The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-07-09
RAD|uM INDICATIONS
CLEARWATER COUNTY
PARTS OF lDAhO-ClASSED AS A
GOOD FIELD TO PROSPECT
FOR THE METAL.

deposits of radium bearing ores are
the carnotite beds of the Paradox
valley in San Miguel and Montrose
counties, Colo, and In the adjacent
regions Of Utah, recognized area of
some 500, 900 acres. Those deposits
have been known since 1881, when
they were mined in small lots for their
gold content and afterward for their
vanadium and uranium,
As yet biologists are uncertain as
to the origin of these deposits, but a
number of specialists are even now In
the field and soon we may expect more
accurate information. Suffice 1t to
say here that inasmuch as vanadium
is widely distributed in sandstones,
limestones and igneous rocks. these
deposits are really the results of SOL
ution and RECOMMENDATION under the
such ore eposits-namely, time, heat
and moisture, all of which have great
est influence in just such semi-arld
regions as those of Colorado, Utah and
Nevada.
The presence of uranium In these
carnotite beds Is more difficult to en-
plain since the nearest ptchblende yet
found occurs in Gilpin county, sew
eral hundred miles away, but time
and closer study may offer solution
to this problem also.
The sandstones of this region have
been found to possess a much higher
radioactivity than those from any
other known locality. South Aus
tralia Is the only other country In
which carnotite has been found In
quantity, and here 1t is associated
mainly with titanic iron tilmenite),
which fact may serve as "A pointer In
prospecting in the United States.
How PitchbIende Is Found.
In Colorado and Utah the carno-
titcs are associated with other vana
dunn ores and gypsum, vegetable fos-
sis, carbonaceous matter and Otter
with the carbonates Of copper. NO
always is the color of carnotite
lemon yellow, but often 1t Is gray
ish brown or black, although the yell
low color follows weathering or heat
ing
There is a great need Of an efficien
system of mechanical concentration
by wet or dry methods, in the case o
all low grade radium bearing ores
since the aggregate loss In these Il
great
While carnotte is a triple oxide o
potassium, vanadium and uranium
and is found in sedimentary forma
tions, pitchblende, on the other hand
is usually an oxide Of uranium com
bined with varying proportions o
lead, copper. iron, bismuth, manga
nesc, lime silica and aluminium, and l
occurs mostly in the GRANTEES, gne1ss
les, schists and igneous rocks, assocl
lated with the precious metals and thu
jsulphides of the baser metals
n has been found in Connecticut
North Carolina, Texas, South Dakota
Norway, Spain and East Africa, blu
the grea test known pitchblende bear
ling veins lie in Gilpin county, Colo, II
ala INIT n
trusiye andeste and granite.
May 30 Beds Near Here.
The ores of these veins welc orig
inaly worked for their gold and silve
and were mostly free milling In tn
oxidized zones, but sulphides appcare
with depth and in most instances
when pitchblende appears the gol
gave out and the mines were aban
doned But with the new demand fc
} pitchblende they are again being dc
veloped.
Uncon firmed reports Of pitchblend
occurrences have lately come from til
Cascades and the Colvlle districts
dSnlnStbH from inc NIehI water Noul
try in Idaho, central and souther
Oregon and the Lilloet division
British Columbia, There is reason
believe, also, that the great grant
batholith Of central Idaho will develo
pitchblende when once this mineral
actively sought.
p The easiest, least expensive an
therefore, the most popular method I
p identifying radum bearing ores Is b
means Of the Photographic dry plat
, as follows
r In a dark room wrap sensitive dl
r plate in two thicknesses of black pc
E per; lay It with the sensitized side u
and on it place any metallic objeo
+ such as flat key; above the met
{ and just touching 1t but not pressir
upon it, suspend about three ounce
I Iof the suspected ore, enclose the who
c In a light-tight box and set aside
f a dark place for three or four days.
Il the ore is appreciably radioactive {
v Image of the metallic object will al
# pear.