From foreword: This bulletin is the second of the series "Contributions to Geochemistry" which was begun in 1946 with Bulletin 950, "Contributions to Geochemistry, 1942-45". This series is the successor to earlier ones, also published as U. S. Geological Survey Bulletins, "Report of work done in the Division of Chemistry and Physics" (1879-1893), "Contributions to chemistry and mineralogy from the laboratory of the United States Geological Survey" (1900), "Contributions to mineralogy from the United States Geological Survey" (1905), and "Mineralogical Notes" (1911-16).

From abstract: The secondary uranium minerals autunite, metatorbernite, uranophane (?), and schroeckingerite occur in altered hornfels at the East Slope No. 2 uranium prospect. The deposit, in sec. 6, T. 27 S., R. 3 W., Piute County, Utah, is about I mile west of the Bullion Monarch mine in the central producing area of the Marysvale uranium district. Hornfels, formed by contact metamorphism of bullion Canyon volcanic rocks along the edge of a quartz monzonite stock, is in fault contact with the later Mount Belknap rhyolite.

From abstract: Gypsum-bearing rocks crop out in Gypsum and Yellow Jacket Gulches, on Sheep Mountain, which is about 90 miles northeast of Anchorage, Alaska. The gypsiferous rock occurs in deposits of irregular shape in the greenstone. Both the gypsiferous rock and the greenstone are hydrothermal alteration products of the volcanic rocks of Jurassic age which comprise the bulk of the mountain. Near-surface samples of the gypsiferous rock contained an average of 25 to 30 percent gypsum ; some contained as much as 50 percent. Quartz, alunite, clay, sericite, and pyrite are contaminating constituents of the ore. Six of the largest and most accessible of the gypsum deposits were mapped and calculations show that three of the deposits contain an aggregate of approximately 311,000 short tons of indicated gypsiferous rock and four of the deposits contain 348,000 short tons of inferred gypsiferous rock.

From abstract: The secondary uranium minerals metatorbernite (?) and autunite (?) were discovered at Indian Creek in the spring of 1950. The deposits, in sec. 28, T. 27 S., R. 6 W., Beaver County, Utah, are 20 miles west of Marysvale, and about three-eighths of a mile east of a quartz monzonite stock.

From abstract: Radiometric reconnaissance during the summer of 1951 of 47 abandoned lode mines and prospects in the predominantly mesothermal mineral belt in the central and southern parts of southeastern Alaska revealed radioactivity in excess of 0.005 percent equivalent uranium at only one locality.

From abstract: Recorded production of pitchblende in the United States totals 313 tons of ore containing about 15 percent uranium. Of this total, 303 tons was produced at Central City and 8 tons at Lawson prior to World War I. The remaining 2 tons has been mined at Caribou during the past two years and is being stockpiled at the mine.

From abstract: This report describes the new workings and proposes that additional exploration be undertaken on the Papsy's Hope No. 2 property in Marysville, Utah.

From abstract: The Thomas Range fluorite district, on Spor's Mountain in the western part of the Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, is approximately 6 miles long and 2 miles wide, and contains almost no unclaimed land. The fluorite production of the district, since its discovery in 1943, has been 35,700 short tons. It was obtained from 12 different ore bodies on eight different properties. G. P. Spor, Ray Spor, and Chad Spor; Albert Willden and Earl Willden; T. A. Claridge; and W. E. Black and F. B. Chesley were the only groups producing fluorite in the district in August 1950.

Abstract: About 2,000 tons of low-grade lead ore has been produced from the Jim Kane mine, near Kingman, Mohave County, Ariz. A 3-foot vein of gouge and siderite stringers in pre-Cambrian gneiss contains some lead and, locally, is abnormally radioactive. A sample of the vein contained 0.067 percent uranium. Abnormal radioactivity is restricted to a small part of the vein, and no reserves are calculated.

From abstract: Eight tons of high grade pitchblende ore was sold from the Jo Reynolds mine near Lawson, Clear Creek County, Colo., in 1919. The pitchblende occurs with silver, lead, and zinc in carbonate-quartz veins cutting pre-Cambrian schist, granite gneiss, and granite.

The following report discusses radioactive results found in 4 samples of gneissic granite of 13 samples collected from the Mount Michelson area of northeastern Alaska. A mineralogic study of all heavy-mineral fractions having more than 0.01 percent equivalent uranium indicates that the radioactive material apparently is confined to biotite, which in one sample contains 1.19 percent uranium.

The following report presents results of radiometric and mineralogic studies made on 13 samples taken from the Mount Michelson area, Alaska.

From abstract: Investigations of the land-pebble phosphate deposits of Florida by the Geological Survey began in November 1947. This report presents the computation of reserves of phosphate rock in the northern part of the district.

From introduction: "This report summarizes the research work of the Trace Elements Section, Geochemistry and Petrology Branch, from the organization of the Section in April 1948 to December 31, 1950." Investigation of radioactive materials and investigation of methods for analysis of radioactive materials is included.

Abstract: Radioactive zones are present in the upper silty part of the pre-Cambrian Dripping Spring quartzite at the Red Bluff prospect, Gila County, Ariz. The prospect is in the SE 1/4 sec. 31, T. 5 N., R. 14 E., at the southern end of the Sierra Ancha area and 12 miles northeast of Roosevelt Dam. Stratigraphic control of the radioactive zones is indicated by the restriction of the zones to two layers, each about 20 feet thick.The zones are spatially associated in part with a diabase dike that occupies a fault, and in part with a thick diabase sill. The main uranium mineral disseminated through the rock in these zones has not been identified definitely, although minor quantities of secondary uranium minerals were observed. The results of scintillometer traverses and radiometric analyses indicate that the deposits probably contain an average of 0.026 percent uranium. Some black streaks and some fractures contain a higher percentage of uranium, but so far as is known the volume of such material is probably too small to affect the overall grade of the deposits.

From abstract: The Bulloch group of uranium claims are in T. 40 S., R. 9 we, Kane County, Utah. The past production has been 8.5 tons of submarginal ore submitted to the Marysvale purchasing depot of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1950; this shipment assayed 0.16 percent U308, Uranium is finely disseminated in clay, carbonaceous clay, carbonized wood fragments, iron-oxide concretions, petrified logs, sandstone, and conglomerates of the lower part of"the Dakota sandstone and upper part of the Summerville formation. Small quantities of carnotite, autunite, and torbernite are exposed in the conglomerate and sandstone on Lynn Nos. 2 and 3 claims.

A report regarding uranium resources in the Silver Reef district, in Washington County, Utah.

From abstract: "Five sets of 'close' samples were analyzed radiometrically for uranium, and chemically for P₂O₅, CaO, organic matter, and loss on ignition. A Rosiwal analysis was made of thin sections of one set of samples."

From introduction: This preliminary report summarizes the results of the 1950 drilling in the Legin group area of San Miguel County, Colorado and gives a more complete, but preliminary, estimate of the uranium and vanadium ore reserves. When the radiometric and chemical assay data are completed, a detailed report will be transmitted.

From abstract and summary: The Blue and Moon Mesa areas are about 13 miles southeast of Gateway, Mesa County, Colo. Total production of carnotite ore from the Blue and Moon Mesa areas has been about 1,000 short tons that averaged about 0.25 percent U30Oand 1.75 percent V205. Most of this production was obtained from 1940 to 1943 and in 1949. The U. S. Geological Survey explored the northern parts of these areas by diamond drilling between August 9 and December 14, 1950. The Survey drilled 113 holes, totalling 16,039 feet. This drilling was mostly wide-spaced and was done to obtain geologic information.

Abstract: A suite of 50 rock specimens, collected by the 1947 Washburn Mount McKinley Expedition, was scanned radiometrically. The maximum radioactivity observed in any one of the specimens was about twice background. Radiometric analyses of the most radioactive samples show that a sample of vein quartz coated with manganese oxide contains 0.009 percent equivalent uranium and that the maximum equivalent uranium content of granitic rock types is .004 percent. The radioactivity of the manganese-stained quartz is probably due to traces of uranium in the manganese mineral, whereas that of the granitic rocks is due to radioactive accessory minerals.

Report discussing a study in which a suite of 50 rock specimens collected by the 1947 Washburn Mount McKinley Expedition was scanned radiometrically.

From Abstract: "The semiquantitative method described determines 55 elements in one arcing of a 10-mg sample, requires a minimum of sample handling thus reducing the chances of contamination, detects low concentrations of elements, and is rapid."

From abstract: During the month of May 1950, the Davison Chemical Corporation, under contract with the Atomic Energy Commission, drilled 24 phosphate prospecting holes in the western part of the Bonny Lake mine, in the SW NW4 and the NW*SW4 sec. 32, T. 29 S., R. 24 E., Polk County, Fla. The purpose of this drilling was to obtain a comparison between tonnage and grade of uranium in the phosphate as indicated by prospecting, and the tonnage and grade of uranium in the phosphate products recovered in the mill. The results presented in this paper are based upon a study of drill cores, drill logs, gamma-ray logs, and the chemical analyses of drill-core samples.