure 3. Samples were collected at 0.3-m 

intervals in each hole. A, North-south cross section A-A'. 8, 

East-west cross section ~8 '. C, East-west cross section 

C-C '. 0, North-south cross section 0-0 '. 

The Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit 7 
A' 

Hole 

METERS 14 

0 

METERS 

0 

A 

Hole 

13 

Silty and clayey mucks and peats 

with more than 15 percent organic 

material (determined by loss on 

ignition) 

Hole 

12 

100 

Dark silts and clays containing as 

much as 15 percent organic material 

Hole 

8 

STRATIGRAPHY 

Hole 

7 

URANIUM CONCENTRATION 

= . 

. 

. 

200 300 

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION 

APPROXIMATELY XlOO 

EXPLANATION 

Clays and silty clays 

400 

Silts, clayey silts, and sandy silts 

Coarse sand and silty and clayey 

coarse sands 

8 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 

Hole 

6 

500 METERS 

A 

Hole 

4 

--50- Uranium isopleth-Values in parts 

per million. Hachures show closed 

areas of lower uranium values 
B 

Hole 

METERS 1 

Hole 

2 

0 -...-~~'=t==r--"=-

B 

METERS 

Hole 

3 

Hole 

4 

B' C 

Hole Hole 

5 9 

c 

Hole 

8 

STRATIGRAPHY 

0-,-~-----.-.-.---,=rr~----~r-----~=---

B 

c 

100 200 

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION 

APPROXIMATELY X100 

C' D' 

Hole Hole 

11 19 

D 

300 METERS 

Hole 

21 

D 

Hole 

18 

D 

Hole 

20 

URANIUM CONCENTRATION 

The Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit 9 
80 24 

22 70 

20 

60 18 

16 50 

u >- c 14 z z 

~ 40 UJ 

0 a 12 

UJ UJ 

0:: ~ 10 u. 30 

8 

20 6 

4 

10 

2 

0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0 2 4 5 6 7 

LOSS ON IGNITION. IN PERCENT In (URANIUM-3.8587) 

60 800 

700 50 z 

0 

j 600 

40 ~ 

>- ~ 500 u 0.. 

z CJ) 

UJ 1- ::::> 30 ~ 400 0 

UJ 0.. 

0:: z u. -:.300 20 ~ 

::::> 

~ 200 0:: 

10 ::::> 

100 E 

0 

0 2 3 4 20 40 60 80 

In (PERCENT LOI+ 1.8979) LOSS ON IGNITION. IN PERCENT 

100 7 

90 • •• 6 • • 80 , 

-\. :· .. . • 70 -5 

r-.. • • •••• • <Xl • ~ r-.., ... I LO • c • 6o <Xl • z C"'i I 4 • • ' J '~~ ~, ..... ' • UJ ~ 

0 

::::>50 ::::> ... : ~~- .... ~ 3 • . '··· ' UJ • • 

E 40 0:: • 1- l .... • • 

2. •• . ' . :_.-. • • • 30 .f: 2 

-••• .c • # • • ' ..... .... 20 ,.. .. •• 10 • • F 

0 0 100 200 300 400 600 700 800 1.4 1.8 2.2 2.6 3.0 3.4 3.8 4.2 4.6 

URANIUM. IN PARTS PER MILLION In (LOI+1.8979) 

Figure 6. Histograms and scatterplots of uranium content and loss-on-ignition values for sediment samples from the Fish Lake 

)marsh, Fish Lake Valley, Nevada and California. Data for northern and southern areas are combined. Data transformed using 

gap-test transformations. A, histogram of loss-on-ignition values (LOI); 8, histogram of ln(LOI + 1.8979~; C, histogram of uranium 

concentration; 0, histogram of ln(uranium-3.8587J; E, scatterplot of uranium versus loss-on-ignition (R =0.72061); F, scatterplot 

of ln(uranium-3.8587) versus ln(LOI + 1.8979) (R =0.96924). 

(figs. SA, B) contains as much as 591 ppm uranium. High 

uranium values ( > 100 ppm) also occur in a band at 

approximately 3.4- to 4.0-m depth that extends from hole 

5 on the east to hole 3 on the west (fig. 5B). Uranium 

10 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 
values exceeded 200 ppm in holes 3 and 5. In the 

northernmost transverse cross section ( C-C', figs. 3, 5C), 

the highest concentrations of uranium ( > 200 ppm) are 

near the top and at the base of the section. 

The zone of uranium concentration defined by the 

100-ppm isopleth at the base of the southern end of cross 

sectionA-A' (fig. 5A) is tabular and extends from hole 4 

northward to hole 6. The 50-ppm isopleth delimits an 

upper and a lower zone of high uranium concentration, 

both of which extend down the valley as far as hole 12. 

The 50-ppm isopleth at the base of hole 8 appears to be 

separate from the upper zone of concentration but does 

extend to the north as far as hole 12 (fig. 5A) and to the 

east as far as hole 11 (fig. 5C). 

The highest uranium concentrations in the marsh 

were found in the area adjacent to Fish Lake (fig. 5D) at 

a depth of 4.3 to 5.2 m in hole 18. These high values 

apparently correlate with higher concentrations ( > 200 

ppm) at 4.9 to 5.2 m ~n hole 20 and lower, but elevated, 

concentrations at approximately the same depth in holes 

19 and 21. A second horizon of elevated uranium concentrations occurs in the upper 0.6 m of holes 18 and 19. 

RECONN~SSANCESAMPUNG 

Six localities in the White Mountains and two in 

Fish Lake Valley, outside of the Fish Lake marsh, were 

sampled to locate other areas of uranium concentration 

associated with organic material within an arid environment (fig. 3): (1) WMA85-1, a boggy area near a spring 

in the Indian Creek drainage (near water sample 

WMW85-1, appendix 1); (2) WMA85-2, on the terrace 

surface of a small tributary, 3 to 4 m above the main 

valley floor in the Indian Creek drainage; (3) WMA85-3, 

on the bank of a small stream (near water sample 

WMW85-2, appendix 1); (4) WMA85-4, Trail Canyon; 

(5) WMA85-5, Davis Creek; (6) WMA85-6, Chiatovitch 

Creek; (7) FLA85-15, 16, and 17, near the old reservoir 

west of Fish Lake spring; and (8) FLA85-22, the boggy 

area below the spring at the Lower McNet Ranch (near 

water sample FLW85-4, appendix 1 ). 

The results of the reconnaissance sampling are 

summarized in table 1, and the data are included in 

appendix 2. The results suggest that uranium has been 

concentrated in organic-rich sediments outside of the 

Fish Lake marsh, but concentrations are generally lower 

than within the marsh area for similar values from 

loss-on-ignition analysis. 

RESULTS OF STUDY 

Fish Lake Marsh 

The primary factors controlling the uranium 

distribution in the Fish Lake marsh are the distribution 

Table 1. Summary of results of reconnaissance sediment 

sampling, Fish Lake surficial uranium deposit, southern 

Nevada. 

[See fig. 2 for sample localities. ppm, parts per million; m, meter; mm, 

millimeter; LOI, loss on ingition] 

Sample Sampfo Maximum Average AverageU 

No. cLwatioa depth LOJ ~pm)'& 

(meters) umpled (pcrc:cm)' 

Whi~ Moyntaig 

WMAS.>l 2,215 1.Sm 4.9 151 

WMAS$.2 2,245 lSOaw 9.0 9.()5 

WMASS-3 2,700 Um 3.8 26.78 

WMA8S..f 2,460 900aw 1L4 32.4 

WMASS-5 2,230 600 DUll 4.l 12.8 

WMASS-6 2,140 300mm 5.9 9.78 

Old reservoir 

Fl.A8S-15 1,395 Um ~') ('') 

FU.SS-16 1,395 LS:m 5.0 •u.s 

FLA8S-17 1,395 1.4:m <'>. c•> 

l:e:Er MeN" Rl!nch 

Ft.A85-22. 2.265 3.0m 8.3 14.0 

1 Analyses performed by S. Roof, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colo. 

2 Aaalysca performed by R.B. Vaughaa aod D.M. Mc.Kowa. U.S. Geo1ogic:al 

SUI"YC)', Denver, Colo. 

3 5.0 is the average LOI cl all samples at tbe old reservoir. 

•u.s is the average uramum COilleat of aU samples at tho old raervoir. 

of organic-rich sediments, the locations of springs, and 

the structural setting of the valley, all of which are 

related. The fine-grained organic-bearing sediments 

interstratified with clastic sediments which commonly 

include fragmental plant materials suggests that the 

marsh was frequently covered by silt and clay or that the 

vegetation was drowned by ponding. Near the springs, 

the sedimentology of the auger samples shows that 

individual depositional units commonly become finer 

grained upward into siliceous diatom-rich lacustrine 

sediments. The marsh area apparently alternated 

between lacustrine, marsh, and distal alluvial-fan environments. The organic-rich layers represent marsh 

environments, and lacustrine clays represent periods 

when the area near the springs was flooded, forming a 

shallow lake. The coarser grained clastic layers represent 

fluvial sediments deposited during flash floods in the 

valley, during large-volume flows on the adjacent allu~ial 

fans, or during drier periods when the dense vegetation 

did not exist at the upstream edge of the marsh to trap 

sediments. 

According to Otton (1984b ), the highest uranium 

enrichments associated with uraniferous springs occur 

closest to the springs, where uranium-rich spring water 

initially contacts surficial organic material. Localized 

minor surface enrichment has taken place in the Fish 

Lake marsh (auger holes 7, 3, 11, 18, and 19 on figs. 5A, 

B, C, and D, respectively), where surface waters soa~ed 

into the organic-rich surface sediments. Adjacent to F1sh 

Lake spring, uranium introduction (for example, hole 18, 

Results of Study 11 
fig. 5D) probably is occurring by a combination of surface 

llow and subsurface lateral flow through at least the 

uppermost part of the sediment column and possibly at 

depth. In the remainder of the marsh area more distant 

from spring sources, the enrichment at the surface is 

minor, and high uranium concentrations found at depth 

suggest a somewhat different source. 

Upwelling ground water from fracture systems has 

been suggested as a primary mechanism for several 

known surficial uranium deposits; uranium is concentrated in organic-rich layers as the ground water moves 

upward through valley-fill sediments (Culbert and 

others, 1984; Levinson and others, 1984; Zielinski and 

others, 1986). The uranium isopleth pattern in cross 

section B-B' (fig. 5B) strongly suggests that organic-rich 

channel-filling sediments have concentrated uranium 

from an upwelling plume of ground water migrating 

along fractures in the sediments underlying the marsh. A 

similar zone of enrichment at the base of cross section 

D-D' (fig. 5D) is over a break in slope that suggests fault 

displacement on the buried fan surface (fig. 5D). We 

suggest that ground water from the fault zone moved 

upward until it reached relatively impermeable clay-rich 

sediments (fig. 5D), and then it flowed laterally, giving 

the uranium-enriched zone a tabular shape. 

Springs that emerge at the edge of the marsh and 

deeper ground-water plumes flowing through the coarse 

sediments at the base of the marsh deposits probably 

have the same source-the Paleozoic and Tertiary sedimentary rocks of the Silver Peak Range. The relatively 

elevated concentrations of uranium (50-200 ppm) at the 

base of cross sections B-B' (fig. 5B) and D-D' (fig. 5D) 

suggest that ground water moving through the marsh 

sediments from below has a higher uranium content than 

water that emerges at the springs. 

The sedimentary record indicates that Fish Lake 

Valley alternated between wetter (lacustrine) and drier 

(marsh-meadow) conditions, probably in response to 

climatic variations. As climatic conditions in the marsh 

changed, some uranium may have been redistributed 

within the sediments, due to changes in the salinity and 

alkalinity of pore water. Leaching studies conducted by 

Zielinski and Meier (1988) documented the effects of 

changes in pore-water composition on the stability of 

uranium carbonate complexes, especially in water with 

high carbonate concentrations, as in the Fish Lake 

marsh. Regardless of the timing of uranium fixation in 

any particular stratum, organic matter is the primary 

uranium host, and any pattern of uranium distribution is 

strongly influenced by the abundance and type of organic 

matter (Zielinski and Otton, 1986). 

Our only estimates for the age of the sediments are, 

at present, indirect. R.R. Culbert (D.G. Leighton and 

Associates, Vancouver, B.C., written commun., 1982) 

noted a volcanic-ash layer, which he assumed to be the 

Mazama tephra (dated at 6,900 years B.P. (before 

present); Davis, 1979), at a depth of2 m within the marsh 

deposit at one sample locality. We did not identify this 

tephra layer during our sampling, but if the layer identified by Culbert is the Mazama tephra, its position 

suggests a rate of sedimentation of approximately 

0.3 mm per year for the last 6,900 years. This rate agrees 

well with sedimentation rates of 0.4 mm per year for the 

same time interval and a similar climatic and depositional 

setting, in the Potato Canyon bog of Grass Valley, 

approximately 240 km to the northeast (Madsen, 1985). 

Assuming a sedimentation rate of 0.3 mm per year, we 

estimate that deposition of the marsh sediments began 

approximately 23,000 years B.P ., which agrees reasonably with an estimate by Atwater and others (1986) of 

26,000 years B.P. for the start of the last major Sierra 

Nevada glaciation, corresponding to a period of higher 

precipitation in the area. We also believe that sedimentation in the marsh area could not have begun significantly earlier than this date, because higher sedimentation rates associated with wetter climatic regimes 

would have overwhelmed the marsh area with clastic 

sediments. 

Reconnaissance Samples 

Minor enrichment of uranium has occurred in 

other wetlands in the Fish Lake Valley and in wetlands of 

the surrounding mountains. 

Uranium concentrations in sediment samples 

collected in the White Mountains can be compared to 

uranium concentrations measured in bedrock samples 

collected in the White Mountains (F.A. Hills, unpub. 

data, 1988). A suite of 34 analyses of monzonite, granodiorite, and their saprolite have an average uranium 

content of 2.79 ppm, ranging from 1.15 to 5.60 ppm, and 

an average thorium content of 11.04 ppm, ranging from 

6.79 to 16.80 ppm. The average uranium:thorium of this 

suite of samples is 0.252, ranging from 0.116 to 0.458, 

which is in agreement with a uranium:thorium of 0.3 for 

average crustal abundance of these elements (Mason and 

Berry, 1968). Because the analyses of the sediment 

samples were made using delayed neutron activation 

analysis, most of the thorium values are qualified, less 

than a variable detection limit that is dependent upon the 

amount of uranium present in the sample. Uraniumto-thorium ratios calculated for the sediments using the 

qualified values therefore represent a minimum value for 

the ratio. The 17 sediment samples from the White 

Mountains area have an average uranium:thorium of 

2.951, ranging from 0.644 to 4.871, indicating that nearly 

all of the samples have been enriched in uranium 

(Adams and Weaver, 1958). 

Samples from the areas of the old reservoir (fig. 3) 

and the Lower McNet Ranch wetland show similar 

12 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 
enrichment in uranium. The average uranium:thorium 

for 15 samples from the area of the old reservoir is 1.056, 

ranging from 0.434 to 2.346, and the average uranium: 

thorium for 9 samples from the Lower McNet Ranch 

wetland is 1.543, with a range from 0.716 to 2.347. 

Although there is no statistical correlation between 

uranium and organic-material content for the 31 samples 

collected outside of the Fish Lake marsh area 

(R2 = 0.1724, not significant at the 90-percent confidence 

level; Fisher, 1954), we assume that organic matter is 

responsible for the uranium enrichment relative to the 

source rock. 

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 

Tectonic setting, organic content of the sediments, 

and ground-water hydrology and chemistry are the key 

factors responsible for the formation of the Fish Lake 

surficial uranium deposit. 

The Fish Lake marsh is at a bend in the Silver Peak 

Range (fig. 2) where sediment-laden runoff from the 

range is largely diverted away from the marsh area, so 

that a lacustrine-marsh environment is maintained. 

The fault zone defining the eastern edge of the 

valley provides an avenue of migration for ground water 

from the adjacent Silver Peak Range. The water moves 

upward along faults to the base of the marsh deposit, 

where uranium is fixed by organic matter in the marsh 

sediments. Some of the water wells up through the marsh 

sediments forming springs at the marsh's edge. The 

springs sustain the marsh vegetation and add uranium to 

the marsh sediments. 

Climatic fluctuations, tectonic movements, or both, 

during the past 23,000 years have produced periodic 

flooding of the marsh, creating an intermittent shallow 

lake and permitting deposition of lacustrine clays. Marsh 

vegetation was reestablished during drier periods, and it 

formed organic-rich layers in the deposit. Because 

uranium enrichment occurs preferentially in organic 

sediments, the zones of uranium enrichment commonly 

have a tabular shape that follows the trend of the organic 

sediments. The zones of maximum enrichment are 

organic-rich layers closest to the ground-water source, in 

this area, those layers lying directly above the fault zone. 

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___ 1972, Geology and mineral deposits of Esmeralda 

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14 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 
APPENDIXES 
Appendix 1. Chemical analyses of water from springs in the Fish Lake Valley, the Silver Peak Range, and the White 

Mountains, Nevada and California 

[ppm, parts per million; ppb, parts per billion; <, less than] 

Field No. 

As (ppm)1 -----------· 

Br (ppm)2 -------------· 

Sc (ppm)1-------------

N03 (ppm)2----------

P04 (ppm)2 ------------

FLWSS-1 

0.022 

<.1 

<.001 

$1 

<.1 

Cl· (ppm )2----------- 7.6 

Fl" (ppm)2 -------------- 1.4 

S04 (ppm)2 ---------- 35 

Al (ppm)3------------- <.1 

B (ppb )3---------------- 240 

Ba (ppb )

3 --------------- 15 

Be (ppb )3 -············· < 1 

Bi (ppb )

3 

-------······-· < 10 

Ca (ppm)3 -······-···-- 127 

Cd (ppm)l-------------- <1 

Ag (ppb )

3 -····------· < 2 

Co (ppb )3------------- < 3 

Cr (ppb )3 ---···--------· < 1 

Cu (ppb )3 --------------- < 10 

Fe {ppm)3 ·····-··-··-·· < .003 

Ga (ppb )3·-------------- <5 

K (ppm)3............... 8 

u (ppb)3________________ 49 

Mn (ppb )3 ------------- < 1 

Mo (ppb)3 ------------- 20 

Na (ppm)3 ------------ 55.0 

Ni (ppb)3 ------------ <S 

Pb (ppb )' ---------·-· < 10 

Si (ppr1., 3 -------·----· 2G 

Sn (ppb)3 ------------- <6 

Mg (ppm )

3 ----------· 3.60 

Ti (ppb )

3 

----·-······-- 3 

v (ppb )3 --------------- 13 

Zn (ppb 'f ------------ 8 

Zr (ppb )

3 ----------- < 1 

Sr (ppb)3------------- 144 

Conductivity4.S ------- 410 

pH4,6 ··---------------- 8.15 

Aci~·7 ----------------- 7.97 

HCOJ4.S ----------------- 160 

u (ppb )

4 ---------------- 9 

Organic C9 ------·------- 3.4 

FLWSS-2 

0.042 

<.1 

<.001 

<.01 

<.1 

5.1 

1.8 

38 

<.1 

120 

19 

<1 

<10 

27.1 

<1 

<2 

<3 

<1 

<10 

<.003 

<5 

8 

30 

2 

30 

46.1 

8 

<10 

15.1 

<6 

6.26 

<l 

<6 

8 

<1 

474 

430 

8.05 

8.56 

171 

2 

4.4 

FLW85-3 

0.043 

<.1 

<.001 

<.01 

<.1 

14 

.65 

39 

<.1 

230 

2S 

<1 

<10 

9.54 

<1 

<2 

<3 

<1 

<10 

.m 

<5 

4 

34 

6 

10 

70.5 

22 

<10 

23.4 

<6 

1.86 

<1 

35 

34 

<1 

67.0 

440 

7.50 

827 

165 

2 

14 

FLW85-4 

0.037 

<.1 

<.001 

.1 

<.1 

60 

3.0 

105 

<.1 

1.630 

8 

<1 

<10 

40.5 

<1 

<2 

<3 

<1 

<10 

.14 

<5 

25 

1,070 

129 

20 

193 

11 

<10 

49.8 

<6 

7.50 

<1 

8 

7 

<1 

620 

1,400 

7.12 

27.05 

541 

13 

3.2 

FLW85-S 

0.044 

<.1 

<.001 

<.01 

<.1 

92 

L8 

110 

.1 

3,200 

24 

<1 

<10 

55.1 

<1 

<2 

<3 

<1 

<10 

.32 

<5 

l5 

711 

306 

30 

160 

11 

<10 

28.1 

<6 

15.8 

<1 

<6 

8 

<1 

534 

1,350 

1.15 

22.30 

446 

7 

4.0 

SPWSS-1 

<0.001 

.10 

<.001 

.25 

<.1 

35 

<.()2 

42 

<.1 

160 

s 

<1 

<10 

67.0 

<1 

<2 

<3 

<1 

<10 

.11 

<5 

s 

11 

9 

<10 

252 

20 

<10 

24.4 

<6 

18.9 

<1 

<6 

7 

<1 

400 

670 

7.60 

13.25 

265 

17 

3.6 

WMW85-1 

<0.001 

<.1 

<.001 

<.01 

<.1 

.1 

.55 

16 

<.1 

20 

70 

<1 

<10 

24.6 

<1 

<2 

<3 

<1 

<10 

.10 

<5 

2 

7 

8 

10 

4.7 

<5 

<10 

1.3 

<6 

627 

6 

<6 

7 

<1 

78.5 

225 

7.60 

5.15 

103 

17 

3.8 

WMW85-2 

<0.001 

<.1 

<.001 

.23 

<.1 

2.1 

.4 

12 

<.1 

20 

28 

<1 

<10 

40.8 

<1 

<2 

<3 

<1 

<10 

<.003 

<5 

2 

6 

1 

<10 

6.7 

25 

<10 

11.2 

<6 

2.68 

<1 

<6 

12 

<1 

150 

280 

7.70 

7.25 

145 

4 

3.6 

1 Analyses performed by hydride generation atomic absorption; analyses performed by D.B. Hatfield and SA. W1lson, U.S. 

Geological Survey, Denver, Colo. 

l Analyses performed by ion chromatography; analyses performed by D.B. Hatfield and S.A. Wilson, U.S. Geological Survey, 

Denver, Colo. 

3 Analysis performed by ion coupled plasma (ICP) analysis; analyses performed by P.H. Briggs, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, 

Colo. 4 Analyses performed by R.A Zielinski, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Co1o. 

S mob/em~ 

6Laboratocy pH: probably 0.5 of field pH. based on past comparisons (RA. Zielinski. written commun., 1985). 

7mL (milliliter) standard acid to pH 4.5, 50-mL sample. 

Smg/L. 

9oissolved organic carbon in mg/L; analyses performed by P.K. Roscio, U.S. Geological Survey, DCllver, Colo. 

16 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 
Appendix 2. Data from marsh samples, Fish Lake marsh, Fish Lake 

Valley and White Mountains, Nevada and California 

[See text for sample localities. <, less than; ppm, parts per million] 

Sample No. Depth (m) Ashl LOI2 Th(ppm)3 U (ppm)3 

FLSS-lA ------ 0.15 fr1.9 12.1 <6.6 16.4 

FL85-1B ------ .46 94.8 5.2 22.2 8.21 

FL85-1C -···· .76 95.6 4.4 21.2 12.6 

FL85-1D----- .61 95.0 s.o <6.7 21.7 

FLSS-lE ------ 1.(17 95.7 4.3 14.3 12 

FL8S-1F ----- 1.37 95.6 4.4 30.3 18.5 

F185-2A---- .15 81.7 18.3 <11 36.5 

FL85-2B-- .46 90.5 9.5 6.5 17 

FL85-2C--- .76 92.1 7.9 <5.6 14.1 

FLSS-20----- .61 92.2 7JJ <6.2 16.3 

FL85-2E ---- 1.07 90.8 9.2 18.9 17.7 

FL85-2F ----· 1.37 90.1 9.9 <7.1 18.8 

FL85-2G----- 1.68 90.2 9.8 73.7 2L7 

FL85-2H----- 1.98 92.6 7.4 73.5 19.3 

FL85-3A ------ .15 76.2 73.8 <14 58 

FL8S-3B--- .46 84.9 15.1 <11 53.1 

FL85-3C ---- .76 88.3 1L7 <21 40.5 

FL85-3D---- .61 88.1 11.9 <16 103 

FL85-3E---··· 1.07 88.6 11.4 <l.S 60.3 

FL85-3F ··--· 1.37 83.9 16.1 <14 63.1 

FLSS-30--~-- 1.68 85.5 14.5 <11 42.8 

FL8S-3H---- 1.98 83.9 16.1 <21 86.4 

FL85-31 --- 2.28 83.9 16.1 <16 n 

FL85-3J ----- 2.59 83.9 16.1 <20 89.4 

FL85-3K ----- 2.90 88.1 11.9 <15 69.3 

FL8S-3L ---- 3.20 85.4 14.6 <20 98.4 

FL85-3M ----- 3.50 72.7 Z7.3 <36 212 

FL85-3N ---- 3.81 85.1 14.9 <29 171 

FLSS-30----- 4.11 92.7 7.3 <16 83 

FL8S-3P ··--· 4.42 96.4 3.6 <8.7 34.6 

FL85-3Q----- 4.72 97.4 2.6 <6.4 22.6 

FL8S-3R -··-· 5.03 97.2 2.8 13.7 13.4 

FL85-3S------ 5.33 96.6 3.4 <5.1 14.4 

FL8S-4A----- .15 72.8 Z72 <8.4 22.8 

FL85-4B -·-··· .46 88.0 12.0 <6.6 11.7 

FL85-4C ····-· .76 89.0 11.0 <8.9 22.6 

FL85-4D····-· .61 82.9 17.1 <14 55.2 

FL85-4E ----· 1.07 80.3 19.7 <28 154 

FL85-4F -----· 1.37 69.4 30.6 <30 157 

FL85-4G-----· 1.68 63.1 36.9 <90 565 

FL85-4H----- 1.98 70.4 29.6 <90 591 

FL85-41 ------ 2.28 87.3 12.7 <15 80.3 

FLSS-41 ---- 2.59 84.2 15.8 <24 139 

FL85-4K --- 2.90 78.7 21.3 <20 109 

FL8S-4L ---- 3.20 79.4 20.6 <31 192 

FL8S-4M ------ 3.50 87.9 12.1 <17 903 

FL8S-4N ---- 3.81 95.8 4.2 <7.3 32.1 

FL8S-5A ---- .IS 82.1 17.9 <6.1 17.6 

FL85-SB ---- .46 89.1 10.9 <4.6 10.4 

FL85-SC ------ .76 87.0 13.0 <7.7 24.5 

Appendix 2 17 
Appendix 2. Data from marsh samples, Fish Lake marsh, Fish Lake 

Valley and White Mountains, Nevada and California-Continued 

Sample No. Depth (m) Ashl LQI2 Th(ppm.)3 U (ppm)l 

F1.85-5D------- .61 85.5 14.5 <5.6 15.3 

F1.85-5E ----- 1.07 77.6 22.4 <6.2 17 

FL8S-5F ----- 1.37 74.4 25.6 <11 39.1 

FL8S-SG---- 1.68 76.9 23.1 <6.0 12.7 

FJ..SS..SH--···· 1.98 87.0 13.0 <5.7 12.7 

FL8S-SI ----- 2.28 86.6 13.4 <5.3 11 

FL8S-SJ ······- 2.59 85.7 14.3 <7.2 21.6 

FJ..SS..SK---- 2.90 77.8 2i2 <9.8 34.6 

F1.85-5L ----- 3.20 69.8 30.2 <16 71.5 

FL85-5M ---- 3.50 83.1 16.9 <33 204 

FL85-SN ·---·· 3.81 94.1 5.9 <16 78.1 

F1.8S-SO------ 4.11 97.2 2.8 <7.2 26.5 

FL85-6A ------ .15 84.3 15.7 <13 42.8 

'FI..85-6B -·-·· .46 83.8 16.2 <24 109 

FL85-6C ----- .76 79.4 20.6 <18 722 

FI1lS-6D------- .61 84.9 15.1 <14 50.1 

FL85-6E --·-· 1.07 77.0 23.0 <21 95.1 

FL85-6F ------ 1.37 71.2 28.8 <18 76.1 

FI1lS-6G----- 1.68 71.1 28.9 <19 79.2 

FL8S-6H--- 1.98 81.9 18.1 <21 96.4 

FL85-6I ··-··· 2.28 88.2 11.8 <13 53.2 

FL85-6J ---·- 2.59 84.4 15.6 <39 229 

FL85-6K ····-- 2.90 89.0 11.0 <33 183 

FL8S-6L ---· 3.20 97.0 3.0 <9.9 40.1 

FL85-7A---- .15 79.6 20.4 <14 52.9 

FL85-7B ------ .46 79.9 20.1 <17 73.6 

FLSS-7C ----- .76 86.4 13.6 <13 52.4 

FL85-7D-- .61 81.4 18.6 <21 97 

FI1lS-7E ----- 1.07 79.0 21.0 <15 64.1 

FL85-7F ··--· 1.37 85.7 14.3 <14 59.3 

FL85-7G ····-- 1.68 88.2 11.8 <10 32.5 

FL85-7H------ 1.98 90.9 9.1 <8.4 22.1 

FLSS-71----- 2.28 92.9 7.1 28.3 15 

FL85-7J ------ 2.59 93.8 6.2 24.6 13.4 

FL8S-7K--- 2.90 94.6 5.4 22.6 16.8 

FL85-7L --- 3.20 95.2 4.8 19.6 19.3 

FL85-7M ----- 3.50 97.0 3.0 16.5 15 

FL85-8A ----- .15 85.7 14.3 <8.5 20 

FL85-8B ···--- .46 83.1 16.9 <28 144 

FLSS-SC-- .76 86.3 13.7 <15 59.4 

FL85-8D------ .61 90.7 9.3 <10 32.8 

FL85-8E ----· L07 87.5 12.5 <14 60.6 

FL85-8F ----- 1.37 88.3 11.7 <11 42.2 

FL85-8G··-· 1.68 89.1 10.9 <11 41.6 

FL85-8H--- 1.98 90.2 9.8 <8.8 30.4 

FL85-8I ----- 2.28 91.4 8.6 <8.3 26.8 

FL85-8J -------- 259 91.6 8.4 30.2 26.8 

FLSS-SK ------ 2.90 89.8 10.2 <16 75.6 

FL85-8L ---·- 3.20 86.0 14.0 <23 144 

.Fl.AS-8M' ----- 3.50 87.7 12.3 <24 133 

18 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 
Appendix 2. Data from marsh samples, Fish Lake marsh, Fish Lake 

Valley and White Mountains, Nevada and California-Continued 

Sample No. Depth (m) Ashl LOI2 Th (ppm)3 U (ppm)l 

Fl..85-8N ------ 3.81 96.8 3.2 <6.5 17.1 

FLSS-80------ 4.11 98.9 1.1 <3.8 7.03 

FL85-9A ----- .15 79.0 21.0 <13 39.7 

FL85-9B ----- .46 86.0 14.0 <14 44.6 

FL85-9C ------ .76 88.4 11.6 <11 33.1 

FL85-9D------- .61 90.1 9.9 <8.9 24.8 

Fl..85-9E ----·· 1.(17 88.4 11.6 <14 42.3 

Fl..85-9F ----- 1.37 86.9 13.1 <12 36.1 

FI..85-9G ----- 1.68 86.6 13.4 <12 37.7 

FL85-9H ------ 1.98 91.0 9.0 19.6 18.7 

FL85-91 ---- 228 92.9 7.1 16.8 10.2 

FL8S-9J ------- 2.59 95.2 4.8 16.1 7.28 

FL85-9K ------ 2.90 94.6 5.4 16.1 9.65 

FL85-9L -----·- 3.20 93.8 6.2 17.7 8.67 

FL85-9M ----- 3.50 95.1 4.9 11.6 8.37 

FL85-9N ------ 3.81 95.3 4.7 <5.1 9.01 

FL85-1lA----- .15 79.2 20.8 <19 66.2 

Fl..85-11B------ .46 83.2 16.8 <19 64.2 

FL85-11C----- .76 81.0 19.0 <22 75.1 

FL85-11D-- .61 84.1 15.9 <14 38.7 

FL85-11E----- 1.07 84.5 15.5 <12 46.5 

FLSS-llF --- 1.37 81.8 18.2 <14 54.4 

FLSS-110 --- 1.68 81.7 18.3 <14 56 

FL85-11H --- L98 86.9 13.1 <9.6 32.9 

FLSS-111--- 2.28 92.7 7.3 <16.9 10.3 

FL85-11J ----- 2.59 93.7 6.3 24.1 13.8 

FL85-11K---- 290 92.8 7.2 <9.7 33.7 

Fl.85-11L--- 3.20 91.8 8.2 <13 54.3 

Fl8S-11M-- 3.50 94.2 5.8 <14 68.4 

FL85-11N---- 3.81 97.9 2.1 17.9 7.79 

FL85-110 -- 4.11 98.4 1.6 9.8 6.63 

FL8S-12A-- .15 90.3 9.7 <13 48.9 

FL85-12B--- .46 94.7 5.3 <9.2 27.4 

FL85-12C---- .76 92.0 8.0 <15 62.2 

FL85-12D --- .61 93.2 6.8 <8.8 7.79 

FL85-12E--- 1.(17 92.1 7.9 <14 50.3 

FL85-12P ---- 1.37 91.8 8.2 <11 36.7 

FL8S-12G --- 1.68 89.0 1LO <14 55.8 

FL85-12H ---- 1.98 90.5 9.5 <10 35.5 

FLSS-121---- 228 91.8 8.2 <11 40.2 

FL85-121 ---- 2.59 91.8 8.2 <13 43.9 

FL8S-12K---- 2.90 92.S 7.5 <20 T/.8 

Fl85-12L---- 3.20 89.6 10.4 <15 54.7 

FL85-12M ---- 3.50 94.7 5.3 <7.1 19.8 

FL85-12N---- 3.81 93.6 6.4 <8.9 28.5 

FL85-120 --- 4.11 95.7 4.3 <19 84.4 

FL85-13A---- .15 89.3 10.7 <7.8 17.7 

Fl..85-l3B-- .46 95.5 4.5 13.2 11.8 

FL85-13C---- .76 92.4 7.6 <11 35.3 

FLSS-130 ---- .61 93.8 6.2 <10 32.5 

Appendix 2 19 
Appendix 2. Data from marsh samples, Fish Lake marsh, Fish Lake 

Valley and White Mountains, Nevada and California.:_Continued 

Sample No. Depth (m) Ashl LOI2 Th(ppm)3 U (ppm)3 

FL85-13E---- 1.07 93.7 6.3 <9.9 21.5 

FL85-13F ---- 1.37 93.6 6.4 30.9 13.5 

FL85-13G ----- 1.68 92.4 7.6 <10 28.6 

FL85-13H ---- 1.98 92.4 7.6 <8.9 21 

FL85-131-·-- 228 94.4 5.6 16.5 15.9 

FL85-13J --- 2.59 95.5 4.5 15 14 

FL85-13K--- 290 97.5 2.5 15.5 8.05 

FL85-13L--· 3.20 97.2 2.8 13.4 11 

FL85-13M --- 3.50 97.1 2.9 17.6 10.5 

FL85-13N----· 3.81 97.2 2.8 <12 42.7 

FL85-130 ----- 4.11 97.1 2.9 <42 75.2 

FL85-13P --- 4.42 98.5 1.5 <7.1 9.91 

FL85-14A-- .15 89.8 10.2 <7.5 10.5 

FL85-14B-·- .46 94.6 5.4 7.5 7.08 

FL85-14C---- .76 94.3 5.7 <6.8 9.08 

FL85-14D --- .61 92.3 7.7 <9.2 13.3 

FL85-14E---- 1.07 90.6 9.4 <17 28.2 

FL85-14F ---- 1.37 90.5 9.5 <14 21.7 

FL85-14G ---- 1.68 90.0 10.0 <22 26.1 

FL85-14H -··· 1.98 89.8 10.2 <34 273 

FLSS-141------ 2.28 91.4 8.6 <17 28.8 

FL85-14J ------ 2.59 92.9 7.1 <16 26 

FL85-14K---·· 2.90 92.6 7.4 <14 23 

FL85-14L-·---- 3.20 95.7 4.3 <22 38.8 

FL85-14M-- 3.50 97.2 2.8 <34 61.7 

FL85-14N--- 3.81 98.6 1.4 <5.9 8.52 

FL85-15A--- .15 94.3 5.7 8.7 6.67 

FL85-15B--- .46 94.6 5.4 9.3 6.87 

FL85-15C--- .76 94.7 5.3 8.6 8.09 

FLBS-150- .61 94.8 5.2 <7.1 9.9 

FL85-16A---- .15 93.8 6.2 <19.6 8.51 

FL85-16B--- .46 93.6 6.4 14.2 13.5 

FL85-16C--- .76 96.4 3.6 <69 143 

FL85-16D -···· .61 97.1 2.9 <6.2 U.2 

FL85-16E--- 1.o7 97.5 2.5 19.9 9.63 

FL85-16F ---·- 1.37 97.6 2.4 16.4 8.36 

FL85-17A---- .15 94.0 6.0 17.7 15.5 

FL85-17B----- .46 94.8 5.2 15.7 12.7 

FL85-17C----- .76 94.5 s.s 18.1 12.5 

FL85-17D ----· .61 93.7 6.3 18.3 15.7 

FL85-17E----- 1.07 93.8 6.2 <7.8 18.3 

FL85-1.8A----- .15 34.1 65.9 <56 210 

FL85-18B----- .46 20.3 79.7 <34 92.6 

FL85-18C----- .76 70.4 29.6 <U 28.3 

FL85-18D --- .61 89.5 10.5 <10 20.1 

FL85-18E----- 1.07 92.7 13 <11 18.8 

FL85-18F ----- 1.37 92.3 7.7 <17 44.2 

FL85-18G ·--· 1.68 87.1 12.9 <11 17.6 

FL85-18H --- 1.98 81.2 18.8 <19 49.4 

FLBS-181---- 2.28 87.0 13.0 <11 22.5 

20 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 
Appendix 2. Data from marsh samples, Fish Lake marsh 

Fish Lake Valley and White Mountains, Nevada and CaliforniaContinued 

Sample No. Depth (m) Ashl LOr2 Th (ppm)3 U (ppm)3 

FLSS-181 ---- 2.59 88.8 11.2 <6.4 14.4 

FI...85·18K------ 2.90 87.2 12.8 <83 26.2 

FL85-18L----- 3.20 89.0 11.0 12 11.2 

FL85-18M-- JjO 827 17.3 <8.2 22.3 

FL85-18N---- 3.81 65.0 35.0 <13 44.1 

FI...85-180 ---- 4.11 69.9 30.1 <15 53.2 

FL85-18P ----- 4.42 57.5 42.5 <140 797 

FLSS-180 --- 4.72 71.8 28.2 <68 367 

FL85-18R---- 5.03 n.l Z7.9 <27 118 

FL85-18S ----·- 5.33 81.8 18.2 <30 152 

FL85-18T ----- 5.64 95.7 4.3 <21 109 

FL8S-19A---- .15 73.0 Zl.O <23 102 

FLSS-198---- .46 87.4 12.6 <12 38.1 

FL85-19C--- .76 91.9 8.1 <15 62.2 

FL&S-190 --- .61 90.3 9.7 <23 93.8 

FL85-19E----· 1.07 86.4 13.6 <29 117 

FL85-19F --·· 1.37 89.9 10.1 <43 203 

FL8S-19G ----- 1.68 89.9 10.1 <24 103 

FL85-19H --·· 1.98 86.7 13.3 <17 62.2 

FLSS-191----- 2.28 89.6 10.4 <13 35.1 

FL85·19I ----- 2..59 88.5 ll.S <18 70.4 

FL85-19K----- 2.90 88.2 11.8 <14 45.3 

FL85-19L-- 3.20 87.3 12.7 <'rl lOS 

FL85-19M--- 3.50 905 9.5 <28 118 

FL8S..19N--- 3.81 86.4 13.6 <18 70.3 

FLSS-190 -- 4.11 80.1 19.9 <51 239 

FL8S-19P --··· 4.42 97.2 2.8 <6.4 17.3 

FL8S-19Q --- 4.72 97.9 21 <53 12.2 

FL8S-20A--- .lS 92.8 7:2 <7.5 17.3 

FL8S-20B--- .46 93.5 6.5 <5.1 10.1 

FL85-20C----- .76 915 8.5 9.83 63 

FL85-20D ---- .61 955 4.5 11.8 6.07 

FLBS-20E---- 1.07 93.1 6.9 <4.7 7.94 

FL85-20F ··- 1.37 91.7 8.3 <6.1 11.7 

FL8S-20G ·- L68 88.3 11.7 <9.1 23.4 

FL85-20H --- 1.98 89.6 10.4 <23 84 

FL85-20l---- 2.28 85.7 14.3 <16 44.1 

FL85-20J --·- 2.59 90.2 9.8 <16 54.3 

FL8S-20K---- 2.90 93.4 6.6 15.9 9.56 

FL8S-20L----- 3.20 92.4 7.6 21.2 17.5 

Fl.85· 20M---- 3.50 90.1 9.9 <8.3 27.8 

FL8S-20N---- 3.81 89.4 10.6 <6.2 14.9 

FLSS-200 -··· 4.11 875 12.5 <11 41.6 

FL8S-20P ---·- 4.42 88.3 1L7 <7.3 21.4 

F1.8S-20o ·-·· 4.n 73.0 27.0 <7.6 17.8 

Fl.85-20R.---- 5.03 66.9 33.1 <83 491 

FLSS-20S -----· 5.33 65.0 35.0 <66 383 

FL85-20T -···· S.M 74.7 253 <53 295 

FL8S-20U ---·· 5.94 75.3 24.7 <46 263 

FL85·20V----· 6.25 89.2 10.8 <37 213 

Appendix 2 21 
Appendix 2. Data from marsh samples, Fish Lake marsh, Fish Lake 

Valley and White Mountains, Nevada and California-Continued 

Sample No. Depth (m) Ash1 LOrl Th(ppmY~ U (ppm}3 

FL85-20W ---· 6.55 98.1 1.9 <4.4 12.4 

FL85-21A-··· .15 77.4 22.6 <8.8 26.1 

FI.85-21B-- .46 87.3 12.7 <6.9 17.6 

FL85-21C-- .76 90.2 9.8 <7.4 19.2 

FL85-21D-- .61 93.4 6.6 <63 13.6 

FI.85-21E---- 1.07 89.0 11.0 <15 62.3 

Fl85-21F---- 1.37 86.8 13.2 <16 70.7 

Fl85-21G -· 1.68 83.8 16.2 <21 96.5 

FL85-21H -- 1.98 80.6 19.4 <21 95.2 

FL85-21I·-· 2.28 81.1 18.9 <20 74.3 

FL85-2U -· 2.59 84.8 15.2 <24 96.2 

FL85-21K--- 2.90 86.8 13.2 <26 106 

FL85-21L --- 3.20 87.1 12.9 <42 181 

FL85-21M- 3.50 89.5 10.5 <37 155 

FL85-21N--- 3.81 88.8 11.2 <20 62.7 

FL85-210 --- 4.11 90.3 9.7 <16 46.5 

FL85-21P --- 4.42 96.5 3.5 <14 59 

FL8S-21Q -- 4.72 98.0 2.0 <5.4 12.2 

FL85-22A-- .15 80.4 19.6 <9.4 19.9 

FL85-22B- .46 88.0 12.0 <7.3 10.7 

FL85-22C--- .76 91.7 83 <7.9 13.3 

FL8S-22D --- .61 94.0 6.0 <9.7 16.4 

FL85-22E-- 1.07 93.1 69 <8.7 13.3 

FL85-22F --- 1.37 93.5 6.5 <9.5 22.3 

FL85-22G -- 1.68 93.3 6.7 <7.1 10.3 

FL85-22H -- 1.98 95.3 4.7 11 7.88 

FLSS-221------- 2.28 96.1 3.9 13.6 12_ 

WMASS-lA-- .15 86.4 13.6 <31 151 

WMASS-lB-- .46 96.2 3.8 <13 58.1 

WMASS-lC-- .76 98.2 1.8 <7.1 25.3 

WMASS-lD-- .61 97.4 2.6 <10 41.4 

WMASS-lE·- 1.07 97.4 2.6 <12 47.7 

WMASS-2--- .15 91.0 9.0 9.3 9.05 

WMA85-3A- .15 94.5 5.5 <6.1 17.8 

WMA85-3B ••• .46 95.9 4.1 <8.2 29.2 

WMA85-3C-- .76 96.9 3.1 <11 43.6 

WMA85-3D-- .61 97.7 2.3 <5.5 16.5 

WMA85-4A-- .15 88.9 11.1 <5.8 13.5 

WMA85-4B-- .46 83.2 16.8 <15 61.2 

WMA85-4C-- .76 93.3 6.7 <7.2 22.4 

WMA85-5A--- .15 95.1 4.9 19.1 12.3 

WMASS-SB --- .46 96.6 3.4 15.2 13.3 

WMASS-6----- .15 94.1 5.9 13.2 9.78 

WMASS-7 ---- .15 76.6 23.4 10.2 5.32 

1 In percent of sample. 

2 Loss on ignition at 550 oc, in percent of sample. Analyses performed 

by S. Roof, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colo. 

3 Analyses performed by R.B. Vaughan and D.M McKown, U.S. 

Geological Survey, Denver, Colo. 

22 Uranium Distribution and Geology, Fish Lake Surficial Uranium Deposit, Nevada 

*U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1990-573-049/26000 


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