bowie zeolite an arizona industrial mineral · vol. 8, no.4 earth sciences and mineral resources in...

Vol. 8, No.4 Earth Sciences and Mineral Resources in Arizona

BOWIE ZEOLITEAN ARIZONA INDUSTRIAL MINERAL

by Mr. Ted H. Eyde

Dec. 1978

The following article was contributed by Ted Eyde, a Tucsonconsulting geologist, and edited for FIELDNOTES by H. WesleyPeirce of the Bureau staff, We thank Ted for the interest andeffort represented.

INTRODUCTION

The value of industrial materials produced in Arizona each yearexceeds 100 million dollars. Although this sum is dwarfed by thebillion dollar metals industry, the utility of the nonmetallicmaterials exceeds their value - they greatly enhance our dailylives. There are about twenty-eight major groups of nonmetallicsubstances inventoried in Bureau bulletin no. 180, Mineral andWater Resources of Arizona. The last item on the list isZEOLITES. Very likely, few Arizonans have ever heard of this

word even though one of our deposits is the largest known of itstype and the first to be commercialized in the United States.Lack of awareness of most everything related to our earthresources is the rule, not the exception, as was suggested in thelast issue of FIELDNOTES ("Back to Basics"). Anyway, we hopethat this brief introduction to zeolites will prove interesting tothose not already familiar with the subject.

GENERAL STATEMENT

What is a zeolite? The question is easier to ask than to answer.Zeolites are a family of well-defined hydrous aluminum silicatesof alkali and alkaline earth elements that closely resemble eachother in composition and mode of occurrence. They contain

Fig. 1 - Camel-like tracks exposed on upper surface of gray ash unit beneath lighter colored "high-grade" zeolite bed about 6" thick - Bowiechabazite deposit, Arizona.

BUREAU OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL TECHNOLOGY Dec. 1978

essential aluminum, silicon and water and in most cases calciumand/or sodium. Although there are many individual species it isnot necessary to name them all here. Zeolites are especiallyinteresting and useful because of the way they are put together ina three-dimensional network structure. On a molecular scale theyare porous and full of holes, having an aperture size on the orderof 10 A in diameter. * They are literally molecular sieves that canbe used for the selective separation of certain molecular mixturesbased on the size and shape of molecules. Too, they are noted fortheir ability to selectively adsorb gases.

Many years ago an Arizonan walked into the Bureau's mineralidentification laboratory wanting to know why certain rocks had"shot" at him. The episode occurred in front of a fireplace in acabin in the White Mountains of east-central Arizona. There weresome large pieces of black rock that were being heated by thefire. Soon, projectiles zinging across the room sent him and hiswife for cover and, eventually, to the Bureau lab with a piece ofthe popping rock. It was a volcanic rock that contained a zeolitemineral. Zeolite minerals contained just beneath the rock'ssurface had their water converted to steam and when steampressure overcame the confining force - POWl

The following is taken from Mumpton (1976, p. 50-51).

In less than 20 years time, the status of the zeolite groupof minerals changed from that of museum curiosity to oneof a full-fledged, industrial minerai commodity. Thisremarkable transformation is due in large part to thebelated recognition in the late 7950's of the widespreadoccurrence of zeolite minerals as major constituents ofCenozoic sedimentary rocks of volcanic origin, and to theresearch efforts of several industrial organizations duringthis period on the development of commercial applicationsfor synthetic molecular sieves. The discovery that zeoliteminerals formed on a large scale by reactions of volcanictuffs and tuffaceous sedimentary rocks in marine andlacustrine environments was in Itself a milestone in thegeological sciences; however, the realization that suchmaterials were also capable of being utilized in numerousareas of industrial and agricultural technology provided theimpetus for the exploration and development programs thathave taken place on natural zeolites since that time Indozens ofcountries of the world.

Although the commercial use of natural zeolites is still inits infancy, more than 300,000 tons of zeolitic tuff iscurrently mined each year in the United States, japan,Italy, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Germany, Korea, andMeXico, and used for filler in the paper industry, Inpozzolanic cements and concrete, as lightweight aggregate,in fertilizer and soil conditioners, as ion exchangers inwastewater treatment, as dietary supplements in animalhusbandry, in the separation of oxygen and nitrogen fromair, as reforming petroleum catalysts, and as acid-resistantadsorbents in gas drying and purification. In this era ofenvironmental concern and of energy and resourceconservation, the attractive physical and chemicalproperties of natural zeolites will be utilized worldwideeven more in the years to come in the solutions to theseproblems.

Since 1961, Arizona natural zeolite has been mined from alocality in Graham County several miles north of Bowie. Themajor component of the deposit is the zeolite mineral chabazite,the largest deposit of it's kind known in the United States.

*1 Ais an angstrom unit of size. One inch equals 254,000,000 A.

Although not realized until recently, this deposit was firstreported by Oscar Loew in 1875. It is believed that this referenceis the earliest published record of a bedded zeolite depositanywhere in the world (Sheppard, et ai, 1976). Indeed,considering that the deposit was destined for rediscovery in 1959,it seems remarkable that Loew was able to diagnose the zeoliticnature of the deposit over 80 years earlier.

In 1957 the Linde Division of Union Carbide Corporationplanned to expand it's synthetic zeolite manufacturing facilities.This is a rare case in which a synthetic mineral product wasutilized industrially before the discovery and development ofsuitable natural material. In this same year, 1957, a large beddeddeposit of the zeolite mineral erionite was discovered in PineValley near Carlan, Nevada. This development, along withrecognition of the fact that molecular sieves made from naturalzeolites could be competitive with synthetic products, set off amajor exploration program by the Union Carbide NuclearCompany on behalf of the Linde Division.

In early 1958 a sample of zeolitic tuff (glass particles producedby explosive volanic activity) was submitted to the LindeCompany. The sample was supposed to have been collectedsomewhere near the Cochise-Graham County line north of Bowiein the vicinity of San Simon Wash. The sample, which laboratorytests proved to be high purity chabazite, was traced back to agroup of three prospectors who had staked placer claims on whatthey believed to be a unique deposit of light-weight ornamentalstone. The actual "rediscovery" was made by a retired railroadengineer, Ernest Baugher, from Buffalo, New York. He interestedtwo fellow railroad men, Frank Meadows and Paul Sanger, inproviding for expenses and manpower for staking claims. Anotherpart-time prospector, Frank Clark, a retired butcher, stakedclaims in the southeast portion of the deposit. The chabazitefrom this part of the deposit contains abundant iron oxides thatmake a beautiful mottled and banded texture. He madebookends, paper weights, and pencil holders that were sold tosouvenir stores in Bowie. At the time that the sample wassubmitted to the Linde Division no one knew the true nature ofthe material. However, some of the outward manifestationsseemed unusual thus generated interest in determining themineralogy of this natural substance that occurred in relativeabundance.

In 1959 a Union Carbide Nuclear Company geologist sampledthe outcrops on the B.M.5. claims and submitted them to thecompany laboratory. X-ray diffraction techniques suggested a lowzeolite (chabazite) content. Because questions then arose, thedeposit was revisited and resampled with similar laboratoryresults. Actually, the original sample had been run by a techniquereferred to as oxygen adsorption, not x-ray diffraction as in thelater tests. Had the initial sample not been done that waycuriosity might not have been aroused.

Plate 1

A. Outcrop of zeolitized tuff along bank of San Simon Wash,Graham County.

B. Core drilling to determine nature, distribution and depth toburied zeolite.

C. Core of chabazite.

D. An organized core record.

E. Removal of overburden above 6" IIhigh-grade" zeolite bed.

F. Final scraping to expose top surface of 6" lIore" horizon.

------------Vol. 8, No.4 FIELDNOTES

PLATE 1

by Ted H.F

D

B

....--------------------~-------~--~---~-~-

PLATE 2


A

c

B

D

E F Photos by Ted H. Eyde

FIELDNOTES

urface of .zeolite (chabazite) bed so as to~mination.

VVing\6" zeolite bed on pit floor, front endInilOosening blocks of zeolite, men cleaningriTrorTlbase of zeolite blocks, and "ore" pile.sot overburden removed to expose 6" bed.1M impurity clinging to base of zeolite blocks.kson underside of block from zeolite bed. Thes (see front page picture) are not zeolitizedcasts are. This emphasizes the amazing

the zeoliti zing process.kfor the haul to railroad.tingshipment in box car. Variable moisturesWeight fluctuations.

~recontrasting analytical results and it wasrchad to be learned about the deposit itself.stassigned to the zeolite program, was sent to

more detail. He collected samples from eachiff the zeoli tic tuff zone. As a result hebasal unit, a bed about six inches thick, could

IV/seven miles along both sides of San Simonf'litinow is known as the high-grade bed (see

appeared as though the tuffs, subsequentlycumulated in a shallow lake environment.sidissected and removed some of the originallysit.

ests again proved disappointing. This timel<inigen and Dr. F.A. Mumpton, researcher~

.iBreck, a prominent inorganic chemist at thepratory at Tonawanda, New York, puzzled bynalytical data, reran the original sample by

and. yes, disappointing results! They thentlsorption analysis on the lower bed and madery. The material from the Bowie chabaziteed in particular, adsorbed more oxygen than

tural chabazite standard from Reece River$s~rned to be 100% chabazite! Impossible yo~f\.c;tually, the lower high-grade bed is not pureacular adsorption performance is believed toOthe minute size (microcrystallinity) of theallowing this discovery large bulk samplesLinde Company for additional laboratory

ealites) claim group was staked on April 15rilling was initiated and it was determined

$i~ut up by erosion into five separate bodies,O1bered.fiaf chabazite from the Bowie deposit wasat carloads amounting to about 165 tons wasur companies were involved and about 2,000shipped that year. Most of the production is

urification facilities where hydrogen sulfide,water are removed.rporation ships the mine run zeolite by rail

siJor grinding and on to their Chickasawfinal processing. Norton Company ships by raiifeJi Pennsylvania for grinding and on to

ssee for final processing. Both W. R. Graceer and Associates have their zeolite ground atthen ships in barrels by rail to its plant in

dwhile the latter ships in bulk by truck to its

processing plant in Lancaster, California (Eyde, 1978).Of major importance in the use of this natural chabazite from

Bowie is its relative stability in low pH (acid) environments whereit out performs the synthetic materials. "Beds" of this processedzeolite can be used repeatedly before replacement is necessary.

Geologically, it is not precise to say that these bedded zeolitesare sedimentary deposits. In actuality they are alteration productsderived from a volcanic product, ash, or tuff, that occurs in alayered or bedded form. It is the lateral continuity associatedwith the characteristic of being bedded that is important. How itgot that way is a technical consideration subject to availableevidence on a case by case basis.

Certain aspects of the zeolite mining process in the Bowiedeposit are illustrated in Plates 1 and 2.

In the light of contemporary emphasis on land useclassification, and management, perhaps this Bowie zeolit~deposit can be used to illustrate a principle or two:

1. Discovery has many interesting facets. Eighty years agorecognition of the Bowie zeolite occurrence was but acuriosity whereas rediscovery in 1959 lead to utilizationafter the true nature of the deposit was again determined.

2. The utility of earth substances varies through time inresponse to technological change and requirements. In thepresent case the utility spectrum ranged from none throughornamental stone to a natural gas purifying agent that isassisting in the alleviation of the energy shortage andin pollution control.

3. Discovery and development cannot take place if access tothe land for mineral exploration and development purposesis foreclosed. In this case both State and Federal landscontain the zeolite reserves. However, those agencies withcustodial responsibilities did not recognize that these landscontained potentially important zeolite deposits.

4. Very often sophisticated laboratory techniques are requiredin order to properly characterize an earth substance. Anearth substance may be useful for itself in contrast tohaving a metal, like copper, extracted from it.

5. Discovery-recognition and demand for a substance mightnot coincide. The need for rediscovery can be trimmed bythe routine collection, inventorying and organization ofappropriate data, and its utilization.

6. A mineral substance might not have a formal value until itis discovered in sufficient quantity to encourage thedevelopment of uses. Many uses for zeolite minerals today,in particular those for pollution abatement importance, didnot exist at the time the Bowie Arizona deposit was found.

References Cited

Eyde, T. H., 1978, Zeolites: Mining Engineering, May, p. 550.

Loew, Oscar, 1875, Report upon mineralogical, agricultural, andchemical conditions observed in portions of Colorado, NewMexico, and Arizona, in 1873, Pt. 6 of U. S. Geog. and Geol.Explor. and Surveys West of 100th Meridian (Wheeler): v.3, p.569-661. Cited in Sheppard et al.

Mumpton, F. A., 1976, Natural zeolites - A new industrialmineral commodity: abs. in: Zeolite, '76, p. 50-51.

Sheppard, R. A., Gude, 3rd A. J., and Edson, G. M., 1976, Bowiezeolite deposit, Cochise and Graham Counties, Arizona: inZeolite '76, p. 73-90.

***


Geothermal Group Growsand Moves

by Mr. W. Richard Hah~an Sr.

We've moved again! Currently, we are located at 2405 N.Forbes Blvd., Suite 106, Tucson, Arizona 85705. We now havecomfortable quarters with adequate room to expand should itbecome necessary. We are sorry that the Bureau family cannotstay together at the University but adequate space cannot befound there.

Mr. Michael Ciarochi has joined our staff as a geologicaltechnician. Mr. Ciarochi's prior experience with exploration andmining companies will be of benefit to our geological mapping,sampling, and drilling programs.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation,Region 3, Boulder City, Nevada has joined the U.S. Departmentof Energy, Division of Geothermal Energy as a participant in thegeothermal energy exploration, evaluation and developmentprogram in Arizona. This program is designed to determine thepossibility of water supply augmentation and water qualityenhancement through the development of high temperaturegeothermal resources on Federal lands in Arizona. Such landsinclude Hyder Valley, Kingman, Palo Verde, Safford, VerdeValley, Willcox, Yuma, and other lesser known regions. AnotherBureau of Reclamation supported program in progress involvesassessing the high temperature geothermal energy potential in theSpringerville-St. Johns and Clifton-Morenci areas in an attempt toaugment water supply and improve water quality. These Bureauof Reclamation programs have been dovetailed with the low tomoderate temperature geothermal energy studies supported bythe U.S. Department of Energy, Division of Geothermal Energy,to negate duplication of funding and effort.

The Hyder area, to include the Palomas and Sentinel plains, ischaracterized by numerous shallow hot wells and a former hotspring, Agua Caliente. The area is situated over a deep sedimentfilled basin, several major gravity and magnetic anomalies, and thetrace of the northeast trending Gila lineament, a probable majorstructural boundary or fracture zone. The Sentinel basalt field,active during the past 3 million years, is close by.Geothermometry of hot wells suggests Na-K-Ca and Si02

reservoir temperature estimates of around 100°C. These estimatesare, however, likely to be low if deeper hot waters are mixingwith colder near-surface waters.

Not as much preliminary information is available for theKingman region. Existing geochemical geothermometer dataindicate potential minimum reservoir temperatures in excess of100° - 150°C and groundwater that may contain total dissolvedsolids in excess of 3000 parts per million. However, there are notenough data available to speculate on the mixing of cool waterwith thermal brines.

The Palo Verde area in this study encompasses the Hassayampaand Rainbow valleys. Some of the highest heat flowmeasurements in Arizona have come from here. The

geothermometry from hot water wells in Rainbow Valley suggestsNa-K-Ca temperatures of 120°C and Si02 temperatures of 180°Cas minimum reservoir temperatures. Again, we are not able at thistime to comment on various mixing possibilities.

The Safford area includes the Gila River Valley at Safford andthe San Simon Valley. The region of interest is situated over adeep alluvial-filled graben which trends northwest. Several hotsprings discharge near Fort Thomas and there are many hot salineartesian wells less than 1500 feet deep. Geochemical analyses ofthe hot water from these wells suggest minimum estimatedreservoir temperatures of 60°C and 120°C using Na-K-Ca andSi02 , respectively. A deep convective system with temperaturesgreater than 150°C may exist and could provide the mechanismwhich heats the shallow artesian aquifers.

A geothermal resource in the Verde Valley is indicated at thenorthern part by Verde Hot Springs near Childs that has a surfacetemperature ranging from 38 to 41°C, and, in the southern partby Chalk Hot Springs, just north of Horseshoe Dam, that hassurface temperatures of 36°C. The indicated minimum reservoirgeochemical temperatures for Verde Hot Springs are 118°C(Si02 ) and 146°C (Na-K-Ca). It has been reported to our groupthat additional hot springs and seeps exist both along the riverand in the flanking countryside.

High temperature gradient wells occur north of the town ofWillcox and could indicate a high temperature geothermalresource. The area lies astride a possible northeast trendinglineament that apparently controls the occurrence of somegeothermal systems in both Arizona and New Mexico. TheSulphur Springs Valley contains a large quantity of saline groundwater in storage that might be suitable for both domestic andagricultural use after desalination.

An oil test well drilled in the Yuma area to a depth of 3217meters encountered temperatures up to 138°C. This is not anexceptionally high temperature for this depth but does indicatesome potential that should be evaluated. Should a geothermalresource be developed in this region it might be possible toaugment existing water supplies through the desalination of salinebrines.

Added note: for the record I should like to comment that billHR. 12536 (Wild and Scenic Rivers) of the 95th Congress wouldremove several high priority geothermal resource areas fromevaluation and development. These include portions of the valleysof' (1) the San Francisco River, (2) the Gila River, & (3) theVerde River. This is another example of the clash between singlevs. multiple uses of land. Geothermal potential remains obscureand generally remote from the minds of most citizens andCongressmen. Hopefully, these lands will not be removed fromgeothermal study prior to adequate evaluation of their potential.

----------------------------__IIIIIIII.II]c0,llll

UNCEMENT

Enviromental Geology Series

of Cochise" Field Conference-A BIG SUCCESSthrough 11,1978, the

bgical Society held itsleld conference. InThe Arizona Geologicalat .caravan containing

ipants snaked its wayst>Arizona. The trip,(lsburg, New Mexico,gIas, Arizona the firsttl Arizona the second

'tlyears since any fieldmagnitude has been

sevidenced from themithe guidebook and

~~~~< roadlogs written~~i~,Keith and Jan C.ut~au of Geology and

,much new data andtations have arisen inrs about southeast

articularly timely inive Anshutz oil playTreservoirs may be

kilometers deptht-like thrust plates.

'stration for theheifastest time ever.

registration waslogists from variouswere quietly intthe trip.gh, the unofficial

p(was Mesozoic and~velopment withineparticipants were

reau's publicationsports that the firstre in press and canber, 1978. A newology study,logy of the

~~ii Area, Maricopa§>being published by

y was conductedila State University11 of Dr. Troy L.

with the City of11 is being assistedthe Arizona StateCollege. The folioten geologic and

series is beingrate envelopes, theaps - (1) geology,

he subsequent eight

FIELDNOTES

exposed to numerous contrasting pointsof view which to anyone not familiarwith the region must have seemed abewildering array of complexity. Viewsabout how the late Cretaceous-earlyTertiary Laramide orogeny was effectedmay have seemed particularly baffling.Various geometric hypotheses offeredincluded the low angle overthrust viewurged by Floyd Moulton of AnshutzCorporation and Harald Drewes of theU.S. Geological Survey; basement coreduplifts submitted by George Davis of theUniversity of Arizona; and a complexsequence of reverse faulting, basementuplift, and strike slip faulting suggestedby Stanley Keith of our GeologicalSurvey Branch. All of these views, despitedisagreement about geometric style,agreed that Laramide orogeny insoutheast Arizona manifested theinfluence of a profund NE-SWcompression.

Bill Bilodeau of Stanford Universitydiscussed the complex Mesozoicstructural framework which predatedthe Laramide orogeny.

If all this weren't enough, on the 3rdday, what was left of the group wasexposed to the enigmatic metamorphicterrane in the Rincon Mountains. HereGeorge Davis treated the group to hisamazing taffy-pull and mega-boudinconcept which suggests that theperplexing mylonite metamorphic fabricswere created by over 100% of Tertiary

envelopes contain: (3) land slopes, (4)caliche, (5) ground water, (6) geologichazards, (7) material resources, (8)excavation conditions, (9) waste disposal,and (10) construction conditions.

The map series scale is 1:24,000 andthe area covered includes parts of thefollowing 7Y2 minute quadrangles: Curry'sCorner, McDowell Peak, Sawik Mountain,and Paradise Valley. All maps will be incolor, accompanied by explanation andtext, as well as photos, charts, linedrawings, and other pertinent data on thereverse side.

Maps will be sold individually for$1.25 with the exception of envelope #1which contains two maps. Envelope #1,therefore, will be sold for $2.50 and willnot be split. When the entire set isavailable (scheduled for Summer, 1979),

age regional ENE-WSW extension ofArizona's crust. To contrast, HaraldDrewes suggested an older history forthe mylonite fabric and implicatedLaramide overthrusting in its genesis.

In addition to the 3 days of the officialfield trip, Sam Thompson of the NewMexico Bureau of Mines ably organized apre-field trip stratigraphic trip to thecentral Peloncillo Mountains, HidalgoCounty, New Mexico, lead by GusArmstrong and Harald Drewes of the U.S.Geological Survey. A post-field tripstratigraphic tour of the WhetstoneMountains in Cochise County was lead byJoseph Schreiber of the University ofArizona, Dietmar Schumacher of PhillipsPetroleum, and Gus Armstrong and PhilHayes of the U.S. Geological Survey.Rarely have so many experts on southeastArizona Paleozoic stratigraphy beentogether at such classic outcrops.

All in aU, however, the large audiencekept its patience and humor through allthese discussions and asked plenty ofpenetrating questions. Judging frommany discussions held over outcrops atthe various stops, an atmosphere ofenlightenment and good fun prevailed.Hopefully, the participants left southeastArizona with the impression of how farwe have come in the last ten years andhow much further we have to go towardsunderstanding the many complexities ofsoutheast Arizona geology.

it will be sold for $10.00.The Bureau is currently accepting

orders for Envelope #1 which containsthe Geology and Landforms maps. Again,over-the-counter price is $2.50; for mailorders please add 25¢ (postage andhandling). Payment by check or moneyorder must accompany all orders.Payment in U.S. currency is required onall foreign orders and additional chargeswill be made to cover foreign postage(approximately 20% of order for surfacemail).Orders should be sent-to:

Bureau of Geology and MineralTechnologyAttn: Publications845 N. Park Ave.Tucson, Arizona 85719


by Mr. David D. Rabb, Mining EngineerMineral Technology Branch

FIELDNOTES SUBSCRIPTIONS

If you wish to receive FIELDNOTES,please write to Publications, Bureau ofGeology and Mineral Technology, 845 N.Park, Tucson AZ 85719.

DEMAND FOR GEOLOGIC MAPSNew Program Needed?

The Bureau produced it's popularcounty geologic map series consisting of11 sheets between the years of1957-1960. The one and final printingconsisted of 10,000 copies each of the 11maps, for a total ofllO,OOO items. To dateapproximately 75,000 of these maps havebeen sold. The Pima-Santa Cruzcombined map has been the most popular(8,791 copies sold), with Maricopasecond (8,322 copies sold). The leastpopular has been the Navajo-Apachecombination (5,514). The scale of thecounty series is 1:375,000.

We feel that this map series has servedArizona very well but that it is time toplan for new, more detailed state-widegeologic coverage (probably at a scale of1 :250,000). An aggressive mapproduction program will require fundingabove the current level, at leasttemporarily. No doubt, any tangiblefunding increase to support this effortwill require considerable outsidesympathy.

Should you have ideas on such aprogram, consider sharing your thoughtswith appropriate State officials,congressmen, and the Bureau.

* * *

* * *

inexperienced persons, young or old, evergain access to a can of raw unusedcyanide at a carelessly-abandonedoperation or allowed to swim in anunguarded pond of cyanide tailings waterwhich had not been rendered harmlessand free from all cyanide. No dollars ofinsurance could ever pay for this kind ofnegligence. It's up to the mineralsindustry to educate and police itsassociates so as to minimize the potentialfor needless accidents. Prepare for thecurious.

The Bureau of Geology and MineralTechnology at the University of Arizonaand the Department of Mineral Resourcesin Phoenix are capable of advising onmatters such as those raised here. TheBureau's phone is 602/626-1943 (ask forDave Rabb); the Department's phone is602/271-3791 (ask for John Jett).

All of the above methods have beenused commercially for the reduction ofcyanide content of solutions; however,they all tend to leave substantial cyanideresidues. This residual can be seriousunless extremely large dilutions areavailable. Another objection is that, bythe first four methods, the pollution loadis incteased by the addition ofobjectionable chemicals.

The one treatment now generallyaccepted is chlorination of solutions at apH above 8.5 (the only economical and,if done properly, satisfactory method fortreatment). The source of chlorine can becommercial bleach solutions, any alkalinehypochlorite, or gaseous chlorine appliedin the manner of a common watertreatment plant. The reaction, NaCN +NaOH 3 C1 2 , going to inactive sodiumcyanate and table salt, is practicallyinstantaneous and is completed inseconds. No cyanide radical can exist inthe presence of free available chlorine at apH of 8.5 or higher.

In the early Western mining days,"metallurgical cattle raising" was acommon social problem which nettedcertain irresponsible characters aconsiderable profit at a mining company'sexpense because a cow died fromdrinking water near a cyanide plant.Courts usually awarded the damagesclaimed and the men who operated thecyanide plant were blamed, regardless ofthe facts.

All cyanide tl\ils, before beingabandoned, should be flushed with freshwater and then treated with chlorinewater (such as we maintain in much-usedswimming pools) until there is freechlorine in the OFF solution. Thestandard orthotoludine test is simple,easy to perform, defmitive, andunderstandable by the layperson.

The situation today is much moreserious than most people realize. It wouldbe extremely unfortunate should

Safety CornerWARNING

,./ '- ~Beware of C,anideI "" :;-

~- ";~~~

With the rising price of gold and silverrealtive to the dollar, many small minesand old dumps in Arizona are attractingrenewed interest. The use of eithersodium or potassium cyanide solutions toextract gold and/or silver from ores is atime-proven method and can be anefficient process for some ores (not all,but some).

In any case it is most important thatthe user of this method realize thedangers involved. Read about and studythe subject. Know the proceduresinvolved and carefully follow safety rules.Take all precautions. Store and safeguardraw cyanide. Get official permits beforestarting any leaching. Sometimes it isadvisable to talk to experienced operatorsand authorities and consider their advice.And finally, properly dispose of allleached tailings and barren,solutions. It isthis last item that I would like to discussfurther.

Anyone who uses cyanide should knowthat it is very poisonous. Cyanide is lethalif 0.1 grams are ingested, inhaled, orabsorbed through the skin. Exposure toconcentrations as low as 100 ppm for 30minutes can cause death. Tailings pulpscarrying only traces of cyanide, and evenso-called "barren" solutions in manycases, constitute a real hazard to bothhumans and animals. Under someconditions, as little as 0.1 ppm has provenfatal to fish.

For years various investigators havesought a satisfactory method of treatingcyanide wastes. Methods tested include:

1. Acidification with dilution andremoval of resulting HCN gas byblowing large quantities of air.

2. Reaction with "lime sulphur" orwith sodium sulphide.

3. Treatment with ferrous sulphate.4. Oxidation with potassium

permanganate.5. Aeration to cause atmospheric

decomposition of the cyanide.

at theCounty,

Vol. 8, No.4

NOTEPublications and maps issued by

agencies other than the Bureau ofGeology and Mineral Technology must beordered directly from the issuing agency.Bureau of Geology and MineralTechnology publications may be orderedfrom or purchased at:

PublicationsBureau of Geology and MineralTechnology845 N. Park AvenueTucson, AZ 85719

Payment by check or money order,including a handling charge of 10% of thetotal amount of the order (.25¢minimum), must accompany allpublication orders.

Payment in U.S. currency is requiredon all foreign orders and additionalcharges will be made to cover foreignpostage (approximately 20% of order forsurface mail).

THESES ON ARIZONA GEOLOGY

The following M.S. and Ph.D. thesesfrom the three Arizona universities havebeen published since the compilation ofthe most recent Arizona bibliography,Arizona Bureau of Mines Bulletin 190.Unless mentioned otherwise, thelocations are all within Arizona.

Permission for copying must berequested through the Dean of theGraduate College of the respectiveuniversity, as coded below:

UA: University of ArizonaTucson, AZ 85721

ASU: Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ 85281

NAU: Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ 86001

UA THESES 1975 TO DATE

Eric Lord Bandurski: Ph.D."Analysis of Insoluble OrganicMaterial in Carbonaceous Meteoritesby Combined Vacuum Pyrolysis-GasChromatography-Mass Spectrometry."1975

Ian McKay Johnston: Ph.D."A Detailed Stratigraphic andEnvironmental Analysis of the SanRafael Group (Jurassic) Between BlackMesa, Arizona and the SouthernKaiparowits Plateau, Utah." 1975

Donald Wayne Tarman: Ph.D."Application of Dynamic Analysis of

FIELDNOTES

PUBLICATIONSMineral Grains to Some StructuralProblems in the Empire Mountains,Pima County, Arizona." 1975

Steven Applebaum: MS"Geology of the Palo Verde RanchArea, Owl Head Mining District, PinalCounty, Arizona." 1975

John Dean Arenson: MS"Downward Continuation of BouguerGravity Anomalies and ResidualAeromagnetic Anomalies by Means ofFinite Differences." 1975

Kathleen Ann Barrie: MS"The Conodont Biostratigraphy of theBlack Prince Limestone(Pennsylvanian) of SoutheasternArizona." 1975

Jon Alan Baskin: MS"Small Vertebrates of the BidahochiFormation, White Cone, NortheasternArizona." 1975

Kenneth Carlton Bennett: MS"Geology and Origin of the Breccias inthe Morenci-Metcalf District, GreenleeCounty, Arizona." 1975

Robert Terence Budden: MS"The Tort olita-Santa CatalinaMountain Complex." 1975

Mary Helen Dolloff: MS"Stratigraphy and Paleontology of theBarren Hills, Southeastern CochiseCounty, Arizona." 1975

Christopher Duffield: MS"Solar Shadow Maps." 1975

Robert Bryon Ellis: MS"Fourier Series Reduction of GravityData to a Horizontal Plane." 1975

Lynne Roberta Goodoff: MS"Analysis of Gravity Data from theCortaro Basin Area, Pima County,Arizona." 1975

Richard Booth Knapp: MS"An Analysis of the Properties ofFractured Crystalline Rocks." 1975

Peter Lawrence Kresan: MS"Cadmium Content in Sphalerites,Copper Ores, Soils and Plants inSouthern Arizona." 1975

Thomas Walter Ladd: MS"Stratigraphy and Petrology of theQuiburis Formation Near Mammoth,Pinal County, Arizona." 1975

John Penrod Mohon: MS"Comparative Geothermometry forthe Monte Cristo Pegmatite, Yavapai

County, Arizona." 1975

Robert Karl Scarborough: MS"Chemistry and Age of Late CenozoicAir-Fall Ashes in SoutheasternArizona." 1975

Verl Leon Smith: MS"Hypogene AlterationEsperanza Mine, PimaArizona." 1975

Arthur Spencer Trevena: MS"Depositional Models and theShinarump Member and the SonselaSandstone Bed of the ChinleFormation, Northeastern Arizona andNorthwestern New Mexico." 1975

Edwin Ullmer: MS"Molybdenum Trace Analysis ofCertain Phreatophytes as aBiochemical Prospecting Method inthe Sedimentary Basins of SouthernArizona." 1975

Carlos Lynn Virgil Aiken: Ph.D."The Analysis of the GravityAnomalies of Arizona." 1976

Katherine Laing Bladh: Ph.D."Rapakivi Formation of O'Leary PeakPorphyry." 1976

Richard Edwin Jones: Ph.D."Taxonomic Treatment ofDinoflagellates and Acritarchs fromthe Mancos Shale (Upper Cretaceous)of the Southwestern United States."1976

Waite Robert Osterkamp: Ph.D."The Role of Sediment in Determiningthe Geometry of Alluvial StreamChannels." 1976

Andrew George Bittson: MS"Analysis of Gravity Data from theCienega Creek Area, Pima and SantaCruz Counties, Arizona." 1976

David Samuel Bolin: MS"A Geochemical Comparison of SomeBarren and Mineralized IgneousComplexes of Southern Arizona."1976

JoAnna Dewhurst: MS"Chemical Ratios of Laramide IgneousRocks and Their Relation to aPaleosubduction Zone UnderArizona." 1976

Ed DeWitt: MS"Precambrian Geology and OreDeposits of the Mayer-Crown KingArea, Yavapai County, Arizona." 1976

--------_.


Michael Louis Fellows: MS"Composition of Epidote fromPorphyry Copper Deposits." 1976

Zvi Grinshpan: MS"The Effects of the HorizontalComponent of the Earth Stress Fieldin Geological Structures." 1976

John Lowell Hoelle: MS"Structural and Geochemical Analysisof the Catalina Granite, Santa CatalinaMountains, Arizona." 1976

Edward Joseph Kessler: MS"Rubidium-Strontium Geochronologyand Trace Element Geochemistry ofPrecambrian Rocks in the NorthernHualapai Mountains, Mohave County,Arizona." 1976

Charles Wilkinson Kiven: MS"Kinematics 'of Deformation at theSouthwest Corner of the MonumentUplift." 1976

Jerry Eugene Knight: MS"A Thermochemical Study of Aluniteand Copper-Arsenic SulfosaltDeposits." 1976

Nixon Richard Lange: MS"A Paleomagnetic Study of thePliocene Mudstones of the VerdeFormation, Northern Arizona." 1976

Peter Brennan Larson: MS"The Metamorphosed Alteration ZoneAssociated With the BrucePrecambrian Volcanogenic MassiveSulfide Deposits, Yavapai County,Arizona." 1976

Paul William Lipinski: MS"The Gamma Member of the KaibabFormation (Permian) in NorthernArizona." 1976

Sally Jo Meader: MS"Paleoecology of the Upper DevonianPercha Formation of South-CentralArizona." 1976

Mark Paul Phillips: MS"Geology of Tumamoc Hill, SentinelPeak and Vicinity, Pima County,Arizona." 1976

Jay Dudley Quick: MS"Contact Alteration andMineralization of Stratified Rocks inSoutheastern Arizona." 1976

Donald James Robinson: MS"Interpretation of Gravity AnomalyData from the Aravaipa Valley Area,Graham and Pinal Counties, Arizona."1976

Robert Ralph Roe: MS"Geology of the Squaw Peak Porphyry

Copper-Molybdenum Deposit, YavapaiCounty, Arizona." 1976

James Scott Schmidt: MS"Geophysical Basis and Cartographyof the Complete Bouquer GravityAnomaly Map of Arizona." 1976

Richard Edwards Schofield: MS"The Petrology and Geochemistry ofthe Cienega Falls Diabase Sill, SaltRiver Canyon Area, Gila County,Arizona." 1976

Monte Morgan Swan: MS"The Stockton Pass Fault: AnElement of the Texas Lineament."1976

Robert Joseph Varga: MS"Stratigraphy and SuperposedDeformation of a Paleozoic andMesozoic Sedimentary Sequence in theHarquahala Mountains, Arizona."1976

Thomas James Weitz: MS"Geology and Ore Deposition at the1-10 Prospect, Cochise County,Arizona." 1976

Robin Shepard White: MS"The Determination of SeasonalVariations in Groundwater Rechargeby Deuterium and Oxygen-18 Analysisfor the Tucson Basin, Arizona." 1976

C. Larrabee Winter: MS"Relationships Among Climate,Tree-ring Widths and Grass Productionon the Santa Rita ExperimentalRange." 1976

Donald Paul Witter: MSConodont Biostratigraphy of theUpper :Qevonian in theGlobe-Mammoth Area, Arizona."1976

John Rutledge Delaney: Ph.D."Distribution of Volatiles in the GlassRims of Submarine Pillow Basalts."1977

Stephen Lyle Bresller: MS"Paleomagnetism of the PlioceneVerde Formation, Yavapai County,Arizona." 1977

Regina Marie Capuano: MS"Chemical Mass Transfer and SolutionFlow in Wyoming Roll-Type UraniumDeposits." 1977

Beth Jana Carroll: MS"The Stratigraphy and ConodontBiostratigraphy of the Montoya Group(Middle-Upper Ordovician) inSoutheastern Arizona." 1977

Gary Morency Edson: MS"Some Bedded Zeolites, San Simon

Basin, Southeastern Arizona." 1977Lawrence John Flynn: MS

"Enamel Microstructures of Cricetidand Heteromyid Rodent Incisors andTheir Importance in RodentPhylogeny." 1977

Eric George Frost: MS"Mid-Tertiary, Gravity-InducedDeformation in Happy Valley, Pimaand Cochise Counties, Arizona." 1977

Tyler Evan Gass: MS"Subsurface Geology of the SantaCruz Well Field, Pima County,Arizona." 1977

James Gilbert Honey: MS"The Paleontology of the Brown'sPark Formation in the Maybell,Colorado Area, and a TaphonomicStudy of Two Fossil Quarries,Colorado and Arizona." 1977

Kim Klager Howell: MS"Geology and Alteration of theCommonwealth Mine, CochiseCounty, Arizona." 1977

Bruce Tajinere Ijirigho: MS"Pennsylvanian SubsurfaceStratigraphy of the Black Mesa BasinFour Corners Area in NortheasternArizona." 1977

Robert Keith McClure: MS"Recognition of Shallow Water andTidal Flat Aspects of the AbrigoFormation (Cambrian)." 1977

Norman Mark Meader: MS"Paleoecology and Paleoenvironmentsof the Upper Devonian MartinF ormation in the RooseveltDam-Globe Area, Gila County,Arizona." 1977

Bruce Matthew M0skowitz: MS"Numerical Analysis of ElectricalFluid and Rock Resistivity inHydrothermal Systems." 1977

Ralph David Rogers: MS"C opper Mineralization inPennsylvanian-Permian Rocks of theTonto Rim Segment of the MogollonRim in Central Arizona." 1977

Albert Rudolph Schenker: MS"Practicle-Size Distribution of LateCenozoic Gravels on an Arid RegionPiedmont, Gila Mountains, Arizona."1977

Gene Arthur Suemnicht: MS"The Geology of the Canada Del OroHeadwaters, Santa Catalina Mountains,Arizona." 1977

John Randall Wilson: MS"G eology, Alteration,

Vol. 8, No.4 FIELDNOTES

Bureau Initiates Historical Seismicity Reveiw

The Geological Survey Branch isconducting a thorough study ofhistorical earthquakes felt in Arizona.Ms. Susan M. DuBois has been hiredprimarily for this purpose, havingrecently completed a similar researchproject for the Kansas GeologicalSurvey. Drs. H. Wesley Peirce(principal Geologist in the GeologicalSurvey Branch) and Marc L. Sbar(Seismologist, Department ofGeosciences at the University ofArizona) will also assist in theinvestigation. This project representsPhase I of an overall assessment ofseismic risk in Arizona. Phase II,Late-Cenozoic faulting, will beginlater. Although assistance funds forPhase I have been requested from theU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,the basic program will proceedregardless of the outcome of ourproposal.

The anticipated rapid developmentof Arizona and resultant increaseddemand for seismic risk data haveindicated the need for a majorre-assessment of earthquake hazards inthe state. Power plants, dams,hospitals, and other critical structureswhich are built to meet the demandsof an expanding population arerequired to be designed to withstandeffects of local and regionalearthquakes. It is desirable tominimize the risk of damage to allman-made structures and moreimportantly, the risk to health andsafety of people. Thus, it is essential toemploy all obtainable informationconcerning past seismicity.

The period of historical record inArizona is very short: roughly 125years. Reports of large events which

Publications continued

Mineralization of the Korn Kob MineArea, Pima County, Arizona." 1977

VA THESES IN PROGRESS

Gerard J. Beaudoin."Application of the Method ofSummary Representation ToComputer Modeling of Resistivity andInduced Polarization Effect."

Daniel T. Boyd."Stratigraphic Relations Within theDevonian Martin, Swisshelm, andPortal Formations of Cochise County,Arizona."

took place near Ft. Yuma in 1852 and1853 were recorded by militarypersonnel. Many accounts of damagefrom the 1887 Sonoran earthquakeexist. However, it is likely that severalsmaller earthquakes were not noticedor not reported prior to the 1920'sbecause of sparse settlements, fewnewspapers, lack of seismic-recordingtechnology, and general lack ofunderstanding of earthquakephenomena.

It is our intention to carry out anagressive, full-time data gathering andinterpretive program for nine months.Sources referenced inpreviously-published earthquakecatalogs will be checked. Military postand Spanish Mission records will bescreened for earthquake reports as willbe microfilmed newspaper collectionsat the University of Arizona library.Already we have foundpreviously-unpublished accounts frompioneer journals, Mormon diaries, andnewspaper articles at the ArizonaHistorical Society in Tucson.Preliminary information suggests thatthe number of historical seismic eventsfelt in Arizona approximates 300.However, much effort is required toevaluate the accuracy and significanceof these phenomena. We will attemptto distinguish events originating inArizona from those felt in the state asa result of outside epicentral activity.At the end of the study we expect tohave a centralized, heavilydocumented data file on ArizonaHistorical Seismicity. The basic resultswill be published and the centralizedfile made available to the public ingeneral.

Jeffrey W. Bryant."Origin and Stratigraphic Relations ofCambrian Quartzites in Arizona."

Jerry L. Christman."Geology and Alteration of theCopper Basin Porphyry CopperDeposit, Yavapai County, Arizona."

William J. Crowl."Geology of the Central Dome RockMountains Yuma County, Arizona."

Robert A. Dockweiler."Influence of Early MesozoicDeformation on Laramide Folding and

Introducing Susan...

The Geological Survey Branch hashired Ms. Susan M. DuBois as AssistantGeologist on a temporary, full-timebasis. Susan obtained a B.A. degree inGeology in 1975 from CarletonCollege and an M.S. degree in Geologyfrom the University of Kansas in 1978.Her husband, Jim, has entered theDoctorate program in the GeosciencesDept., University of Arizona. Anaspect of Susan's interest is reflectedin the adjacent article that announcesour Arizona historical seismicitystudy. We invite your interest in thiseffort and encourage everyone to sharewith Susan any special knowledge orinformation about Arizonaearthquakes.

Faulting in the Northern HuachucaMountains.

James B. Fink."Interfacial Phenomena BetweenSemiconducting Base Metal Sulfidesand Liquid Electrolyte."

Bruce A. Hargan."Regional Gravity Data Analysis ofthe Papago Indian Reservation, PimaCounty, Arizona."

Scott E. Hulse."An Investigation Into the Causes of


Douglas W. Shakel."Geochronology of Some CrystallineRocks in the Santa Catalina Mountains

C.G. Wagner."Geophysical Study of the CarefreeArea, Maricopa County, Arizona."

UA DISSERTATIONS IN PROGRESS

Larry D. Arnold."Carbon and Oxygen IsotopePaleothermometer: An Application toAncient Juniper Twigs from theAmerican Southwest."

Kenneth W. Bladh."The Weathering of Sulfide-BearingRocks Associated with Porphyry-TypeCopper Deposits."

Tom L. Heidrick."A Dynamic Model for Fracturing inLaramide Plutons of the AmericanSouthwest and its TectonicSignificance."

Peter H. Kuck."The Behavior of Molybdenum,Tungsten and Titanium in thePorphyry Copper Environment."

Steven M. Kunen."The Organic Geochemistry ofHydrocarbon and HeteroatomicAtmospheric Particulate ConstituentsFound in Arizona."

William J. Purves."The Depositional History, ConodontBio stratigraphy, and TimeStratigraphy of the Redwall andEscabrosa Formations and Equivalentsfor a Paleotectonic Evaluation ofArizona."

Steady State Electrical PotentialDifferences Occurring on the Surfaceof the Earth."

Gary S. Johnson."The Geology, Alteration, andMineralization of the NorthernPicacho Mountains, Pinal County,Arizona."

Stanley B. Keith."Saddle Mountain; A Reference Areafor Laramide Tectonic Patterns inSouthern Arizona."

Brian A. Koenig."Oxidation, Leaching, and EnrichmentZones of a Porphyry Copper Deposit.A Quantitative Mineralogic Study."

Marvin D. Kypfer."Environmental Geology of Ski-AreaDevelopments. "

Douglas L. Lane."Experimental Studies on Diffusion ofVolatiles and Crystal Growth inBasaltic Melts."

Leslie D. McFadden."Soils of the Northern Canada DelOro, Southern Arizona."

Cynthia D. Orr."The Vertical Gradient of GravityMeasured in Tall Buildings in theTucson Basin."

Robert W. Parker."Gravity Analysis of the SubsurfaceStructure of the Santa Cruz Valley,Santa Cruz County, Arizona."

Robert S. Sternberg."An Archaeomagnetic PaleointensityStudy Using Some Indian Pot Sherdsfrom Snaketown, Arizona."

William C. Tucker."Geologic Reconnaissance of the

Aguila MountainsArizona."

Quadrangle, and Elsewhere in Arizona."

Deborah S. Sklarew."Analysis of Kerogen in Precambrianand Younger Stromatolites."

Jamie L. Webb."The Environment of Miami Wash,Gila County, Arizona, A.D. 1100 to1400."

U.S.B.M. Special Publication - SP

These special items should be orderedfrom:

Public Documents Distribution CenterDepartment 25-PPueblo, Colorado 81009Remittances, which should be in~

eluded with the order, may be in theform of checks or money orders payableto the Superintendent of Documents.

Postage stamps and foreign money arenot acceptable.

SP 4-77: Mining and Mineral Operationsin the Rocky Mountain States. A Visitors Guide, by Bureau of MinesState Liaison Officers. 1977. 87 p.,40 figs. This publication is a guide tomining and mineral operations in theRocky Mountain States (Arizona,Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada,New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming).$2.40.

***FIELDNOTES

Vol. 8, No.4 Dec. 1978State of Arizona ... Governor Bruce BabbittUniversity of Arizona .. Pres.John P. SchaferBureau of Geology and Mineral Technology

Director .•......... William H. DresherEditor ..••......•••• H. Wesley Peirce

State of ArizonaBureau of Geology and Mineral Technology845 N. Park Ave.Tucson, AZ 85719

NON·PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGEPA I D

PERMIT NO. 190TUCSON, ARIZONA

r: 1< U~ l< J, /J 7

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