Mickle and Mathews reported in 1978 on the geologic characteristics of environments favorable for uranium deposits that are described in this report. This report is intended to facilitate collection and evaluation of data for the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program being carried out by the Grand Junction Office of the U.S. Department of Energy and its prime operating contractor, Bendix Field Engineering Corporation.
The geologic characteristics and associated recognition criteria described herein are designed to assist field geologists in identifying and describing all possible geologic environments favorable for the deposition and concentration of uranium. Uniform use of a single system for recognizing and describing
such environments will greatly assist the Data Integration Group of Bendix Field Engineering Corporation in assessing the uranium potential of individual
environments.
The format of this report closely follows the classification given in U.S. Department of Energy Open-File Report GJBX-63(78), "A Preliminary Classification
of Uranium Deposits." The only departure from the format of GJBX-63(78) is the separation of the discussion of uranium occurrences in sandstones from the other classes of uranium occurrences in sedimentary rocks. Whereas all sedimentary uranium classes are discussed in a single chapter in the volume on classification, this report discusses the sandstone class in a separate chapter.
The geologic characteristics of favorable uranium environments given in this report were derived from extensive literature surveys and from on-site studies of a few examples of most classes of uranium occurrences. Field and laboratory checking of recognition criteria is currently in progress. Until evaluative studies are completed, the recognition criteria must be considered preliminary; they may have to be modified as more information becomes available.
A thorough evaluation of these geologic characteristics and recognition criteria is essential if they are to have maximum applicability to the NURE
program. We welcome all criticism, suggestions, and discussions.
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