Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program: the Rocky Mountain states of New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, and the state of Alaska. Progress report, April--June 1977

Abstract

New pilot studies and Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance sampling contracts began in the five states for which the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) is responsible. Several of these contracts have been completed. Field maps have been prepared for seven more contract areas in anticipation of supplemental funding by the Department of Energy (DOE) Grand Junction Office (GJO). During the quarter, the LASL analyzed 7128 water samples for uranium by fluorometry and 835 water and 7335 sediment samples by delayed-neutron counting. The x-ray fluorescence technique was used to determine concentrations of nickel, copper, tungsten, lead, bismuth, niobium, silver, cadmium, and tin in 133 sediment samples from Fort Morgan, Colorado, and Cape Krusenstern, Alaska. Concentrations of 30 other elements in the Fort Morgan and Cape Krusenstern sediment samples were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. In anticipation of full-scale multielement analyses in FY-78, we are modifying existing facilities to handle the increased number of samples to be analyzed, and are developing techniques for multielement analysis by x-ray fluorescence, spectrochemical, and neutron activation methods. Six publications, including two raw data releases and one reconnaissance report, were open filed through DOE GJO. Two publications describe methods to be used for multielement analyses.