The Mineral Evolution database is currently under development.
The goal of this page is to present localities at which the mineral is found, and estimates of the oldest possible geologic age of the minerals at these localities.
This mineral is using an age reported as an element mineralization period.
O
This mineral is using an age calculated from all data at the locality.
R
The age displayed for this mineral originates from a different, non-child locality.
P
The age displayed for this mineral is the range of ages for this mineral at all of this locality's children.
This mineral's age has not yet been recorded.
This Mineral list contains entries from this locality, including sub-localities. Minerals in bold are reported by mindat.org as occurring directly at this locality, and do not occur at any children (sublocalities) of this locality.Elements at this locality, including sub-localities: AlAsCCaCuFFeHKMoNaOPSSeSiUVElements from minerals reported directly at this locality: As C Ca F H Na O S U V Structural Groups for minerals in this locality:
Immature arkosic sandstones and conglomerates of the early Eocene Wind River Formation (in the Gas Hills) and Battle Spring Formation occurred in the early Eocene and between post-Miocene and Pleistocene time. The Crooks Gap district is structurally somewhat more complex. There the Battle Spring Formation is more folded and faulted, and dips from 10 to 20 degrees to the southeast. Thrust faults of Eocene age and normal faults of post-middle Eocene to Pliocene age occur within a few miles of the uranium deposits. Some pertinent aspects of the geologic history of the Gas Hills and Crooks Gap districts are: (1) Accumulation of the Wind River and Battle Spring Formation arkoses, conglomerates, and mudstones in early Eocene time. Volcanic ash from the Absaroka-Yellowstone province to the east was added to the western part of the Wind River basin. Climate at this time was tropical to subtropical. (2) Renewed uplift of the Granite Mountains in the late early Eocene, followed by stability in the middle Eocene. Volcanic centers in the nearby Rattlesnake Hills developed in the middle Eocene, with activity continuing through the late Eocene. (3) A major change in climate in the late Eocene early Oligocene from tropical-subtropical to more temperate. Uplift in the southern Wind River Range caused extensive erosion of middle Eocene rocks. (4) Accumulation of sediments rich in felsic ash (White River Formation) began in the early Oligocene, on an irregular surface of Eocene and older rocks. This accumulation continued until at least mid-Oligocene. (5) After an erosional interval, deposition of large volumes of tuffaceous sandstone occurred (Split Rock Formation of Miocene age). (6) Renewed crustal activity began in the early Pliocene, and a thick section of tuffaceous sandstone (Moonstone Formation) accumulated. Regional uplift beginning in the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene began the present cycle of erosion. In both districts the major uranium occurrences are in "roll-type" deposits where the uranium is concentrated in arcuate zones between relatively oxidized ("altered") and relatively reduced ("unaltered") sandstone. The uranium in such deposits is generally thought to have been transported as U6+ by oxygenated ground water traveling downdip in the host sandstone, and to have precipitated as insoluble U4+ minerals (uraninite and coffinite) along the slowly moving interface between oxidized and reduced ground. Typical gangue minerals are pyrite, marcasite, and calcite, with less common selenides and Mo-sulfides. The source of the uranium is a matter of dispute. The granitic rocks of the nearby Granite Mountains are known to have lost large amounts of uranium within the last few hundred million years, evidently in response to uplift and weathering and thus are a reasonable source material for the uranium. Also, most of the host sandstones of the uranium deposits are made up of detritus from such rocks, so that the host rocks themselves have been suggested as source rocks Alternatively, leaching of uranium from relatively U rich felsic ashes has been suggested as the most reasonable source of uranium. Tuffaceous materials in the Pliocene Split Rock Formation, the Miocene Moonstone Formation, and the Oligocene White River Formation and Wagon Bed Formation all have been suggested as possible uranium sources.
Giersdorf_00000874
Immature arkosic sandstones and conglomerates of the early Eocene Wind River Formation (in the Gas Hills) and Battle Spring Formation occurred in the early Eocene and between post-Miocene and Pleistocene time. The Crooks Gap district is structurally somewhat more complex. There the Battle Spring Formation is more folded and faulted, and dips from 10 to 20 degrees to the southeast. Thrust faults of Eocene age and normal faults of post-middle Eocene to Pliocene age occur within a few miles of the uranium deposits. Some pertinent aspects of the geologic history of the Gas Hills and Crooks Gap districts are: (1) Accumulation of the Wind River and Battle Spring Formation arkoses, conglomerates, and mudstones in early Eocene time. Volcanic ash from the Absaroka-Yellowstone province to the east was added to the western part of the Wind River basin. Climate at this time was tropical to subtropical. (2) Renewed uplift of the Granite Mountains in the late early Eocene, followed by stability in the middle Eocene. Volcanic centers in the nearby Rattlesnake Hills developed in the middle Eocene, with activity continuing through the late Eocene. (3) A major change in climate in the late Eocene early Oligocene from tropical-subtropical to more temperate. Uplift in the southern Wind River Range caused extensive erosion of middle Eocene rocks. (4) Accumulation of sediments rich in felsic ash (White River Formation) began in the early Oligocene, on an irregular surface of Eocene and older rocks. This accumulation continued until at least mid-Oligocene. (5) After an erosional interval, deposition of large volumes of tuffaceous sandstone occurred (Split Rock Formation of Miocene age). (6) Renewed crustal activity began in the early Pliocene, and a thick section of tuffaceous sandstone (Moonstone Formation) accumulated. Regional uplift beginning in the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene began the present cycle of erosion. In both districts the major uranium occurrences are in "roll-type" deposits where the uranium is concentrated in arcuate zones between relatively oxidized ("altered") and relatively reduced ("unaltered") sandstone. The uranium in such deposits is generally thought to have been transported as U6+ by oxygenated ground water traveling downdip in the host sandstone, and to have precipitated as insoluble U4+ minerals (uraninite and coffinite) along the slowly moving interface between oxidized and reduced ground. Typical gangue minerals are pyrite, marcasite, and calcite, with less common selenides and Mo-sulfides. The source of the uranium is a matter of dispute. The granitic rocks of the nearby Granite Mountains are known to have lost large amounts of uranium within the last few hundred million years, evidently in response to uplift and weathering and thus are a reasonable source material for the uranium. Also, most of the host sandstones of the uranium deposits are made up of detritus from such rocks, so that the host rocks themselves have been suggested as source rocks Alternatively, leaching of uranium from relatively U rich felsic ashes has been suggested as the most reasonable source of uranium. Tuffaceous materials in the Pliocene Split Rock Formation, the Miocene Moonstone Formation, and the Oligocene White River Formation and Wagon Bed Formation all have been suggested as possible uranium sources.
Giersdorf_00000875
Immature arkosic sandstones and conglomerates of the early Eocene Wind River Formation (in the Gas Hills) and Battle Spring Formation occurred in the early Eocene and between post-Miocene and Pleistocene time. The Crooks Gap district is structurally somewhat more complex. There the Battle Spring Formation is more folded and faulted, and dips from 10 to 20 degrees to the southeast. Thrust faults of Eocene age and normal faults of post-middle Eocene to Pliocene age occur within a few miles of the uranium deposits. Some pertinent aspects of the geologic history of the Gas Hills and Crooks Gap districts are: (1) Accumulation of the Wind River and Battle Spring Formation arkoses, conglomerates, and mudstones in early Eocene time. Volcanic ash from the Absaroka-Yellowstone province to the east was added to the western part of the Wind River basin. Climate at this time was tropical to subtropical. (2) Renewed uplift of the Granite Mountains in the late early Eocene, followed by stability in the middle Eocene. Volcanic centers in the nearby Rattlesnake Hills developed in the middle Eocene, with activity continuing through the late Eocene. (3) A major change in climate in the late Eocene early Oligocene from tropical-subtropical to more temperate. Uplift in the southern Wind River Range caused extensive erosion of middle Eocene rocks. (4) Accumulation of sediments rich in felsic ash (White River Formation) began in the early Oligocene, on an irregular surface of Eocene and older rocks. This accumulation continued until at least mid-Oligocene. (5) After an erosional interval, deposition of large volumes of tuffaceous sandstone occurred (Split Rock Formation of Miocene age). (6) Renewed crustal activity began in the early Pliocene, and a thick section of tuffaceous sandstone (Moonstone Formation) accumulated. Regional uplift beginning in the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene began the present cycle of erosion. In both districts the major uranium occurrences are in "roll-type" deposits where the uranium is concentrated in arcuate zones between relatively oxidized ("altered") and relatively reduced ("unaltered") sandstone. The uranium in such deposits is generally thought to have been transported as U6+ by oxygenated ground water traveling downdip in the host sandstone, and to have precipitated as insoluble U4+ minerals (uraninite and coffinite) along the slowly moving interface between oxidized and reduced ground. Typical gangue minerals are pyrite, marcasite, and calcite, with less common selenides and Mo-sulfides. The source of the uranium is a matter of dispute. The granitic rocks of the nearby Granite Mountains are known to have lost large amounts of uranium within the last few hundred million years, evidently in response to uplift and weathering and thus are a reasonable source material for the uranium. Also, most of the host sandstones of the uranium deposits are made up of detritus from such rocks, so that the host rocks themselves have been suggested as source rocks Alternatively, leaching of uranium from relatively U rich felsic ashes has been suggested as the most reasonable source of uranium. Tuffaceous materials in the Pliocene Split Rock Formation, the Miocene Moonstone Formation, and the Oligocene White River Formation and Wagon Bed Formation all have been suggested as possible uranium sources.
Ages are selected by the author of the paper as being one of the highest quality samples and most accurate ages. The Minimum ages are acquired from U235-Pb207, and the maximum ages are derived from a pyrite choncordia analysis
Ages are selected by the author of the paper as being one of the highest quality samples and most accurate ages. The Minimum ages are acquired from U235-Pb207, and the maximum ages are derived from a pyrite choncordia analysis
The age given for this sample is described as having a minimum age of 30.1 My and a maximum age of >30.1. Ages are selected by the author of the paper as being one of the highest quality samples and most accurate ages. The Minimum ages are acquired from U235-Pb207, and the maximum ages are derived from a pyrite choncordia analysis