Geochemical Exploration Program for Uranium in the Northern Wadesboro and Southern Sanford Triassic Basins of North Carolina. Final Report, June 2-October 1, 1978

摘要

The purpose of the grant was to locate favorable areas for follow-up uranium exploration in the southern Sanford and northern Wadesboro Triassic basins. This was accomplished by analyzing 235 stream sediment samples previously obtained from streams draining these basins. Eighteen of two hundred and thirty-five samples contained at least 1 ppM uranium and were considered to be possible anomalous. The low threshold value (1 ppM) was based on the fact that extensive leaching in a warm humid climate would have removed the majority of uranium from a surficial environment. All samples that contained 1 ppM uranium were analyzed for thorium. This was done to determine if the source of uranium was in fact from a uranium rich mineral or just a thorium rich mineral such as monazite that contains trace amounts of uranium. Six samples had significant thorium values (> 100 ppM). Therefore the higher uranium values in these samples are probably the result of the analysis of a thorium rich mineral such as monazite that is of no value for reactor fuel. Thirteen samples had low thorium values (> 100 ppM). These sample sites and particularly number 8 with the highest values should have follow-up work done on them. Sample site number 8 has been resampled but the analysis are not available yet.