Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T07:54:05.807Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Vanadium Chlorite from a Sandstone-Hosted Vanadium-Uranium Deposit, Henry Basin, Utah

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2024

Gene Whitney  and
H. Roy Northrop
Gene Whitney
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225
H. Roy Northrop
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

An unusual vanadium chlorite precipitated during the formation of a vanadium-uranium ore deposit in the Henry Basin, southeastern Utah. The ore deposit formed by reduction and precipitation of U and V in the presence of organic matter at the interface between a stagnant brine and overlying, circulating meteoric water. Some samples of the vanadium chlorite (heated before analysis) contain ≥ 10% V2O5. In fresh samples, most of the vanadium is in the trivalent oxidation state. X-ray powder diffraction data suggest that Fe and V are concentrated preferentially in the interlayer hydroxide sheets of the chlorite. A d(060) value of 1.52 Å indicates that the chlorite probably has a dioctahedral structure which is distended by the presence of octahedral Fe and V. The vanadium ore zone is flanked by peripheral zones containing perfectly ordered chlorite/smectite. This chlorite/smectite contains much less V than the pure chlorite. This chlorite may have formed by the progressive precipitation of vanadium-rich interlayer hydroxide sheets in the mixed-layer chlorite/smectite in the most reducing portion of the ore zone. The pure chlorite is a IIb polytype, which, for nonvanadiferous analogs, is ordinarily found in high-temperature environments; however, no evidence exists to show that these rocks have ever been exposed to elevated temperatures. In fact, the presence of unreacted smectite in a potassium-rich setting and the low vitrinite reflectance of coalified plant debris indicate a low-temperature history for these sediments.

Keywords

ChloriteChlorite/smectiteCorrensiteDiagenesisTosuditeUraniumVanadiumX-ray powder diffraction
Type
Research Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 34 , Issue 4 , August 1986 , pp. 488 - 495
Copyright
Copyright © 1986, The Clay Minerals Society

References

Bailey, S.W. and Gieseking, J. E., 1975 Chlorites Soil Components, Volume 2, Inorganic Components New York Springer-Verlag 191–263.Google Scholar
Bailey, S. W., Brindley, G. W., Kodama, H. and Martin, R. T., 1982 Report of the Clay Minerals Society nomenclature committee for 1980-1981—nomenclature for regular interstratifications Clays & Clay Minerals 30 76–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bailey, S. W., 1962 Chlorite polytypism: 1. Regular and semi-random one-layer structures Amer. Mineral. 47 819–850.Google Scholar
Brookins, D. G., 1982 Geochemistry of clay minerals for uranium exploration in the Grants Mineral Belt, New Mexico Mineral. Deposita 17 37–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farmer, V. C., Palmieri, F. and Gieseking, J. E., 1975 The characterization of soil minerals by infrared spectroscopy Soil Components, Volume 2, Inorganic Components New York Springer-Verlag 573–670.Google Scholar
Foster, M. D., 1959 Chemical study of the mineralized clays U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 320 121–132.Google Scholar
Foster, M. D. (1962) Interpretation of the composition and a classification of the chlorites: U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 414–A, 33 pp.Google Scholar
Granger, H. C., 1962 Clays in the Morrison Formation and their spatial relation to the uranium deposits at Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 450–D D15 D20.Google Scholar
Hathaway, J. C., 1959 Mixed-layer structures in vanadium clays U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 320 133–138.Google Scholar
Hayashi, H. and Oinuma, K., 1964 Aluminian chlorite from Kamikita Mine, Japan Clay Sci. 2 22–30.Google Scholar
Hayes, J. B., 1970 Polytypism of chlorite in sedimentary rocks Clays & Clay Minerals 18 285–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heinrich, E. W. and Levinson, A. A., 1955 Studies in the mica group; X-ray data on roscoelite and barium-musco-vite Amer. J. Sci. 253 39–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoffman, J. and Hower, J., 1979 Clay mineral assemblages as low grade metamorphic geothermometers: application to the thrust faulted Disturbed Belt of Montana, U.S.A. Soc. Econ. Paleo. Min. Spec. Pub. 26 55–79.Google Scholar
Keller, W. D. (1962) Clay minerals in the Morrison Formation of the Colorado Plateau: U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 1150, 89 pp.Google Scholar
Mackenzie, R. C., Caillere, S. and Gieseking, J. E., 1975 The thermal characteristics of soil minerals and the use of these characteristics in the qualitative and quantitative determination of clay minerals in soils Soil Components, Volume 2, Inorganic Components New York Springer-Verlag 529–571.Google Scholar
Nash, J. T., Granger, H. C. and Adams, S. S., 1981 Geology and concepts of genesis of important types of uranium deposits Econ. Geol. 63–116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Northrop, H. R., 1982 Origin of the tabular-type vanadium-uranium deposits in the Henry Structural Basin, Utah .Google Scholar
Peterson, F.r.e., 1977 Uranium deposits related to depositional environments in the Morrison Formation (upper Jurassic), Henry Mountains mineral belt of southern Utah U.S. Geol. Surv. Circ. 753 45–47.Google Scholar
Peterson, F.r.e.. (1978) Measured sections of the lower member and Salt Wash Members of the Morrison Formation (upper Jurassic) in the Henry Mountains mineral belt of southern Utah: U.S. Geol. Surv. Open-file Rep. 78–1094, 95 pp.Google Scholar
Peterson, F.r.e. and Turner-Peterson, C. E., 1980 Sedimentology as a strategy for uranium exploration: concepts gained from analysis of a uranium bearing depositional sequence in the Morrison Formation of south-central Utah Uranium in Sedimentary Rocks: Application of the Facies Concept to Exploration 65–126.Google Scholar
Petruk, W., 1964 Determination of the heavy atom content in chlorite by means of the X-ray diffractometer Amer. Mineral. 49 61–71.Google Scholar
Pollastro, R. M. (1982) A recommended procedure for the preparation of oriented clay-mineral specimens for X-ray diffraction analysis: modifications to Drever’s filter-membrane peel technique: U.S. Geol. Surv. Open-file Rep. 82–71, 10 pp.Google Scholar
Sassem, R., 1981 Increased vitrinite reflectance associated with uranium mineralization Advances in Organic Geochemistry, 1981 94–98.Google Scholar
Schultz, L. G. (1963) Clay minerals in Triassic rocks of the Colorado Plateau: U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 1147–C, 71 pp.Google Scholar
Wells, R. C. and Brannock, W. W., 1946 The composition of roscoelite U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 950 121–127.Google Scholar
Wilson, M. D. and Pittman, E. D., 1977 Authigenic clays in sandstones: recognition and influence on reservoir properties and paleoenvironmental analysis J. Sed. Pet. 47 3–31.Google Scholar