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Comparison of the chemical characteristics of the uranium deposits of the Morrison Formation in the Grants uranium region, New Mexico

C.S. Spirakis·C. T. Pierson
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Abstract

Statistical treatment of the chemical data of samples from the northeast Church Rock area, Ruby deposit, Mariano Lake deposit, and the Ambrosia Lake district indicates that primary ore-forming processes concentrated copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, vanadium, yttrium, arsenic, organic carbon, and sulfur, along with uranium. A barium halo that is associated with all of these deposits formed from secondary processes. Calcium and strontium were also enriched in the ores by secondary processes. Comparison of the chemical characteristics of the redistributed deposits in the Church Rock district to the primary deposits in the Grants uranium region indicates that calcium, manganese, strontium, yttrium, copper, iron, magnesium, molybdenum, lead, selenium, and vanadium are separated from uranium during redistribution of the deposits in the Church Rock area. Comparisons of the chemical characteristics of the Church Rock deposits and the secondary deposits at Ambrosia Lake suggest some differences in the processes that were involved in the genesis of the redistributed deposits in these two areas.

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C.S. Spirakis, C. T. Pierson. 1983. Comparison of the chemical characteristics of the uranium deposits of the Morrison Formation in the Grants uranium region, New Mexico. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr83380

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