Laserfiche WebLink
<br />BUREAU OF MINES <br /> <br />has so~e subbituminous coal zones although none is exposed. Some of the <br />sandstones are resistent and produce sharp breaks in the slope, but the <br />resultant cliffs are not hieh. <br /> <br />The Da1wta formation is overlain extensively by soil consistinE pre- <br />dominantly of aeolian silt, clay, $,nd fine sand. In the areas of sharper <br />relief, this cover has been removed by erosion, and only Dakota formation <br />weatherinr residuum remains. The Goi1 and residuum range in thickness <br />from virtually nothing to an estimated 25 feet. <br /> <br />MINERAL RESOURCES <br /> <br />Five of the underlying formations may contain mineral reserves, <br />although this IJotentia1 is amal1 in all cases. <br /> <br />Sodium Ch10ri~ <br /> <br />". :,' <br /> <br />The Paradox forll'ation is known to contain extensive beds of sodium <br />chloride. The No. 1 Medley Scott well, located near the reservoir site <br />(fig. 5), penetrated salt at 6,090 feet, Because of the depth of the salt <br />bed, the extensive kno,m reserves much closer to the surface in other <br />areas, and the small unit value of sodium chloride, the salt reserves under <br />this reservoir have no'present value. <br /> <br />Ura.nium <br /> <br />The Shinarump formation, lying at a depth of 2,410 to 2,487 feet, has <br />yielded uranium in areas to the west and, north. Because of its depth, and <br />since any exploration for urani~~ would have to be accomplished by blind <br />drilling, the chance of discovering con~rcia1 ore within the project area <br />is remote. <br /> <br />The Chinle formation is from 1.751 to 2,410 feet below the surface. <br />To the north, excellent uraniU1ll reserves have been found in the lower 200 <br />feet of this formation. Again, because of depth and the fact that explora- <br />tion drilling would be on a blind chance cnly, the uranium potential of <br />this formation in this area is poor. <br /> <br />The Morrison formation should be between 150 and 800 feet deep. The <br />lower half of this formation, the Salt Wash sandstone, contains commercial <br />uranium deposits over an extensive area. These commercial deposits were <br />found north and west of this area, but none is known 'to occur within sev- <br />eral miles of the reservoir site. Although the chances of finding commer- <br />cial deposits beneath the project area seem to be small ~ow, such discov- <br />eries remain a possibility. <br /> <br />. . ~ <br /> <br />113 <br />