CHAPTERTWO

GEOLOGIC SETTING

2.1 Regional Geology

TheMarysvalevolcanicfield is situatedin the transitionalzonebetweenthe

ColoradoPlateauandGreatBasinprovinces,andis associated
with othermajorvolcanic
areaswhich encirclethe ColoradoPlateau@igure2.1),includingthe SanJuan,Mt.
Taylor,Mogollon,and SanFranciscoMountainsvolcanicfields. TheMarysvalefield is
towardthe north-eastterminusof a north-eastwardly
trendingbelt of Tertiaryigneous
activity (Stevenet al., 1979).This belt is approximately350km in length(from SE
Nevadato centralUtah) andup to 100km in width. The Marysvaleportionof the belt
experienced
especiallyintenseigneousactivity (Stevenet al., 1984).

2.2 Local Geology

Beforeeitherintrusiveor extrusiveigneousactivitybeganat Marysvale,the region
comprisedMesozoicsedimentary
rocks,includingthe MoenkopiandNavajoformations
(Figure2.2). Rocksof the CarmelFormation(upperJurassic)wereexposedandbeing
eroded.Local productsof igneousactivity consistedof ash'flows,breccias,tuffs, aswell
asrelateddiatremes,dikes,andintusions, alongwith distalash-flowsheetsfrom the
GreatBasininterbedded
with the locally derivedvolcanics(Stevenet al., 1979).

Five calderashavebeenidentifiedin theMarysvalevolcanicfield (Stevenet al.,

1984). Thesecalderasandtheir associated
volcanicrocks(approximatetotal volumeof
volcanicrocksis 1,000to 1,500km3)arefurtherrelatedto epizonalintrusionsthat never
coalescedinto a singleintrusivebody. They areprobablyunderlainby a deepcomposite
batholithcomposedof two distinctpetrogenetic
associations:calc-alkalineandbimodal
mafic-silicic.

2.2.1 Bullion Canyon Volcanics

From approximately 35 Ma to 22Ma, igneous activity in the Marysvale field was
dominatedby the accumulationof volcanic rocks of calc-alkaline composition known as
the Bullion Canyon Volcanics (BCV) In the Marysvale region, monzonite and quarrz
monzonite intrusions are associatedwith the BCV. They are found to lie within, as well
as define the outline of, the abovenoted calderas(Stevenet al., r9g4).

2.2.2 Mount Belknap Volcanics

Beginningapproximately2lMaago, the compositionof localvolcanicrocks

changedfrom calc-alkaline
to bimodalmafic-silicic.Theoldestsilicic rocksof thebimodal
associationarethe Mount BelknapVolcanics(ltBD

MBV volcanismendedabout14

Ma ago. Graniteintrusions,consanguineous
to the MBV, wereemplacedaround20Ma
andlocally causedsomealterationof the quartzmonzonite
intrusions.A hiddensilicic

intrusion,evidencedby rhyolitic dikes,andthoughtto be the heatsourcefor the

hydrothermalmineralizationat Marysvale,maybe relatedto MBV activity.

2.3 StudyArea Geology

The study areais the distict known as the "Central Mining Area" near
Marysvale,IJtah,260 km (160 mi.) southof Salt Lake City (Figure 2.3). Mining
production in this areawas principally from a network of hydrothermal uranium ore
(uraninite-pyrite-fluorite) veins. Mining in the district is presently inactive.

2.3.1 Central fntrusive Quartz Monzonite

Of particularinterestto this studyis the approximately23 Ma old quartz

monzoniteintrusionwhich is locally known asthe "CentralIntrusive". The approximate
ageof the CentralIntrusiveis basedupon: K-Ar agesfrom biotiterangingfrom 22 to 28
alunite
22.3Mafrom hydrothermal
Ma @assettet al., 1963);K-fu ages(n=3)averaging
formedalongthemarginof the intrusion(Stevenet al.,1979);fission-trackagesfor
samplesof zircon at20.4fl.9 and 19.0t0.8Ma, apatiteat23.2* 2.6Ma, andinclusions
in biotite at2l.6 + 0.9 Ma (Stevenet al., 1979);Ar-Ar releasespectrafrom two biotite
samplesfrom relativelyundisturbedquartzmonzonite,yielding an averageplateauageof
totalgasageof 23.2Ma (Shea,1987);andRb-Sranalyses
223 t0.3 Ma andanaverage
yieldingan "isochron"ageof 28.21 5.6Ma, andinitial 8751p651:
of whole-rocksamples

0.705393+ 0.000089,
with a correlationcoeflicient(r = 0.8943)too low to allow age
significance
to be appliedto the slopeof theline (Shea,1987).
The CentralIntrusiveappearsto be at the westernedgeof the MonroePeak
Caldera(Stevenet al., 1984). TheMonroePeakCalderais the largestin the Marysvale
volcanicfield, with approximatearealdimensionsof 17by 261<n,andapproximately300
to 450 km3of extrudedvolcanics,andcollapsed23 to 2l Ma ago(Stevenet al., 1984).
As evidenceof the shallowexposureof the CentralIntrusive,blocksof quartzite
arefound asroof pendantsnorthandnorth-westof the Bullion Hills (Ken et al., 1957).
Cunninghamand Steven(1979)mappedthe CentralIntrusiveas stronglyporphyriticto
equigranularquartzmonzonite,monzonite,andgranodiorite.
and
Thequartzmonzonite,asdescribedby Shea(1989),is medium-grained
consistsof calcicandesine(-An+o-so),alkali feldspar,quatlz,phlogopiticbiotite (-Phzsminerals
Anzs),andvariablyCa-richaugiteandhornblende.Theprincipalaccessory
includemagnetite,apatite,sphene,zircon,rutile, andilmenite. Deutericandhydrothermal
magnetite,epidote,pyrite,
mineralsincludesericite,chlorite,quartz,carbonate,
to,rrmalingadularia,alunite,montmorillonite,illite, allophane,kaolinite,halloysite,and
nontronite(Kerr et al., 1957). The quartzmonzonitepetrographyand compositionwas
alsostudiedby El-Mahdy(1966)andEmhof(1984).Figure2.4 showsthe modalresults
for both the quartzmonzonite(n:10) andquartzsyenite(n:5) of Emhof (1984),along
MVF samples(seeSection3.2.l)andthe "fresh"MVF-66 and
with threemeter-scale

10

MVF-68 quarlzmonzonitesamples,plottedon a Q-A-P diagram(after Sfieckeisen,

1967). Specificmineralsof the quartzmonzonitearediscussed
in detailin Chapter3.

2.3.2 Hydrothermal Rock Alteration

Kerr et al. (1957)describedandcategorized

hydrothermalalterationat Marysvale
in termsof five stages.Figure2.5 showstherelativestabilityof the variousquafiz
monzoniterock-formingmineralsassociated
with thesefive stages.In this particularcase,
Stage5 is representative
of the orevein itself. The sampleswerecollectedacrossan
alteration"channel"on the 24}-footlevel of the Freedom#2 mine,belowthe oxidized
zone. The five alterationstagesof Kerr et al. (1957)canalsobe thoughtof in termsof the
generaltypesof hydrolyticalteration,asdescribedby Meyer andHemley(1967),Rose
andBurt (1979),andBartonet al. (1991).
The hydrothermaleffectswhich havebeenreported(Ken et al., 1957;
El-Mahdy,1966;Shea,1982;SheaandFoland,1986)arecausedby the hydrolytic
alteration(i.e.,hydrogen-ionmetasomatism)
of the wall rock. Typical reactionsarethe
chloritizationof biotite andthe sericitizationof feldsparandchlorite. Iron wasleached
from the wall rock andpyrite formed. Calciumfrom the alterationof plagioclase
combinedwith F- to makefluorite,andCO3-2to form calcite.
The mineralizationassociated
with theuranium-bearing
veinsat Marysvaletook
placeat leastapproximately450 metersbelowthe surface(CunninghamandSteven,
1979). The samplesstudiedfor this dissertationwere collectedin the near-surface,
within
1l

the mineworkings,at approximately250metersdepth. Themineralalterationandgangue

mineralassemblage
indicatesthatthe hydrothermalfluids wereprobablyslightly acidic,
possiblyin the pH rangeof aslow as2 to 4 (Cunninghamand Steven,l97g). Basedupon
a comparisonof Eh-pH diagramsfor the systemU-O2-CO2-HzO
(e.g.,Langmuir, 1997;
Brookins,1988)andthe observedMarysvaleU mineralizaion,theEh of the ascending
hydrothermalfluid would havebeengreaterthanapproximately+250mV (i.e.,abovethe
stabilityfield of uo2), with a pH lessthanapproximately5 (i.e., to the left of the
stabilityfield of intermediateU-oxidesandschoepite).Only a modestincreasein pH to
greaterthanapproximately5 would be requiredto precipitateuraniniteUO2,intermediate
u-oxidesu+os to u3os, schoepite
(uoz)s oz (oH)rz . l2(H2o), or coffiniteu(sio4)r-*
(OH)r*. This increasein pH couldbe causedby the boiling of the hydrothermalfluid at
the near-surface
(HollandandMalinin, 1979),andwould be associated
with the
precipitationof calcite(observedin u-bearingveinsat Marysvale).
TheEh valueof +250mV (at pH 2 to 4) notedabovecanbe characterized
as
slightlyreducing,andnot unexpected
in nafural,near-surface
conditions.Indeed,most
naturaluraninitesor pitchblendes(andprobablycoffinites)arepartially oxidized,with
compositionsbetweenUOz.oo
andUO2.67,
andtheir stabilityfields occurunderconditions
commonlyencountered
in groundwater(Langmuir,1997).Uranousfluoridecomplexes
arethe dominantform of solubleU(IV) for typicalgroundwaterconcentrations
of sulfate
(- 100ppm),chloride(- l0 ppm),fluoride(- o.z ppm),andphosphate
(- 0.1 ppm)
underreducingconditionsandbelowpHs of approximately5 (Langmuir,l97g), and

t2

greatlyenhancethe U09 solubilityandmobility undertheseconditions.The

precipitationof the fluorideion asfluorite canreduceU(IV) mobility suchthat uraninite
(or coffinite) is precipitatednearby,asobservedat Marysvale.While fluoride formsthe
mostimportanturanylcomplexesunderacidicconditions,phosphateandcarbonate
complexesaredominantundernear-neutral
andalkalineconditions,respectively
(Langmuir,1978) However,at elevatedtemperatures
(> - 100"C), the uranylcarbonate
complexesareminor speciesat all pHs (Langmuir,1978).Naturaloccurrences
of coffinite
when
cancoexistat equilibriumwith uraninitesof compositionUOz.oo
to UO2.ss,
dissolvedsilica is greaterthanapproximately60 ppm,asinferredfor Marysvalewhere
uraninite,coffinite,andsecondaryquartzhaveprecipitatedtogether.
Mineralization(uranium-molybdenum)
occurredafterthe depositionof the
Mount BelknapVolcanics. As notedabove,the heatsourceto drive the hydrothermal
systemresponsible
for this mineralization
is postulated
to be a hiddenintrusion
associated
with the cessationof the MBV activity. The glassyrhyolitic dikesthoughtto
represent
this hiddenintrusionyield K-Ar agesof l8 to 19Ma (Cunningham
et al., 1982).
The quartzmonzonitewhich comprisesthe CentralIntrusiveis the rock unit most
affectedby mineralizationin the CentralMining Area. The fine-grainedgranite,which
underliesmuchof the CentralMining Area,is alsoa majorhostof mineralization.The
RedHills Tuff, which overliesboth the qtartz monzoniteandfine-grainedgranite,is also
mineralized.

t3

2.3.3 Vein Mineralogy

Many (-40) mineralshavebeenreportedto be presentin the veinsat Marysvale
(Ken et al., 1957;El-Mahdy,1966).Theyoccurin threemajormineralzones:supergene
(weathered);
hypogene(hydrothermal),
andmixedsupergene
andhypogene.The zone
applicableto the samplesof this studyis within the hypogenezone,at least50 meters
belowthe bottomof the mixedzone. The mixedzonebeginsabout60 metersbelowthe
surface@-Mahdy, 1966). Vein mineralscommonat the depthof the hypogenezone
includefluorite,uraninite,coflinite, quartz,pyrite,jordisite,umohoite,andcalcite(Ken et
would have
al., 1957; El-Mahdy,1966;Shea,I 982). A brief andqualitativeparagenesis
hydrothermalquartzandcalciteasthe initial phases,followedby coevaluraninite,fluorite
andpyrite,with jordisite,umohoite,andcoffrnitecomprisingthe final phases.
The veinletof this study(MVl7l sampleseries)containsquartzandcalcite,
without anydiscernibleU ore minerals.However,theveinletis elevatedin U content
relativeto the surroundingrock (seeSection3.4.4).

t4

Rhyollte-Daclte ash-flow tuffs

ffi

Andeslte lava and debrls flows

Felslc Intruslve rocks

!1ffi''-,,'Rq

Calderas

/\
\

_1,

L|

o
0

-\\

\*t

\\-

t|VlJt)
\*,

1
$

--

\a,lr

4O O

M T LES
XT LoM ET ER S

600

Figure2.1. Simplifieddistributionof 34 to 17Ma igneousrocksandknown

calderasof theMarpvale, SanJuan,andMogollonvolcanicfields in the
GreatBasinandColoradoPlateauprovinces.Datafrom Lipman (1984),
(1984),Stevenet al. (1984),and
Ratteet al. (1984),SargentandRoggensack
(1976).
Stewartetal.
FigureafterBestetal. (1989).A = Abajo,H = Henry,
=
LS La Sal mountains(seetext).

15

-19 Ma
\\\\\\
\\\\\\\\
\\\\\\
J

.f

..

..

..

.t

....

2l to 19 Ma

23 to2l Ma
l:Ihtnrbiv.r
35 to23 Ma
J t'' . , . . .
i\ ' A " " ' n " " rs ' ' ' -A " ' ' J [ " " J S " " f i " " ' j t i " " h

JAlti'*
A

*
rt

'tA J \ J T^ d \ a \ rt J \ A rt l -i

J\

J\

.i

i-" " A" " a'" 'if

h" " " Jr" " .t-...rt....rt--'.

J\*J\AAJ\AAAAJ\]\{
1\.....^.....t.,.,a..---A--.-A---.^

a\
J\
-..........t......

.t

i
-t

C
N
M
Figure 2.2. Schematicgeologichistory aroundMarysvale,Utah. The region has
experiencedrepeatedigneouseventsgiving rise to voluminousvolcanic deposits,
collapsecalderas,andepizonalintrusions.M = MoenkopiFormation;N =
Navajo Sandstone;C = CarmelFormation;BCV = Bullion CanyonVolcanics;
MBV = Mount Belknap Volcanics. Rock unit symbolsas in Figure 2.3. After
Shea(1982).

16

\\\

'l

l^

Tr't'Q..'.."t.
t*trtd..t*t..
f'\\\r
t 9\\\i
tttt- i tt:
tt'..t*tdr'*'d:
ttttt.tr/rff
r tr r ttl t
,tttttl

l A\\- \\\\

\.\

ry1*r[Si!f
) F l 'tI'r 'td

Y\

3t'30'

ft-,d't')

\\\\^

n^:4t

ffiffi
ffi

t"-t)^^r.^..^^^,*'
\\

fr l

%^ ^^ I"
Jt

Iti

rt

J\

*
*
fo*' * (1t,.t..tf, ^ ^ ^ ^ ^* ^''
*

_JL

^l\

..

Jr

Jla

Jr.

*^A*\/J'Jt\^AA^^
JT

Jl

L\A

JL

['f^::::l
*

taD,.

Jr

15.AAAAAaIt
| **,^AAA\
fa
Jt

Ji

Jt^+t&JlJt*A

g_.1

/\-1

^^G[i151^^^^^^
*^^^^^
^T*fl\q)
l^!L
ll

4A*a&A*
Jn

3t 27' 30'

m ;-rmt*'ffi*r*rm rmi
Elr",o

Ar'I\Jl.

Jt

Mount BelknapVolcanics

Y^

*AAA*

il

lJt

3f 27',10'

f!\Ji

l /l

tr O

t.ta

Bullion CanyonVolcanics

mio"fl*i
mrb
Navajo Sandstone

l-l

Little Table Volcanics

H'rrn

Tlt

lutanI
l'I
Qtradfftgle

Laatin

Figure 2.3. Simplified Marysvale gmlogic map (after Cunninghamand Steven,1979). Tnrt =
dikes and srnall stocks of aphanitic rhyolite; Tmg = Gray Hill Rhyolite; Tmr = Red Hills Tuff;
Tmf = fine-grained granite; Tmi = porphyritic rhyolite stocks and domes; Tba = aplite plugs and
dikes; Tbi = intermediate-composition intrusive rock, including quartz monzonite, npnzonite and
granodiorite (i.e. Central Intrusive); Tb = heterogeneouslava flows and breccias; Jtrn = Navajo
Sandstone;Tlt = Litue Table Volcanics. Central Mining Area (CMA) indicated by oval.
Samplelocationsshown as circles (open= rock; filled = water).

T7

Figure2.4. Modalcomposition
of Marysvalequartzmonzonite
(P).
asexpressed
by quartz(Q), alkalifeldspar(A), andplagioclase
Petrographic
fieldsandnomenclature
follow theIUGS
convention(Streckeisen,
1967).Dataarcfrom Emhof(1984)
= euortzsyenite]and Shea(1982)
quartz
monzonite;squares
[circles
=
closedtriangles= MVF-66and-68].
[diamonds Qusrtzmonzonite;
Seetextfor furtherdiscussion.

18

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Primary Constituents
Andesine
Unaltered
Partly altered
Completely altered
Orthoclase
Unaltered
Partly altered
Completely altered
Biotite
Unaltered
Chloritized
Argillitized
Augite
Unaltered
Partly altered
Completely altered
Quartz
Unaltered
Recycled and/or
argillitizeA
Apatite
Unaltered
Partly altered
Magnetite
Unaltered
Partly altered
Sphene
Unaltered
Partly altered
Structural Features
Myrmekite
Micropegmatite

Figure2.5. Rangein occurence

of Marysvalequartzmonzoniteminerals
relativeto alterationstages(darkpattern= moreprevalent;light pattern=
lessprevalent).Thesemineralchanges
arecausedby hydrolyticalteration
from a hydrothermal
fluid. Secondary
mineralssuchasq\artz,calciteand
fluoriteareat leastpartlyformedfromthedissolutionof theserockformingminerals.After Ken et aI. (1957).
19