by michael p. pantea and siqrid asher-bolinder
TRANSCRIPT
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
LITHOLOGIC LOG AND LITHIUM CONTENT OF SEDIMENTS DRILLED IN
CLAYTON VALLEY, ESMERALDA COUNTY, NEVADA
By
Michael P. Pantea and Siqrid Asher-Bolinder
OPEN-FILE REPORT 82-415
1982
This report is preliminary and has not been edited or reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geoloqical Survey standards
INTRODUCTION
This report presents lithologic and lithium loqs of core drilled in
Clayton Valley, Nevada. Drilling was done to collect base data from a known
lithium-rich area, and to compare these data with other areas drilled.
Drilling was performed in October and November of 1977, under terms of an
interagency cooperative agreement with the Division of Energy Storage Systems
and the Division of Uranium Resources and Enrichment of the U.S. Department of
Energy. Chemical analyses performed by the U.S. Geological Survey in Denver,
Colorado, are designated as "labs" in this text. Analyses in the field
performed by the U.S. Geological Survey are designated as "field" in this
text.
Clayton Valley is a closed basin within the Basin and Range physiographic
province. It is bounded by Clayton Ridge and the Montezuma Range to the east,
Palmetto Mountains and Silver Peak Range to the south, Silver Peak Range to
the west, and Big Smokey Valley, Alkali Flat, Paymaster Ridge and the Weepah
Hills to the north (fig. 1). A playa in the northern part of the valley
occupies about 40 mi^. It is the lowest point topographically of a series of
playa filled valleys consisting of Alkali Flat (Valley), Rig Smokey Valley,
Fish Lake Valley, Mudlake, and Stonewall Flat. These surrounding valleys
probably contribute ground water to Clayton Valley (Rush and others, 1971),
which may be a reason for the anomalous amounts of lithium in the sediments
and brines. Of these valleys, Alkali Flat has the highest lithium values in
sediments (Pantea and others, 1981), whereas Big Smokey Valley and Fish Lake
Valley have the highest lithium values in water (Asher-Bolinder and others, 1980).
Seven drill sites were chosen in the northern part of Clayton Valley.
The holes are outside of the playa with the exception of CV-4 and CV-5A, which
are in the playa as shown on figure 1.
CV-1 is on the northeastern periphery of the playa at lat. 37°47' N.,
long. 117°35' W., and penetrated 395 feet. The sediments penetrated were sand
and gravel with some beds of limestone and mud (fig. 2). Lithium in sediments
ranged from 33 parts per million (ppm) to 310 ppm averaging 100.7 ppm for 10
samples analyzed. Lithium in ground water ranged from 32 ppm to 60 ppm
averaging 37.7 for 7 samples analyzed by labs, and from 23 ppm to 60 ppm
averaging 35 ppm for 8 samples analyzed in the field.
1
38"OO'
IT2 Hi
Figure 1. Index map of a part of Esmeralda County, Nevada, showing locations of
drill sites. Reduction from U.S. Geological Survey, Goldfield (1954) quadrangle,
scale 1:250,000.
SEDIMENTS
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NO DATA
INN
Figure 2.--Lithologic log in feet, and lithium concentration logs in
parts per million for sediments and ground water in CV-1«
CV-2 is on the northeastern periphery of the playa at lat. 37°48' N.
long. 117°35' W., and penetrated 395 feet. Sediments encountered were sand
and sandy clay with some beds of mud, limestone, and tuff (fig. 3). Lithium
values in sediments ranged from 34 ppm to 930 ppm averaging 209.4 ppm for 76
samples analyzed. Lithium values in ground water ranged from 28 ppm to 55 ppm
averaging 38.6 for 9 samples analyzed by labs, and from 27 ppm to 55 ppm
averaging 35.6 for 16 samples analyzed in the field.
CV-2A is located on the north periphery of the playa at lat. 37°50' N.,
long. 117°31' W., and penetrated 275 feet. The sediments were limestone and
gravel with some beds of clay, chert, sand, or tuff (fig. 4). Lithium values
in sediments ranged from 130 ppm to 390 ppm averaging 248.5 ppm for 7 samples
analyzed. Lithium values in ground water ranged from 44 ppm to 100 ppm
averaging 67.3 ppm for 6 samples analyzed by labs, and from 38 ppm to 100 ppm
averaging 63.1 ppm for 7 samples analyzed in the field.
CV-3 is located on the northeastern periphery of the playa at lat. 37°49'
N., long. 117°30' W., and penetrated to 615 feet. Sediments encountered were
muddy clay, clay, limestone, and sand, with some beds of ash or gravel (fig. 5)
Lithium values in sediments ranged from 16 ppm to 780 ppm averaging 168.4 ppm
for 119 samples analyzed. Lithium values in ground water ranged from 41 ppm
to 91 ppm averaging 52.9 ppm for 14 samples analyzed by lab, and from 41 ppm
to 160 ppm averaging 69 ppm for 16 samples analyzed in the field.
CV-4 is located in the northern end of the playa at lat. 37°49' N., long.
117°30' W., and penetrated 795 feet. Sediments penetrated were mud and sand
with beds of limestone, clay and tuff (fig. 6). This hole also contained
some gypsum, travertine, and halite. Lithium values in sediments ranged from
39 ppm to 1840 ppm averaging 455.7 ppm for 114 samples analyzed. Lithium in
ground water ranged from 44 ppm to 190 ppm averaging 109.2 for 16 samples
analyzed by labs, and from 44 ppm to 190 ppm averaging 103 ppm for 18 samples
analyzed in the field.
CV-5 is located on the eastern periphery of the playa at lat. 37°48' N.,
long. 117°29' W., and penetrated 479 feet. Sediments encountered were sand
and gravel with some beds of clay, clayey mud, and limestone (fig. 7).
Lithium values in sediments ranged from 62 ppm to 770 ppm averaging 295.2 for
14 samples analyzed. Lithium values in ground water ranged from 24 ppm to 110
ppm averaging 69.3 for 11 samples analyzed by labs, and from 24 ppm to 110 ppm
averaging 65.75 for 12 samples analyzed in the field.
SEDIMENTS GROUND WATER Labs Field
u
20-
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80-
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180-
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Figure 3.--Lithologic log in feet, and lithium concentration logs in parts per million for sediments and ground water in CV-2 .
SEDIMENTS
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VOLCANIC
NO DATA
Figure 4.--Lithologic log in feet, and lithium concentration logs in parts per million for sediments and ground water in CV-2A.
SEDIMENTS GROUND WATER
Labs Field
SEDIMENTS
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~
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Figure 5.--Lithologic log in feet, and lithium concentration logs in parts per million for sediments and ground water in CV-3.
SEDIMENTS GROUND WATER Labs Field
SEDIMENTS
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420-
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Figure 6.--Litho1ogic log in feet, and lithium concentration log in parts per million for sediments and ground water in CV-4.
SEDIMENTS
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GROUND WATER Labs Field
III MM
KEYA 1 A -_~_
o <J ^0.v-
CALCAREOUS
CHERT
CLAY
GRAVEL
LIMESTONE
MUD
SAND
NO DATA
Figure 7.--Lithologic log 1n feet, and lithium concentration log 1n parts per million for sediments and ground water 1n CV-5.
CV-5A is located in the eastern part of the playa, south of CV-4 at lat.
37°48' N., long. 117°30' W., and penetrated 740 feet. Sediments encountered
were clayey muds and halite with some beds of clay and sand (fiq. 8). Of the
7 holes, only CV-4 and CV-5A are within the playa. Both contain halite, but
only CV-5A contains halite as major beds of 20 feet or more. CV-5A is the
only hole that does not have a limestone bed in it. Lithium values in
sediments ranged from 160 ppm to 960 ppm averaging 397.5 for 24 samples
analyzed. Lithium in ground water ranged from 100 ppm to 390 ppm averaging
292.6 for 15 samples analyzed by labs, and from 100 ppm to 640 ppm averaging
300.9 for 17 samples analyzed in the field.
Additional analyses were performed on selected samples from CV-1, CV-2,
CV-5, and CV-5A for thorium and uranium (table 1). Field numbers are the
depths at which the samples were taken. There is no systematic relationship
between the values.
10
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Table 1.--Analyses of selected samples from CV-1, CV-2, CV-5, and CV-5A,
Clayton Valley, Nevada
[Analysts-M. Coughlin, H. T. Millard, M. Schneider,
W. R. Stang, B. Vaughn, U.S. Geological Survey]
LAB. NO.
D-213884D-213885D-213886D-213887
CV-1 D-213888
D-213889D-213890D-213891
D-213892D-213893D-213894D-213895D-213896
CV-2D-213897D-213898D-213899D-213900D-213901D-213902
D-213930D-213931D-213932D-213933D-213934
CV-5D-213935D-213936D-213937D-213938D-213939
D-213876D-213877D-213878D-213879
CV-5A D-213880
D-213881D-213882D-213883
FIELD NO.
40115125135136
138185215
30408595105
110150170210240280
40110130145165
210230260300340
380425510575700
715720730
TH PPM
11.19.
<27.<7.6<8.5
<5.825.3<9.0
<9.0<7.6
<11.17.312.4
<9.422.313.116.116.713.7
14.<11.14.7.8
<6.4
18.719.516.28.2115.3
<8.8<10.<8.4
<13.<9.3
<6.7<8.1<7.2
U PPM
7.344.754.64.704.81
2.106.424.19
6.473.988.013.202.80
25.917.87.594.264.204.19
4.205.296.601.22.83
7.643.512.731.516.80
5.088.284.42
11.54.98
3.545.154.13
SAMPLE DESCRIPTION
Playa sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sediment
Playa sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sediment
Playa sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sediment
Playa sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sediment
Playa sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sediment
Playa sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sediment
Playa sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sediment
Playa sedimentPlaya sedimentPlaya sediment
12
REFERENCES
Asher-Bolinder, Sigrid, Vine, J. D., Glanzman, R. K., and Davis, J. R., 1980,
Chemistry of ground water from test holes drilled in Esmeralda and Nye
Counties, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-672, 31 p.
Pantea, M. P., Asher-Bolinder, Sigrid, Vine, J. D., 1981, Lithology and
lithium content of sediments in basins surrounding Clayton Valley,
Esmeralda and Nye Counties, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File
Report 81-962, 23 p.
Rush, F. E., Scott, B. R., Van Denburg, A. S., and Vasey, B. J., 1971, Water
resources and interbasin flows: Nevada Division of Water Resources,
State Engineers Office, map, scale 1:750,000.
13