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A STUDY OF URANIUM FAVORABILITY OF CENOZOIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS BASIN AND RANGE PROVINCE, ARIZONA Part I General Geology and Chronology of Pre-late Miocene Cenozoic Sedimentary Rocks by Robert Scarborough and Jan Carol Wilt Arizona Geological Survey Open-File Report 79-1 1979 Arizona Geological Survey 416 W. Congress, Suite #100, Tucson, Arizona 85701 U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN FILE REPORT 79-1429 This report is preliminary and has not been edited or reviewed for conformity with Arizona Geological Survey standards

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Page 1: A STUDY OF URANIUM FAVORABILITY OF CENOZOIC …repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/2010/u14/ofr79_01.pdfgeology of pre-10to 13 m~y. old pre-Basinand Range disturbance,

A STUDY OF URANIUM FAVORABILITYOF CENOZOIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

BASIN AND RANGE PROVINCE,ARIZONA

Part IGeneral Geology and Chronology of Pre-late Miocene

Cenozoic Sedimentary Rocks

byRobert Scarborough and Jan Carol Wilt

Arizona Geological SurveyOpen-File Report 79-1

1979

Arizona Geological Survey416 W. Congress, Suite #100, Tucson, Arizona 85701

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN FILE REPORT 79-1429

This report is preliminary and has not been editedor reviewed for conformity with Arizona Geological Survey standards

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FOREWORD

This report by Robert Scarborough and Jan Carol Wilt summarizes the

results of a study made for the U,S. Geological Survey jointly by the

Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology and the Laboratory of Isotope

Geochemistry, College of Earth Sciences, University of Arizona, under

Grant No. 14-08-0001528. Age dating by the K/Ar method was cost~shared

with' NSF Grant No. EAR78-ll535 which supports volcanic rock studies by

the Laboratory of Isotope Geochemistry.

It is considered that this report adequately fulfills the agreement

objectives.

Principal Investigator: H. Wesley Peirce, Principal GeologistGeological Survey BranchBureau of Geology and Mineral TechnologyUniversity of Arizona, Tucson

(, Co-Principal Investigator: Paul E. Damon, Chief ScientistLaboratory of Isotope GeochemistryDepartment of GeosciencesCollege of Earth SciencesUniversity of Arizona, Tucson

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Abstract •.•.

CONTENTS

" ... " ..... "

Page1

Introduction .General statementPurpose and scopeAcknowledgmentsLocation and physiographicApproach .•....•

• • • • • ! •

setting .

• 1 0 I.

333445

General Cenozoic geology of Basin and Range Province sediments .General statement . . . . . . • . . • . •Group I localities with radioactive anomalies

Mineta Formation . . • .Cardinal Avenue sediments .Teran Basin sequenceSwisshelm Valley . . . .Adair Park Redbeds . . . .East side of Plomosa MountainsMuggins Mountains . . . . .Western Gila Bend Mountains . .

Group I localities without known radioactive anomalies .Pantano Formation • . .Helmet Fanglomerate . •Threelinks ConglomerateWhitetail Conglomerate • . . •Redbeds of Babocomari RanchRedbeds of Three Buttes •Hackberry Formation . . .Apsey ConglomerateLocomotive Fanglomerate .Sil Murk Formation ...•Clanton Hills section .Osborne washPhoenix region . . . •

7799

10111213141516

1717181818191919202020212122

Group II localities withBlack Butte •New River . • . . .Cave Creek ..•..Rifle Range sectionArtillery FormationWickenburg area . .Lincoln Ranch beds

radioactive anomalies . 2525262727283031

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,CONTENTS CONT'D

Group II localities without known anomalies .Harcuvar Mountains-Bullard Peak . . • .

Page3232

Group III localities withHorsehoe Dam . • • • .Lake Pleasant regionBig Sandy Valley • •

radioactive anomalies 33333436

Group III localities without known radioactive anomaliesHassayampa River . • • • • • . . • . . .. ••••

Others - Without known radioactive anomaliesBiery # 1 State . . . • . . . • • • • . .

3737

3838

Cenozoic sediments - structure - uranium - favorability ­exploration • . • • .

General statement . . • •Pre-basin fill Cenozoic sediments

Summary and conclusion

References cited

Illustrations .

Tables

. "

393939

45

49

55

91

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. .

Figure

Figure A.Figure B.Figure :t..Figure 2.Figure 3.Figure 4.Figure 5.Figure .6.Figure 7.Figure ,_8.Figure "9.Figure 10.Figure 11.Figure 12.Figure 13.Figure 14.Figure 15.Figure 16.Figure 17.

Figure 18.Figure 19.Figure 20.Figure 21.Figure 22.Figure 23.Figure 24.Figure 25.Figure 26.Figure 27.Figure 28.

Figure 29.Figure 30.Figure 31.Figure 32.Figure 33.Figure 34 •.

Tables

Table 1.

Table 2.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Index map of cross-sections • . . . . . • . . • . • • •Index map of uranium localities . . . . . • . . • . . .Cross-section - Tucson Basin to Galiuro Mountains • • .Cross-section - Mineta FormationCross-section - Teran Basin . . . • • .Cross-section - Adair Park redbedsCross-section - Northern Plomosa MountainsCross-section - Western Gila Bend Mountains •Cross-section - Swisshelm Valley . • . . . .Cross-section - Clanton Hills . . . • . • •Cross-section - Locomotive fanglomerate, AjoCross-section - Sil Murk beds at Gila BendCross-section - Metropolitan PhoenixCross-section - Near Fort McDowell, lower Verde River .Cross-section - Osborne Wash, near Parker • • .Cross-section - Black Butte, western Vulture Mtns.Cross-section - New River Mesa area, Cave CreekCross-section - New River • • . . • . • . . . •Cross-section - Rifle range section at Carefree

Highway and 1-17 . • • • . . • • .Cross-section - Artillery formation - Masterson claimsCross-section - Artillery formation - Lucky four claimsCross-section - Harcuvar Mtns., Rudy Pass ....•Cross-section - Harcuvar Mtns., Bullard PeakCross-section - Horseshoe Dam, lower Verde RiverCross-section - Lake Pleasant, Agua Fria RiverCross-section - Big Sandy beds near Wikieup . . .Cross-section - Big Sandy beds - Tule Wash sectionCross-section - Hassayampa River at Wickenburg • • • .Physiographic provinces of Arizona . . • . . . . .Tertiary dip directions and gneissic-crystallinecomplexes in Arizona . . . • . . • • . • . .Prospecting permits for uranium, 1975-1978Space-time plot for Arizona Tertiary deposits .Floor of Cenozoic deposits in Arizona • •. .•.•.Alkaline rocks in Arizona . . . • • • • • . • . . • •Transport directions of Tertiary sedimentsMap of post-15 m.y. old cover rocks ..•••

LIST OF TABLES

Uranium in pre-basin fill Tertiary sedimentsin the Basin and Range Province of Arizona .

Potassium-argon ages of volcanic rocks determinedfor this study . . • • • . • • • . . . . . . .

Page

555657585960616263646566676869707172

7374757677787980818283

84858687888990

91

98

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ABSTRACT

This study focuses attention on Cenozoic sedimentary rocks in the

Basin and Range Province of Arizona. The known occurrences of uranium

and anomalous radioactivity in these rocks are associated with sedi~

ments that accumulated in a low energy environment characterized by

fine~grained clastics, including important tuffaceous materials, and

carbonate rocks. Most uranium occurrences in these rocks appear to be

stratabound.

Emphasis was placed on those sedimentary materials that pre~date

the late Cenozoic Basin and Range disturbance. They are deformed and

crop out on pedimented range blocks and along the province interface

with the Transition Zone. Three tentative age groups are recognized:

Group I ~ Oligocene, pre~22 m.y., Group II ~ early Miocene - 22 m.y.

~ 16 m.y., and Group III ~ middle Miocene ~ 16 m.y. to 13~10.m.y.

Regionally, these three groups contain both coarse to fine~grained red

clastics and low energy lighter colored "lacustrine" phases.

Each of the three groups has been the object of uranium exploration.

Group II, the early Miocene strata, embraces the Anderson Mine - Artillery

region~. host rocks and also the New River - Cave Creek early Miocene

beds along the boundary with the Transition Zone.

These three groups of rocks have been tectonically deformed to the

extent that original basins of deposition cannot yet be reconstructed.

However, they were considerably more extensive in size than the late

Cenozoic basins the origin of which deformed the former.

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Group II rocks are judged to be of prime interest because of:

(1) the development and preservation of organic matter in varying

lithologies, (2) apparent contemporaneity with silicic volcanic

centers, (3) influence of Precambrian crystalline rocks, and (4)

relative outcrop continuity near the stable Transition Zone.

The Transition Zone, especially along its boundary with the

Basin and Range Province, needs additional geologic investigation,

especially as regards the depositional continuity of Group II sedi­

ments.

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INTRODUCTION

GENERAL STATEMENT

This report summarizes the uranium related highlights of a general

geologic and age-dating study conducted on pre-10 to 13 m.y. old sedi­

mentary rocks of the Basin and Range Province of Arizona. The project

began June 1, 1978, and ended April 30, 1979. The study was carried out

under the office of Energy Resources, United States Geological Survey,

Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225.

The English system of measurement is used throughout this report.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This field study is Part I of a larger study designed to assess the

uranium favorabi1ity of Cenozoic sedimentary rocks of the Basin and Range

province of Arizona. Part I is intended to be an overview of the general

geology of pre-10 to 13 m~y. old pre-Basin and Range disturbance, Tertiary

sedimentary rocks with emphasis on those having known uranium occurrences

or anomalous radioactivit~. A major objective was the collection

and K/Ar dating of 25 volcanic units suitable for providing chronological

information regarding closely associated Cenozoic stratigraphic sequences.

Other objectives included:

(1) establishment of the character, tectonic position, and state of

deformation of the various sedimentary packages,

(2) correlation of Cenozoic events,

(3) compilation of an appropriate bibliography,

(4) evaluation of problems and avenues for additional research, and

(5) preparation of data for an eventual Bureau of Geology and Min-

eral Technology publication.

-3-

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In a problem so regionally extensive it is essential that advantage

be taken of various assists wherever possible. Assists in the field were

generously provided by Principal Investigator H. W. Peirce, Professor Don

Clay of Arizona Western College, Stephen J. Reynolds, University of Ari­

zona, prospectors Tom Howell and Harold Best, and consultant Richard

Cribbs. Consultant Edgar B. Heylmun, Tucson, provided important guidance.

The age-dating work was conscientiously guided by Dr. M. Shafiqullah of

the Laboratory of Isotope Geochemistry, University of Arizona. Discussion

of a diversity of geologic problems with colleagues H. Wesley Peirce and

Stanley B. Keith proved indispensable. U.S. Geological Survey project

officer James K. Otton willingly provided important information. Both the

State of Arizona and the University of Arizona provided valuable supports

not elsewhere acknowledged.

LOCATION AND PHYSIOGRAPHIC SETTING

It is customary to subdivide Arizona into physiographic-geologic

provinces. The subdivision used here is illustrated in Figure 27 (All

figures are together near the end of the report). It includes the Colora­

do Plateau Province to the northeast and the Basin and Range Province to

the southwest. In the central part of the state these are separated

by a Transition Zone. The southwestern boundary of the Plateau is fre­

quently called the Mogollon Rim.

Whereas the Plateau region is characterized by an erosLonally stripped

surface cut upon outcropping Mesozoic-Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, the

Basin and Range country is typified by alternating ranges and basins.

Ranges consist of rocks of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic origin

A-

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whereas intervening valleys (basins) frequently are underlain by thou­

sands of feet of sedimentary materials that infi11ed the basins as they

came into existence as a manifestation of the Basin and Range disturbance

13-10 m.y. ago. Our principal concern here is the nature of

the Cenozoic geologic history prior to the Basin and Range disturbance.

The Transition Zone, consisting largely of Precambrian crystalline

and Tertiary volcanic and sedimentary rocks, contains a few mountains and

valleys. Its post-Precambrian rocks are not severely tectonically dis­

turbed although the region has undergone some late Cenozoic normal

faulting. This zone, as regards the Tertiary sedimentary record, bears

a closer relationship to the Basin and Range Province than it does the

Colorado Plateau Province.

APPROACH

A review of the uranium favorabi1ity of Cenozoic sedimentary rocks of

the Basin and Range Province in Arizona was stimulated by several factors:

(1) a growing interest in exploring for uranium in this part of

Arizona,

(2) uranium occurrence precedents place emphasis on the Cenozoic

sedimentary rocks, and

(3) a general paucity of regionally oriented geologic data suitable

for developing an overview of Cenozoic geologic history.

For the Phase I study it was decided that attention would be focused

on what is here called the pre-basin fill sedimentary sequences. In

effect, this limited the study to the older, more deformed, discontinu­

ous, scattered, erratically preserved sections exposed in either range

structural blocks or along the more stable southern edge of the

-s~

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Transition Zone. Emphasis was placed on those sections associated with

previously published uranium occurrence data especially the AECls Pre­

liminary Reconnaissance Reports (PRR). An attempt was made to extract

the geologic highlights including: lithology, thickness, state of defor­

mation, extent of outcrop, transport directional parameters, relationship

to volcanic products, and age through all available data including new

K/Ar dating done for this project. Background radioactivity was checked

and anomalous readings noted. These data were synthesized and appropriate

regional generalizations made. Our basic data and preliminary conclusions

are depicted in this report. Although extensive mapping was not a part of

this general study, 26 sketch geologic sections were constructed and con­

stitute an important part of this report.

All radiometric readings were made with a Geometries model GR-IOIA

single channel gamma ray scintillometer. Readings generally were taken

against or very close to a given rock exposure. Readings judged to be

twice background or more were considered anomalous.

K/Ar age dates are listed on Table 2 and the sketch geologic sections

appear as Figures 1 through 26.

-6~

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GENERAL CENOZOIC GEOLOGY OFBASIN AND RANGE flROVINCE$EDTMENTS

GENERAL STATEMENT

An outgrowth of this investigation is the overall recognition of

four different time packages of sediments that contain uranium occurrences

(Figure 36). The youngest, the late Cenozoic basin fill, is believed to

be younger than 13 to 10m.y. in age, depending upon locality. Although

this sedimentary group is the object of important uranium exploration,

it is not discussed in this report. For a summary of these materials

see Peirce, 1976; Eberly and Stanley, 1978; and Scarborough and Peirce,

1978. However, it should be pointed out that we are limiting the Basin

and Range disturbance to the block faulting event that produced the depo-

centers exploited by the late Cenozoic basin fill deposits. This event,

and subsequent sedimentation, in places tectonically disrupt and cover

the three older uranium-bearing sedimentary sequences.

The three older age group assignments are:

(1) Oligocene sediments interbedded with variable amounts of

volcanics, but_ mostly pre~volcanic in the southeastern

part of the state. Includes the Mineta and Pantano forma~

tions.

(2) Early Miocene sediments in the central and west central part

of the state contemporaneous with much silicic volcanism.

Includes the Anderson area host rocks.

(3) Middle Miocene sediments and volcanics in the central part of

the state. Includes the Lake Pleasant

deposits.

. -,7-

and Horseshoe dam

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For this report Cenozoic epochal boundaries are taken as:

Oligocene 38-22 m.y., Miocene 22-6 m.y., Pliocene 6-1.8 m.y. It is

useful to further subdivide the Miocene: early 22-16 m.y., middle

16-11 m.y., late 11-6 m.y.

Some generalized structural and stratigraphic relations of Tertiary

volcanics and sediments in the Basin and Range Province are illustrated

in Figure 1, a cross-section from the Sierrita Mountains through Tucson,

the Rincon Mountains, the San Pedro Valley, the Galiuro Mountains and

ending in the Winchester Mountains. The Basin and Range faults are those

which lie more or less symmetrically disposed about present valley axes

and form the boundaries of the mountain and basin blocks. However, it is

easily noticed that the present valleys are now almost always larger than

the basin blocks because of pediment backwearingof i:the mountain Thlock

edges. This Basin and Range "process" has had the net effect of deform­

ing and plastering older Cenozoic materials against the older still rocks

of the mountains. Thus, units such as the Mineta Fm. (figure 1) are found

at the edge of, but commonly in tectonic contact with, the materials of the

mountain blocks. More rarely, the older Cenozoic materials are found in

the valleys where recent dissection has exposed pedimented terrains con­

taining these rocks, as in the San Pedro Valley (Figure 1).

Following is a brief geologic summation of the areas and localities

identified for this report as containing pre-basin fill Cenozoic sedimen­

tary rocks. Not all contain known anomalous radioactivity. Table 1 is a

list of 41 localities having known anomalous radioactivity, 36 of which

are largely sedimentary and five of which involve other host rock types.

Of these 41 occurrences, 25 were visited.

-8-

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The order of presentation is from the oldest to the youngest of the

three chronological groupings. Where appropriate the number of PRR's

associated with either a formation or topic area is shown as is the

reference number to Table 1 and Figure B, which list and locate localities

with radioactive anomalies.

GRPUKJ" LOCALITIES WITH RADIOACTIVE ANOMALIES

Mineta Formation(3PRR's-Nos. 26-28)

The Mineta Fm. crops out on the eastern flank of the Rincon Mountains

Figures 1 and 2). It was named and mapped by Chew (1952) and mapped by

Clay (1970). Bissett, 1958, Granger and Raup, 1962, and Thorman and

Drewes, 1978, have discussed uranium occurrences in the Mineta Fm. It is

a 2-3000 ft. thick deformed nonmarine section, dipping ENE at 30-700, con-

sisting of a basal conglomerate overlain by a red and yellow colored

sha1e-mudstone-1imestone sequence which becomes gypsiferous and white

colored at the top. The Formation is in both high angle fault contact

with older rocks of the Rincon Mountain block, and locally depositional

on granite. The entire formation is unconformably overlain by a 27 m.y.

old basaltic andesite (Shafiqu11ah and others, 1978) and hence is con-

sidered to be Oligocene or older in age. The sediments are in high angle

fault contact to the east with late Cenozoic basin fill materials. A

rhyolite which outcrops discontinuously at or near the base of the forma-

tion yields a 25 m.y. K/Ar age (this study-Table Z), which overlaps

analytical error limits of the over1ying i basa1tic andesite. Hence if the

K/Ar dates are to be trusted, deposition of at least 2000-3000 feet of

Mineta formation and 400 of eastward homoc1ina1 tilting took place in a

very short time.

"":9-

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Two PRR localities were visited. Radioactive zones (lOOx) of

light and dark gray mudstones occur as discontinuous lenses up to 10 feet

thick in the basal conglomerate, some of which are very near the basal

depositional contact. The granites beneath the contact also contain

anomalous radioactivity. One to two hundred (100-200) feet higher in

the sequence, radioactivity (to 5x) is associated with slightly fetid

limestones and varicolored shale beds (to 100 feet thick). In general,

the anomalous zone extends for at least 5 miles along strike but individ-

ual anomalous areas are discontinuous at the surface. The section is

essentially devoid of intercalated volcanics except for a welded rhyolite

tuff bed whi6h outcrops discontinuously at or very near the base of the

section for several miles (Clay, 1970).

Cardinal Avenue Sediments(lPRR-No. 30)

This occurrena8 mapped by Brown (1939), Wilson and others, (1960),

and studied by Grimm (1978), is an isolated outcrop of Tertiary low energy

nonmarine sediments which is in the southeast corner of the Tucson Moun.,..

tain structural block and is exposed as part of a stripped pediment

(Figure 1). The limestone outcrop covers less than one square mile and is

in fault contact to the west with Cretaceous andesites, and covered to the

south and east by coluvium. The contact with older Cretaceous volcanics

to the northeast has been interpreted as depositional (Grimm, 1978) but

the contact is very poorly exposed. The sediments consist of a mixture of

well-bedded strongly fetid limey strata with 1-2 ft. thick beds, with

lesser amounts of gypsiferous mudstones and gypsum beds, folded into a

symmetrical shallow syncline, the axis of which occupies a knoll ~

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at the present time owing to the resistance of the limestones to weather-

ing. No more than 20 feet of section is now visible. The contained

hydrocarbons are believed to have been derived from plants. Anomalous

radioactivity (to 5x) and carnotite fracture coatings are found in various

spots in the limestone beds. Silicification is not noted at this locality.

These beds are difficult to place in time because of the limited amount of

section visible. The unit can perhaps be best placed within the Oligocene

along with the Pantano and Mineta Formations because they all contain sim-

ilar lithologies. They may represent a once continuous low energy depos-

itional domain.

Teran Basin Sequence(No PRR-No. 41)

The Teran Basin sequence along the southwestern flank of the Galiuro

Mountains is not described in the literature, but was visited during this

study (Figures 1 and 3 for general stratigraphy). The sequence is basi-

cally a homoclinally eastward dipping high and low energy clastic section

whose major lithologies include a lower fanglomerate, a thick mudstone-

shale-sandstone section, and apparently an upper thick fanglomerate

section. An andesite concordant above the middle fine-grained clastics

has a 27 m.y K/Ar date (this study-Table 2). The entire sequence is judged

to be Oligocene based on late Oligocene K/Ar ages on Galiuro volcanic

flows which unconformably overlie the section (Creasey and Krieger, 1978).

The section is here judged to be correlative with the Mineta and Pantano

Formations based upon general structural setting and lithologies .

. Radioactive anomalies of- 2x and 3x:were-noted in-two different mottled

yellow and_brown gypsiferous mudstone units .in the fine-grained clastics.

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Anomalous limestone beds that had been rumored to be in the area were not

located. Anomalies were very localized, and attempts to develop them

along strike failed. Those detected were apparently confined to particu-

lar beds and were not notably structurally controlled.

Swisshelm Valley(No PRR-No. 40)

This region was mapped by Cooper (1959). Figure 7 summarizes the

general geologic setting. The valley that lies between the Swisshelm

Mountains and the Pedregosa Mountains in southeast Cochise County is here

called the Swisshelm Valley. The southwest-flowing Mesa Draw has recently

incised its way through basin fill, and a pedimented terrain containing

presumed Oligocene rhyolites, tuffs, and pyroclastic bedded deposits has

been exposed in an east-west arcuate swath across the valley in the general

area of the Bar Boot Ranch, sec 36, T20S, R28E. The pedimented rocks can

be seen in channel bottoms in much of this area where they may only be

covered by thin, Pleistocene gravel caps. The structure of the area was

not investigated except that a high angle basin and range fault was seen

separating the eastern Swisshelms from the low relief pedimented terrain

in west 1/2 sec 29, T20S, R28E.

The sandine-bearing rhyolite vent complex south of the Bar Boot ranch

house counts to 240-300 cps, which is a high count rate for rhyolites.

(Similar anomalous rhyolites of the Chiricahua sequence in west Turkey

Creek of the Chiricahua Mountains 15 miles north, count to 400 cps).

A complexly deformed section of tuffs and tuffaceous sediments north

and west of the Bar Boot Ranch count to 200-250 cps which normally

would be a value of 2x. Whether or not any anomalous uranium exists in

-12~

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these sediments depends upon the source of the high count rate not only

in these sediments but also in the rhyolites nearby.

Adair Park Redbeds(No PRR-No.' 35)' -

This is an unnamed stratal sequence just north of Yuma in extreme

western Arizona. These rocks were mapped by Olmstead and others, (197~'3)

and are depicted in Figure 4. This is a rather thick sequence of steeply

SW-dipping redbeds which is exposed in the Southern Laguna Mountains.

Assuming the section is not overturned, it appears DO represent a generally

coarsening upward clastic sequence with lowermost sandstones and partially

gypsiferous mudstones, middle fanglomerates and high energy fluvial red-

beds with minor lacustrine limestones or calcic soil horizons, and an

upper very coarse boulder conglomerate or debris flow deposit. This se~

quence is apparently unconformably overlain by the nearly flat-lying Kinter

Formation, which, in this immediate area, contains a dated 23 m.y. old

bentonitic ash bed. Nearby silicic volcanic flows, tilted in a similar

fashion as the Adair Park beds, yield 26 and 29 m.y. ages (all age dates

reported in Olmstead and others, 1973). Along the north and east boundary

of the redbed outcrops, is a high angle fault contact with a gneissic

granite terrain shown as Mesozoic in age on the 1969 Arizona State geo~

logic map (scale 1:500,000).

Anomalous radiation (to 3x) was noted within the lower part of the

package in some orange and yellow mottled gypsiferous mudstones within 20

feet of the fault contact. The radioactive zone was confined to a 10 foot

or so thick interval, but the nearby fault zone itself was not noted to be

anomalous. The remainder of the redbeds, particularly the higher energy

units, apparently are devoid of anomalous radiation.

· -13...;.

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East Side of Plomosa Mountains(2PRR's-Nos. 7-8)

A brief survey was conducted and the general geologic relationships

are shown in Figure 5. A SSE dipping Tertiary section is exposed in a

dissected pediment area on the east side of the Plomosa Mountains. It is

in tectonic contact to the west with, and possibly overridden by, Mesozoic

(?) metasediments which in the general area have very similar structural

attitudes as the Tertiary section (Jemmett, 1966). Owing to almost certain

structural complexities, the Tertiary -strafaJ sequ~ncecann'ot be described

with confidence. Noted were abundant silicic to intermediate volcanic

flows with associated lenses of intercalated low energy clastics including

buff colored mudstones, 1-3 ft. beds of medium gray limestones, and a few

red brown fluvial conglomerates containing clasts of Mesozoic metasedi-

ments. The limestones are somewhat fetid and attain local thicknesses of

up to 100-150 ft. Eberly and Stanley (1978) report a 24 m.y. age date on

a silicic flow that apparently is high in the section.

P~dioactivity was noted in three areas. The first is that reported

in the PRR report on the Rayvern Claim Gp, namely, a 3 ft. thick white

calcareous mudstone layer (9x) with visible carnotite fracture coatings

sandwiched in the middle of the 100-150 ft. thick gray limestone section

noted above, down which a shaft has been dug. The second occurrence is

farther north by 1.0 mile and consists of a minenl.lized NW treridingv.erti-

cal fault that cuts, a dark red-brown ; fluvialcong1.ome.rilte::-iilolJg

which rather new dozer cuts have been placed. Radioactivity (to 90x)

is clearly confined to red clay-rich fault gouge. Nearby surface out-

crops of the conglomerate are anomalous (to 5x) but nearby sub"",parallel

"';'-14-

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faults are not anomalous. The third occurrence is 0.25 miles farther

north and is confined to anomalies (to 4x) in a 4 ft. thick chert nodule-

rich light gray limestone bed that, along with a 20-50 ft. thick light

colored mudstone layer, is sandwiched into a volcanic-pyroclastic part

of the section.

Muggins Mountains(7PRR's-Nos. 10-16;Access problems-not visited)

Existing PRR's and reports indicate anomalous radioactivity and uranium

occurrences in at least six different sites in the Southern Muggins

Mountains. These occur within a SW-dipping Tertiary section and several

appear to lie along strike and hence may be sampling an anomalous zone or

trend in the Tertiary section. Mineralization appears to be confined to

fine-grained clastic and limestone beds in most areas, but, in one, it

seems to be related to the margins of a near-vertical dike of dark

volcanic rock. Judging from the amount· of interest and the number of

PRR's located in the vicinity, further recon studies are warranted.

(Access problems are governmental). A 22 m.y. K/Ar age has been determined

on a tuff bed which is probably intercalated into this general strati-

graphic section (Damon and others, 1968).\

This dated horizon is 400 ft.

stratigraphically below a vertebrate fossil locality of Late Arikareean

(?) age (24-21 m.y. from Tedford 1974 Land Mammal age compilation) re-

ported by Lance and Wood (1958). They suggest the presence here of a

4000 ft. thick stiatal section with dips of up to 600 • The fossil site and

the K/Ar dated horizon is in the upper one fourth of the section. An

. Oligocene age assignment appears reasonable.

-15,...

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Western Gila Bend Mountains(lPRR-No. 25)

This is the area of the Duke, \-Thite and Hyder uranium claims. ~'The

general geology is indicated in Figure 6.

The region contains at least two en echelon,tilted, downthrown

fault blocks that contain pedimented Tertiary clastic sequences. The

sections dip 15-300 NNE, and consist basically of calcareous, fairly well

sorted, arkosic sandstones with many thin individual beds (0.5-1 ft. thick)

of dark gray fetid laminated limestone. Mudstones and shales are not

common in the westernmost block, but comprise greater than 20% of the

section in the eastern fault block. Both sections contain a single inter-

bedded biotite-bearing silicic volcanic flow dated at 23.7 m.y. (This

study-Table 2). An exploration well drilled in the western block pene-

trated 270 ft. of sediments before intercepting crystalline basement.

An entirely younger clastic and tuffaceous sequence underlies Yellow

Medicine Butte, whose capping basalts have not been dated in this area,

but similar mesa forming flows farther to the east produce 22-16 m.y.

K/Ar ages (Miller and others, 1977). Because these suspected early

Miocene volcanics dip 5-100 in this region, and the Tertiary sediments

in question dip 20_400, the sedimentary section is believed to be Oligo-

cene in age because it is apparently involved in an older tilting episode

that does not affect the early Miocene rocks. These older sedimentary

rocks are shown as Cretaceous-Tertiary on existing County and State

geologic maps.

Radioactivity in the area is confined to a few thin fetid dark gray

colored limestone beds in the western block (to 3x) and is interestingly

-16 -

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absent from the mudstones of the eastern block. The arkosic sandstones

do not count above general background. The radioactivity of the limestone

beds does not continue far along strike.

GROUP I LOCALITIES WITHQUT KNOWN RADIOACTIVE ANOMALIES

Several areas in southeast Arizona are recognized as containing

thick clastic sequences of deformed Oligocene sediments, sediments not

known to be anomalously radioactive.

Pantano Formation(lPRR,....No. 29)

The Pantano Formation was named by Brennan (1958) and has been mapped

and discussed, in part, by Finnell (1970; 1971) and Drewes (1978). It

consists of a 6000 ft. or thicker homoclinally dipping sequence of clas~

tics which, according to Finnell, consists of a basal mudflow sequence,

overlain in turn by a thin somewhat fetid limestone unit, a fanglomerate

unit with minor mudstones, an andesite unit variously thin and thick, and

a locally thick relatively pure claystone unit containing gypsum seams and

monolithologic "megabreccia" clasts and beds. Several age dates have been

obtained on intercalated volcanics that indicate that the Pantano Forma~

tion is Oligocene in age (Finnell, 1970). One PRR locality (the Red

Hills claims) near Colossal Cave, Rincon Mountains is in a structurally

complex terrain where some Pantano (?) fine,....grained redbeds are faulted

against Rincon Valley granodiorite. However, these sediments may just as

well be related to the Miocene Rillito beds of Pashley (1966). Radio~

activity (to 2x) was noted in some varicolored sandstones and mudstones

at one spot, and in the Precambrian Granite (to 5x) near some of the

high angle faults at another nearby locality. (Subsequently, we've been

told that some of the thin, fetid limestones count to 4x).

-17-

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Helmet Fanglomerate(No PRR-Not visited)

The Helmet Fanglomerate of Cooper (1960) in the eastern Sierrita

Mountains is a poorly exposed 10,000 ft. thick sequence of high energy

clastics composed of fanglomerate mudflows with intercalated monolitho-

logic megabreccia beds and volcanic flows which have K/Ar dates which

place the sequence into Oligocene time. The sequence is notable in that

the entire section and juxtaposed older rocks is demonstrably allochthon-

ous, being separated from lower plate rocks by the low angle, shallow

eastward dipping "San Xavier thrust fault" (Jansen, 1978; Shafiqu.ll.ah_

and Langlois, 1978) (Figure 1).

Threelinks Conglomerate(No PRR)

The Threelinks Conglomerate of Cooper and Silver (1964) is a pre-

volcanic high energy mudflow sequence with minor intercalated limey mud-

stone beds and undated volcanic flows. It is highly contorted and

beveled beneath late Oligocene volcanics of the Galiuro Mountains. It

was visited only in the Winchester Mountains (Figure 1), and not in the

Steele Hills further south.

Whitetail Conglomerate(No PRR~Not visited)

The Whitetail Conglomerate (Peterson, 1969) is a unit of variable

thickness largely because of a high-relief lower contact. It frequently

is faulted and tilted and consists mostly of light to moderate colored

high energy fanglomerates and minor low energy tuffaceous heds. It con-

tains a 32 m.y. old K/Ar dated ash bed intercalated high in the section

in the Sonora Quadrange (Cornwall and others, 1971), and a 33.5 m. y. old

-18 ...

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K/Ar dated ash bed at Aravaipa Creek in the Ga1iuro Mountains (Krieger

and others, 1979).

Redbeds of Babocomari Ranch(No PRR-Not visited)

These redbeds are exposed in the northern Huachuca Mountains and

have been described by Vice (1970). They consist of arkosic gravels and

tuffaceous sediments tilted westward and are overlain by a thrust plate

of Paleozoic limestones. They apparently contain, according to Vice,

late Oligocene K/Ar dated volcanic flows.

Redbeds at Three Buttes(No PRR-Not visited)

These redbeds, discussed by Banks and others (1977) are a northeast-

dipping section of fluvial sediments in the northern Tortolita Mountains,

and is composed predominantly of sandstones with a minor component of

fine-grained beds. The section contains a basalt flow dated at 21 m.y.

and hence likely is Oligocene-Miocene in age (Jennison, 1976).

Hackberry Formation(No PRR-Not visited)

The Hackberry Formation near Hayden of Schmidt (1971) is a 10,000 ft.

thick section of clastics which contains diversified coarse and fine-

grained units including massive 'megabreccia" lenses (Krieger, 1977). It

is folded and unconformably overlain by less deformed Miocene fang1omer_

ates. Ages of 20.5, 23.5, and 25.6 m.y. on biotite, hornblende, and

plagioclase, respectively, were obtained from an air-fall ash bed inter-

ca1ated into a "granite-wash" facies of the unit (Table 2). In this

vicinity, the Hackberry Fm. and the Paleozoic and Cretaceous section upon

which it is depositional are folded into an assymetric syncline whose

west limb is overturned.

-19'-

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Apsey Conglomerate(No PRR-Not visited)

The Apsey conglomerate of the northern Ga1iuro Mountains around

Aravaipa Creek is a blanket of light colored high energy fang10merates

which sits atop the volcanic tablelands of the area. The underlying

Ga1iuro volcanics date at 28.2-22.5 m.y. (Creasey and Krieger, 1978),

while an andesite overlying the Apsey conglomerate at Table Mountain

+dates at 22.8 - 0.5 m.y. (Table 2-this report). This age bracketing of

the conglomerate at about 22 m.y. assumes some importance in regional

pre-basin fill correlation schemes (see Heindl, 1958). For example, this

age casts doubt on the correlation of Apsey Conglomerate with the prob-

able late Cenozoic basin fill Hell Hole Conglomerate of Simons (1964),

or the 14-17 m.y. Big Dome Formation of Krieger and others (1974) near

Kearny. All of these units are typically coarse textured.

Locomotive Fanglomerate(No PRR)

The Locomotive Fanglomerate (Gi11u1y, 1946) at Ajo is a thick SW

dipping assemblage of high energy sediments including extensive thick

mudf10w units and coarse fluvial fanglomerate deposits. See Figure 9 for

cross-section.

Si1 Murk Formation(No PRR)

The Si1 Murk Formation of Heindl and Armstrong (1963) crops out near

Gila Bend. See Figure 10 for cross-section. The Formation as mapped

consists of lower, more highly deformed sediments and a less deformed

series of overlying volcanics and sediments. Basal well-sorted red

arkosic sandstones which are locally depositional on Precambrian granite

-20""-

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display large scale trough cross-bedding of aeolian origin, and are

500-1000 ft. thick. Overlying red-brown fang10merates are 1000-2000

ft. thick, and contain dominant debris flows and subordinate fluvial

high energy beds. Together, these two lower units dip SW.at 20-600

The overlying predominately volcanic section dips SWat 3_100 and con-

tains a welded ash flow sheet high in the section dated at 27 m.y.

(Eberly and Stanley, 1978) along with andesite flows and poorly exposed

high energy fluvial sediments.

Clanton Hills Section(No PRR)

This section is discussed by Wilson (1933) and Ross (1922). See

Figure 8 for cross-section. The section visible in the main watergap

(Sec 12, T2S, R12W) consists of the following ascending sequence: a

dense rhyolite flow dated at 23 m.y. (Eberly and Stanley, 1978), red

arkosic sandstones and mudstones capped by a thin cherty limestone, more

red arkosic sandstone that grades upward into a rhyolitic ash fall, and

then into a rhyolite explosion breccia or high energy flow breccia, than 'a

capping, partially brecciated, black chert nodule limestone bed about

10-15 ft. thick. The entire sequence is probably no thicker than 300 feet,

is highly faulted, but is not generally tilted. However, nearby isolated

hills contain a uniformly SW dipping dark volcanic sequence which dates

at 28 m.y. (Eberly and Stanley, 1978). The Clanton Hills Limestones are

only locally fetid and display anomalies no greater than 1. 5x.

Osborne Wash(No PAA)

Figure 13 shows a cross-section through the area of Osborne Wash,

about 10-20 miles east of Parker. A sequence of high to moderate energy

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fluvial redbeds and a Tertiary limestone section dip to 40° and trend

along a large NW-trending antiform, are beveled by pedimentation, and

are overlain in the eastern area (see cross""'section) by undeformed sedi-

ment and basalt series with a basal flow dated at 9.7 m.y. Farther west,

the older sediments are apparently in high angle fault contact with other

blocks of volcanics and sediments which dip 5~10o SW and have two K/Ar age

dates of 16 and 21 m.y. Hence by circumstantial evidence, the older sedi-

ments are likely pre~2l m.y. in age.

The older redbeds and limestones in places are in low angle tectonic

contact with the cataclastically deformed crystalline rocks of the western

Buckskin Mountains. The limestone section is about 1200 ft. thick, dips

30~40o SW, and is the thickest Tertiary limestone sequence observed during

this study. It is present in a separate area from the redbeds, and their

stratigraphic relationship is unknown at this time. Most limestone units

are somewhat recrystallized. Chert nodule horizons are uncommon. Copper-

iron-uranium mineralization at the Pride Mine is confined exclusively to

the lower plate rocks. Radioactive anomalies of 3x are found in "pods"

of limonite rich hydrothermally altered crystalline rocks. Light colored

fluvial channel and overbank sediments (locality 2b in Figure 13) underlie

and are deformed with the l6~2l m.y. old volcanics. They contain no

apparent anomalous radioactivity.

Phoenix Region(No PRR)

Several areas in the south-central part of the state contain high

energy clastic redbed packages which are not known to contain radioactive

anomalies.

-22-

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In the Phoenix metropolitan area (Figure 11), southwest dipping red

laminated mudstones are exposed at Tempe Butte where they are overlain

concordantly by a 17 m.y old dark volcanic flow (Table 2-this report).

Peters (1979) suggests that the Tempe Butte beds represent flash flood

deposition on the floodplain of a large fluvial system. Farther north, in

Papago Park, a thick sequence of SW dipping mudflow or debris flow depos­

its, in places containing large rounded boulders of Precambrian granite,

are seen to grade downward into the fine-grained Tempe B~tte beds. These

coarse redbeds are intruded by a series of N250 W trending rhyolite dikes

which form some of the rock spires of Papago Park. Farther north, at the

west end of Camelback Mountain (total distance from Tempe Butte about

seven miles), thick mudflow sequences underlain by red colored laminar

bedded granite-derived grus deposits of probable moderate energy piedmont

fan origin, are clearly depositional to the east upon Precambrian crys­

talline rocks. Cordy (1978), who mapped the Camelback Mountain area, has

divided the 600 ft. thick Tertiary sedimentary section, which she calls

the Camels Head Formation, into four members. The Echo Canyon Member con­

tains considerable evidence of massive landsliding which she likens to

some "megabreccia lenses" described in the San Manuel Formation by

Krieger (1977). Some of the landslide deposits contain "metarhyolite"

clasts which resemble some of the rhyolite dike material of Papago Park

mentioned above. She cites earlier workers who correlate some of the

Camels Head Pm. sediments with redbeds at Papago Park and Mt. McDowell to

the east, based upon lithologic similarities.

A 5400 ft. deep hole (Biery-State #1) was drilled in northern Para­

dise Valley in 1951. Beneath 4900 feet of fine to coarse-grained clastics

-23-

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occur, in descending order, 80 feet of impure gray limestone with abundant

gray and brown chert (see under Miocene sediments), 320 feet of dark vol~

canics, and 500 feet of redbeds to the bottom of the hole. Eberly and

Stanley (1978) K/Ar dated a "oasaltic andesite" from the volcanic section

+at 22 - 1.2 m.y. (#62). Peirce (oral communication, 1979) provisionally

correlates the redbeds under these volcanics in the drillhole with the I[

outcropping redoeds of the Phoenix area. Hence, some, if not all, of the

above outcropping redbeds are likely to oe Oligocene in age.

Along the lower Salt River, 24 miles east of downtown Phoenix, is ex~

posed a section of gently westward dipping high energy redoeds with inter~

.bedded volcanic flows, which are depositional upon a stack of andesite

flows (Figure 12). To the southeast, this section is in high angle fault

contact with a sequence of tuffs and pyroclastic units, while to the north

the andesites are in high angle fault contact with Precambrian granite.

However, the redbeds appear to oe depositional upon both the andesite and

the Precambrian granite. The redoeds here are a mixture of 2/3 mudflows

and 1/3 fluvial beds. Their age is uncertain. None of the other redbed

localities previously discussed contain andesite flows beneath the red~

beds except at Osborne Wash where the redoed package is circumstantially

pre~2l m.y. in age. Andesite oeneathredbeds at the Hassayampa locality

near Wickenburg date at 16.s"ml'Y. (Taole 2) and demonstrate the presence of

likely middle Miocene redbeds at that locality. Thick redoeds of the Sil

Murk 'Formation are p:t'e~26 m.y •. in age. At the edge of the Town of Casa

Grande, a lone hill upon which the community has built a water tank, is

composed exclusively of high energy redbeds which are mostly mudflow units

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with very thin fluvial sand lenses. These are tentatively correlated

with the Oligocene redbeds of the Phoenix area.

:GROUP IJ LOCALITIES WITH RADIOACTIVE ANOMALIES

Black Butte(4PRRts-Nos. 19..-21- - see below)

Black Butte is located in the westernmost Vulture Mountains (Hewett,

1925; Kam, 1964). See cross-section Figure 14. The Black Butte section

can be most easily interpreted as a SW..-dipping sequence of andesites with

a basal thin arkosic conglomerate that is depositional (12 on a leuco-

granite and overlain by a fine..-grained mudstone....air fall ash sequence that

is unconformably (?) capped by a volcanic flow K/Ar dated at 15 m.y.

(Table 2...this study). The lower andesite volcanic flow (see Figure 14)

dates at 20 m.y (this study) and hence the fine..-grained uraniferous hori....

zons are indicated to be 20-15 m.y. in age. In one bulldozer trench cut

into a 30....50 ft. thick, light colored mudstone'I""Vitric ash sequence, some

carnotite was noted as fracture coatings. Low radioactivity (Lx) indi~

cates the possibility of uranium disequilibrium. No attempt was made to

visit each PRR. On-ly three of ~the four, because of location problems ,are

shown on Figure B. Farther southeast by two miles or so, other more

diversified low energy sediments are seen to occupy a roughly equivalent

stratigraphic position as the mudstones. This section includes mudstones

containing a ripple marked tuff bed, somewhat fetid limestone beds, one

of which is brecciated and contains chert replacements, veinlets, massive

pods, and veins. Slope.....forming units appear to consist of tuffaceous and

pyroclastic units. Radioacti'Vity here was no greater than 2x, and no

visible uranium mineralization was noted.

~25~

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New River(lPRR-No. 23)

The New River area is the western part of a larger region that repre~

sents the interface between the Transition Zone to the north and the Basin

and Range Province to the south (Figure 1b). A significant part of this

general area contains terrain consisting of a complex assemblage of basalt

flows, tuff and pyroclastic beds, and mudstones, overlain by mesa~capping

basalts. Thick basalt caps (14-15 m.y Hickey~aged basalts, this report)

protect the tuffaceous assemblage on New River Mesa, but the assemblage

has been downthrown to the south along high angle east~west normal faults,

and pedimented and mostly covered by thin deposits of young gravels in the

valleys of the general area.

A PRR locality (No. 23 ~ Table 1) about nine miles WNW of Cave Creek

is an important occurrence at the junction of the two provinces. The Los

Cuatros claim group is in the pedimented, low relief zone. It consists

of a somewhat faulted and folded sequence of outcropping 1edgy dolomites

about two feet thick~ interbedded with calcareous mudstones, a thin vitric

air fall ash bed, and zeo1itized units. Recent exploration indicates that

the do1omite~bearing sequence is underlain by mudstones. The Los Cuatros

sediments are about 200-300 feet thick and overlie dark-colored volcanics.

To the west these beds are cut by a high angle fault. At the surface,

radioactivity (to lOx) is confined to the thin ledge-forming nonsi1icified

dolomite beds. No visible uranium minerals are present. Chemical ana1y-

ses conducted by private parties confirm the presence of uranium in these

radioactive beds up to about .07% U308 , Exploration drilling is in pro-

gress in the area and more should be expected in the near future.

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Two age dates were obtained during this study that relate to the age

of these sediments. A basalt flow at a!nearby peak (Pyramid Peak),

thought to be below the section, dates at 17.7 m.y. (Table 2). A basalt,

interpreted to be a dike intruding the mineralized sediments, dates at 13

m.y. (Table 2). According to the scheme used here the sediments are

classed as being early Miocene in age.

Cave Creek(No PRR-No. 42)

About three miles NNE of the community of Cave Creek, exposed along

the banks of Willow Springs Wash in a growing residential area, is a

poorly exposed section believed analogous to that just described several

miles to the west. The exposed beds are a SW-dipping, white colored

tuffaceous assemblage containing a thin vitric ash bed, marls and thin

limestones with chert stringers and vein1ets, and tuffaceous marly beds.

Notably, the assemblage here contains but sparse dolomitic zones and much

chert. Radioactivity in certain very confined zones in some limestone

beds measures 5-8x and chert frequently is radioactive. No visible uran-

ium minerals were noted. These beds, by reasons of analogy, are believed

to be lower Miocene in age.

Rifle Range Section(No PRR,....No. 43)

The Rifle Range section is a relatively small northeast tilted basalt

capped range block that forms a cuesta near the junction of I~17 and Care-

free Highway (Figure 17). There are poorly exposed tilted sediments be-

neath the capping basalt. However, one south-facing wash, on the rifle

range side, exposes about 150-200 feet of section.. The arrangement of

lithologies is analogous to that at New River (No. 23) in that a

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carbonate~bearing section overlies a lower, relatively thick clastic

zone. There are two dolomitic units each about 20 ft, thick. The lower

dolomitic unit is brecciated and contains extensive chert replacements

and stringers. The upper unit also contains some chert stringers and re~

placements. Anomalous radioactivity (to 3x) is associated with the cherty

portions of the dolomites. The basalt cap appears to overlie the dolo-

mites with a slight angular unconformity, and has a K/Ar age of 15.9 m.y.

(this project~Table 2). The New River locality is about eight miles to

the northeast. By a combination of analogy with New River and the 15.9

m.y. minimum date, we assign a lower Miocene age to this sedimentary se-

quence. Contrasts with New River include some conglomeratic materials

in the lower clastic section and much chert at the Rifle Range locality.

Artillery Formation(5PRR's-Nos. 2-6;3PRR'snot visited)

The Artillery Formation was named, mapped and discussed by Lasky and

Webber (1949). More recently Otton (1977, 1978) discussed preliminary

results of his continuing regional studies. The general geologic settings

of the two localities visited are shown in Figures 18 and 19. The forma-

tion ranges up to at least 2500 feet in thickness.

Two localities in the type Artillery Formation as defined by Lasky

and Webber were visited, the Masterson Claims and the Lucky Four Claims.

The Masterson Claims are west from Artillery Peak, and are contained in

the lower part of the westward dipping Artillery Formation (Figure 18).

Uranium mineralization is found in laminated mudstone-shale-limestone beds

just above a basal 150 ft. thick red arkosic conglomerate believed to be

depositional on porphyritic granite. The low energy clastics contain

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many bright colors, and radioactivity is found in many individual units

especially in a bright green colored shale-mudstone sequence (to 5x),

but the most pronounced anomaly (16x) was found in a somewhat cherty,

dark colored, thinly bedded limestone unit about three ft. thick. Much

recent dozer activity and drilling in the area is evident.

The Lucky Four claim group is located south of Artillery Peak in a

thick sequence of limestones and marlstones with minor mudstones 2000 ft.

or more above the base of the Artillery Formation (Figure 14). Here the

section dips generally southward away from Artillery Peak. Much recent

drilling and dozer activity has been centered in these limestones. The

PRR discusses a black carbonaceous layer that was not relocated in this

study, but several wavy-bedded, yellow colored limestones up section from

the black layer, count to 5x at the surface. This material, at depth, is

probably the target for the drilling. The limestones are overlain by a

section of poorly exposed red mudstones. Further south the Artillery beds

either underlie some basalt-capped mesas or are in fault contact with

younger volcanics at the base of the mesa cliffs.

The geology of the Artillery Peak region is complicated by complex

tectonism involving allochthonous stratigraphic sequences. This fact has

tended to obscure the age of the Artillery Formation.. Between the Master­

son claim group low in the Artillery Formation and the Lucky Four group

high in the formation there is a densely welded rhyolite flow that out­

crops discontinuously along strike. This rock is dated at 19.9 m.y.

(this study.,-Table 2). Some will question the validity of this date on

the basis that it is a whole rock determination on silicic material and

such material is often thought to incompletely retain radiogenic argon.

-29-

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However, the material appears densely welded and shows no signs of

deuteric alteration. Still younger rhyolite volcanism is noted from 20

miles or so west where Suneson and Lucchitta (1979) have recently reported

15~1~10.J m.y. KjAr ages on sanidine and biotite separates from silicic

flows, dikes, and domes, thus providing a precedent for middle to late

Miocene silicic volcanism in the region.

On the assumption that this date is reliable the Artillery Formation

will be considered lower (?) Miocene in age. The Anderson Mine is about

18 miles east of Artillery Peak. The host rocks, low energy carbonaceous

andtuffaceo,us sediments; also are" thought to be lower Mioceue in age.

This is based upon a minimum age of 13.2 m.y. obtained on a stratigraphi-

cally higher basalt flow (this study-Table 2) and a paleontological age

of 21-17 m.y. (Hemingfordian) for a rhinoceros and a camel (Lindsay and

Tessman, 1974). Also, Otton (oral communication, 1979) considers the

underlying volcanics to be late Oligocene in age. These data suggest that

the Artillery Formation and the Anderson Mine area host rocks may chrono-

logically overlap.

Wickenburg Area(lPRR-No. 24)

Uranium occurs in rhyolitic volcanic rocks that were extruded onto a

Precambrian granitic terrain (Table I-Figure B). Uranium as visible tor-

bernite and some invisible mineralization is found in various areas in the

extrusive complex (to 25x), and concentrated to 8x-10x along shear zones

and high angle fault surfaces. No basal arkosic conglomerate was seen in

the section, as had been suggested in the PRR report. The rhyolites are

undated, but probably relate to the early Miocene rhyolitic volcanics of

the Vulture Mountains 12 miles to the west.

":'30;.:..

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Lincoln Ranch Beds(No PRR-No. 9)

A section of moderately deformed fluvial-lacustrine-tuffaceous strata,

la.rgely redheds, is located in the Lincoln Ranch Basin just south of the

Bill Williams River. The exposed partial section is estimated to be 1400

feet thick by Gassaway (1972). At the northeastern boundary these rocks

are in the footwall of the NW-trending Lincoln Ranch reverse fault (Wilson,

1962, p. 76), with crystalline rocks of the Buckskin Mountains in the hang-

ing walL To the southeast the section is in low-angle '.tectoniocontactL :with

cataclastically deformed Buckskin Mountain crystalline rocks. Near this

contact the redbeds contain manganese oxide mineralization. Farther north-

ward thin, very light colored tilted beds in the section count 2-3x in a

very limited interval. According to Otton (1978), the Lincoln Ranch sec-

tion contains lacustrine units that intertongue with the coarser Mh-rich

strata, the lacustrine rocks containing some uranium in fractures and as

uraniferous silica in bedded chert. Gassaway (oral communication, 1979)

reports finding Miocene vertebrate tracks in the Lincoln Ranch beds. As

noted by Shackelford (1976) the Lincoln Ranch beds are allochthonous

above a detachment surface, therefore the beds pre-date the detaching

episode. Chronological constraints developed during the present and

previous studies indicate that the detachment phenomenon is regional in

extent and was developed in the interval 16 to 13.,...10 m.y. ago (Figure 29).

With this in mind, plus regional stratigraphic similarities, we place

these s'ediments in the lower half of the Miocene, tentatively the early

Miocene.

....31_

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GROUP ,11---- LOCALITIES WITHOUT KNOWN ANOMALIES

Harcuvar Mountains-Bullard Peak

The general geologic setting of these two localities is shown on

Figures 20 and 21 and the positions of these sections is shown on Figure

A. In both localities the stratigraphic section is tilted towards the

southwest.

Along the southeast "arm" of the Harcuvars, a section (Figure 20)

of SW-dipping silicic trachytic flows and pyroclastics with a thin basal

red arkosic conglomerate is depositional upon a granite. A flow in the

middle of this section K/Ar dates at 17 m.y. (this report-Table 2).

Farther west near Bullard Peak, a steeply SW-dipping section (Figure 21)

is in probable low angle tectonic contact with the cataclastically deform­

ed rocks of the southern Harcuvars. The section consists (barring

structural complications) of a few thin lowermost silicic flows and pyro­

clastic units, an unstratified cobble and boulder conglomerate, a 3000 ft.

thick sequence of andesite flows and flow breccias that grade upward into

lahar deposits with some poorly exposed fine-grained redbeds. An andesite

flow from the thick sequence has a K/Ar age of 15.8 m.y. (this report­

Table 2). The Bullard Peak section appears to be on the order of 8500

ft. thick. Neither of these sections contains detected radioactive ano­

malies.

The Bullard Peak section is allochthonous above a dislocation or

detachment surface. The lower plate consists of brecciated, cataclasti­

cally deformed plutonic crystalline rocks. The 15.8 m.y. date within the

deformed upper plate Bullard Peak section suggests not only that the rocks

involved, both volcanic and sedimentary, accumulated during the lower half

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of the Miocene (likely lower Miocene), but that the dislocating event

took place less than 15 m.y ago. Subsequent to this event the region

was arched, the various arches forming the present transverse ranges.

Indications are that these tectonic events post-date both the Artillery

Formation and the Anderson Mine host rocks. Therefore, any attempt at

paleogeographic reconstruction during lower Miocene time must remove the

foliation arches (Rehrig and Reynolds, 1977), and restore the affected

Miocene rocks to their original accumulation site. Davis and others,

(1977) suggest that northeastward directed low-angle transport of analo-

gous upper plate rocks took place in the Buckskin-Rawhide Mountain area

between 15 and 13 m.y. ago. Likely, this event was synchronous with the

positioning of upper plate rocks in the Bullard Peak region of the Har-

cuvar Mountains. In the general area of the type Artillery Formation,

low-angle tectonism emplaced at least one "slide breccia" (Otton, 1978)

either post-2l m.y. (Eberly and Stanley, 1978) or post-15.9 m.y. and pre-

9.6 m.y. ago (Shackelford, 1976). The confusion appears to stem from the

K/Ar age of and/or the selection of the youngest basalt beneath the over-

lying tectonically disturbed zone.

(}ROUPTU.

Horseshoe Dam(No PRR-No. j9)

LOCALITIES WITH RADIOACTIVE ANOMALIES

The general geologic setting of the Horseshoe Dam section along the

Verde River is depected in Figure 22. The section is tilted towards the

southwest, is in fault contact with Precambrian granitic rocks on the

west and flat-lying clastic sediments on the south. The partial section

exposes about 1000 ft. of light-colored tuffs, marls, mudstones, and

-33~

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sandstones derived from volcanic rocks. An underlying, tilted ~ndesite

from the dam spillway gives a K/Ar date of 15 m.y. (this report-Table 2).

An indicated mid-Miocene maximum age, and involvement in faulting and

tilting, suggest that this sedimentary sequence should be placed in middle

Miocene Group 3.

Radioactivity was noted in several places in tuff beds (to 3x) and

cross-cutting chalcedonic stringers (to 4x). Minor amounts of carnotite

as fracture coatings were noted. Most of the tuffaceous beds are devitri-

fied, some zeolitized (Eyde_and Irvin, 19:78).

North of Horseshoe Dam by four miles is Chalk Mountain, a relatively

flat-lying remnant assemblage of materials similar to the Horseshoe Dam

sequence. Tuffaceous and marly beds low in the sequence contain visible

carnotite fracture coatings that appear to be local in extent (Tom Howell,

personal communication). Because of high water conditions at Horseshoe

Dam, the Chalk Mountain area was not visited. Also, a similar appearing

remnant assemblage up Lime Creek, a rugged tributary on the west side of

the Verde River, was not visited.

Lake Pleasant Region(No PRR-No •. · 38) .

The general geologic setting 0D the Lake Pleasant region is shown on

Figure 23, It is thought that both groups 2 (early Miocene) and 3 (middle

Miocene) are represented in this region bordering the Transition Zone on

the south.

Wild Burro Mesa, northeast of Lake Pleasant on the Agua Fria River,

consists of a basalt_tuff,..pyroclastic.,-mudstone assemblage very similar to

-34-

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the Group 2 assemblage of the New River area to the east. The capping

basalt series is believed to be correlative with

the 15-14 m.y. old basalts

of the region. This entire package overlies an older, more tectonically

deformed andesite-agg1omerate-tuff sequence which yields a 27 m.y. K/Ar

age (this report). Unconformably against the basalt-capped mesa terrain

is a younger (Group 3?) set of white colored, gently folded beds consist­

ing of tuffaceous sediments, thin to thick gray to brown cherty limestone

beds and minor mudstones. And younger still are some fine-grained low

energy beds that fill the present basin and probably represent late Ceno­

zoic (post-13-10 m.y.) basin fill.

The Lake Pleasant Group 3 strata are relatively widespread and ex­

posed by tributaries to the Agua Fria River. Initially, some carnotite

paint on white tuffaceous bedded material was observed in outcrop. Sub­

sequently, two exploration programs were conducted by drilling. The base

of the Lake Pleasant lacustrine beds is irregular, the sequence ranging

in thickness from zero to over 1000 feet. Rapid facies change accounts

for a wide variance in the amount of limestone present. Apparently,

drilling failed to reveal unusual amounts of uranium mineralization.

Just west of Lake Pleasant there is an eastward dipping basa1t-tuff~

mudstone terrain that projects beneath the Group 3 deposits (Figure 23).

A dated basalt in this older sequence, likely Group 2, gives a K/Ar date

of 16.6m.y. (this report). A rough correlation with the Wild Burro Mesa

section seems justified.

The gently folded Lake Pleasant Group 3 strata are believed to be no

older than 15 m.y. However, direct data that constrain the minimum age

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are not yet known. Tentatively, we have placed them in Group 3 and there-

fore generally correlative with the section at Horseshoe Darn. However,

they could be younger rocks - possibly late Miocene in age.

Big Sandy Valley(lPRR-No. 1)

The Big Sandy Valley is north trending and about 40 miles in length,

bordering the western edge of the Transition Zone. The valley is noted

for its eroded, flat-lying basin fill deposits. However, in places on the

east side deformed pre-basin fill rocks are exposed. Ten to 15 miles

northeast of Wikieup, along Tule Wash, there is an estimated 6500 feet of

NE-dipping section. The section is largely low to moderate energy, light

red to light~colored clastics, with occasional dark volcanic flows, devi-

trified bedded tuffs, and limestones. The sequence is in high angle fault

contact to the east with Precambrian crystalline rocks of the Aquarius

Mountains.

To the south thin remnants of the section are preserved as eastward

dipping downthrown fault blocks. Dip directions of both thin and thick

sections coincide, and the most plausible explanation of the observed

structures is that the sedimentary package has been rotated along westward~

bowing Basin and Range disturbance listric normal faults that served to

define this part of the Big Sandy Valley. Figures 24 and 25 depict some

of these relationships. The original Catherine and Michael uranium claim

is believed to be situated in the easternmost of two small tilted fault

blocks. However, limestones with abundant black chert nodules and

stringers were noted in both of these fault blocks and counts ranged from

2x to l6x in various places in these limestones. In both areas the

~36~

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limestones are associated with partially devitrified air fall ash beds,

mudstones and sandstones. The limestones at the easternmost fault block

contain well preserved silicified casts of palm roots (?) in its lower

part.

In another tilted fault block just to the north and west of the PRR

locality, a 500-1000 ft. section is preserved that contains an interca­

lated basalt flow that gives a K/Ar date of 12 m.y. (This study-Figure

24). Limestones are included in the section both stratigraphically higher

and lower than this volcanic unit. With no reason to doubt this date, and

in the absence of confirmatory data, we are assigning these deformed rocks

to Group 3. However, they may partially be younger, perhaps late Miocene

in age. Deformation, in turn, is younger than these rocks, which are over­

lapped by the undeformed basin fill sequence.

Anomalous radioactivity was noted in two stratigraphic horizons at

Tu1e Wash. The first was in Toreva (slide) block of clay rich gypsiferous

mudstones containing numerous 1/8-1/4 inch thick dark chert stringers

where anomalies of 3x were noted. The other (to sx) was higher in the

section in a white colored wavey bedded laminated limestone bed about 10­

15 ft. thick. Farther south, in the farthest west outcrop of Figure 24,

2-sx anomalies were noted in gray medium bedded cherty limestones.

LOCALITIES WITHOUT KNOWN RADIOACTIVE ANO~~IES

Hassayampa River

Just northeast of Wickenburg a NE-dipping section of predominantly

fluvial high energy redbeds unconformably (?) overlies a 500 ft. thick

section of andesites and andesite flow breccias. A sample near the top of

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the volcanic section gave a K/Ar date of 16.5 m.y. (this report). This

date, plus the deformation, suggest that the redbeds are middle Miocene

in age (Figure 26).

OTHERS.,... WITHOUT KNOWN RADIOACTIVE AN()MALI~--:

Biery Ifl State

The Biery Ifl Federal is a petroleum exploration test hole drilled in

1951 in Paradise Valley to a depth of 5396 feet (Peirce and Scurlock,

1972). The hole is about 10 miles south of Carefree in Sec. 8, T4N, R4E.

An apparent stratigraphic thickness of about 150 feet occurs in the inter­

val 4430-4580. The samples indicate a lacustrine sequence containing

cherty limestones that overlies about 300 feet of basalts. As mentioned

previously, the basalt is underlain by redbeds that we correlate with

similar strata that crop out in the Phoenix region. The basalt gives a

K/Ar date of about 22 m.y. (Eberly and Stanley, 1978).

Although the age of the lacustrine rocks is not known, the data per.,...

mit possible correlation with the Group 2 radioactively anomalous rocks

of the Cave Creek area. If so, these rocks have undergone structural

separation of at least 4500 feet. This could be an example of the pres.,...

ervation of relatively down-faulted older lacustrine strata beneath late

Cenozoic basin fill. There is no record of the existence of a gamma ray

log and the relatively small volume of well cuttings did not noticeably

affect the scintillometer. Chemical tests have not been made. A log of

this hole is available from the American Stratigraphic Company (Catalog

No. D,..330l}.

-38.,...·

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CENOZOIC SEDIMENTS ~ STRUCTURE ~ URANIUMFAVORABILITY ~ EXPLORATION

GENERAL STATEMENT

As previously emphasized the focus of this Phase I study is the

chronological ordering of deformed,pre-late Cenozoic sedimentary packages

that contain identified anomalous radioactivity. A result of this attempt

is the preliminary recognition of at least three age groups: (1) Oligo-

cene, (2) early Miocene, and (3) Middle Miocene (this may spillover into

the early late Miocene in areas of youngest Basin and Range disturbance

faulting),

The following paragraphs attempt to provide a general summary of our

Phase I study and to place in perspective some aspects of relatively re~

cent uranium exploration in the Basin and Range Province of Arizona.

PRE~BASIN FILL CENOZOIC SEDIMENTS

Across the Basin and Range Province of Arizona these Oligocene and

Miocene strata have been deformed and are now- seen as tilted remnants on

the structurally high blocks that characterize the Province, Regionally~

each of the three identified sedimentary groups contains two gross litho"'"-

logic packages: (1) redbed clastics, and (2) low energy, light-colored

"lacustrine" clastic and chemical rocks. Thus far, radioactive anomalies

favor the low energy clastics and chemical rocks (carbonates). Frequent-

lY,outcrops tend to be either redbeds or "lacustrine" deposits. Rare

interbedding suggests that these two lithologic types might well be facies

in each of the three groups.

Preliminary correlations strongly suggest that the original e~tent

of the basins of sedimentation associated with each of the three groups

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was much larger and generally unrelated to the basins presently charac­

teristic of the Province. As an example, the so-called Date Creek Basin

of much past and present exploration interest, is properly a late Cenozoic

structural feature that bears little obvious relationship to the larger

basin in which the Group 2 (lower Miocene) Anderson Mine host and related

rocks likely were originally deposited. Thus, an important question is

the original extent and present buried position of potentially favorable

sedimentary host rocks. Because of their state of deformation, they

should not be expected to be preserved at depth as flat-lying remnants.

In this regard it is important to decipher the number of tectonic events

that may have disrupted and deformed original depositional continuity.

An obvious question is the relationship, if any, between tilting and the

late Cenozoic Basin and Range disturbance. Mounting evidence suggests

that much tilting preceded this last est rifting event. If so, then older

Cenozoic rocks covered by generally flat-lying, thick basin fill, may

well be tilted and thus be a more difficult subsurface, ,target to locate.

Each of these three groups of sediments is more or less associated

with products of volcanism, including flows and air-fall tuffs, many of

which are devitrified. However, interbedded tuffaceous rocks are more

abundant, perhaps ubiquitous, in the two Miocene groups (2 and 3). Sili­

cic volcanism seems to have been most important in the lower Miocene

(Group 2), the Vulture Mountains most likely having been a volcanic cen­

ter during this time.

Figure 31 is an attempt to depict the "floor" upon which Cenozoic

rocks accumulated. It is clear that this floor is quite variable c

-40-

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over the Province. South of the Mogollon Rim there is a large region

that is floored by a diversity of Precambrian crystalline rocks some

of which have relatively high background counts (Malan and Sterling,

1969). Figure 32 shows the distribution of the more alkaline igneous

rocks as presently understood. Some of these are floors while others,

some of the Cenozoic volcanics, are chronologically related to the

various groups.

Figure 30 is a space-time chart of important Tertiary sedimentary

and volvanic units. Also shown is the general distribution of uranium

and/or radioactive anomalies, including some in late Cenozoic basin

fill deposits. The diagram also depicts a younging of subduction re­

lated calc-alkaline volcanism towards the northwest.

Figure 33 is a generalized interpretation of transport .direction data.

Phenomena such as imbrication and cross-stratification are preserved only

in the coarser clastic rocks many of which are redbeds. Caution is nee·­

essary in interpreting these data because strata of this age are deformed

and many localities are allochthonous. The extent to which any of the

packages may have been rotated relative to compass directions is not known.

It is data such as this that will eventually permit interpretation of re­

gional environmental trends. There is a question as to the regional pa­

leogeographic habit that prevailed during Tertiary time, especially during

Oligocene-early Miocene time. There is a tendency to view these redbed­

"lacustrine" packages as basin edge and basin center deposits. This in­

terpretation would be analogous to that produced by the late Cenozoic Ba­

sin and Range disturbance where relatively small closed basins are the rule.

However, it is our impression that these various facies could have resulted

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from smaller environments within a regional fluvial system of integrated

drainage-they need not necessarily represent "intermontane" deposition.

Cooley (1977) has worked extensively with Cenozoic drainage directions.

In dealing with favorabi1ity the ability of host rocks to produce

a reducing environment during fluid passage seems fundamental in the

western United States. In Arizona, it seems likely that it is this fac­

tor that is the most elusive. Uranium sources appears not to be the

priority factor in assessing favorabi1ity criteria. Although the chem­

istry of the various Cenozoic strata is not a part of our Phase I study,

generalities are not difficult to identify.

Vegetative debris, in carbonized form, seems to be a preservational

rarity. The one exception thus far, the Anderson Mine early Miocene host

rocks, contain the uranium minera1izationbhat has, in large part, stimu­

lated exploration and interest in Arizona's Basin and Range Province Ter­

tiary sedimentary rocks. Figure as shows the distribution of State pros­

pecting permits in force during 1975-1978. The clustering to the north­

west is in the region of the Anderson Mine. If nothing else, the Anderson

subsurface 1ignitic strata demonstrates not only that such materials de­

veloped in Arizona but that it is possible to preserve them.

So-called "fetid" strata are not uncommon in the Oligocene "lacustrine",'

sequences. Significantly, many of the radioactive anomalies and known ura­

nium occurrences are closely associated with these rocks. One of the most

"fetid" is the Cardinal Ave occurrence (Grimm, 1978), which is a limestone.

One of the more significant and interesting (perhaps unusual) urani­

ferous occurrences, presently the obj ect of some exploration, is the New

'-42~ '.'

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River (Los Cuatros Group) locality. Aphanitic dolomites (x-ray deter­

mination-this study) crop out as resistant ledges that are surprisingly

radioactive. Neither mineralization or contaminating minerals or sub­

stances are observable-just very light-colored dolomite. One specimen,

submitted to a company for characterization, contained a small amount

of organic carbon and a U308 content of .031%. Although not obviously

fetid, it seems probable that the uranium content is related to the

small amount of organic matter. The petrogenesis of this dolomite,

though interesting and probably important, is not a part of this present

study, therefore, will not be discussed here. The organic material re­

sponsible for "fetidness" is believed to have been vegetable matter.

As has been emphasized, one of the major problems in studying and

exploring rocks belonging to the three general groups defined here is the

absence of continuity. Many of these rocks have been involved in at least

three recognizable tectonic events and perhaps others not yet resolved.

The geologic history of the so-called "metamorphic core complexes" includes

the widespread development of a detachment zone that renders some of these

rocks (perhaps more than are known) allochthonous. This was followed by

regional arching along northeast axes all along the zone of compl~xes

(Figure 28). Subsequently, the Basin and Range disturbance rifted the re-

gion, causing up to thousands of feet of vertical separation between jux­

taposed range and basin blocks (Figure 1). The exact nature of this lat­

ter disruption is not well understood. It seems important, from an explor­

ation point of view, to learn the extent to which half-graben (listric

normal faulting) type deformation may have been involved.

~43.,..

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The Anderson Mine host rocks are instructive in many ways: (1)vegetative

early Miocene climates encouraged lush growth, (2) uranium-

bearing fluids were available, (3) early Miocene alkaline volcanism

likely influenced uranium source, (4) the rocks are positioned near

the interface between the tectonically deformed Basin and Range Pro-

vince and the more stable Transition Zone. It is interesting to note

that about 80 miles to the east, from New River to Cave Creek, that

there is a belt of"lacllst.$ilne" strata that are in several ways similar:

(1) early Miocene low energy deposits, (2) contain silicic volcanic tuf-

faceous materials, (3) contain uranium in which small quantities of veg-

etatively derived organic matter may be influential, and (4) are posi-

tioned at the interface between the Basin and Range Province and the

Transition Zone.

This physiographic position, though paleogeographically not under-

stood, provides a measure of continuity not usually available elsewhere

in the Basin and Range Province for strata of this age. These low energy

rocks, as an age group, extend an unknown distance to the south and thus

may occur in the subsurface. Perhaps the Biery State hole in Paradise

Basin is an example.

The positioning of these early Miocene rocks raises questions as to

continuity within the Transition Zone itself. Most likely they are repre~

sented there and would occur preserved beneath the extensive areas covered

by relatively undeformed middle to late Miocene volcanic rocks (Figure 38}.

Pre-middle Miocene strata have been found in several places near the base

of the present Mogollon Rim (Peirce and others, 1978, in press} along the

north edge of the Transition Zone. These factors suggest that this zone

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is worthy of careful geologic evaluation as a possible region in which

to explore for Oligocene-Miocene strata favorable for uranium concen­

tration.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Twenty five localities containing pre-basin fill Tertiary sequences

in Arizona's Basin and Range Province were visited. Eighteen of these

were observed to display radioactive anomalies believed indicative of

some uranium mineralization. The general pattern of uranium occurrence

is occasional stratiform epigenetic mineralization closely associated

with non-red, low energy,·fine-gra-ined clastic and chemical sedime~ts

scattered in narrow, discontinuous zones or lenses. At the surface,

structural control appears to be subordinate to stratigraphic control

at most localities, at least insofar as the anomalies are stratabound.

Available criteria, including K/Ar dating done for this report,

suggest a threefold chronologie subdivision of the sedimentary rocks in­

volved in this Phase I investigation: (1) Group I, Oligocene -- pre-

22 m.y. in age, (2) Group II, early Miocene-- 22 to 16 m.y., and (3)

Group III, middle Miocene 16 m.y. to 13-10 m.y.

Group I rocks have been the object of uranium ~p1oration in the

Tucson area, especially on the east side of the Rincon Mountains where the

Mineta Formation crops out over a distance of several miles. Anomalous

radioactivity, though discontinuous, seems to be stratigraphically con-

trolled ~y dark shales and fetid limestones over a lateral distance of

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at least five miles. A valleyward dip offers some potential for sub­

surface exploration.

The Muggins Mountains, east of Yuma, though of considerable in­

terest, have been inaccessible to exploration and general geologic

study. Hop~fully, this region will one day again be opened for inves­

tigation of radioactive anomalies that occur in probable Group I strata.

Many Group I localities consist of coarse-grained clastics, often

red, not known to contain anomalous uranium. The regional relation­

ships between high energy clastics and low energy "lacustrine" rocks is

not clear. Indications are that each phase originally was developed over

a relatively large area of indefinite shape and extent. Paleogeographic

controls existent during Oligocene time remain largely obscure. Many of

these rocks are allocthonous which substantially hinders interpretation

of depositional patterns.

Favorable rocks of Group II of early Miocene age are also of the low

energy variety and notably associated with tuffaceous materials that are

sometimes zeolitized. Occurrences of this group tend to occur in west

central Arizona between the Verde and Colorado Rivers. The Anderson Mine

host rocks are placed in this category as is the lower part of the Artil­

lery Formation, both of which have been intensely explored. The Anderson

Mine section emphasizes the facts that: (1) large volumes of lignitic ma­

terials did accumulate during early Miocene time, (2) these mineral~zed

carbonaceous zones can be preserved, and (3) the "right" rocks are more

important than large stratal thicknesses. Anomalous "lacustrine" sections

of similar age irregularly crop out from west of the Black Canyon Highway

to Cave Creek near the Verde River. An interesting locality is near New

-4'6-

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River where almost white aphanitic dolomite of significant thickness is

surprisingly, though inconspicuously mineralized. Submicroscopically

disseminated organic matter may be related to an unidentified dissem­

inated uranium mineral.

Group II strata, though tectonically deformed, nevertheless tend

to cluster along the boundary between the Transition Zone to the north

and the Basin and Range Province to the south. Because of the relative

stability of the Transition Zone adjacent Group II rocks maintain some

continuity that should enhance exploration. Group II rocks in the New

River region are closely underlain by Precambrian crystalline rocks.

Group I redbeds are absent even though present in the Phoenix region

not far to the south. Though not discussed in this report, Group II

rocks in the Tucson area are believed to be represented by the largely

conglomeratic Rillito Formation.

Group III strata of middle Miocene to possibly early late Miocene

age were identified only near the Verde River, tentatively at Lake Pleasant,

and in the Big Sandy Valley. Some apparently unsuccessful exploration was

undertaken in Group III rocks near Horseshoe Dam and at Lake Pleasant.

Both sections are "lacustrine" types containing silicified limestones,

marls, shales, and tuffaceous units. Although locally anomalous, the de­

formed "lacustrine" strata exposed on the east side of the Big Sandy Valley

offer limited exploration opportunities. Group III strata also occur along

the Transition Zone's southern and western boundaries. At Lake Pleasant

Group III strata may overlie Group II rocks.

-47..:.

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Group II "lacustrine" rocks are believed to be the most favorable

lithologically and, importantly, offer the best opportunities for prac­

tical exploration targets.

The presence of Group II and III strata adjacent to the Transition

Zone raises a question of depositional continuity within the Transition

Zone itself. Many of the relatively flat-lying volcanic rocks of the

Transition region are believed to be Group III (Hickey Formation) in age.

Group II rocks would underlie these volcanics and overlie Precambrian

crystalline rocks. Because of the general regional favorability of

Group II strata the relationships of these rocks to the Transition Zone

encourages additional attention. Access difficulties and lack of spe­

cific interest have, up to now, hindered geologic research.

-48-

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Additional References:

Schoustra, J. J., Smith, J. L. and Scott, J. D. (with collaborators),1975, Geology and seismology. in Palo Verde nuclear generatingstation preliminary safety analysis report, Volume II and III.

Damon, P.E., and others (1968) Correlation and chronology of ore depositsand volcanic rocks. annual report No. COO-689-100 submitted to theAEC, dated June, 1969.

Tedford, Richard. unpublished manuscript circulated at June, 1975Penrose conference held at Mammoth Lakes, California, concerningPleistocene geochronology and correlations.

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-55-

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Figure 1. General WSW-ENE cross-section through the Tucson Basin, San Pedro Valley, and southern Galiuro Mountains,indicating general tectonic positions of Tertiary pre-basin fill sediments and volcanics. * denotes uraniumoccurrences discussed in text.

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Page 83: A STUDY OF URANIUM FAVORABILITY OF CENOZOIC …repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/2010/u14/ofr79_01.pdfgeology of pre-10to 13 m~y. old pre-Basinand Range disturbance,

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to ­Ar1i L.Luy rk.

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t- 0

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J-...,J-...,J-/

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(i) ~"'~ t.>f~ J ... rj~~ , ... .n-.A~ t..w J~ eM -~ ~. 4.fs So -lt~$.® RU-~~~~. \J~,.-Jj~~,~~~~$.~ ,...,.......~\').;A:t. >&,o,~, ~~ 1 fE."Y'~1 ~~~~ W ~;kJL,~ 11J-t. ,-~..t.:U.~ (U4Imik~h-o.J)} lllV\.Jl. ~,~. cl..it.4~1.. UU;~~ ~ltl so- 't""'t)~. No~~ ~.

® 2.- 3.000' 4~ D..M.J.~ r kc.dQ.s. A ~~ ~~ r W\J4I\ ik~ \ tk~~~ Is.1±a""'t J~~. Car-t- \¥oM\~~ (<J.n..,~~J~ .....~~ -tt...w. l...M~ ~ -tt-..~ • o..o.J, NW~~ W't.t-a,. ".]I:..l. 0.....~

~......1:..u.~ ..A .......J.~ tk a.:;:;t~. A~ E-W r yo-' ~.~ W.:tl~ J "'\~ f'~o;;tt. J

~ Cl'"t,J.......o..,~~,~ WI'M\~. No~1\~'"ctlv:J:, W'lS rWta.!.®~~ 'V\~ ~t\....v.."to l ...k...r.s ...\";,,", ~"-"t. "...---...... 10·))·' , "" ... h..... s.c:.ak.s1st~~~~~~hrq~~oVjs. I)-

® Tlu ~~~<:A..u.~i.~~~-t.;.t...~~~""",~~";"'1>4~~~ -t, 1J-a~ -tt4~ -tL~ sW' ~ 1~ v.rt""~~ J i,e. -u...~ <11'~ \tl..l>fr-'~JI.tsk~ tok~~~ t; ~ ~'w~rr~"".

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'"......'e....Il

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· -79-

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/'

K/Ar s",,,,,J .. of b .. s"U Lo-mQ.S fro ..... "'"~0"r'1 </.xro.~A.. H"l<.Y I.Ih~~l... I!> vory p,,,r1r .:til-a. '5........ siJl~-u1'(.r\.;" ro, .t, ..... o.S t;... p..saL't ..l>olJ~.".,..,v', 1~. only 1,'. \,.1""..,,, th<se S.Lt,·...,s ""~lh 1\.\,"-" lui.. w-.sh, s.c.T,:.v.. {5 1M L,;""st"""s

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l"oJ<. in1~ \'l-cn..1ol NW ~ ~o:.21'L ~-<'- 3 yr.' </.:5~

"ft"r ["M'] rr> .ds t .. .\"J." •fo 400 t..f~, IfOT'c'(t~d "''''''''1

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• ll'-

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rJtfr~S\"t...t'·H or sL"'''r~l t ... rr,,;,,-, w~tr~\>.>sj" fiJI o:t't4i",s ~/S· ENE. J.;fs.

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--~"-

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<D l\...'}''b l .. J con~;~1" of foll..,Lo T'..t.~s. "b"d.di", ,"- 2.1

i~,<.k..l b,~<. <o"~ist of s ....b~, ...:L 4mo....tS of fl"'lJ"~Le.1,.u," L so"J.s, b.r A">' ~w l~ (.0 WI' lO'"'H..t,·<. S'h.JS J 1'0,,,,1" bollr cls.s~mbl"'1~ SJ f Ii t'"<.k oAd,,,i.s flolW JtfOj,"/$ •Colors or, )t1~d. n.l-loroOllls. .I... br;~q""::'1f\- poi ...Ts io .. ~,.J...* 5 ..... cl SW. d;r~ - 30° tow.~oAs "35:-lfS;oE.e.l...sts a,.o. ". .. ~,i'l. s .....a "",J.,sit•.s s."'l." ;... 1h" ·H'l."" r... Lo.o30·'(S J I/p"c./...'l. (sr, de.. JJi! noJ...c1. K...!-brol4l? ,?lo,.s.

Th;<.k l1 ..s.s rttA.y (.(<''l'l.A Soo. from 51;,10, ,.l,p clcif.. , H,n mo.y b'l. ""0·~,s(,orJ.Q"c', i.. ~;P" ...111. u"l.,ll\~l ...n.l.t~lt, ...® An!q"s\1'l flo .....s ) flow ~n.c..e..ia.s, P1 ro c.l... si;c. 14~iI"s, ..... ~ I"H... ~ ...o~ \, ....\s. ,....I~~r ....(1/ bQaal! I wit\.- A;rs

ot 3!;-ljS-°1ow" ...Js }J~S"0£. S..et;...". i.. ''''l'Iu ...L 1'Ie\" .......~\.- Ali,,",.\.., KJAy SQ"'fl~ of '\...,n flow mOlt...,.; .. L..bo.;:t lV WiJ.! "'f th'l s...<.t,c,... fro". th! botfoM.. cl..1ts. ci.t Ittt D.1l ""!. &-~Ls l'"'r0,.D. Ah~t.stt, Sll.c:tloM by rtI"f

i"s,..et;oY\ in rn...in w",,-t... r"l""f l.v"" i~ S"oo- ?,oc;>' thick J "'".- 'f}Ar sa.tafl.. h...s ...t LIl.Ol,T (oo' ..f .....J.~;ttSb",.....t\, iT.

ill An!,,~,t..<. -. ;nt'l:rm~~;;j"," c;;"Jt.r <'0"''- 0"(" <-C)-posit", (.cno.~ ""03u;,,l J ;1'1<.1"";"1 51...,,,,} ; J;votJ b-llls ofrYt'o~l.. ~tl(. \'JI. ...tll.n...Ls. 1 SP~'lY" fLows J "'W'lJ. ..Lo ... , ..."'''' (1'- 3.S' lo", c\,~~..t'l.rj bo I.s. CL,,,,rl, 0", tl.c.

fL..... k..s .f <OWl 1ft1...t'W\~A,,~1q SI),J ",,,,.l.,,sit,·c l1oLc:""",o.

~ .I.. r~"c.~s/ J"Yf01J.'l~')"~ to ~~S'lst of "~o. ..........6.;..t J f,·/"Qf5 .11'"""l-y-r/c fJ .....s (Shu.... ~'yY>ola~J r'~.c....'"~.® S...a-, .... I!> ,nf..r,.~ 10 ~ .. J. ... 'os,t,o....L. "'f'""- lh't 1. ,,"" -·"h. W'<.h"hurj bo\thoLltl.. T~. c.ln\1"...<:1" waS Y>ot

obs."rlJ"J. •

* ilow Ji,...c..iioY\ to """- c;- S w.

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/

I

114' 113'3

7' IT T~""""'-'-""""''''''---~-;':;'''''''''''~'l'''''--''-'-''-- -=1:..;I::-2-"·_--="'-"_'-'_"-1"'__......,,;~;......,T"--......'--"'-........~11O'

,,' i rnii' ) !", II , -r III I , j I

i I 0 J 1111. , \.->,

,

Figure 27. Arizona physiographic provinces used in this report.

-83-

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50I

oI

boundaries of domains in which pre-13-l0 m.y.old Tertiary sediments and volcanics tend todip variable amounts in a rather uniformdirection.

~~~...... direction of dip within a domain

presently known gneissic-crystalline complexes("metamorphic core complexes")showing trer.ds ofmain anticlinal arches (--4---) and extent ofknown or inferred "dis location surfaces" (~ )(data from S. Reynolds). Likely, archingoccurred 16 to 13-10 m.y. ago following the"dislocation surface" event.

,.1

>

"IIJ I

I

Figure 28. Regional dip directions of pre-13-10 m.y. old Tertiary sediments and volcanics (largearrows) grouped into domains approximated by dashed lines, modified from Rehrig and Heidrick(1976). The domain boundaries may not have changed much during two or three Oligocene-Miocenedeformations, thus indicating a fundamental basement control. Note also a geometric relationshipwithin a domain between the main trend of dip directions and the assymetric distribution ofdislocation surfaces around gneissic-crystalline complexes.

-84.,...

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112· 110·----.---

ItI

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I I

0) 1\11

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Figure 29. Prospecting permits issued on State-held lands for the period 1975-1978thought to be for uranium exploration. Data from State of Arizona Land Department.

-85-

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NW ColtNfR OF -ST/lTE SE CORN£R OF STJlTE.

s,.I.:....."ts fiLL,'.. , tl. ... h",insCH ...T..~ by 1'1... 6",;" .. nA. R"",-tJ..cr.. r b.. IIe.,-- .

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s=i':;~.,.1 ,<:~"'rlu .u..... 61c.,~ cS" b..·,t... rJr..c.l..~Ti<." tL.ic.k.,.l of <.0 , .. c.L""T,c., l'''f.."t.. ~i-. ""t..cio .... i, \, sins j rift-rlllCLtlla IoAS4Lts

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. - S.4h~Y Po;,)' B r-~ b.sfflt.., OI4~C. n~.

~ l'IllWllmil!.- * t.,Fo.T; f"4t'-O" bco ,.U t-"

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fl',,,,r ~ 30. S~C..-Iilll~ fr."M Qf A.r;3ot1G1. ~"jl1 f R4J1''t (C.no3"ic a"po,jf"£ f"Oj ..;.(~to l). ltllti41. NIII-Sf. Cross - s~ct/C»1 Lint.

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35'

3-4'

Figure 31. Generalized" floor" of Cenozoic deposits in Arizona.

-87-

I

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)

(I

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.. I

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)

"d

I

-.l

alkali-calcic 30-13 m. y.volcanics (source: S. Keith)

alkali-calcic Jurassic (200-150 my)plutonic and volcanic rocks(source: S. Keith)

alkali and alkali-calcic Precambrian(1500-1300 my) granitic rocks(source: P. Anderson, U of ArIz PhDthesis, in progress, 1979)

polt~.

~~~~t-+--+--~_~

O'e 1 A.I <y

,I,------.::"lr.-r-~_r_-.----_r-r_----

1\

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114' _ !]3'n'li -- ,

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e

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Figure 32. Presently known outcrops of alkaline rocks which might have servedas sources of uranium for Tertiary sediments.

-88-

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)

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COl) C 0 i N

'\ /: IMo1olLon- j

~FI4L~RiW\ ,\III

Figure 33. Generalized sediment transport directions of Oligocene and earlier iVIiocenefluvial sediments in Arizona's Basin and Range province. Data comes from pebbleimbrication and cross-bed directions. 0 = Oligocene aged; M = Miocene aged; r =mostly red-colored sediments. Large hollow arrows are generalized from the specificlocalities. The Mogollon Rim of today is a paleo-feature probably present in Oligocenetime and therefore was a northward limit to Oligocene deposits.

-89-

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[

0-4 m.y. "\

~ 4-8m.y.~

8-15 m.y.

AMuy

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-I'-_----~,....JI ,

I \ !36"~:'r~~-':;~-7.l+~.t--~_..-:...=t:::=-~.:!~=--·-_-_·il-.)j!_1

Figure 34. Generalized outcrop map of post-15 m. y. old volcanic fields in Arizona.In places these rocks may be covering and preserving uranium-bearing mid-Tertiary

sediments. Sources include Eberly and Stanley, (1978); Luedike and Smith (1978).

-90-

Page 99: A STUDY OF URANIUM FAVORABILITY OF CENOZOIC …repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/2010/u14/ofr79_01.pdfgeology of pre-10to 13 m~y. old pre-Basinand Range disturbance,

TABLE 1. URANIUM LOCALITIES IN PRE-BASIN FILL TERTIAHY SJ::DIMENTS IN THE BASIN AND RANGE PROVINC!:. UF AHIZONA

(.) denotes areas vIsited and geologically updated. Otherwise, data comes from rderences.(•• ) See listing at end of table for visited loealittes eontatntng other than Tertiary sedimentary host rocks.(+) All measurmcnts for thIs report were made with a Geometries model GH-lOlA stngk channel gamma ray sdntl1lometcr.

I100l-'I

Locality

MOHAVE COUNTY

Big Sandy Valley*Catherine & Michael

Claim5Ek 535, l7N, l2W

Artillery PeaksArea*Lucky FourNE~ 536, l2N, l3W

*Masterson GroupCenter 522, 12N, 13W

Candy Bar GroupN!:i 12N, 13W

Number onIndex Map,Figure B

4

2

Cross-SectionFig. No. (SeeFig. A forLocations)

24, 25

19

18

Host RockCharacteristics

Tilted blocks of fine grainedclastics, depositional on p€granite and tilted by high anglefaults. Minor tuff beds and ba­salt flows in the section.

Five foot thick carbonaceous bedand several thick-bedded lime­stone beds in a thick, tiltedfluviolacustrine section of theArtillery Fm., probably 1-2000ft. above base of section.

In tilted section of ArtilleryFm.-depositional on Precambriangranite. Probably 2-400 ft.above base of section.

In Artillery Fm., as above;un­derlain by red arkosic conglom­erate; overlain by red volcanicflow.

Uranium MineralizationAssociated Hinerals

Anomalous Radioactivity

Counts in limestones withchert nodules and stringers;and in gypsiferous mudstones.PRR reports uraniferous opal.

Counts in light-colored lime­stone beds and gray mudstones.Chert locally abundant. PRRreports tyuyamunite and car­notite.

Counts in laminar bedded dark­colored shale-mudstone-lime­stone sequence just above bas­al conglomerate of ArtilleryFm.

3-5 ft. beds of mudstone andss.

Radio3Ctivity andBackground. Decimalnumbers are ~ eU 30S2x ~ 2 times bkg.

5x(.013)

5x(.02)

lOx(. OS)

45x(.07)

References (G&R­Granger and Raup.

(1962); Keith ­Keith, (1970)

i PIR (illegible)G&R p. 16-18lCeith, 5-27This report

PRR-A-82Keith, 5-29Tbis report

PRR-A-68le1tb 5-30Finch (1967)This report

PRR-A-SllCeitb 5-28

Navico GroupUl (see PRR)

Red Hills (Tate)~ 57, llN, 13W

5

6

In unnamed sediments, irregularlenticular beds of arkose, ash,sand, mud, with basalt cappingon ridges to the south.

Radioactive zones in a fault orsedimentary breccia at or nearbase of Artillery Formation,where it is in low angle faultcontact with crystalline rocks.

Carnotite as fracture coatings.Silicified wood present.

Counts concentrated in frac­tures and/or shear zone inter­section with veins; origin be­lieved due to groundwater.Accessory CUO, chalcedony,flourite, Manganese oxides.

7x

.06 avg

.31 sel

,; PRR-A-83-~7i

PRR-l92!:e1th-5-31Hart (1955)Lasky & lIebber(1949); G&R p. 22Finch (1967)Puch11k and others,(1979)

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TABLE 1 (-<:o~inu.,d}

Locality

YUMA COUNTY

Alamo AreaLincoln Ranch Basin

Number onIndex Map,Figure B

9

Cross-SectionFig. No. (SeeFig. A forLocations)

Host RockCharacteristics

Mn-bearing redbeds with low en­ergy rocks; silicified plantremains. Tuffaceous sltst andmdst beds present. Redbeds arein footwall of Lincoln Ranchthrust fault and are allochthon­ous above older crystalline rocksof the Buckskin Mtns.

Uranium MineralizationAssocIated Minerais

Anomalous Radioactivity

Uranium as carnotite in frac­tures and as uraniferous sil­ica in bedded chert.

Radioactivity andBackground. Decimalnumbers are % eU308

2x - 2 times bkg.

Reference (G&R­Granger and Raup,

(1962); Keith ­Keith, (1970)

Wilson (1962)Gassaway (1972)Otton (1978)

I\DNI

Bouse Area*RayvernN~ 513, 6N, l8W~ 57, 6N, l7W

Bouse AreaLillian #1, 2, 3of Starlight Gp.(Location uncer­tain, but proba­bly in N. PlomosaMtns. )

Yuma AreaMuggins Mtns.Dizzy Lizy510, 7 or 85, l8W

Wooley Gp.532, 75, l8W (Keith)56, 85, l8W (otherrpts)

Lake Bed Claim52 or 7, 85, 19W

Red Knob Claim510, 85, 19W

7

8

10

11

12

13

5 In a thick SW dipping Tertiarysection on the east flank ofPlomos~ Mtns. Sequence complexlyfaulted, contains rhyolite flows,gy Is beds, arkosic conglomerates,green sh beds, and andesite flowsforming resistant ridges.

Remnants of ls beds, in countryrock of older granite, schist,and related x'tline rocks. Re­cent volcanics and sedimentspresent.

4 ft. tuffaceous bed in dippingsedimentary and volcanic series.

Brown water-lain 5S and mdst withbasic volcanic sills or flows.Sediments dip 25-30oSW.

Volcanic tuffs overlain by 55.

Fault between rhyolite and lakebed sediments.

Section consists of highly sil­icifi~d or porc~llanized mdst,Lake bed sequences, ss, andsome volcanics, apparentlytilted.

Carnotite fracture coatings inwhite colored limey shales sand­wiched in a thick gy coloredlimestone sequence; invisibleminerals in a fault zone betweenarkosic conglomerates and ~ndesi­

tic volcanics.

Cu, barite, Mn, Au, Ag noted inthe area.

Unidentified uranium mineraliza­tion.

Uranophane, autinite in hematite­stained sediments close to a prob­able basic volcanic sill. Somequartz stringers are highly radio­active.

Uranophane, pryomorphite (?) andchalcedony.

Uranophane, carnotite or tyuya­minite, weeksite; with strongchalcedony or opal, gypsum, darkcalcite. Mineralization in mdst,bu~ localized near a N30W trend­ing fault.

l5x(.03-.08)

2x

25x(.08)

l25x(.175)

(0.2-0.7)

30x

5x avg100x max

·PRR-A-P-348Keith, V-80Jemmert (1966)This report

PRR-A-P-230

PRR-A-46Kaith, 5-34

PRR-A-P-300Keith, 5-35

PRR-A-P-34

PRR-A-P-302Keith, 5-37

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TABLE 1 (continued)

Chalcedonic white ash bedscount. Gypsum and opalinematerial also noted.

Locality

Isley-LillardS6, 7, 8S, lSWSl, 12, 8S, 19W

Number onIndex Map,Figure B

14

Cross-Sect ionFig. No. (SeeFig. A forLocations)

Host RockCharacteristics

Synclinal structure developed inTertiary lake bed sequence, con­sisting of upper gy sandy sh, redss, lower gy sh with white ashbeds. Overlain to the west by ob­sidian flow and rhyolite (?) flows.These sediments are downslope fromthe Wooley Claims.

Uranium MineralizationAssociated Minerals

Anomalous Radioactivity

Radioactivity andBackground. Decimalnumbers are % eU308

2x - 2 times bkg.

6x

Reference (G&R­Granger and Raup,

(1962); Keith·Keith, (1970)

PRR-A-P-389Keith, 5-38

I\0WI

St. Louis Gp.S2, SS, 19W orS35, 7S, 19W~(they lie to NWof Wooley Gp.)

Bonnie,. Marvin.Jap, William,Edward,. HWWR."B" ill, 2, 3.S2, 12, 8S, 19W

Laguna Mountains*Adair Park

BedsSW!,; 7S, 21W

YAVAPAI COUNTY

Date Creek AreaRiverside #1S9, lIN, lOW

Uranium Aire Gp.(Anderson Mine)S9-16, lIN, lOW

Lower Verde RiverChalk Mtn. area340 02'N 1110

42.5'W '(unsurveyed)

15

16

35

17

18

37

4

22

Tertiary sh, ss, and white ashbeds. Basaltic and rhyolitic in­trusives. This section capped by"Gila" type cong. with schistboulders.

Gray shale in Tertiary sedimen­tary series of sh, ss, whiteash beds. Basalt and rhyoliteintrusives capped by persistent"Glia" type cong.

SW dipping redbed section, inhigh angle fault contact withMesozoic (1) gneiss, and over­lain by Kinter Pm. fanglomer­ates. Apparently consists oflower 5s-cong. and upper mud­flows and breccias.

Gently dipping Tertiary lakebeds and tuffs. Uraniferouszone is lignitic or carbona­ceous mdst, and is overlain bycongo and a basalt. Tertiaryvolcanics underlie the ore zone.

flat-lying section of tuffs,fine-grained sediments. andlimestones very similar in gen­eral character to the tuffa­ceous s~ction at Horseshoe Darn.

One dozer cut contains youngsoil, Pleistocene gravel ve­neers, and tilted green Ter­tiary mdst, all with dissem­inated uranophane (?).

Counts in folded and faultedchalcedonic shaley mdst beds.Uranophane (?) noted.

Counts in lower yellow andbrown mottled shale - ss se­quence near high angle faultcontact with Mesozoic (?)gneiss.

Ore zone 1s associated withchalcedonic materials, ligniticunits and abundant plant debris(carbonized); carnotite and ur­anophane (?) are associated withjasper; urano-silica complexes

'are found 1n carbonaceous beds.

Carnotite as fracture coatingin certain units low in thesec~lon.

115x(.03)(select 1. 7)

7x(.05-.24)

3x

(.08)

5-160x(.07-.60)

3x ?

PRR-A-P-390Keith, S-39

PRR-A-P-391Keith, S-40

This report

PRR-A-1l7Finch (1967)

PRR-A-P-394Keith, S-33Otton (1977) And(1978). AGS Springfield trip, 1978

This report

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TABLE 1 (continued)

Locality

*Lake PleasantN~ SID, n;, IIE!:i 522, 7N, lE

MARICOPA COUNTY

Number onIndex ~1.1.p,

Figure Il

38

Cross-SectionFig. No. (SeeFig. A forLocations)

23

Host RockCl1ar~c tc rist ic 5

Gently warped and folded light­colored sequence of tuffaceousbeds and lacustrine Is yith ~inor

sh, depositional on order tuff­basalt sequence and overlain byundeformed low energy beds whichare probably basin fill materials.

Uranium MineralizationAssociated Mjncrals

Anomalous Radioactivity

Carnotite as fracture coat­ings and invisible dissemi­nated mineralization local­ized in certain clastic andtuffaceous beds in the se­quence. Both the overlyingbasin fill (1) and the tuff­Is sequence have been ex­plored by drilling.

Radioactivity andBackground. Decimalnumbers are % eU308

2x - 2 times bkg.

3x

Reference (G\R~

Granger and ~~up.

(1962); Keith·Keith, (1 ~70)

This report

I\0-l:'­I

Western Vulture Mtns.Milton Ray GroupS2l, 22, 6N, 7W

*Jar Claim, BlackButte Uran. Corp.

SEI( 514, and SWl(513, 6N, 8W

Black Mtn. Gp.514 (1), 6N, 7W

New River Area*Los CuatrosS32, 7N, 3E

*Cave Creek AreaS~ Nil!,; S15, 6N, 4E

20

21

19

23

42

14

16

Tertiary section depositional onleucogranite to the east, andtilted to SW, including lower ar­kosic conglomerate and andesiteflows, middle fine grained clas­tics and tuffs, and capping ba­salt-sediment series.

100 ft. bed of shaley marl.un~

derlain by Precambrian metamor.phics, overlain by thin basaltflow.

Area of low-relief pediment cuton Tertiary sediments and volcan­ics, overlain by young gravelcaps. Tertiary section consistsof buff mdst, bedded dolomites,thin tuff beds, and intercalatedbasalts. The section is down­faulted against Yavapai schistto the north.

Area along Willow Springs Washcontains a section of low-energysediments containing mudstone,limey and sparce dolomitic beds,2 thin vitaic ash beds, all dip­ping 30-50 SW, and overlain bya conglomerate with clasts ofPrecambrian schist and Tertiaryvolcanics.

Carnotite as fracture coatingsin mdst-vitric tuff section;confined to thin zone withinotherwise homogeneous 20 ft.thick buff mdst section. Ura­nium probably out of equili­brium since low count rate isassociated with abundant carno­tite.

Carnotite, gypsum, iron andmanganese oxides, with carno­tite coating fracture surfacesin marls.

Mineralization is invisible,and concentrated within 1-3 ft.beds of resistant ledge-forminglight colored aphanitic dolo­mite beds. One thin vitrie ashbed intercalated into dolomitesis not devitrified.

Radioactivity associated withsiliceous stringers and veinlets,and also a few thin limey and un­common dolomitic beds. No visi­ble uranium mineralization.

3x7x

(.01 max)

(weak)

3x20x max

(.03-.06)

to 7x

Hewett (1925)PRR-A-P-83PRR-A-P-342PRR-A-P-343G&R, p. 15-.Keith, S-42Finch (l967)This report

PRR-189

PRR-A-76Keith, S-43Finch (1967)This report

Tbis report

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("

TAflLE ] (c(lntinll~d)

Locality

Pheon 1x Area*Rifle Range Section53, 4, 5N, 2E ~nd

533, 34, 6N, 2E

Number onIndex Hap,fiGure B

43

Cross-SectionFig. No. (SeeFig. II forLocations)

17

Host RodCh:1TGCt eri st ics

Isolated hill at 1-17 and Care­free Highway consisting of north­ward dipping section of lower ar­kosic sediments overlain by 2lithologically distinct whitedolomite beds containing diagen­etic silica replacements and anunconformably capping dark vol­canic section.

tJr.'lnil1m Minf".T<Jljz.:ltionA~""":i~tPd t'incr~ls

Annri:l;nu~ R~dlo~ctivity

Some radioactivity associatedwith chert pods, stringers inthe 2 dolQmite beds. Lower,more ch~rty do)om1te counts to250 cps. No visible uraniumminerals.

R~dio~ctivity andB~cy.r,round. Decimalnumbers are % eU

30S2x • 2 times bkg.

to 3x

Reference (G&R'Granger and r~up,

(1962); Keith·Keith, (1970)

This report

Carbonaceous sh along iron stained Mineralization controlledfault with Is on footwall, schist by complex faulting and breccia­on hanging wall. Bedso(of Mine- tion. No visible minerals.ta Pm?) strike N 45-60 W, steepdips, and include quartzite,phyllite, congo

I\DVII

Gila Bend ~Itns.

*Duke, White,Hyder Claims

*531, 25, 9W or536, 2S, lOW

Lower Verde River*Horseshoe Damcentered at 330

58.5'N, 1110 44'W(unsurveyed)

PIMA COUNTY

Redington Pass,Rincon Mtns.*Chance Group~ 510, 135, l8E

*Van HillD7 and 8NW\ 524, 135, l8E

Roble SpringSill,; 530, US, 19E

25

39

28

26

27

6

22

I, 2

I, 2

Section of Tertiary rocks tiltedNE, in downthrown tilted faultblock; in depositional and faultcontact with gneissic-crystallinerocks. Section includes arkosiccong, ss, mdst, one welded tuff,and thin-bedded Is.

SW dipping section of basaltsoverlain by a white colored tuff­mdst-ls sequence, in high anglefault contact to the west withPrecambrian granite and to thesouth with younger flat lyingbasalt-capped sediments. (seealso Chalk Mtn. locality)

Oligocene section tilted 30_600

NE, in fault and depositionalcontact to west with Precambrianand Paleozoic rocks, and in faultcontact to the east with youngerfanglomeratesa Section includescong, Is beds, mdst, gypsiferousmdst. Section unconformably over­lain by late Oligocene andesites.

2x radioactivity in slightlyfetid, thin bedded gy Is bedsintercalated into an arkosicss port of the section.

Counts concentrated in a few 1sbeds in the sequence, and in sil­icified zones near the high anglefaults. Silicification in areasis intense.

Counts in dark-colored sh lensesintercalated into basal red congof Mineta beds, and elsewhere inIs beds and overlying limey shalebeds. No visible minerals noted.

to 4x(.01)

5x

100x max

35x4x

(. 01-. 02)

(. 004)

PRR-A-P-382Keith, 5-44This report

This report

Bissett (195g) p.37Chew (1952)Clay (1970)G&R, p. 36Keith, V-39

PRR-no numberBissett (1958) p.37Keith, V-39Grimm (1978)

PRR-629 (?)G&R, p. 4Keith, v-66Bissett. (1958)p. 48-

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TABLE 1 (continued)

II.D0\I

Locality

Rincon Mens.Colossal CaveArea*Red Hills claimsNE~ 56, 165, l7E

Southern TucsonMens.*Dutchess Claim517, 155, l3E

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Duranium520, 205, l3E(PRR)S~~ 520, 20S, l4E(Keith)

Santa Clara ClaimS3l, 22S, llE(PRi.)N~ S6, 23S,·11E(Keith)

COCHISE COUNTY

Number onIndex Hap,Figure B

29

30

31

J3

Cross-SectionFig. No. (SeeFig. A forLocations)

1

1

Host RockCharacteristics

Prospect pits in Precambriangranite, and Tertiary clastics(Pantano or Rillito beds) st dif­ferent pl;ces. Terrain consistsof juxtaposed high angle faultblocks containing either HartinFm, pE granite with Pioneer Shale(?) veneers, or Tertiary clastics.

20 ft. thick section consistingof beds of fetid light gray lime­stone 2-3 ft. thick with lesseramounts of gyps1ferous mudstoneand gypsum seams". exposed in twodozer cuts. Sequence is foldedinto a shallow E-II" trending syn~

cline.

Altered arkosic 55 within cong.possibly at the base ot Creta­ceous or in Tertiagy deposit.Strike E-~, dip 45 S.

Steeply dipping ss and cong,mapped as Cretaceous on StateGeologic Hap, perhaps Tertiaryaged.

Uranium MineralizationAssociated Minerais

Anomalous Radioactivity

Counts in some fine-grainedclastics of various colorswith no Is or 59 present atone area, in weathered red­brown granite near high anglefaults in anot~area.

Mineralization disseminatedin fetid limestones, withsome carnotite fracture coat­ings in a few areas.

Kaolinite, uranophane, auti­nite noted. Rocks are faultedand altered.

Sooty uraninite in highlyfractured and faulted rocks.

Radioactivity andBackground. Decimalnumbers are % eUJ08

2x • 2 times bkg.

3x5x

(.08-.38

7x max(0.6)

190x(.05-.B)(2.J select)

105x(.02-.15)

Reference (G&R­Granger and Raup,

(1962); Keith·Keith, (1970)

PRR-A-P-3l4Keith, 5-54Drewes (1978)USGS Hap 1-997This report

PRR-A-65Keith-S-53Grimm (197B)

PRR-A-P-285Keith, S-55

. PRR-A-P-293Keith, 5-56

Southern Galiuro Mtns.*Teran Basin Sequence~ 522, l3S, 20E~ 526, 135, 20E

41 1,3 Thick steeply eastward dippingcoarse and fine grained ~edi­

mentary section with cons, ss,mdst, &y?s1fe~ous mdst, andsome Is. Overlain unconformablyby Oligocene Galiuro volcanics.

Anomalous radioactivity inyellow and red-brown mottledgypsiferous mudstones high inthe basal half of rh~ TeranBasin sequence. Slightlyfetid limestone beds did notcount.

3x This report

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TABLE 1 (continued)

LocalityNumber onIndex Map,Figure B

Cross-SectionFig. No. (SeeFig. A forLocations)

Host RockCharacteristics

Uranium MineralizationAssociated Minerals

Anomalous Radioactivity

Radioactivity andBackground. Decimalnumbers are % eU30S2x • 2 times bkg.

Reference (G&R­Granger and Raup,

(1962); Keith·Keith, (1970)

YUMA COUNTY

**The following localities that were visited contained other than Tertiary clastic sedimentary host' rocks.

I\0'-II

Parker Area*Osborne Wash\J!, S 4 (proj ected)9N, 17W

COCHISE COUNTY

Pearce Area*Elanna ClaimsSW~ S35, 17S. 25E

Johnny Lyon Hills*Inez Ellen ClaimsNE\ S~ SB. 14S, 21E

Chiricahua Mtns.*Swisshelm Valley~ 20S. 2SE

MARICOPA COUNTY

Wickenburg Area*Golden Duck Gp.S19. 20. 7N. 2W

36

34

32

40

24

13 Tertiary Is in low angle fault con­tact with gneissic lineated cry­stalline rocks. Limestones arerecrystallized, and devoid of min­eralization.

Silicified limey shale near con­tact with vole. agglomerate.

Locality is on a west-facingscarp of ease-dipping Paleozoicsediments. The entire Bolsa­Horquil1a section is present;an anomalous shear zone appearsconfined at the surface to theMartin Fm-Percha Fm interval.Precambrian granite under theBalsa is several hundred yardswest. No Cretaceous sedimentsare present as noted in the PRR.

Section of Chiricahua-type rhy­olite welded and unwelded ashflows and possible thick ashfalls, underlying a young ped­iment surface which is dissect­ed by recent streams. Cross­faults complicate the strati­graphy.

Tertiary rhyolitic domes, plugs,and pyroclastic tuffs in faultcontact with Precamorian rocks,overlain by young terrace depos­its, which were misidentified asba~al arkose in the PRR report.

Counts in limonite-alteredx11ine rocks just beneath alow angle fault with Te~tiary

Is above. Associated withcopper-iron-Mn (?) mineral­ization.

Silicified shear zone assoc­iated with low angle fault andgouge. No visible mineralsnoted. Rhyolites flows near­by count high compared to aver­age rhyolites.

Anomalous radioactivity in oneor more dark red-brown coloredshear zones cutting across bed­ding. Recent exploration in­cludes new dozer roads and cutsand at least 20 drill holes onhillside.

Counts appear disseminatedthrough friable white alteredair-fall pumiceous devitrifiedtuffs and tuffaceous sediments.

Visible torbernite with minorcopper and iron mineralizationas fracture coatings and faultgouge mineralization. Somehydrothermal silica open spacefillings in certaln rhyolites.

3x

20x(.20 select)

to 5x{.19-.26}

2:<

to 60x(0.2-0.6)

This report

PRR-A-P-335Keith, v-76See also G&R, p.3for nearby FluorineHill deposit.

PRR-A-113Keith, S-57This report

This report

PRR-A-77Keith, S-41Finch (1967)This report

Page 106: A STUDY OF URANIUM FAVORABILITY OF CENOZOIC …repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/2010/u14/ofr79_01.pdfgeology of pre-10to 13 m~y. old pre-Basinand Range disturbance,

Table 2.

Univeraity of ArizonaIsotope Geochemistry LabDate: 1 June 1979

Potassium-argon determinations.

Constsnts used: -10 -1~8 • 4.963 x 10_10 yr_l~~ • 0.581 x 10.10 yr_1

40 A· 5.544 x 10_4 yrK/K • 1.167 x 10 atom/atom

SalllpleNo.

76-96

76-133

76-133

76-133

77-70

UAKA­77-106

UAKA­77-108

78-30

Sample description and location

Whole rock, andesite, base of massive flow, 'middle section of the andesite unit that overliesthe Apsey conglomerate of M. Krieger. The conglo­merate overlies Hell's Half Acre tuff and Aravaipatuff in the northern Galiuro Mountains. TableMountain, Holy Joe Peak quad., Pinal Co., Ariz.Lat 320 49.74' N, Long 1100 31.26' W(RS-11-76).

Biotite, airfall silic ash, Jim Thomas Wash.Sample, from a 2 01 thick white ash bed intercalatedinto the San Manuel fm. of M. Kreiger. The area isstructurally complex. The sediments are synclinallyfolded. A high-angle fault brings overturnedPaleozoic sediments and Cretaceous (1) volcanics intocontact with the overturned San Manuel fm. west ofthe sample site. Cozier Peak quad., Pinal Co.,Lat 320 5B.75' N, Long 1100 .56.71 W.

Hornblende, same as above.

Plagioclase feldspar, same sample as above.Plagioclase contains excess argon-40.

Whole rock, basalt flow about 3 m,thick overlyingcoarse grained sediments and uranium bearingdeformed lake beds containing lignitic units. Thelake beds range between 30-60 m in thickness, havea 100 + dip south and are faulted. The overlyingcoarse grained sediments are about 76 m thick.Elevation 606 m, sampled at outcrop along tributaryto Santa Maria River, Arrastra Mtn. SE quad., YavapaiCo., Ariz. Lat 340 18' 11" N, Long 1130 16' 37" W.

Whole rock, basalt. dark grey. fine-grained groundmass with abundant olivine. about 10 meters abovethe first exposure of a series of flows that capSkull Mesa. Basal contact with the underlyingtuff sequence is concealed by 40 meters of talus.The flow presumably correlates with the flows onBlack Mesa, Sugarloaf Mesa (UAKA-78-36) and flewRiver'Mesa. New River Mesa quad .• Maricopa Co.Lat 33 0 55.42' N, Long 111 0 55.18' W.

Whole rock, basalt. approx. 7 meters above unconfor­mable contact between basalt and lithic tUff. Basalportions of flow very "crumbly", well fractured andweathered. Fractures are filled with abundantcarbonate material. The underlying 1ithic tuff se­quence is fine- to medium-grained with nranules ofsiliceous volcanic rock. The sample cOITelates withPEO-5-70 (23.2 + 2.6 m.y.). olivine basalt thatoverlies Oreodont mammal site at Cave Creek. about5' above the contact. Cave Creek. New River Mesaquad., Maricopa Co., elev. 731 m. Lat 33 0 53.81' N,Long 111 0 57.21' W(OL 1.4).Whole rock, u1trapotassic trachyte separating lowerthin clastic section composed of arkosic conglomeratefrom overlying lithic tuff, shale, sandstone andvolcanic breccia. The lower arkosic conglomerateappears' .to be deposi tional on Precambrian (1) basementrocks. The sequence dips 120 to 650 with the steeperdip closer to the Harcuva Htns. Rudy Pass area,Oate Creek Ranch SW quad., Yavapai Co. (NfIVKA-78-1)340 02.35' N, 1130 9.60' W.

-98-

Indivi­dualKanalyaea

1.7B51.7981.781

6.2386.176

0.5660.568

0.7860.779

1.1241.122

0.4310.4310.4350.4350.4300.434

0.6550.6550.652

7.9457.8797.854

PercentKused

1.788

6.207

0.567

0.782

1.123

0.433

0.654

7.892

Radio­genicargon-40x 10-12mole/g

69.6671.9671.56

210.96213.82220.35225.24

23.2323.2322.92

34.9834.98

25.7025.7125.90

11 .16

248.71240.88240.82

239.63238.56238.18237.68

Percentatmo­sphericargon-40

12.011,611;8

57.556.955.957.6

52.752.754.1

24.023.9

37.8837.5938.02

84.1

30.5131.3031.47

12.512.412.312.5

Age inmillionyean

22.78 t 0.48

20.11 t 0.47

23.4 0.6

25.6 ± 0.6

13.19 ±0.29

14.81 + 0.79

21.34~0.46

17.35 t 0.36

Page 107: A STUDY OF URANIUM FAVORABILITY OF CENOZOIC …repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/2010/u14/ofr79_01.pdfgeology of pre-10to 13 m~y. old pre-Basinand Range disturbance,

Table 2. (continued)

Univeraity of ArizonaIsotope Geochemistry LabDate: 1 June 1979

Constants used: -10 -1AS • 4.963 x 10_10 yr_1Ap • 0.581 x 10_10 yr_1

40 A· 5.544 x 10_4 yrK/K • 1.167 x 10 atom/atom

SampleNo. Sample description and location

Indivi­dualKanalyses

PercentKused

Radio­genicargon-40x 10-12mole/s

Percentatmo­sphericargon-40

Age inmillionyears

. 78-31 Whole rock, basalt flow overlying thin bedded, 1.102partly calcareous, uranium-bearing siltstone- 1.109claystone and lower volcanics which contain UAKA78-48. This flow dips 100 SW, underlying sediments an&volcanics dip 20-400 SW. Black 8utte, Aguila quad., Mari­copa Co., T6N, R7, S19. Lat. 330 50.76'. Long 113001.87'. . .

1.105 29.7830.32

31.830.9

15.62 t 0.35

UAKA78-32

UAKA78-33

UAKA78-34

UAKA78-35

UAKA78-36

UAKA78-38

UAKA78-39

Whole rock basal tic andesite, underlying the typeGila Conglomerate, merges with a thick ·volcanicsequence to the south, Lower Bonita Creek, r.uthrie q.,Graham Co., elav. 3170', Lat 320 53.21' N.Long. 1090 ·29.84'. W(RS-l-77). .

Whole rock, rhyolite, 50-100' thick, fromMineta Fm. The rhyolite is in fault contact withPinal schist to the west and has probable deposition­al contact with overlying grey conglomerate of theMineta Fm to the east. Redington Pass, Redingtonquad •• Pima Co •• elev. 3750, Lat 320 17.10' N, Long1100 27.28' W(RS-1-78).

Whole rock. basaltic andesite, grey-black flow,approx. 80' above base of hill on west Tempe Butte.It overlies fine-grained red-brown sediments whichare presumably part of Papago Park fm. Playa-typemud cracks in the sediments indicate the sectionis not overturned. Tempe Butte, Tempe quad.,Maricopa Co •• elev. 1300'. Lat 330 25.68' N.Long 111 0 56.04' W(RS-2-78).

Whole rock. basalt flow intercalated into pre-basinfill fanglomerate sequence. The seqUence dips4_80 towards NE, is truncated eastwardly by the"fault scarp" of the NE Swisshelm area, and truncatedwestwardly by a high-angle Basin and Range fault.Swisshelm Mtns. quad •• Cochise Co., elev. 50BO'.Lat 310 44.25' N, Long 1090 30.63' W(RS-4-78).

Whole rock, basalt, 30-50', below the top ofSugarloaf l1esa. About a dozen flows cap the mesaand overlie a basalt-tuff sequence. SugarloafMesa is south of Hew River Mesa. The sequence isonly slightly tilted to the south. About 10% maficminerals removed before analysis. New RiverMesa quad., Maricopa Co., Lat 330 54.72' N. Long 112057.78' W.

Whole rock, basalt, from a volcanic-sedimentarysequence exposed at Horseshoe Dam area. Sequence(>2000' thick) is tilted SWat 10-200 and is infault contact with younger basin fill mudstone tothe SW. This basalt flow series is overlain bybasalt cobble conglomerates and a higher sequenceof white tuffs and marls. The tuffs containnumerous shows of uranium mineralization. HorseshoeDam quad., 11aricopa Co., elev. 2020'. Lat 330 58.87N, Long 111 0 42.70' W(RS-ll~78).

Whole rock, rhyolite (1) trachyte (1) local basalflow, part of an older volcanic series which restson.Yavapai argillites. It is uncomformably overlainby the basalt-tuff conglomerate sediment series thatcomposes the mesas of the area. Eberly and Stanley(sample #63) dated a basalt flow of the youngerbasalt-tuff-conglomerate series at 20 m.y. Samplecollected from basal andesite exposed at Tu1e Creeknorth end of Lake Pleasant, New River quad., YavapaiCo., e1ev. 1720', Lat 330 58.08 N. Long 1120 14.53' W(RS-6-78) •

-99-

3.2423.193:1.202

3.7363.7343.721

2.481.2.4242.431

1.3501.3661.357

0.7870.7830.7790.7790.7790.778'

0.537'0.5350.536

6.4036.4086.371

. 3.212

3.730

2.446

1.358

0.781

0.536

6.394

111. 34115.70116.54115.85116.69116.99

163.89163.82162.72

.74.5874.9474.85

25.3926.1026.79

20.0819.9319.83

13.4513.5214.02

286.37290.41310.37

8.866.85

. 6.737.12.7.026.95

40.641.238.8

22.5922.4622.65

62.6061.8760.41

75.078.075.3

62.0861. 7660.89

16.6416.3915.50

20.62 t 0.42

25.10 t 0.55

17.56tO.37

11.05tO.28

14.67 t 0.35

14.64 ± 0.37

26.48 ± 0.56

Page 108: A STUDY OF URANIUM FAVORABILITY OF CENOZOIC …repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/2010/u14/ofr79_01.pdfgeology of pre-10to 13 m~y. old pre-Basinand Range disturbance,

Table 2. (continued)

University of ArizonaIsotope Geochemistry LabDate: 1 June 1979

Constants used: -10 -1Ap • 4.963 X 1°.10 yr_1A • 0.581 x 10_10 yr_1

40 X. 5.544 x 10-4 yrK/K· 1.167,x 10 atom/ato~

SacpleNo. Sample description and location

Indivi­dualKanalyses

PercentKused

Radio­genicargon-40x 10-12molelg

Percentatmo­sphericargon-40

Age inmillionyears

UAKA713-40 Whole rock, basaltic andesite; flow is one of many

exposed along dirt road around west side of LakePleasant, and is interbedded into a tuffaceoussediment and.volcanic conglomerate sequence whichis tilted eastward 10-300• West edge Lake Pleasant,Governor's Peak quad., Yavapai'Co., elev. 16130',Lat 330 53.78' N, Long 1120 17.97' W(RS-7-7B).

1.8581.8581.1353

1.856 53.3754.18

14.5614.39

16.63 t 0.35

UAKA78-41

UAKA78-42

Whole rock, basaltic andesite, lowest flow that over­lies about 5000' thick red clastic sequence (TeranBasin sequence). The'andesite is cut by Turkey Trackdikes and vents. Teran Basin, Galiuro Mtns.,Redington quad., Cochise Co., elev. 3U50', Lat 32017.07' N, Long 1100 16.40' W(RS-12-7B).Whole rock, basaltic andesite in a volcano-clasticsequence homoclinally dipping NE approx. 200• Theandesite appears to be in the same tectonic assem­blage as uranium-bearing tuffs, siltsones, andclastics two miles to the north near -the locality of70-43 below. These Tertiary materials are in apparentfault contact with slatey and micaceous Yavapai-Seriesto, the west. Pyramid Peak, Cave Creek district, OaisyMtn. quad., Maricopa Co., elev. 2020' "Lat 33053.24' N, Long 1120 04.12' W(RS-3-78).

1.9851.9711.969

1.5001.5741.570

1.975

1.575

94.0194.21394.25

40.70413.5948.75413.49

15.4715.9016.31

30.2530.3930.3030.57

27.29 t 0.57

17.72 t 0.37

15.39 ! 0.40

12.19 ! 0.22

13.60 t 0.34

26.9428.1027.87

60.8860.7360.77

, 50.650.550.6

20.1320.3320.31

11.9712.7412.14

16.2416.2416.37

0.606

0.579

0.856

0.6060.6020.611

0.8550.8600.853

Whole rock, mesa capping basalt uncomforfllablyoverlying about 300' of fluvial sediments includingdolomite beds and pyroclastic rocks. The sectiondips NE 20-350• Black Canyon Shooting Rangesection, Biscuit Flat quad., Maricopa Co., Lat 330

48.70' N, Long 1120 08.87' W.

Whole rock, basalt. The volcanic flow is contained 0.579within a section of sediments and pyroclastics which 0.578are juxtaposed against Precambrian granites and are 0.581pedifllented and overlain by basin fill along the easternmargin of the Big Sandy Valley near Wickieup. Uraniummineralization is found in certain horizons in thesediments. Burro Wash, Wickieup district, Tu1e Washquad., Mohave Co., elev. 3040', Lat 340 48.15' N, LongllJo 32.93' W(RS-2-79).

Whole rock, basalt dike intrusive into a rockfaulted and folded terrain of mid-Tertiarybasalts, tuffs, clastics, and limey beds. Thesection contains uranium mineralization. New River,Oaisy Mtn. quad., Maricopa Co., elev. 2220',Lat 330 54.25' N, Long 1120 03.50' W(RS-13-78).

UAKA78-45

UAKA78-44

UAKA78-43

78-46 Whole rock, thin welded rhyolite flow ,occurring.discontinuously about 500-800' above base of typeArtillery Formation, west of Artillery Peak. flowis now, thought to be intercalated into the sedimentsrather than a sill. Artillery Peak 15' quad., Lat34022.13' N, Long 1130 36.13' W.(RS-3-79).

3.4853.5333.4613.5533.5483.566

3.523 120.71122.18123.86

18.817.318.0

19.90 t 0.47

-100-

Page 109: A STUDY OF URANIUM FAVORABILITY OF CENOZOIC …repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/2010/u14/ofr79_01.pdfgeology of pre-10to 13 m~y. old pre-Basinand Range disturbance,

University of ArizonaIsotope Ceochemistry LabD.na: 1 June 1979

Sacple:{o.

78-47

78-48

Table 2. (continued)

Sample description and location

Whole rock, partially welded rhyolite flow inter­calated into an arkosic sandstone-mudstone-limestonesection in Western Gila Bend Mtns. Sediments are Ina down thrown tilted fault block, and are depositionalon crystalline rocks. Oendora Valley l5'quad" Lat330 13.40' N, Long 1130 13.62' W(RS-4-79).

Whole rock, basalt, from near the base of a10-300 SE dipping 1000' thick volcanic section'underlain by 60' of red arkosic conglomerate andoverlain by uraniferous low energy clastics. Thisentire sequence depositional on granite to theeast and overlain unconformahly by an uppervolcanic series containing UAKA 78-3l.Black Buttedistrict, elev. 2390', Maricopa Co., Aguila quad.,Lat 330 51.62' N. Long 1130 02.80' W(RS-5-79).

Constants usedl' -10 -1. Aa• 4.963 x 10_10 yr_1. A • 0.581 x 10_10 Yr_l

40 r. 5.544 x 10_4 yrK/K • 1.167 x 10 atom/a:cm

Redio-Indlvl- genic Percentdual. Percent ergon-40 atmo- AS" inK K x 10-12 spheric cilllonanalysu used 1ll01e/s argon-40 years

2.550 '2.554 105.83 J9.9 23.64 ± 0.512.560 . 105.84 40.02.551 105.48 40.1

104.28 37.7

1.016 1.016 35.62 17.04 20.02 ± 0.421.016 35.47 16.891.016 25.30 17.12

78-49

79-66

Whole rock, andesite, from a thick andesite-breccia­silicic flow sequence which is tilted SW and juxta­posed against a cataclastically deformed crystallinecomplex by a low angle "discoloration surface".Smith Peak 7.5' quad. Lat 340 02.97' N, Long 113017.08' W. (RS-6-79).

Whole rock, basaltic andesite, in a 500-BOO' thickandesite-conglomerate sequence with 30-400 diptoward the northeast. The sample represents- aflow, about 1/5 the way up the sequence. Thesequence is overlain by fluvial arkosic red beds.Red beds contain clasts of granites and andesites.Box Canyon on the Hassayampa River, Wickenburgdistrict, Sam Powell Peak quad., Yavapai Co.,elev. 2210', Lat 340 02.72' N, Long 112043.60' W(RS-7-79).

~lal-

4.122 4.106 114.08 7.94.112 113.54 9.14.083 113.25 8.0

110.22 8.1

1.804 1.801 51.75 9.351.BOO 52.10 9.261.800 52.09 9.55

15.77 ± 0.32

16.57 ± 0.35