National uranium resource evaluation, Casper quadrangle, Wyoming

Author / Creator

Griffin, John R

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Summary

The Casper Quadrangle, Wyoming, was evaluated for areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits. Examination of surface exposures of known uranium occurrences, reconnaissance geochemical s...

The Casper Quadrangle, Wyoming, was evaluated for areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits. Examination of surface exposures of known uranium occurrences, reconnaissance geochemical sampling, and ground radiometric surveys were conducted. Anomalous areas recognized from airborne radiometric surveys were ground checked. Electric and gamma logs were used to determine subsurface structure, stratigraphy, lithology, and areas of anomalous radioactivity. Fourteen areas were found to be favorable for uranium deposits. Nine of these are in sandstone: Wind River Formation of the Wind River and Shirley Basins; Battle Spring and Fort Union Formations of the Red Desert; Hanna Formation of the Hanna Basin; Arikaree Formation of the Granite Mountain area; and the Mesaverde Formation at the Nine Mile Lake, North Platte-Clarkson Hill, and Lost Soldier areas. Two areas favorable for vein deposits are along the South Granite Mountain Fault and in the Shirley Mountains. The Wasatch Formation of the Red Desert is favorable for carbonaceous shale deposits, the Heath Peak area for orthomagmatic deposits, and the Moonstone Formation within the Granite Mountains for hydroallogenic deposits. Precambrian conglomerates, granites, and pegmatites, Paleozoic formations, pre-Mesaverde Mesozoic formations, and post-Wind River (Lower Eocene) formations are generally unfavorable.

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