Hydrogeochemical and stream-sediment survey (NURE). Preliminary report on the Roach Lake Basin pilot study (Nevada)

The Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) is conducting a hydrogeochemical and stream-sediment survey in the seven western states as part of ERDA's National Uranium Resources Evaluation (NURE) Program. The objective of this survey is to develop a geochemical data base for use by the private sector to locate regions of anomalous uranium content. Prior to wide area coverage, several pilot studies are being undertaken to develop and evaluate sampling and analytical techniques. The second through fifth of these studies were conducted in four playa basins in Neveda, selected to represent different regional geology and uranium occurrence. This study in the Roach Lake Basin characterizes carbonate surface lithology containing known uranium occurrences. Roach Lake is surrounded by several areas of carbonate terrain, the most important of which is the Spring Mountain Range to the north and west. These mountains contain the Goodsprings Mining district, noted for lead, zinc, and copper mines. Many of these mines contain uranium minerals within the oxidized sulfide zone. Mineralization is mainly confined within the Mississippian limestone. The basin drains an area of 250 square miles and is bounded on the east by the McCullough Range. The study area is typical of the eastern portion of the Basin and Range province and should be relevant to southeastern Idaho, the western half of Utah, central and eastern Nevada, small portions of northwest Arizona, and a portion of southeast California. This report contains only the analytical data and sample locations