industry
in NewMexicoUranium
productiofl,
history,
andpresent
status
oweth (7975, L977J,Chenoweth and Holen
(1980),Chenoweth and Learned (1980),and
Albrethsen and McGinley (1982).
by VirginiaT. McLemore, Geologist, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Socorro, NM
Introduction
Uranium production in New Mexico has
surpassedproduction in all other statessince
1956.From 1948to 1.982,more than 200mines
in New Mexico (Fig. 1) produced 163,010tons
of UrOr, 40Voof the total United States uranium production for that period (Table 1).
More than 99% of the New Mexico production has come from the Grants district in
McKinley and Cibola Counties (Tables2 and
3). Eight mills in New Mexico recovered
1,55,674
tons of UrO. from New Mexico and
adiacent statesfrom 1948to 1982.41,Vo
of t]ne
toial United States concentrateproduction
(Table1). Theseproduction statisticsand the
history and present status of the uranium
industry in New Mexicoare discussedin this
article.
Production statisticshave been compiled
IXIf,C
by the U.S.Atomic EnergyCommission(AEC)
and its succeedingagencies,the U.S. Energy
Researchand Development Administration
(ERDA)and the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE). Production figures for individual
mines in New Mexico that sold uranium to
the federal government from 1.948to 1970
have been releasedrecentlyby DOE and are
presentedin Mclemore (1983).Production
statisticshave been compiled by year, by
county, and by geologic host formation and
are tabulated in Tables1, 3, and 4. Uranium
production in the San fuan Basin (including
the Grants district) from 1948tot982 is given
by geologic host formation in Table 2.
The history of the uranium indusfry in New
Mexico has received much attention in the
literature. Some of the best accountsare by
Melancon (1963), Holmquist (1970), Chen-
a
?-5
5c
i5
ioc Mitls
FIGURX l-Producing uranium mines and dishicts in New Mexico from 1948to !982; x may indicate
more than one deposit.
Exploration and mining
Although the uranium industry was born
during World War II, the first commercial
interest in uranium deposits in New Mefco
occurredin 1918,when fohn Wade discovered uranium and vanadium mineralization
in the Salt Wash Member (JurassicMorrison
Formation) in the Carrizo Mountains in San
Juan County, New Mexico, and Apache
County, Arizona (Fig. 1; Chenoweth and
Learned, 1980).In the 1920's,small quantities of radium ore were shipped from the
Carrizo Mountains to an ore-buying station
in Colorado and used for therapeutic purposesand in luminous paints. Radium was
discovered and produced from the White
Signal district in Grant County (Gillerman,
1964) and the Scholle district in Torrance
CounW (U.S. Bureauof Mines, written communicition, 1949). By 1925 the production
from high-grade pitchblende deposits in Africa had a devastating economic effect on the
radium industry in the United States,ending
the first "uranium boom" in New Mexico.
Not until World War II did uranium-vanadium deposits become of economic interest again. From 1942to t946, the Vanadium
Corporation of America (VCA) produced
10,216tons of ore (2.477o%OJ from the East
Reservation lease in the Carrizo Mountains
(Chenoweth and Learned, 7980; Bureau of
Indian Affairs, written communication, 194246). Much of the uranium left in the mill
tailings was reprocessedat Durango, CoTorado, for use in the Manhattan Project. In
1943.the first evaluation of known uranium
deposits in New Mexico was completed by
the Union Mines Development Corporation
(UMDC). UMDC was a division of Union
Carbide and Carbon Corporation, the prime
contractor to the Army Corps of Engineers
for the Manhattan Proiect. The Carrizo
Mountains contained most of the state's
known uranium reseryes at that time.
The creation of the AEC in 1947and the
succeeding uranium procurement program
sparked extensive exploration, development, and production of uranium deposits
in New Mexico and elsewhere.The first shipments of uranium ore in two decades from
New Mexico occurred n 1948from the Carrizo Mountains. Even though uranium was
first discovered in the Grants area in the
1920's.not until Paddv Martinez rediscovered similar mineralized outcrops of the Todilto Limestone (Jurassic) in 1950 did
commercial exploration begin in that area
(Melancon, 1953).The first ore taken from a
rim cut in sec. 9, T. t2 N., R. 9 W. in the
Todilto Limestone was shipped in December
uranium was discovered
1950.By early 1.951.,
in the Poison Canyon Sandstone (Morrison
Formation) north of Grants. In November
1.951,Anaconda discovered a radiorhetric
anomaly near Laguna by aefial reconnaissance. Subsequent drilling delineated the
Nat: MexicoGeology August 1983
TABLE I-URANTUMoREpRoDucrroNrN NEw Mrxco rnov 1948ro 7982(U.S. DOE, Statistical Data of the Uranium Industry, 1968-1982;U.S. AEC
ore and mill receipts tabulated by William Chenoweth and Elizabeth Leamed, U.S. DOE). llncludes only ore mined in New Mexico; does not include
production from in situ leach, mine water, or heap leach. Ore production from 1948to 1970includes only "pay" and "no-pay" ores receivedby AEC.
AEC did not pay for shipments less than 0.70% lJrOr; hence, these shipments were known as "no-pay" ores. 2lncludesproduction from in situ leach,
mine water, and heap leach. Also includes some concentrateproduction that was mined out of state. 3Yearlyaverage Price of uranium, not sPot or
market price. trlumber of producing properties may vary in accordancewith the definition of a particular property. For example,Arraconda'sJackpilePaguatemine is considered one property. sNew Mexico 1948and 1949production was entirely from Carrizo Mountains in San fuan County.
PROD(FrlCbl FRCM^MILTS
cllNcErRArE
OPEMTII\TG I}I NE.' MDCICAZ
ORE RECETVD AT MILIS AAID BT'rIIirc 6*TATIONS'
Calerdd
)€ar
r94A
LgL9
LW
r951
r%2
r953
L954
r955
1956
1957
1958
r959
LW
l96t
L2
1963
I4
r965
r966
L%7
1968
1969
L970
L97L
L972
I973
L974
L975
r976
L977
I978
L979
LW
198r
ts2
TstAL
Tons of
UgOg
in Ii6r l,19xi@
45
85
I1
II
34
zL)
66
6r8
?,84
2,545
4,932
6,2
7,A92
7,44
7,494
5,L32
4,7q9
4,492
5,816
6,4t
6,2LO
6,O57
5.5
5,722
4,ga
5,435
5,&
6,46
7,5t36
9,37L
8,198
Lr@
6,573
5t
la)
eade
t u3o8
9.29
g.r7
o.32
9.24
o.2g
9.25
o.35
9.23
0.26
o.22
o.2L
o.2L
a.2L
o.22
9.23
9.22
9.23
s.23
9.24
a.2L
s.2g
g.2o
o.2L
9.23
6.25
s.23
0.I8
g.La
o.r9
g.ra
o.L5
o.L2
g.Lz
g.r2
o.r8
llons of
Ufg
in u.s.
&
w
gg
t,rw
L,3Og
2,3W
3,5W
4,+W
A,4W
9,W
L4,W
L1,W
ra,uo
LA,sM
L7,rW
t4,7W
r},W
Ig,sW
9,W
LO,W
L2,@g
L2,@
r3,Lgg
L3,LM
r3,W
r3,W
L2,@g
L2,3W
L4,W
L6,7w
29,2ffi
25,7W
23,3W
L9,W
L6,529
crade
t ufg
s.26
9.29
o.32
s.32
o.3s
o.3L
a.32
4.29
o.2a
9.27
o.27
9.25
o.23
s.23
o.24
o.26
0.24
o.23
o.2r
g.2r
o.2s
a.26
o.2r
g.2r
o.20
o. r8
o.16
o.L5
g.L5
g.L3
O.LL
o.t2
g.LL
o,L2
M7,rW
]I63,gLg
Jackpile--Paguatedeposit which became the
site of the largest open-pit uranium mine in
the world. TheJackpile-Paguatemine closed
in March 1982as a result of low demand and
low-grade ore; however, reserves are still
presentat the mine. Additional depositswere
discovered and developed in the Laguna,
Gallup, Churchrock, and Thoreau areas.
In 1955,Louis Lothman used driller's logs
and cuttings from an oil and gas test drilled
on Ambrosia dome to estimate the drilling
depths to the Morrison sandstones around
the dome (Saucier,1979,p.15). InApril 1955,
Lothman began a wildcat drilling program
for Mrs. Stella Dysart in the Ambrosia Lake
area and encountered mineralized sandstones in the Westwater Canyon Member
(Morrison Formation) in his second hole.
Additional discoveries were made in quick
successionin the Ambrosia Lake area.
Exploration diminished in the 1950'sas the
end of the AEC's procurement program
neared. By the late 1960's and early 1970's
exploration soared once again to meet an increasein demand for uranium bv the electric
p o w e r c o m p a n i e s . I n 1 9 7 0 , ' B o k u mR e sourcesCorporation discovereduranium ore
August 1983
New Meila Geology
Nd l€xica
as 3
u,s. total
lbrF of
UfOe
ia ll*r l€xim
5
2
I
I
LO2
=
9
18r
47
2,49r
29
M
42
42
6
35
34
4
4A
53
3,@4
6,772
7,7@
7,?56
7,293
),)LZ
4.747
4,59r
5,076
5,933
6,r92
5,3
5,77L
5,U5
5,464
4,634
4,9s1
w
lilgd lExico
as 3
U.S. totat
r77
9
19
t4
34
49
46
43
4t
36
43
45
M
45
6
M
35
34
36
Tons of
U3%
ir U.S'
<
lol
6,O59
6.779
8,539
7,423
6,2re
3,
155,614
459
'166
474
1, 163
r,7w
2,79
5,958
4,442
L2,437
16,239
L7,637
L7,38
17,wa
t4,2L7
tr,u6
r9,442
L6,5W
LL.253
12,368
J.L,@
L2, 5
12,273
t2,w
L3,235
tr, 528
LT.6M
L2,747
L4,94et
ra,4w
r8,736
2L,A5S
19,2M
13,430
=
I
1I
16
49
30
29
44
45
43
39
M
4
4
53
50
fI
45
43
43
45
4A
45
46
M
35
32
29
Avsage trrie
ps Fourd
uaoi tairllo")3
lttnber of
prcpsties
in
-ue]
r'cxio
7.W
a.77
10.76
ro.3@
II.85
12.2-l
t2.43
ll ,94.
IL,Ig
9.42
I
12
l9
19
37
g
59
68
58
55
53
@
57
57
6.&
a.4
8.35
7.88
7.92
a.@
a.@
a.w
a,w
a.w
s.aa
5.86
).
6
42
Jb
4L
33
31
29
lo
29
!4
7.lo
7.
L6.fi
L6.Lg
L9.75
2L,@
23,45
28.15
2A,79
32,4L
23
25
Jb
43
50
39
2A
Nurber of olnrators4
t
I
12
17
3I
JO
45
58
51
49
44
4t
A1
34
3g
33
29
20
2L
13
L2
1l
t2
9
I1
6
5
I
14
L2
l5
13
74
I3
L6
3'19,326
bodies near Mt. Taylor. The Mt. Taylor deposit, now owned by Gulf Oil Corporation,
is in the Westwater Canyon Member and is
the deepestand largest sandstone deposit to
be mined by conventional shaft technology.
This mine is now on standby status. Additional ore bodies were discovered in the Laguna, Marquez, Mariano Lake, Crownpoint,
and Nose Rock areas.
Exploration and production outside the San
fuan Basin have not been very successful.
During the 1950's,ore was shipped from 45
properties (Fig. 1); however, only 15 of these
properties produced over 100 lbs of U.O..
ttno-pay"
Many of these properties delivered
ore to the mills, so-called because the AEC
did not pay for shipments assayingless than
0.107oU.Or. Only four of these deposits produced over 1,000lbs of UrOr: the Jeter mine
in Socorro County produced 58,5621bs,the
La Bajadamine in SantaFe County produced
27,llllbs, the Lucky Don-Little Davie in Socorro County produced 4,229 lbs, and the
Midnight group in the Datil Mountains in
Catron County produced 1,,097lbs. Only the
Jeter mine and the Datil Mountains area are
believed to contain potential uranium re-
sources today (U.S. Department of Energy,
1980).
Small- to medium-sized low-grade sandstone uranium deposits have been discovered in the Hagan Basin near Cerrillos (Moore,
1979),in the Datil Mountains-Red Basin area
in Catron County (Chamberlin, 1981), and
on Mesa Portales near Cuba (U.S. Department of Energy written communication, 1979).
Only the Datil MountainrRed Basin area
(Mitinight group) produced ore; the other
areas remain unproductive. Uranium also
occursin the Galisteo Formation (Eocene)in
the Hagan Basin area. Union Carbide Corporation began sinking a decline in the late
1gz0's,but the project was abandoned prior
to development of the orebody as a result of
poor maricet conditions. Chainberlin (1981)
interprets the uranium deposits in the Red
Basin area to have formed at the base of a
latedtic-weatheting profile developed on the
uppermost bed of the CrevasseCanyon Formation (Cretaceous)prior to deposition of
the Baca Formation (Eocene). Low-grade
uranium mineralization was discovered by
New Cinch Uranium Company in the Mesa
Portales area in the late 1970's.The Ojo AI-
TABLE 2-URANTUMpRoDUcrIoNIN SANJueu Basurt,New Mrxco, rnov 1948ro 1982(from U.S. DOE
records, 1982).lMember of Morrison Formation; 2approximatefigures (rounded to nearest 1,000lbs).
GrantrBluewater area. In 1955, Anaconda
began construction of a second mill at Bluewater to accommodatesandstoneores. AnPRODUCfION
aconda's limestone mill was closed in 1959,
AREA
HOST FORMATION
(LBs U3og)
PERIOD
and the sandstonemill was closed in early
1982(Table5).
2 toq
Nac imiento,
Ojo Alamo,
Fruitlanal,
I 954-59
A third AEC ore-buyingstation openednear
Farmington
Dakota,
Morrison.
Todilto,
Milan
in 1956to receivethe newly discovered
Chinle,
and Cutler
ores at Ambrosia Lake (O'Rear, 1965).Four
Fomatrons
mills began operation in 1958in the AmbroShiprocksia Lake area and were operated by KerrCarrizo
Mts.
wash Memberl
Salt
160,772
r . 9 4 8 - 19 6 8
McGee, Homestake-New Mexico Partners,
and Sanostee
Homestake-Sapin Partners, and Phillips PeSanostee
Recapture
Memberl
3 3 5, g g T 2
r951-198r
troleum (Table 5). The Homestake-New
Todi-Ito
Limestone
I4
L954
Mexico Partners and the Homestake-Sapin
Grants
alistrict
Dakota
Partnersmills were consolidated inl962, and
Sandstone
5r2 ,9L7
L95r-r975
Morrison
Formation
ztl,eso,o6a2
t95r-1981
a smaller Homestake-New Mexico Partners
(Brushy
Basin
and
mill was closed. United Nuclear later acWestwater
Canyon
quired Sapin and the controlling interest in
Members,
Jackpile
sandstone,
Poison
the mills. In March 1981, Homestake and
Canyon sandstone)
United Nuclear Corporation dissolved their
joint mining and milling operations, and
breccj-a
pipe
1 3 4, g L 4
1953-56
Homestakenow owns the mines and mill.
Todilto
Limestone
6,V36,A602
I 950-1 98r
In 1963,United Nuclear Corporation bought
the Phillips Petroleum mill and mines; howmine water
4, Lrg,69a2
1963-r981
ever, the newly purchased mill was closed
TOTAL
3 2 5, 6 a 4 , O r 5
I 948-1 981
later that vear. Onlv two uranium mills are
presentlyoperatingat reducedproduction in
New Mexico: the Kerr-McGee mill and the
TABLE 3-UnINIUM PRoDUcTIoN
(ttrtct-uoINcHEAI-LEAcH
ANDMINE-wATER
REcovERy)
By couNTy rN NEw Homestake mill at Ambrosia Lake (Table5).
Mrxco rnov 1948to 1970;U.S. government contracts only. From U.S. AEC ore production receipts
Sohio Petroleum(SohioWestern)and Re(mill receipts).These figures include total ore that was received at ore-buying statibns, including "noserve Oil and Minerals Corporation began
Pay" ores (containin-gless than 0.10% U3O8).Grades represent an averageof t"otalshipments by c"ounty operating the Laguna mill in 1977,bft they
and do not include lbs of uranium obtained from heapJeach and minelwater recovery.
were forcedto closeit in JuneL981,as a result
of poor market conditions (Table5). Ore from
GRADE
YEARS
NIIqBR
OF
the Jj No. 1 mine and United Nuclear CorcouNfy
rRq u3o8
11)N ORE
c ufe
PROilrrtre
PROPRTlES
poration'sSt. Anthony mines was processed
at this mill. 1n1982Sohio and Reservesettled
Catron
502
r,208
o.12
t954-57
a
financial dispute; Sohio obtained l00Vo
Ci-bola
19,612,755
5O,34I, A35
o.24
1.952-1970
23
tbhb Ana
12
14
o.o6
ownership of the mill and mine. The mine
rv5)
I
Grmt
M5
1,367
@.L5
1953-56
3
and mill are currently on standby status.
Harding
1
2
s.L5
1955
t
United Nuclear Corporation began operHida]-go
9
35
o.L9
1955
I
LirEoln
g.o2
3
I
1954
I
ating a mill at Churchrock in 1979. In ]uly
l4cKintey
27,597,42
L2O,39I,a13
9.22
L95r-L970
95
7979, a breach occurred in the earthen taillbra
g.o4
1t
9
L954
I
ony
83
ings dam, and mill tailings were discharged
9t
o.g5
1955-58
2
Rio Arriba
q.o9
227
456
l954-57
9
into the Rio Puerco.The mill was closed until
Sandwal
t rol
438
o.$
1954-59
3
October 1,979,and operated only intermitSan Jllil
g.2r
70,8s3
30r,o79
1948-1976
45
Sil Migrel
g.g9
64
113
r.955-56
tently from that time until its final closure in
3
Santa Fe
a1 141
g,f4
9,66r
r956-57
2
May
1982.
Srerra
q
.
1
3
174
g
453
t955-r
6
Seorro
Construction is 90Vacomplete on Bokum
tq,LM
o,3r
1954-1963
7
Taos
g.b3
5
3
\954-57
I
ResourcesCorporation's Mirquez mill. Legal proceedingsand financial difficulties have
3 8 ,3 0 3 ,r 5 9
I7r, r30,506
halted construction on the mill and placed
o.22
the nearbyMarquez mine on standbystatus.
Construction has not yet begun on the proamo Sandstone(Tertiary) is the host for these tains. In January 7955,Kerr-McGee delivered posed Gulf mill at Mt. Taylor.
sandstoneuranium deirosits.
the first shipments of uranium concentrate
Production statistics
to the AEC. VCA llater calledFooteMinerals)
Uranium milling
The
AEC
bought most of the uranium ore
assumedcontrol of the Shiprock mill in 1963
Early production from the Carrizo Moun- and closedit in 1968.Uranium mills that have produced in New Mexico from L948through
tains was processedat the VCA mill in Dur- operated in New Mexico are listed in Table 1970,although chemicalcompaniesmay have
ango, Colorado. The first limestone and 5, which includes the years of operation, purchasedminor amounts of ore. Somecomsandstoneuranium ores from the Grants area maximum capacity, and the metallurgical panies in the Grants district began selling
uranium to utility companies in t957, pior
were shipped to the AEC ore-buying station processused.
at Monticello, Utah. In January 1952,the first
A secondAEC ore-buying station was es- to the termination of the AEC program on
AEC ore-buying station in Nbw Mexico be- tablished at Bluewater in June 1952because December 31, 1970.Two hundred and eight
gan receivingore at Shiprock(O'Rear,1966). of the availabilitv of sroundwater. It re- properties reported production from 1948to
The Shiprock buying station closed in 1954 mained open until the iirst Anaconda Blue- 1970(Fig. 1.).Annual production of uranium
when Kerr-McGee's Shiprock mill began water mill began processing oresin September in New Mexico from 1948to 1982is graphprocessingores from the Lukachukai Moun- 1953(O'Rear, L966).Anaconda's original mill ically illustrated in Fig. 2 and listed in Table
tains inArizona and from the Carrizo Moun- processedonly limestone ores from the
]}
New Mexico Geolow
August L983
1. Most of the production after t954 was from
the Grants district in McKinley and Cibola
Counties, with minor production from the
Sanosteeareain San Juan County (Table2).
In the late 7960's,the demand for uranium
by the electricpower companiesincreased.
Uranium production declined in the early
1.970'sbecauseof a saturatedmarket and a
long strike againstKerr-McGeein 1973(Fig.
2). Productionincreasedagain in the mid- to
Iate-L970's,due in part, to the increasein the
spot price for uranium from $6 per lb of UrO*
in 1970to over M8 per lb bv 1979. New Mexico produced 8,539tons of concentrateUrO,
in7978,46Voof the total U.S. production; in
7979,7,423tons of UrO, wereproduced, 407o
of the total U.S. production (Table1).
Since 1978.a decreasein the demand for
uranium concentrate has resulted in a decreasein production in New Mexico.In 1981
only 6,210tons of U.O, were produced, 32%
of the total U.S. production, and production
for t982 was only 3,906 tons of U.Or. The
FIGURE 2-Uranium production in New Mexico decreasein demand for uranium concentrate
from 1968to 7982ru.S. DOE, Statistical Data of is a result of many factors including overestimatesof projectedrequirementsof electhe Uranium Industrv 7968-7982\.
tricity, a change in public attitudes and
acceptanceof nuclear power (exacerbatedby
q q q q
the Three Mile Island accident), increase in
construction costs, high interest rates, increasein taxes, and the present economic
slump. Not a single Power plant has been
ordered since 1978and at least 50 reactors
have been cancelled.
Uranium production by geologichost formation is listed in Tables2 and 4. Relatively
minor quantities of uranium have been produced from jurassic (except the Morrison
Formation), Cretaceous,and Permian sediments; Tertiarv and Precambrianveins and
pesmatitedeposits;and Tertiary,Triassic,and
i'einsylvaniin sediments. Since 1954)however, most of New Mexico's uranium production has come from the Morrison
Formation in McKinley, Cibola, and SanJuan
Counties. All four members of the Morrison
Formation flurassicfSalt Wash, Recapture,
Westwater Canyon, and Brushy Basin Members-have produced utanium, but the bulk
of the mineralization is in the Westwater
Canyon Member.
Present status of uranium industry
in New Mexico
ln 1978,40-50 mines were in operation in
the state. Currently only nine mines, one in
tN Nlw MExrco FROM1948 ro 1970;U.S.
nrcovrnv) By Hosr FoRMATION
AND MrNE-wATEn
(rNcr-uorNcHEAr-LEACH
TABLE 4-UneNruM pRoDUCTToN
figures include total ore received at ore-buying slations, including "noproduction
These
receipts).
(from
iJ.S.
ore
AEC
only
!ou*-""i*ntracts
lbs of uranium obtained
iuy,, or", (containing less'than 0.10% U3OB).Grades represent an averageof total shipments by host rock and do not include
mine came
itJ. h"up-l"u.h or irine-water recovery.;An estimatld 52,160tons of ore contaimng 200,300-lbsof UrO, mined from the Churchrock
lMembers of Morrison
from thebakota Sandstone; remaining'ore was from Westwater Canyon Member. The Churchrock mine is counted twice.
Formation.
FoR4Mrcbr/rc'r
@LoRADo PI}ffFAU
l{esL€ter
ca+fon
bed'
Jad<pile
SaIt l6sh ltfirber^
Par*rvo
T\?E
lanlerl
mbrl
Tbdi-Ito
Lireslore
Brushy Basil
l.,tenberf
( including
Poisn
Cd!@
srdstone)
*xblata
Siirrdslone
EYuitlard
rblmtio
Ojo AIrc
Sandstore
l4esaverde
GUD
westmter
C"rfr6"
lf"r,*rf
Ctrinle
ard Gtler
Fomtions
Point
I@koft
Sandstone
re@ery
Rine Rtd
OF DEPGIT
sanlstone
sardstone
sanalstone
sardstore
Iimestone
sardstone
c@1
sandstore,
sardst@e
srdstone
sandstone
brecia
pitrE
sardstoe
$rdstone
mgmtiehldrottEml
mgFtiehldrceheml
mgmLic-hldrctheml
sardst@e
srdstore
sardstoe
vein-Cl4E
$rdstone
mgEtjehlilrcthe!rel
sr$tota@EAI PIAINS
Chinle
Fomtion
Sargre
de fristo
lbrisn
Formtion
sardstone
sardstoe
sddstore
Fbmtion
LBS U3O8
t U3Og
NT}4BR OF
PROPRTIES
24,M,Lgr
9,5A9,204
33,'196
37,O7r
t,re3,334
2,949,971
LOs,39,56r
46,532,6t7
r@,994
\4q,763
4,63r.ffi1
L2,635,530
6.22
o.24
6.24
o.19
6.22
s.2L
M
3
35
7
43
26
5
74
22
495
5r2,9r7
74
4a
I,T
r34,Or4
20t
3
a93,?A?
o.22
6.65
o,1l
6.12
t23,
95
38,2BT@
slbtotal
BASIN ATiD RAT.IGE
TbrLiary
inLrEives
and volceicE
l,l4dals
crcup
hednbrid
Grdite
Santa Fe Grcutr)
Abo ard l4adsa
FomtioE
Baca Fomtion
San Ardtes
Lirestone,
Santa Fe
artl l4adsa
Fomtj.on
GroLp,
Fomtion
PoIDtos
U-Bar Fomtion
TOT.rsORE
9,1&
465
T2
4b
a7
ra,org
L4
9
6.Ll
,:,
1
I
3
1
j
riL;ffij14
27,45
)'4
r,367
1)
85
366
63,259
35
20,435
92,5@
L32
t1
1
r72
9
2
I9
34
4A
49
g.r4
6.126
6.r5
6.65
q.lL
6.LA
a.32
6.92
o.r9
6.46
0.o4
q.l5
srbtotal
sottrHERN Fcclcr !orinA]}{s
grdite
Predibri-il
pegMt.ite
kedrbrro
6,U
nBgmtiehldrctheml
IEgmLite
subtotaL
IUIAL
August 1983 New Mexico Geology
34,363,t59
r7r,r3o,96
o.os
5
2A9r
situ leaching operation, and two mills are
operating in New Mexico. Many of the mines
and mills that have closed within the last
three years are on standby status with small
maintenancecrews. Employmentby the uranium industry in New Mexico has dropped
from over 6,800people in 1979and 1980to
2,613people in 1982(Table6; Fig. 3). Land
held by uranium companies for exploration,
development, and mining has dropped from
4,652,000acresin 1980to 3,615,217acresin
1983(Table 7). Total surface drilling for uranium in New Mexicohas dropped from 11.02
million ftin1976 to only 0.6 million ft in 1982
(Table8; Fig. $. These statistics are further
indications of the decline of the uranium industry in New Mexico. The major problem
facing the uranium industry today is that the
supply of uranium concentrate (yellowcake)
exceedsthe current demand. In addition,
foreign suppliers (for example, Canada and
Australia) are selling uranium at prices below domestic production costs, thereby forcing the spot or market price to decline.Aside
from lower production costs, uranium deposits in Canada and Australia are higher in
gradeand tonnagethan depositsin the United
States. The uranium industry cannot increase the demand for additional uranium
concentrate; therefore, the industry cannot
expect to recover until current supplies are
consumed by operating needs of current or
new nuclear power plants. The uranium industry needs to discover higher grade de-
posits and to reduceproduction costsin order
to adequately compete with foreign producers. In situ leaching of orebodiessimilar to
Mobil's Crownpoint, New Mexico, project
may be one example of achieving lower production costs.Domesticuranium producers
control a proved and assured uninterrupted
supply of uranium which foreign suppliers
have yet to demonstrate. The assuranceof a
continued uranium supply, coupled with the
fact that the price of uranium is an insignifBOOO
o
td
)
6000
U
TABLES-UReMUM pRocESSINc
MILLSIN NEw Msxtco Enorr.r
1953ro 1983(Jones,1977;Chenoweth, 1976;
O'Rear, 1965).'SeeJones(7977)and Merritt (1971)tor additional details and mill flow sheetsconcerning
rnetallurgicalprocesses;'?VCA(Vanadium Corporation of America).
u
_)
o
Lrl
(!
,*ro
.*
Wru
wAcIry
(rcNs/N)
op*m
IN
IMId
N I%3
(,*/w)
rc
closd
eid
195+196A
5W
1953-59
1956-1982
r,2@
5t o m
l4w
Kd-I@
IftsB+W
(@lidatd
tusbb
btolem
6ry.
NEIff
hUiF'
h t%3)
tuttr
LiJ
clod
closd
h r9a2)
alhlhe
t@h
acid ledh
r95a-r963
t,79
cLod
dhline
195&gesot
7,M
2,W
acid
lach
closd
acid
teach
2000
)
z
Ieach
pdbers
195&1962
1*i
NCh l%2)
ffiSph
Eh*s
hitd
NEIear
@p.{latq
rebb
tuhers,
Md
excleively
Iry ]ftsake
r$1)
sbce
$hio
re*srreserye
(dll
@d
dclElvely
by ehio
since 1%2)
hitd
NEIed
@ry.
(@ratirg
I979-l%2
m&tuttently
dw
a bilirEs
spill)
leah
@ON$(D@ON
(olr-Fr--|.-F@@
6ry.
hi6
dtr
rhers
o
E
Kerr&
Nrcleil
er?.
(v.c.A.-bte
uindals
(uLrol
assffi
b 1963)2
hUiF
(hid
bwht
hbr€ts
wpt
znnn
avvv
hg'm
I 958-present
3,5W
r911-r%L
\,6@
d
r91*t%2
3,W
on sta@y
375
dkalhe
*dly
acid
lacb
acid
lach
rcid
lerch
l@h
99ooooo,g
CALENDARYEAR
FIGURE3-Employment in mining and milling of
uranium in New Mexico from 1968to 1982 (U.S.
DOE, Statistical Data of the Uranium Industry,
1968-7982t.
t2
b
bM
2,qM
df
4,2M
@strEtlon
hdtd
TABLE 6-NuuBER oF PERsoNsEMPLoYED
IN MTNING
ANDMTLLTNG
oF uRANruMrN NEw MEXrco pnorvr1968
'to 7982.Thesenumbers do.not include
?elsofis working in the exploration field or in in situ Ieaching
operations (U.S. DOE, Statistical Data of the Uranium Industry, 7969-1982).
NEId MD(I@
II}IITED STATES
z^
- H
j -
=
to€
U<o"
L =
)IEAR
TCTBL
IVI]NII\I3
TVIAL
}4ILLING
T(IIAL
NEl^l MB{ICO
TUIAL
MINING
TCNAL
}4ILLING
TCTBL
UNTTED STATES
CE=
a-
)
<4
r963
t%9
t97g
T97T
r972
r973
r974
r975
L976
r977
L978
L979
LgU
198r
L9A2
2,463
2,LI2
2,L43
r,a@
1,635
r,638
1,857
2,857
3,833
5,264
6,O2r
5,666
5,679
3,399
2,929
1f,6
596
@4
563
543
f, /6
62L
452
I,@6
L,q2r
1,L27
L,I@
1,145
a2r
5tJZ}
2,56r
2,7A2
2,747
2,423
2, r78
2,2L6
2,479
3,759
4,879
6,2A5
7,L48
6,826
6,924
4,2L9
2,6L3
4,44
4,762
4,428
4,2r8
3,72L
3,516
? ora
5,386
7,442
LO,6.5
L2,a7r
L2,755
Lt,76a
7,473
5,957
r,7L7
L,725
L,67A
L,649
L,53A
r,522
I,668
2,237
2,48
3,O53
3,236
3,25r
2,367
L,956
6,I57
6,427
6,196
5,t367
5,25r
5,938
5,5%
7,623
9,769
l-],963
15,\24
15,99I
L5,Ol9
g,ug
7,Ar3
F
F
(ooN$@@oN
@FFFFF,-@CO
aaoooaoo
C A L E N D A RY E A R
FIGURE 4-Total surface drilling in New Mexico
from 1968to L982 (U.S. DOE, Statistical Data of
the Uranium Industry, 1968-7982).
NewMexicoGeology Augtrst 1983
49
icant cost of the overall investment of a nuclear power plant, may encourage utility
companiesto purchasedomesticuranium.
Approximately 35Voof the total $50 per lb
uranium reservesin the United Statesis in
New Mexico, which amounts to 201,000tons
of U.O, (Table9). New Mexico containsonly
2Voof.the total $30 per lb probable potential
resourcesin the United States,which amounts
to 16,000tons of U.O" (Mclemore/ 1981).With
the recovery of the uranium industry, New
Mexico will continue to supply a considerable portion of the United States' uranium
requirements. The question remains: if and
when will the demand for domestic supplies
of uranium increase?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTs-This
teport is the result of a 2-yr study and compilation of ura-
TABLE 7-LeND HoLDTNGS(es or faluenv 1, 1983) FoR uRANruM EXpLoRArroNAND MrNrNc rnov 1968 ro
1983 rN AcREs (U.S. DOE, Statistical Data of the Uranium Industry, 7969-7982).
YEAR
NFI IvtO<tCO
r968
1969
r97g
I97I
r972
r973
t914
L975
L976
L977
L97A
r979
I9Ag
198r
r9a2
1983
6,292,AW
7,22g,AAg
g,g65,g60
4,7L7,AW
4,rL9,OAg
3,rog,gao
3,r58,AW
3,378,A99
3,663,994
3,8€5,W
3,855,MO
4,279,AW
4,652,WO
4,392,449
3,685,9OO
3,6L5,2L7
TOIAL UNIIED STATNS
E OF I.NITED STAIES TTIAL
L6,836,OW
21,34r,600
27,279,W
24tM6,Agg
rg,w7,gM
17,677,9W
l.8,774,W8
2r,276,6M
22,9LL,gOA
27,983,gffi
29,3LL,gw
32,668,9W
35,L6L,649
35,635,OM
34,3rO,g6g
32,g5g,qw
JI
34
30
I9
22
l8
L7
16
16
I4
t?
nium mines, deposits, and occurrencesin
New Mexico, supported by the New Mexico
Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resourcesand
by the U.S. Department of Energy.The final
report has been released as a New Mexico
Bureauof Mines and Mineral Resourcesopenfile report (Mclemore, 1983).Two previous
reports have been completed: the first report
discussesthe Departmentof Energy'sNURE
(National Uranium Resource Evaluation)
program in New Mexico (Mclemore, 1981),
and the second report describesand discussesthe uranium and thorium occurrences
and potential in igneous and metamorphic
rocks and veins in New Mexico (Mclemore,
1e82).
I wish to thank William Chenoweth and
ElizabethLearned (U.S. Department of Energy) for providing me with most of the statistics used in compiling Tables1, 2,3, and
4. William Chenoweth, Frank Kottlowski
(New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral
Resources),and Richard Chamberlin (New
Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources)reviewed the manuscript, and their
discussionsand citicisms are gratefully
"ppreciated.
I3
I3
T2
I1
11
Refetences
Albrethsen, A., Jr., and McGinley, F. E.,7982, Summary
history of domestic uranium Procurement under U.S.
Atomic Energy Commission conhacts, final report: U.S.
Department of Energy, Report GJBX-220(82),161 pp.
Chamberlin, R. M., 1981,Uranium potential of the northeastem Datil Mountains-Pie Town area, Cahon County,
New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral
su,rlsrrcs ron Nsw Mexrco pnowr1968ro 1982;these figures are used
TABLE 8-TorAL suRFAcEDRTLLTNG
Resources,Open-file Report 138, 51 pp.
as a measure of exploration activity (U.S. DOE, 9tatistical Data of the Uranium Industry, 1969-1982).
Chenoweth,W. L.,1975,Uranum resourcesin New Mexico, in Tectonicsand mineral resourcesof southwestern
NorthAmerica: New Mexico GeologicalSociety,Special
I.JNITED STATES
NEW MDfi@
Publication No. 6, pp. 138-143.
TOIAL St]RFACE
T TOfAL
TCNAL SURFACE
CAI,ENIBR
-,
9n, Uranium in the San Juan Basin, an ovei}trLLIO\I FET
I,JNITED STATBS
MILLION FEI
YEAR
iew, in San Juan Basin III: New Mexico Geological
Society,Guidebook 28th field conference,pp.257-262.
Chenoweth, W. L., and Holen, H. K., 7980,Exploration
in Grants uranium region since 1953;inC. R. Rautman,
l9
23.&
4.50
1968
compiler, Geology and rnineral technology of the Grants
19
29.W
5.65
r969
uranium region 1979:New Mexico Bureauof Mnes and
22
23.53
5.18
L970
Mineral Resources,Memoir 38, pp. 77-27.
20
Chenoweth,W L., and Leamed, E. A., 1980,Historical
r 5.45
L97I
3.95
review of uranium-vanadium production in the eastem
23
L5.42
r972
3.55
Carrizo Mountains, Sanfuan County, New Mexico, and
24
L6.42
r973
3.89
Apache County, Arizona: U.S. Department of Energy,
22
22.W
4.a6
L974
TechnicalMemorandum TM-210, 19 PP.
26.W
22
r975
5.74
Gillerman, E., 1964, Mineral deposits of westem Grant
CounW, New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines
32
34.W
LL.O2
L976
and M'ineral Resources,Bulletin 83, 213 pp.
22
4L.Og
r977
9.Lg
Holmquist, R. J., 1970,The discovery and development
2L
47.W
9.qt
I97B
of uranium in the Grants mineral belt: U.S. Atomic
r5
4g.w
L979
6.34
Energy Comrnission, Report RNIE-172,122 pp.
t6
27.85
4.45
LgW
Jones,J. Q., 1977, Urantum processingdeveloPments,in
Uranium industry seminar, proceedings:U.S. DepartII
L4.T2
r.51
I98I
ment of Energy, Report GJO-108(n, pp. 181-194.
Ig
6.Lg
L9A2
o.@
Mclemore, V T., 1981,Uraniurn resourcesin New Mex-
rr.rNrw MExrco As oF JANUARv
1, 1983 (U.S. Department of Energy, written communication, 1983)
TABLE 9-DsrRrBr,"TroNoF uRANruMREsERVEs
llncludes $30 reserves;NA, not available.
Ner* Ivlexico
Tons of U39,
United
States
U.S. Trotal
Tons of U3Og
$30 Resenres
73,9W
tq,
m
$50 Resenresl
2qL,WJg
576,W9
35
August 1983
Nan Mexico Geology
ico-discussion of the NURE program: New Mexico
Geology, v. 3, no. 4, pp.54-58.
-,
1982, Radioactive occunences in veins and ieneousand metamorphicrocksof New Mexicowith ainotated bibliography: New Mexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources,Open-file Report 155,and U.S.
Department of Energy, R6port GJBX-1O0(82),277
pp.
-,
1983,Uraniurn and thorium occunencesin New
Mexico-distribution, geology, production, and reserueswith bibliography: New Mexico Bureau of Mines
and Mineral Resources,Open-file Report 183.
Melancon, P. E., 7963, History of exploration; in V C.
Kelley, compiler, Geology and technology of the Grants
uranium region: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and
Mineral Res6urces,Memoir 15, pp. 3-5.
Merritt, R. C., 1,971,,
The extractive metallurgy of uranium: Colorado School of Mines Research Institute,
JohnsonPublishingCo., 576 pp.
Moore,J. C.,1979,Uranium depositsin the GalisteoFormation of the Hagan Basin, Sandoval County, New
Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society,Guidebook 30th
field conference,pp. 265-268.
O'Rear, W. 8., 1966, Summary and chronology of the
domestic uranium program: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, TechnicalMemorandum TM-182 50 pP.
Saucier,A. E., 7979,Grants uranium region guidebook,
Albuquerque to Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico: New
Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources,unpublished field guide lor 7979 symposium on Grants
uranium region, 28 pp.
U.S. Department of Energy, 1980,An assessmentrePort
on uranium in the United Statesof America: U.S. Department of Energy, Report GJO-111(80),150 pp. n
FallFieldGonlerence
NMGS
The 34th annual field conference of the New Mexico Geological Society will be held in the Socorro area October 13, 14, and 15,
1983.The field trip will be by 4-wheel drive vehicles and will visit some spectacularcanyon and mesa country that few people have
seen. The RegistrationChairman, Dr, Richard M. Chamberlin, can be reached at the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral
Resources,Socorro, New Mexico 87801(505)835-5310.A registration brochure will be mailed to NMGS members in August. An idea
of the breadth of subjectsto be covered can be gleaned from the following preliminary list of papers to be published in the guidebook.
History and archaeology
The refoundingof Socorro,78l6,by Marc Simmons,
Cerrillos, NM
The Civil War in New Mexico: Tall tales and true,
by S. Wilsonand R. A. Bieberman,NMIMT and
NMBMMR
Gustav Billing, the Kelly mine, and the great smelter
at Park City, Socorro County, New Mexico, by
R. W. Eaeleth,NMBMMR
Excavation of a Piro Indian Pueblo near Socoro,
by Linda Cordelland Amy Earle,UNM
Cultural-historical reconstructions of Pueblo Indians in the Socorro area, bv M. P. Marshall,
Corrales, NM
Stratigraphy, sedimentology, and paleontology
The Pennsylvanian Systern, Socorro region, New
Mexico: stratigraphy, petrology, depositional
environments, by W. T. Siemers,Phillips Petroleum Companv
Paleocurrent-anilysis of early Permian Abo Formation, Cerros de Amado area, Socorro, New
Mexico, by J. A. Cappaand /. R. MacMillan, FMC
Corp. and NMIMT
Plant iossils and lithostratigraphy of the Abo Formation (Lower Permian) of the Socorroarea and
plant biostratigraphy of Abo red beds in New
Mexico, bv Adrian Harzf, NMIMT
Stratigraphy, paleontology, depositional framework, and nomenclature of marine Upper Cretaceousrocks, SocorroCounty, New Mexico, by
Tectonics, structure, and geophysics
S. C. Hook, W. A. Cobban,and,C. M. Molenaar,
Tectonicmap of the Socorroregion, by C. E. Chapin,
Gettv Oil Co.. and USGS
NMBMMR
The thick splay depositional style of the Crevasse
Composite residual total intensity aeromagnetic
Canyon Formation, Cretaceousof west-central
map of the Socorro region, by Lindrith Cordell,
New Mexico, by Stezten
lohansen,University of
USGS
Texasat Austin
Bouguer gravity anomaly map of the Socorro re- Late Cretaceous(Turonian) vertebrate paleontolgion, by G. R. Keller,UTEP
ogy, Joytta Hills, by D. L. Wolberg,NMBMMR
Cenozoic domino-style crustal extension, Lemitar Lacustrine deposits of the EoceneBacaFormation,
Mountains, New Mexico, by R. M. Chamberlin,
western SocorroCounty, New Mexico, by S. M.
NMBMMR
Cather,University of Texasat Austin
Structural problems along the east side of the So- The Baca Formation and the Eocene-Oligocene
corro Basin, by C. T. Srnifh,NMIMT
boundary in New Mexico, by 5. G. Lucas,UNM
Laramide Sierra uplift: evidence for major pre-rift
Cenozoic shatigraphy of the northeastern Mogouplift in central and southern New Mexico, by
llon-Datil volcanic field: an introduction. bv
S. M. Cather,University of Texasat Austin
G. R. Osburnand C. E. Cirapln,NMBMMR
Geodetic evidence for contemporarv vertical de- Fossilplantsfrom the EarlyNeogeneSocorroflora,
formation in the Socorroarea, by S. C. Larsen,
central New Mexico, by H. W. Meyer,University
R. E. Reilinger,and /. E. Oliaer, Cornell Univerof California at Berkeley
sity
PliePleistocene mammals from Oio de la Parida,
Effects of uplift on the Rio Grande above the Soby D. L. Wolberg,NMBMMR
corro magma body, by Shunji Ouchi, Colorado
State University
Volcanic geology
Magma bodies in the Rio Grande rift in central
Ash-flow
tuffs
and
cauldrons in the northeastern
New Mexico, by A. R. Sanford,NMIMT
Mogollon-Datil volcanic field: a summary, by
Seismicity of the Socorro area of the Rio Grande
G. R. Osburn,NMBMMR
rift,by A. R. Sanford,L. H. laksha,andD. Wieder,
Preliminary results from a paleo- and rock-magNMIMT
netic study of Oligoceneash-flow tuffs, Socorro
Magnetotelluric soundings along the COCORP
County, New Mexico, by W. C. Mclntosh,
seismicprofile in the central Rio Grande rift, by
NMBMMR
P. S. Mitchell and G. R. liracek, San Diego State
Miocene rhyolitic volcanism in the Socorroarea of
University
New Mexico, by D. I.Bobrow, P. R. Kyle, and
G. R. Osburn,NMIMT and NMBMMR
Precambrian geology
Economic geology
Geology and U-Pb geochronology of Proterozoic
rocks in the vicinity of Socorro,New Mexico, by Petroleum exploration in Socorro County, by R. F.
S. A. Bowring, S. C. Kent, and W. Sumner,UniBroadhead,
NMBMMR
versity of Kansas and NMBMMR
Petroleum exploration along the southern margin
Transposition structures in Precambrian rocks of
of the Colorado Plateau, by B. A. Black, Black
New Meyico, by l. F. CallenderUNM
Oil, Inc.
Coal resources of Socorro County, New Mexico,
by l. Cima Osburn,NMBMMR
Uranium in the Socorro area, New Mexico, by
V. T. McLemore,NMBMMR
Carbonatites in the Lemitar and Chupadera
Mountains, Socorro County, New Mexico, by
V. T. McLemore,NMBMMR
Lithium-enriched altered ashes of the Popotosa
Formation, Lemitar Mountains, by S.Asher-Bolinder, USGS
Geology,alteration, and genesisof the Luis Lopez
manganesedistrict, New Mexico, by T. L. Eggleston,D. l. Norman,C. E. Chapin,and S. Saoin,
NMIMT and Case Western ReserveUniversity
Epithermal manganesemineralization, Luis Lopez
manganesedistrict, by D. L Norman, T. L. Eggleston,and K. Bazrafshan,NMIMT
Mississippi Valley-type lead-fluorite-barite deposits of the Hansonburg mining district, by B. R.
Putnamlll, D. l. Norman,and R. W. Smith,Newmont Exploration, Ltd., NMIMT and St. Joe
Minerals Coro.
History and geology of precious metal occurrences
in Socorro County, by R. M. Nortft, NMBMMR
Preliminary investigation of the origin of the Riley
"travertine," northwestem SocorroCounty, New
Mexico, by I. U. Barker,NMBMMR
Geomorphology and Quaternary geology
Progressreport on the Late Cenozoic geologic evolution of the lower Rio Puerco, bv D. W. Loae
and l. D. Young,NMBMMR
PleistoceneLake Trinity, an evaporite basin in the
northern Jornada del Muerto, New Mexico, by
I. T. Neal, R. E. Smith, and B. F. lones, Sandia
Natl. Labs.,U.S. MineralsManagementService,
and USGS
Rock glaciers on the west slope of South Baldy,
Magdalena Mountains, Socorro County, New
Mexico, by I.W. Blagbroughand H. G. Brownlll,
U.S. ForestService
Hydrogeology and engineering geology
Hydrogeology of the Socorroand La JenciaBasins,
bv S. Andefiolm,USGS
Ground-water circulation in the Socorro geothermal area, by G. W. Grossand R. Wilcox,NMIMT
Hydrological investigations near Socorro, New
Mexico, using electrical resistivity, by G. R. liracek,San Diego State University
The Rio Saladoat flood, by A. C. Simcox,NMIMT
Floods and rechargerelationships of the lower Rio
Puerco, by D. Hmth, NMIMT
Engineering geology of the Socorro area,by G. D.
lohnpeer,and B. M. Hazll, NMBMMR
NewMexicoGeologyAugust1983
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