Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-16
r- HE value of vanadium and uran-

ium for commerclal uses is
stimulating search for COM
pounds of these rare elements.
yanadium, which is used chiefly for
hardening steel dt is claimed to be
twelve times more effective than tung-
stem, IL scarce; and this utility and
scarclty tend TO create an increasing
demand. Uranium, which is valued
commercially for use In the manufac-
ture OF porcelain and glass. and scienti-
hicany for it's radioactive properties,
Is also scarce and Is In growing de-
mand.
The known deposits OF uranium and
vanadlum minerals in Utah, says Prof
j. NJ Boutwell, OF the L. $. geological
survey. occur IN the eastern and south
eastern portion Of the state in the mar
Gins of the basins OF the Green, Grand
and Colorado rivers The area Is Il
geographic and geologic unit. The gem
tie southerly dip of the uintah range
gradually gives way to a fiat dip, time
IN the Book cliffs and the region inn
mediately south to a slight northerly
Dip and thus forms the great Green
River basin. on its margins the un-
DERIVING beds arc turned up by the lac
co lithic instruslVes OF the La Sal group
ON the east. the Abajo cluster on tie
southeast, the Henry mountains on the
southwest and the San Rafael swell ON
the west The rare minerals appear TO
be restricted TO Mosozoic sediments n
or adjacent 20 these lnsuusiNc centers
The Utah deposits occur On the same
geographic province az the deposits of
western Colorado, and probably IN AIT
equivalent series OF rock formations,
hut they differ IN important mineral
oglcal characteristics and in certain
features Of geological occurrence.
The principal Utah deposits which
are at Richardson, Grand county ON
Grand river, are predomiuantly high
grade vanadium ores, with some cnr-
notite. At other localities low grade
carnotite ores are found. The carnutite
and certain OF the vanadiforous miuer-
ais associated with the Richardson de-
posts occur In particular beds OF sand
stone adjacent to strong fracture,und
are IN general like replacement deposits
of metallic ores in limestone beds. The
san Rafal deposits, near san Rafael
river, are dissemination OF carnotlte
apparently restricted to those sand
stones and conglomerate beds in which
plant remains occur,
AZ regards their quantity and grade.
the deposits of carnotite which have
been discovered thus far IN Utah are
poorer than those on La Sal and Rock
creeks in Colorado, and, so far as
known, no vanadiferous sandstone
equal in commercial value to the Pla-
cerville deposits has been found in
Utah. The vanadiferous minerals OF
Richardson. Utah, which are the most
valuable deposits of this class yet dis
covered in the state, have a high COM
mercial value, and have not. so far as
known, been found in Colorado. Car
hottie deposits northeast OF San Rafael
Swell have not proved of sufficiently
nigh grade to be of commercial value.
The possibilities Of carbonaceous
sandstone, which Is said TO occur in
large quantities southeast OF San RAJ
facl Swell and 10 contain some vana-
dium, remain 20 be determined.
Richardson Deposits,
The Richardson deposits occur in
southeastern Utah. In the canyon of the
Grand river, near Richardson postofiice.
This locality may be most conveniently
reached from Cisco, on the Rio Grande
western railWay,by regular stage down
The canyon, a distance OF q miles. The
deposit may be reached also, though
more Indirectly, by taking stage at
Thompsons, on the Rio Grande West
ern, for Moab, 81 miles southwest, and
driving thence up the canyon, about II
miles, to Richardson. Trails also lead
into Richardson from various eastern
points, including several mining camps
in the La Sal mountains
AZ It's junction several strong streams
from the northwest slopes of the La
Sal Mountains the canyon Of the Grand
river opens out into an extensive am
phltheater. Its fiat bottom extends
along Grand river ana eastward from
the stream for several miles. mad Is In.
closed by precipItous cliffs carved into
massive erosion forms, mammoth ta-
bles, lofty columns, and graceful spires.
About two miles east of the little settle
ment of Richardson, on the cast bank
Of the Grand, the desert plain Is broken
by low hogbaclSs. Along the crest OF
one of these the deposits under discus
sion are found,
General Geology.
The geology Of this region has never
been studied in detail, and is known on
IS broadly by correlation with that of
regions which have been studied to the
north and In western Colorado. Such
hasty observations as the writer was
able to make an route, supplemented by
suggestions OF biologists who have
worked in ueghboring areas, serve 10