December 2015 Outcrop by The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Volume 64 • No. 12 • December 2015

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

2015 Summit Sponsors E x clus ive Lu nc he o n Sp o nso r

G o ld Sp o nso rs

Student Sponsor

Silver Sponsors GEOMARK

Bronze Sponsors

OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

910 16th Street • Suite 1214 • Denver, CO 80202 • 303-573-8621 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) is a nonprofit organization whose purposes are to promote interest in geology and allied sciences and their practical application, to foster scientific research and to encourage fellowship and cooperation among its members. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the RMAG.

2015 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

Marv Brittenham president@rmag.org PRESIDENT-ELECT

1st VICE PRESIDENT

Mel Klinger melklinger@eurekageologicalconsulting.com SECRETARY

John Ladd john.ladd@discoverynr.com

Stephanie B. Gaswirth sgaswirth@usgs.gov

TREASURER-ELECT

1st YEAR COUNSELOR

Tom Sperr tsperr@bayless-cos.com

Jane Estes-Jackson Jane.Estes-Jackson@mcelvain.com

2nd VICE PRESIDENT

TREASURER

Chris Eisinger chris.eisinger@state.co.us

Paul Lillis plillis@usgs.gov 2nd YEAR COUNSELOR

Terri Olson tmolson8550@gmail.com ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Rates and sizes can be found on page 56. Advertising rates apply to either black and white or color ads. Submit color ads in RGB color to be compatible with web format. Borders are recommended for advertisements that comprise less than one half page. Digital files must be PC compatible submitted in png, jpg, tif, pdf or eps formats at a minimum of 300 dpi. If you have any questions, please call the RMAG office at 303-573-8621. Ad copy, signed contract and payment must be received before advertising insertion. Contact the RMAG office for details. DEADLINES: Ad submissions are the 1st of every month for the following month’s publication.

RMAG STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Carrie Veatch, MA cveatch@rmag.org MEMBERSHIP & EVENTS MANAGER

Hannah Rogers hrogers@rmag.org ACCOUNTANT

Carol Dalton cdalton@rmag.org MANAGING EDITOR

Will Duggins will.duggins@i-og.net ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Holly Sell holly.sell@yahoo.com Greg Guyer Greg.Guyer@halliburton.com Cheryl Fountain cwhitney@alumni.nmt.edu Andre Scheinwald aschein33001@gmail.com DESIGN/PRODUCTION

Nate Silva nate@nate-silva.com

WEDNESDAY NOON LUNCHEON RESERVATIONS

RMAG Office: 303-573-8621 | Fax: 303-476-2241 | staff@rmag.org or www.rmag.org The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

3 3

Outcrop | December 2015 OUTCROP

RMAG OCTOBER 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING By Stephanie Gaswirth, Secretary sgaswirth@usgs.gov

The October meeting of the RMAG Board of Directors was held on October 21, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. Treasurer Paul Lillis reported another good month for RMAG financially. The board voted on and approved the 2016 budget at the meeting. RMAG is currently accepting Summit Sponsors for 2016. If your company is interested helping to support RMAG, please contact the RMAG office for

details. The Board of Directors will be thanking the 2015 Summit Sponsors at a happy hour on November 5 at Maggiano’s. By the time this column goes to print, the new RMAG website will be launched and fully operational. Please make sure to check it out- your username and password is the same as the former website. All members should have received your dues renewal notification by email and paper; make sure to renew your membership! The monthly RMAG luncheon program continues to sell-out; the October talk by Teri Olson was standing-room only! If you have any speaker suggestions for 2016, please contact Chris Eisinger (chris.eisinger@state.co.us). Also, congratulations to the Continuing Education committee and all of the volunteers for a very successful Hot Plays Symposium! Over 275 people attended the technical event, and the associated core workshop was sold-out!

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OUTCROP | December 2015

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Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

CONTENTS FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

34 Lead Story: Deep in the heart of Butte, A Special Report

4 RMAG October 2015 Board of Directors Meeting

50 2015 RMAG Awards ASSOCIATION NEWS 2 RMAG 2015 Summit Sponsors

6 President’s Letter 12 Mineral of the Month: Carnotite 30 RMAG Luncheon programs: Speaker – Dr. Lesli J. Wood

39 Free IHS Trainings for RMAG Members

32 RMAG Luncheon programs: Speakers – Pete Stark & Steve Trammel

43 3D Seismic Symposium

33 In The Pipeline

44 RMAG Field Trip

COVER PHOTO

48 Welcome New RMAG Members!

Berkeley Pit, Butte, Montana, Old copper mine filling up with polluted water.

46 RMAG Foundation

56 Calendar

Photo by Ulf Starke | Dreamstime.com

47 NAPE on the Rocks

56 Outcrop Advertising Rates

49 Thank You 2015

57 Advertiser Index

September Summary

Rockbusters Ball Sponsors 51 2015 Summit Sponsors 53 RMAG/DAPL Geoland Ski Day

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

PRESIDENT’S LETTER By Marv Brittenham

Fall Wrap-up continues to bounce around an apparent floor at about $45 (Figure 1). This will continue until the over-supply is resolved or OPEC flinches.

FIGURE 1. THE 800 POUND GORILLA Updated though October, 2015

FIGURE 1.

LIFE AND HEALTH The real reason there was no President’s Letter last month

Lario Oil & Gas Company Established 1927

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Proud sponsor of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists OUTCROP | December 2015

was that I was hospitalized for 12 days, half in Reno and fortunately, after a rescue flight, the other half at our home hospital in Parker. I had brain surgery October 2nd to biopsy and potentially remove a ping pong ball sized mass on my left occipital lobe. Fortunately it was a bacterial cyst that was contained and mostly removed. My brilliant neurosurgeon, Dr. Mariel Szapiel, delights in telling me that she brain washed me! I’m receiving massive quantities of antibiotics every day for six to eight weeks post surgery to combat any remaining infection. Aside from recuperating, my one impairment is limited vision in my right eye. So, for now I’m the “left eyed” geologist! I have high hopes for a full recovery and want to thank our geologic community for the good thoughts and well wishes.

Again you received a reprieve from the Gorilla last month thanks to RMAG Executive Director Carrie Veatch providing her Director’s Column. The Board has encouraged her to provide a column to keep you abreast with RMAG’s operations. It’s just as well we skipped a month while crude oil price

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

President’s Letter

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 GEOSCIENCE ROLE IN RESOURCE PLAYS I promised to answer the nagging question – is there a robust role and need for geoscientists in the new resource sector? Again, the answer is emphatically - yes! I promised that I’d dispel some of the myths of resource plays including the oversimplified view of the “manufacturing process.” That would take a full column and may be beyond the capability of a “left eyed” geologist. So, here’s the synopsis. The view that the manufacturing process involves repeated wellbores much like building a million Yugos is naive. It’s more like building Ferraris, each unique in its own way. Manufacturing process refers to the advantage of bulk supply and services that can be delivered to a multi-well pad or area. Smart operators understand that each well on that pad is likely unique in multiple ways. They also know that continuous improvement is paramount and partly dependent on geoscience. Geoscience contributes to economic success at multiple scales, variable across the large resource play area, the fields (economic sweet spots), tiers or compartments, the reservoir, the wellbore, all the way down to the pore scale. As an example, without knowing the exact statistics, I’m certain there has been far more core taken and analyzed with evolving methods in the last decade than all of the other three decades of my career. Yes there is a robust need for geoscientists in the resource sector!

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

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Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, QEP Resources, Inc. (NYSE: QEP) is an S&P 500 Index member company. Learn more at www.qepres.com.

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

Lario Oil & Gas Company Established 1927

President’s Letter

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 THE MENTOR / MENTEE CHALLENGE

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Proud sponsor of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

A big focus for RMAG this year has been how to help our members in need. One program we are rolling out is a volunteer mentoring program. The program design will be determined by the RMAG staff and the Membership Committee chaired by Sophie Berglund. My challenge to you is to contact the staff if you’re willing to mentor or if you’re in need of mentoring. Check the new RMAG. org website for details coming early 2016. I hope you didn’t miss the Hot Plays Rockies symposium which was an awesome roll out. Thanks to Michael Dolan and Mel Klinger, cochairs and to the committee! RMAG is The Best Place for Rockies Geoscience.

DONATE NOW RMAG contributions support the calendar of 2015 of RMAG events, including short courses, symposia, social events, monthly luncheons, and more.

Click here to make a contribution online!

OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

MINERAL OF THE MONTH By Ronald L. Parker Senior Geologist, Task Fronterra Geoscience, 700 17th Street, Suite 1700, Denver, CO 80202

CARNOTITE A Mineral Agent of Transformation

ÂťÂťCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Carnotite from the Colorado Plateau. Carnotite is usually characterized by a bright canary or lemon yellow color and a friable texture. As one of the principal ore minerals for uranium, it is highly radioactive. The on-again/off-again frenzy for carnotite governed much of the economic history of the Colorado Plateau during the late 40s, the late 50s and the late 70s. Photo by Ronald L. Parker OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

MINERAL OF THE MONTH: CARNOTITE

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

Carnotite is a primary ore mineral of both uranium and vanadium that forms as a secondary mineral in the oxidation weathering zones surrounding reduced uranium ore bodies (Mann and Deutscher, 1978). Carnotite is a mineral that has played a central role in a long and complicated history of boom and bust economies across the Rocky Mountains, particularly in the Colorado Plateau Region. Carnotite, itself, undergoes continual transformation as the result of radioactive decay. Carnotite also transforms its surroundings, through the agency of human beings. CRYSTALLOGRAPHY: Carnotite

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belongs to the monoclinic crystal system (2/m – Prismatic). Unit cell dimensions are a=10.47Å, b=8.41Å, c=6.91Å, for an axial ratio (a : b : c) of 1.245 : 1 : 0.822. The β angle is 103.83°. (mindat. org, 2015). Physical Properties (Bonewitz, 2008)

Perfect cleavage along {001}, micaceous

HARDNESS: 2

SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 4.7 g/cm3

LUSTER: Sub-vitreous, pearly, dull,

silky, waxy, resinous, earthy

COLOR: Bright lemon or canary yel-

low to yellow green.

STREAK: Yellow

OTHER PROPERTIES:

Radioactive. Uranium is very slowly radioactive. 238U (99.3% of all uranium) has a half-life (t½) of

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

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OUTCROP | December 2015

MINERAL OF THE MONTH: CARNOTITE

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

4.5 billion years. Newly crystallized carnotite would not be highly radioactive. The vigorous radioactivity that characterizes most samples of carnotite derives from decay of the numerous daughter isotopes with much shorter halflives – 214Bi is a prominent example – that are much more radioactive. It takes ~1 million years for 238U in newly crystallized carnotite to reach secular equilibrium with these decay products (Dickin, 2005).

DIAPHANEITY: Semi-transparent

to opaque

HABIT: Carnotite is rarely observed

with euhedral crystals, being most commonly found as aggregated surface coatings, pore fillings and easily crumbled powder. Much of this character is due to crystal lattice disintegration by radioactive decay.

GENESIS: Carnotite is a secondary

mineral formed by the oxidation of primary uranium and vanadium minerals such as Uraninite, Montroseite or Davidite (Bonewitz, 2008; mindat.org, 2015).

TYPE LOCALITY: Rajah Mine, Ura-

van District, Montrose County, Colorado (mindat.org, 2015).

GEOLOGY: Carnotite is observed

most commonly as pore-filling cement in fluvial channel sandstones, particularly those that contain an abundance of organic detritus. Uranium and vanadium both form soluble oxyions in oxidizing, slightly alkaline surface and ground water. Arsenic,

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

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MINERAL OF THE MONTH: CARNOTITE

Carnotite staining petrified wood from mine spoil, near Temple Mountain, eastern San Rafael Swell, near Hanksville, Utah. Photo by Ronald L. Parker

molybdenum and selenium display similar geochemical behavior and minerals containing these elements are often found in association with uranium and vanadium minerals (like carnotite). Transport of mobile oxyions (uranyl, vanadate, arsenate, molybdate, selenate) by ground water advection is arrested at geochemical redox barriers. These barriers include organic matter and hydrogen sulfide (uranium is often associated with petrified wood). Ores formed in this manner are dark colored (black, gray and brown). When these reduced ores are exhumed by erosion, oxidation creates the much more intensely colored secondary minerals that include

OUTCROP | December 2015

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

bright lemon yellow carnotite (Plant, 1999).

OCCURRENCE: Carnotite in the Colorado Plateau is

most often found in thick fluvial channel sands of the Late Jurassic Morrison formation and the Shinarump conglomerate Member of the Triassic Chinle Formation (Fillmore, 2011). The original source of the uranium and the vanadium introduced to the surface and ground water systems is thought to be rhyolitic volcanic ash. Significant carnotite deposits are found in association with fluvial channel sands in calcrete terrains of Western Australia (Mann and Deutscher, 1978).

»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

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nor Great Western a rocky mountain operator

MINERAL OF THE MONTH: CARNOTITE

»»CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

Carnotite was used by First Nations peoples as a colorful pigment. Since, it has been a primary driving force behind boom and bust economic cycles in the Colorado Plateau for more than a century. These cycles transformed many remote and small villages (Moab, Grants, Riverton, Rifle, Monticello, etc.), leaving lasting impressions on the landscape in the form of uncontrolled growth, roads, mills, O I L & G A S COOI LM & PAGNAYS C O M PA N Yghost towns, mine pits, adits, spoil piles and waste lagoons. Carnot303-398-0302 303-398-0302 ite mining also brought transforinfo@gwogco.com info@gwogco.com mation to the human dimension: www.gwogco.com www.gwogco.com families, housing developments, schools, hotels, water, sewer, phone and electrical service upgrades, bars, churches, movie theaters, etc. Transformation was, and is, a two way street – expansion during boom times; collapse after the bust. Another transformation was a change in the landscape geochemistry of pollutants and radioactive materials with attendant adverse impacts to human health and the environment. Without doubt, carnotite mining on the Colorado Plateau also directly contributed to the transformation to the modern nuclear era, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the expansion of peaceful uses of atomic power (Amundson, 2002; Ringholz, 2002). The first of the boom and bust cycles was in the early part of the 20th century, associated with the discovery of radioactivity by Henri Becquerel in 1896 and subsequent research and discoveries of

GreatGreat Western Western

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»»CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

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Register at www.NapeExpo.com with promo code NAPEBIZCONF NAPE was founded in a down market to boost exploration and production. Making the NAPE Denver Business Conference and Luncheon more accessible to our industry’s Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org 19 OUTCROP movers and shakers during this economic slide is our way of supporting you. Enjoy.

| December 2015

Mineral of the Month: Carnotite

Photograph of North Temple Mountain, San Rafael Swell near Hanksville, Utah. The upper most cliff-forming stratum is the Wingate Ss. Below that is the Church Rock Member. The dark red middle band is the Moss Back Member. The light colored strata in the middle are the Monitor Butte and Temple Mountain Members. The red shales beneath the middle light band belong to the Moenkopi Formation. Photo by Ronald L. Parker

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other radioactive elements by Pierre and Marie Curie (Brown, 2002). Marie Sklodowska Curie was conducting experiments with radium, which she had isolated in 1898 from uraninite (pitchblende) ore obtained from the Erz Mountains of Germany and from Czechoslovakia (Ringholz, 2002). One of the apparent properties of radium was that it halted the progress of certain cancers (Amundson, 2002). The Chicago Daily Tribune of June 21st, 1903 trumpeted “Radium the Greatest Discovery in History” (Nelson, 2014). Radium was rare in the extreme and, considering these new, potentially significant properties, was highly valuable. One gram of radium was worth $70,000 to $120,000 and required 300 tons of uranium ore. As the European pitchblende mines played out by ~1910, a new source of uranium ore for European research centers was discovered in the American Southwest (Amundson, 2002; Ringholz, 2002). These uranium accumulations were comprised of the mineral carnotite, which was newly described in 1899 by Charles Friedel and Édouard Cumenge. The mineral

Carnotite from spoil near sealed off mines on BLM land beneath Temple Mountain, eastern San Rafael Swell, Utah. Photo by Ronald L. Parker.

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OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

Mineral of the Month: Carnotite

Sign from the region of carnotite mines near Temple Mountain, Hanskville, Utah. Photo by Ronald L. Parker

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

MINERAL OF THE MONTH: CARNOTITE

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A PROUD MEMBER OF YOUR COMMUNITY.

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encana.com/communities/usa/djbasin

OUTCROP | December 2015

was named in honor of Marie-Adolphe Carnot, a renowned French chemist, mining engineer and professor at École des Mines (mindat. org, 2015). Carnotite was first described in 1899 from exposures along Roc Creek in the Uravan region of Montrose County, Colorado (webmineral.com, 2015). Because radium was so highly prized, a small carnotite mining boom expanded across the Colorado Plateau in the 1st quarter of the 20th century. During this time, the carnotite deposits of the Colorado Plateau were the only source of radium, which was almost exclusively sent to the Curie’s lab. (Pough, 1988). Carnotite was mined radium only; the other constituents (V and U) were not known to have economic value and were interred in waste piles. The radium boom in the Colorado Plateau ended in 1923 when substantial uranium ores were discovered in the (then) Belgian Congo (Ringholz, 2002). Amundson (2002) reports that between 1898 and 1923, Colorado Plateau miners processed ~67,000 tons of carnotite ore, which yielded about 202 grams of radium (p. 5). In the mid-1930s, a second boom in carnotite mining was driven by vanadium. It was discovered that adding vanadium oxide to molten steel increased the tensile strength, wear resistance and flexibility of the steel. The old carnotite dumps from the radium era were reprocessed to remove the vanadium. Uranium was still considered a waste and it accumulated in

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

Mineral of the Month: Carnotite

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a new generation of tailings piles. Mostly. One entrepreneur concentrated uranium from waste and sold it to a company for use in creating pigments for glass and ceramic products. To this day, fluorescent Vaseline glass and orange Fiestaware (made between 1936 and 1972) remain collector’s items because they are both pretty and radioactive (Landa and Councell, 1992). The company town of Uravan was established by Union Carbide in western Colorado in 1936 and several vanadium processing mills were constructed (Amundson, 2002). Entry into World War II saw a dramatic change in the attention given to the carnotite mining region of the Colorado Plateau. Although carnotite mining was still focused on the strategic metal vanadium, a new realization about the uses of uranium had evolved. The old radium and vanadium mining spoil piles were once again revisited for uranium. Only 10% the uranium for the Manhattan Project was derived from the Colorado Plateau. Nevertheless, the development of a domestic source of uranium soon became an important objective of the government (Ringholz, 2002; Amundson, 2002). After World War II ended, the need to secure a domestic reserve of uranium spawned the third carnotite boom on the Colorado Plateau. The newly created Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) teamed with the United States Geological Survey to scour the Plateau country for uranium using drilling, aerial geophysical reconnaissance and supporting teams of geologists in the field. After many fits and starts, the AEC decided to enlist the private sector by setting up a Domestic Uranium Program. Many of the government funded field studies were publically available (Blackman,

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

USAEC and USGS Pamphlet describing the techniques that amateurs could use to prospect for uranium. Photo by Ronald L. Parker 1952). The AEC and USGS also published a small, pocket-sized handbook for the amateur prospector entitled “Prospecting for Uranium” (USAEC and USGS, 1951). The book describes uranium minerals, how to use a Geiger counter and where to get information, maps and supplies. It also assured a set price for finds and included a bonus of $10,000 for delivery of 20 short tons of ore at a grade of better than 20% U3O8.

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OUTCROP | December 2015

MINERAL OF THE MONTH: CARNOTITE

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The $10,000 bonus certainly captured the imagination of the public and started a “Uranium Frenzy” (Ringholz, 2002). People flocked to the Colorado Plateau with new gear and Geiger Counters in hand. The feel of this time is represented in popular culture by an episode of The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour entitled “Lucy Hunts Uranium” (IMDb. com, 2015). While few people were actually able to realize their dreams of striking it rich, there are several notable examples that fueled the national imagination. Charlie Steen (Ringholz, 2002) and Vernon Pick (Coughlan, 1951) both experienced hardship and duress on the road to becoming household names as uranium millionaires. Fourth boom for mining carnotite in the Colorado Plateau developed in the 1970s – driven by the evolving technology for generating nuclear power. The expanding market for carnotite derived uranium to fuel nuclear power plants was dealt a severe blow by the Three Mile Island incident in early 1979, which accompanied free-market instability. Changes in the stance of the U.S Government toward exploration, price guarantees, fostering production and regulation resulted in a roller-coaster ride of prosperity and hardship for the industry through the 70s, 80s and 90s. Amundson (2002) summarizes it thusly “…the federal government encouraged the creation, expansion, overproduction, and demise of the U.S. uranium industry and the towns that supported it” (p 176).

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OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

MINERAL OF THE MONTH: CARNOTITE

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The long history of mining carnotite in the Colorado Plateau has resulted in a legacy of environmental contamination that continues to plague the region, although a great deal of contaminant characterization and remediation has been accomplished in the last several decades. The largest and most potentially threatening carnotite-related facilities were the uranium ore processing mills. In 1978, the federal government tasked the Department of Energy (DOE) with the responsibility of cleaning up the mess at appropriated $1 billion dollars to clean up 24 uranium mill processing sites and 5200 associated properties in 10 states. Under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) of 1978, the DOE established the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Program to oversee cleanup of contaminated lands. Remedial Action at most of the 24 UMTRA sites has been completed (DOE, 2015b). Ongoing remediation at the Atlas (formerly URECO) UMTRA site on the Colorado River

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L OG S G S LO LOGS OVER 6 MILLION WELL LOGS FROM THE ARCTIC TO THE GULF OF MEXICO

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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Vol. 63, No. 12

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Mineral of the Month: Carnotite USDOE Cleanup Sites: http://energy.gov/em/cleanup-sites Webmineral Carnotite: http:// webmineral.com/data/Carnotite.shtml#.VklnwnarT4c

just north of Moab, UT has been transporting contaminated mill tailings to a secure landfill since 2009. As of October, 2015, railcars have moved 7,848,000 tons of tailings to Crescent Junction (DOE, 2015b). The history of carnotite mining in the 4 corners region of the Colorado Plateau is one that parallels the advancement of scientific knowledge about the atomic nucleus. The scientific and strategic value of elements present in carnotite (Ra, V and U) have made it a highly prized and sought after commodity for more than a century. Discovery of carnotite ore has continuously been

followed by a transformation of the landscape and of the demographics of the nearby region. Carnotite: the transformational mineral!

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WEBLINKS

REFERENCES

Vernon Pick’s $10 Million: https://books.google.com/ books?id=qVIEAAAAMBAJ Lucy Hunts Uranium: http:// www.imdb.com/title/ tt0637531/ Mindat.org Carnotite: http:// www.mindat.org/min-907.html UMTRA: https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Uranium_Mill_Tailings_Radiation_Control_Act UMTRA: http://www.eia.gov/ nuclear/umtra/

Amundson, Michael A., 2002, Yellowcake Towns: Uranium Mining Communities in the American West: Boulder, University Press of Colorado, 204 pp. Bonewitz, Ronald Louis, 2008, Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates, in Rock and Gem: the Definitive Guide to Rocks, Minerals, Gems and Fossils: New York, Dorling-Kindersley, Inc., p. 189. Brown, G. I., 2002, Invisible Rays: the History of Radioactivity: Phoenix Mill, Sutton Publishing Limited, 248 pp. Burns, Peter and Finch, Robert, 1999, Uranium: Mineralogy, Geochemistry and the Environment: Mineralogical Society of America Reviews in Mineralogy, Volume 38, 679 pp. Coughlan, Robert, 1954, Vernon Pick’s $10 Million – He Fought Storms, Rattlers, Poison Water, Death itself to Find Uranium Bonanza: Life Magazine Dickin, Alan P., 2005, Radiogenic Isotope Geology: Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 492 pp. Fillmore, Robert, 2011, Geological Evolution of the Colorado Plateau of Eastern Utah and Western Colorado, including the San Juan river, Natural Bridges, Canyonlands, Arches

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OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

Mineral of the Month: Carnotite Geochemistry and the Environment: Mineralogical Society of America Reviews in Mineralogy, Volume 38, pp. 255-319. Pough, Frederick H., 1988, Peterson Field Guides: Rocks and Minerals: New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, p. 262. Ringholz, Raye C., 2002, Uranium Frenzy: Saga of the Nuclear West: Logan, UT, Utah State University Press, 344 pp. USAEC and USGS, 1951, Prospecting for Uranium: Washington D.C., United States Government Printing Office 128 pp. USDOE, 2015a, Office of Environmental Management Completed Sites Listing: http://energy.gov/ em/downloads/completed-sites-listing, accessed 11/11/15. USDOE, 2015b, Moab, Utah UMTRA Project Webpage: http://www.gjem.energy.gov/moab/, accessed 11/11/15. Weir, Doris Blackman, 1952, Geologic Guides to Prospecting for Carnotite Deposits on the Colorado Plateau, United States Geological Survey Bulletin 988-B, 27 pp.

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and the Book Cliffs; Salt Lake City, The University of Utah Press, 496 pp. IMDB, 2015, Lucy Hunts Uranium: http://www.imdb. com/title/tt0637531/, accessed 11/8/15. Landa, E. and Councell, T., 1992, Leaching of Uranium from Glass and Ceramic Foodware and Decorative Items: Health Physics 63 (3): 343-348. Mann, A. W. and Deutscher, R. L., 1978, Genesis Principles for the Precipitation of Carnotite in Calcrete Drainages in Western Australia: Economic Geology, 73:1724-1737. Mindat, 2015a, Carnotite: http://www.mindat.org/ min-907.html, Accessed 11/12/15. Mindat, 2015b, Carnotite Group: http://www.mindat. org/min-32551.html, Accessed 11/12/15. Nelson, Craig, 2014, The Age of Radiance: The Epic Rise and Dramatic Fall of the Atomic Era: New York, Scribner, 437 pp. Plant, Jane A., Simpson, Peter R., Smith, Barry and Windley, Brian F., 1999, Uranium Ore Deposits – Products of the Radioactive Earth: in Burns, Peter and Finch, Robert, 1999, Uranium: Mineralogy,

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Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS Speaker: Dr. Lesli J. Wood — December 2, 2015

Re-visiting controls on shelf sand distribution and re-newing exploration success in these highly complex depositional settings Application of worldwide studies to improved exploration success in the basins of the Western Interior By Dr. Lesli J. Wood, Robert J. Weimer Endowed Chair of Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Geology and Geological Engineering

OUTCROP | December 2015

features are alternative to the more typically describes shore perpendicular channel incisions developed during lowstands of shoreline. Entire fields of deep-ocean current deposited sand and shale ridges can be found in the Cretaceous to Tertiary strata all along the western Africa margin and are used to time the opening of the circulation in the Atlantic, as well as examine the effect of shelf margin geometry on current directions. One would expect that similar currents occupied the Western Interior Seaway, and possibly had a strong influence on erosion and sediment redistribution in the shelf settings of the seaway. One area where the CSM SAND research group is focusing their research on ocean current sediment distribution is examining shelf sand distribution in the San Juan Basin of northwest New Mexico. The Tocito Sandstone (TS) has been long proven to be a highly prolific reservoir system in the largest domestic onshore conventional gas basin in the U.S., the San Juan Basin (SJB). Similar shelf sand types associated with the pre-Tocito Gallup Sands and the more transgressive post-Tocito El Vado Sandstones have proven equally productive in recent wells resulting in a mini-boom of sorts in

Shelf-deposited, sandstone bodies form many of the major hydrocarbon reservoirs in the world and occur worldwide on both modern and ancient continental shelves. Examples include the Viking Formation in Canada; the Shannon, Eagle, and Hygiene Sandstones of Wyoming and Colorado; as well as reservoirs in the Caribbean, Indonesia, the Adriatic, Australia and other basins around the world. Several interpretations have been put forward to explain the origin and nature of these sand bodies, and answering these questions regarding shelf sands has important implications, given their significant economic influence as major hydrocarbon repositories. The knowledge can be used to improve paleoclimatic and paleo-oceanographic models, just as increased accuracy of infill drilling can be used to improve exploration and development processes (nearly 40% increase reported in some fields). Recent work in large 3D seismic and well datasets from the northeastern shelf of South America show the importance of ocean currents in directing sediments, even during highstand, to locations basinward of the shelf. Data show shore-parallel erosional furrows, in effect shelf channels, cut and enhanced where the Guiana current interacts with seafloor topography. These shore parallel transport

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Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

RMAG Luncheon programs

Dr. Lesli Wood is the new Robert Weimer Endowed Chair in Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. Dr. Wood joined the faculty at CSM in January after leaving the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology as a Senior Research Scientist where she evolved and ran the Quantitative Clastics Laboratory for 14 years. She is currently the Principal Investigator of the Sedimentary Analogs Database and Research Program (SAND), an industrial consortium engaged in study of clastic reservoir and seal systems around the world. With B.S., M. S. and a PhD in geology from Arkansas Tech University, University of Arkansas, and Colorado State University respectively, Dr. Wood returns to her professional roots in Denver after having worked for Amoco Production Company in Houston, prior to moving to the University of Texas in 1997. In what little spare time she has, Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

Dr. Wood is a guitarist and vocalist and played with The Spiceboys in Austin. She is now enjoying the various sports and travel opportunities available in Colorado. In January 2015, Dr. Wood joined the faculty at Colorado School of Mines as a Professor and the Robert Weimer Endowed Chair in Sedimentology and Petroleum Geology, where she is director of the Sedimentary Analogs Database and Research Program (SAnD). Prior to joining CSM, Dr. Wood held positions at the University of Texas at Austin, Amoco Production Company and Arco. She received her doctorate in 1992 from Colorado State University following her MS work at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Wood specializes in quantitative seismic geomorphology of clastic basins, structural and sedimentary system interactions, submarine mass failures, petroleum geology, mobile shales and geomorphology of Mars. She has served as SEPM Society for Sedimentary 31

suggest mega-swell waves up to 9 m high may have impacted the paleo-shelf distributing sands widely across the region, and possibly contributed to the submarine erosion of up to 60 meters of material from the paleo-shelf. This regional study of SJB shelf reservoir sands is the first to quantify the regional nature of sand distribution, link super-greenhouse processes to potential shelfal submarine erosion and redistribution of sediments, and to examine prograding versus transgressive shelf reservoir systems.

the SJB. Studies of the nature of all these shelf sand systems from outcrop, core, logs and seismic reveal thick (1-2 m) cycles of heterolithic wave-rippled, moderately to intensely bioturbated marine sands stacked in 8-12 m thick shelf sequences that are spatially extensive throughout the eastern as well as western SJB. Tocito sands in the western SJB outcrop are much more proximal in nature with tidal channel and bar facies associations predominate. Tocito intervals in the southeastern SJB outcrop show at least six sanding

and thickening upward cycles composed of thinly-laminated, wave-rippled sands (Facies 3) interbedded with marine shales (Facies 1) progressing upward to moderately bioturbated, sand-rich parasequences (Facies 4). Shelf parasequences compensationally stack in near paleo-shoreline regions around Cabazon Peak northward to subsurface localities at least 140 km north of the paleoshoreline. Near-shore cycles near Cabazon Peak transition just 8 kilometers northward to contain extensive mega-hummocks (Facies 2). Analysis of hummocks in the Tocito sands

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Geology national Secretary-Treasurer, the GCSSEPM President and is active in the Geological Society of America, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago. She also served as the Technical Program Committee Chairman for the 2012 GCAGS Annual Convention, as a member of the UltraDeepwater Advisory Committee for the U.S. Secretary of the Department of Energy and serves as an Associate Editor at Geosphere. Dr. Wood has published widely on the nature of modern and ancient deep- to shallow-water systems around the world and has won numerous best paper and poster awards, including AAPG’s Sproule Award, and most recently the 2014 EAGE Norman Falcon Award as co-author of the Best Paper in Petroleum Geosciences. She, her partner and her pig are very pleased to be relocating back to the Rocky Mountains after 23 years in Texas. OUTCROP | December 2015

RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS Speakers: Pete Stark & Steve Trammel — January 6, 2016

The Petroleum Industry Resets – Perspectives on the Road Ahead Pete Stark, Senior Research Director and Advisor, IHS Steve Trammel, Research Director and Advisor, IHS growth, Saudi Arabia’s decision to defend its market share and pending revival of Iran’s production – putting the onus on U.S. tight oil producers to reduce supplies. An IHS scenario indicates that an extended period of $45 oil could drive sufficient reduction in U.S. tight oil production to rebalance the oil market in mid-2016. It may take longer as cost reductions and performance enhancements introduced by producers have slowed the rate of projected U.S. oil production declines. Unfortunately, natural gas is not in position to come to the rescue. At this writing, it looks like U.S. 2015 gas storage levels will set a new all-time record of more than 4 Tcf on the cusp of a possible mild winter influenced by a strong “el niño pattern. If this outlook prevails, sub-$2.00 per Mcf gas prices could return during first half of 2016. All eyes will focus on

Global oil markets continue to be significantly oversupplied and U.S. gas producers seek new markets to absorb surplus gas supplies. During first quarter 2015 there was room for hope that markets would rebalance by end of the year and that oil and gas prices would begin a gradual recovery. Unfortunately, multiple factors indicate that oversupplies and price pressure will remain well into 2016. Early November 2015 WTI oil price at around $44.00 per barrel and spot gas price around $2.30 per Mcf, both less than half their corresponding 2014 highs, may look good for several months ahead. As a result, a fundamental restructuring of the oil and gas industry is underway as companies “reset” operations to be profitable in a lower price environment. Predicting when oil markets will rebalance is tricky with multiple global factors –reduced demand

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Philip H. “Pete” Stark is Senior Upstream Research Director and Advisor for IHS Energy in Englewood, Colorado. Prior to joining IHS in 1969, Stark was an exploration geologist for Mobil Oil. Dr. Stark has authored papers on E&P databases, hydrocarbon shows, horizontal drilling, US natural gas, global oil and gas resources, global E&P trends, giant fields and unconventional O&G. He coauthored special IHS studies of North American gas supplies, unconventional gas supplies, North American and OUTCROP | December 2015

global tight oil and global reserves replacement. Pete has participated in the AAPG Resources Committee and AAPGSPE and Hedberg resource research conferences. He has served on the AAPG Corporate Advisory Board and boards of the AAPG International Pavilion and PPDM. Previously, he was chairman of the Board of Visitors for the University of Wisconsin Department of Geology and Geophysics. Dr. Stark holds a BSc in geology from the University of Oklahoma and MSc and PhD degrees in geology 32

from the University of Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin Department of Geology and Geophysics honored Dr. Stark’s contributions to the university and profession with a Distinguished Alumni Award. Pete received a 2011 Honorary Member Award from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the 2011 IHS Chairman’s Award and the 2015 COGA Lifetime Achievement Award. Pete also was named to the Denver and Houston Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in Energy” publications. Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

RMAG LUNCHEON PROGRAMS by increasing public clamor to dramatically reduce fossil fuels – especially “dirty” oil – and with only limited accommodation for natural gas as a “transition” fuel to renewable energy. Currently, there is no silver bullet in sight to levitate wind and solar to much more than 22% of global electric power generation (about 4% of total energy consumption) by 2040. But there is a huge gap in the public perception and realities about the magnitude of the undertaking to migrate to a cleaner energy future. The petroleum industry may be increasingly challenged to educate public and policy makers about the critical role of oil and gas in energy and climate change solutions.

the “mighty Marcellus” to understand future trends in gas supplies. What is the breakeven price for recent Marcellus wells that may produce 2.2 to 2.8 Bcf per 1000 lateral ft. at a cost of $860M to $1 MM per 1000 lateral ft? Meanwhile, companies are taking meaningful actions to further reduce costs in response to the challenging 2016 outlook. Additional budget cuts, workforce reductions, rig cancellations, cost cutting initiatives, asset rationalization, heightened emphasis on capital discipline and standardization are all part of the industry reset. Hopefully, 2016 will not provide another “deja vu all over again” repeat

of “staying alive in ‘85”. Both oil and gas prices are expected to resume positive trends during the last half of 2016. The long term outlook for oil and gas through 2040 also is positive. An IHS base case scenario projects that 2040 oil and gas consumption will be about 53.6% of total world energy consumption – about the same as today but relative to a 25% increase in total energy consumption. Bountiful U.S. tight oil and shale gas resources will play an important role in meeting projected world energy demand. Trends will, of course, be impacted by fluctuations in the global economy and unpredictable turmoil in important producing countries. The long term outlook also will be challenged

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IN THE PIPELINE

DECEMBER 2, 2015 RMAG Luncheon. Speaker Dr. Lesli Wood. “Re-visiting Controls on Shelf Sand Distribution and Renewing Exploration Success in These Highly Complex Depositional Settings.” Maggiano’s Little Italy, Denver.

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

DWLS Annual Holiday Party. DECEMBER 9, 2015 RMAG NAPE Welcome Reception. NAPE on the Rocks DECEMBER 9-10, 2015 NAPE Rockies. Denver, CO. DECEMBER 11, 2015

PTTC Short Course. “Well-Log Sequence Stratigraphy: Applications to Sandstones and Shales.” CSM, Golden, CO.

DECEMBER 2, 2015

DECEMBER 1-3, 2015

End? (Or a Look at Global Oil Supply with a Special Emphasis on Middle East Geopolitics along with Predicting the Duration of This Current Low Oil Price Market Situation).”

DECEMBER 16, 2015 PTTC Short Course. “Air Emission Analysis for State and Federal Air Compliance, CSM, Golden, CO.

DIPS Luncheon. Speaker Gary Stewart. “Will This Oil Tsunami Finally

OUTCROP | December 2015

LEAD STORY

DEEP IN THE HEART OF BUTTE A Special Report

Parrot Smelter tailings dump, Butte, Montana. mtpr.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

By Susan Dunlap ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE MONTANA STANDARD

Editors Note: In the October 2015 Outcrop we ran a story on the Gold King Mine. The focus of that article was on the history of the mine and an overview of cleanup efforts throughout the last 20 years. This month’s lead follows a similar path but delves into more detail on how mining remnants from the past effect individual communities. Conflicting science, convoluted logic and the all-important dollar have come together in Butte, MT to form a web of complexities on the path to action. Due to length restrictions, this article has been split into two parts. The second portion of this story will be published in the January 2016 issue of the Outcrop.

elow the center of Butte flows water tainted with poisons drawn from a mass of mining and smelting waste that has been a pollution problem for more than a century. The deadly bright-blue plume “is the most contaminated mine water in the state of Montana,” hydrogeologist Joe Griffin says. No one argues that point. But a raging dispute centers on what to do about it — and about the tailings from the Parrot mine and smelter that are feeding the deadly brew of metals-laced water.

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Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

Lead Story

The polluted groundwater is flowing inexorably toward Silver Bow Creek, and critics of the Environmental Protection Agency’s long-standing decision to leave the tailings in the middle of the city as “waste in place” say it could eventually endanger the recently completed cleanup of the lower part of the creek, which cost an estimated $147 million. That EPA decision has been roundly criticized OUTCROP | December 2015

as being based on a flawed scientific model — and also for its intrinsic capitulation to the concept that Butte will never be able to be truly cleaned up, never be able to remove the taint of mine pollution from its very heart. Nobody is saying the Parrot pollution is currently a human health concern — but its potential to affect the fragile remediation of Silver Bow Creek

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Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

New Date: 24 March 2016 AAPG | DPA

The Rockies Playmaker Forum

Marriott Denver City Center I Denver, Colorado

Co-Hosted by: Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG)

One Full-day Session The Denver Playmakers Forum will feature US Rockies plays that were put together by well-known, successful playmakers. The forum will feature case histories, learnings, strategies, and suggestions for future playmakers. The event is co-sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists and the Division of Professional Affairs-AAPG.

For details contact educate@aapg.org

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

FORUM

OUTCROP | December 2015

Lead Story

Bureau of Mines and Geology scientist Gary Icopini pumps a bucket full of water that is blue due to copper contamination from a well at the ball field behind the Civic Center. Susan Dunlap, Montana Standard

could be a body blow to Butte’s effort to move on from the grievous environmental damage caused by its mining legacy. In an interview for this story, the EPA’s manager for the Butte Hill portion of the Superfund cleanup acknowledged the inaccuracy of the agency’s earlier study on the speed the groundwater is moving. And the manager, Nikia Greene, also said he is open to looking at data if the state can show evidence that removing the waste’s source could clean water flowing through the site within the next century. “I’ve never seen that data that tells me it’ll clean OUTCROP | December 2015

up before 100 years,” Greene told the Standard. “Show me data that says this will clean up groundwater faster, and I will look at that.” Meanwhile, public pressure to remove the tailings is gaining steam. A decision to do so would immediately engender more key questions: Who will do it, and when? How much will it cost, and who will pay? While the Atlantic Richfield Company and the EPA are the most conventional responses to the “who” questions, it may ultimately fall to the state of Montana — which has long advocated the removal — to get the enormous, dirty job done. The

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Free IHS Trainings For RMAG Members

Kingdom Seismic Interpretation

Kingdom Geological Interpretation

Petra Overview Course

January 25-27, 2016

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February 23-24, 2016

Value: $2,100

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Free IHS Trainings for unemployed and student RMAG Members. Details

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OUTCROP | December 2015

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Lead Story lead, arsenic, cadmium, copper and zinc — were early contributors to the pollution of Silver Bow Creek, which became so bad a judge ruled in 1893 that the city had to change its water source (see historical timeline). The EPA and Montana Department of Environmental Quality have been in disagreement over the groundwater contamination, the Parrot tailings, and the additional mine waste along George Street — often collectively referred to as the Parrot corridor — since at least 2004, said Griffin, former MDEQ manager for the Butte Hill. The state has been fighting to clean up the Parrot corridor. The EPA disagrees removal is necessary. Greene says the plume is stable and not moving. Gary Icopini, a senior research hydrogeologist with the Bureau of Mines and Geology, said he’s never seen any evidence to support that conclusion. Icopini, along with Nick Tucci, were the two state scientists who studied the aquifer and wrote reports on their findings in 2010 and 2012. Griffin said it is “irresponsible” of the EPA to contend the plume is not moving. “They have nothing to support that,” he said. Icopini said the Bureau concluded from the 2012 study that in roughly thirty years the Parrot plume has traveled approximately 80 percent of the way to Blacktail Creek. The EPA’s record of decision for the Butte Hill says the contaminants from the Parrot tailings would take 200 years to reach Silver Bow Creek and said the tailings should be left in place.

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state’s Natural Resource Damage Council has actually formulated a cleanup plan (see related story). Like opponents maneuvering on a giant chessboard of mine waste and money, the primary players in the drama are approaching an endgame — a consent decree that will set out final cleanup terms. The stakes are huge for ARCO, which inherited responsibility for Butte’s mine pollution when it purchased the Anaconda Copper Mining Company 38 years ago, and for the EPA, because of its role in administering the largest Superfund site in the nation, as well as for the state of Montana and Butte-Silver Bow county. Over the years, positions and arguments among those players have ebbed and flowed, often within confidential and therefore invisible negotiations. The biggest stakeholders — the people of Butte — are frequently left on the outside wondering what will happen next. It is wholly unsurprising that the Parrot tailings are causing so much distress. The Parrot smelter was the site of the world’s first — failed — attempt at air pollution control. And the tailings — full of

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RMAG Holiday Hours The RMAG office will be closed December 24, 2015 and reopen on January 4, 2016. OUTCROP | December 2015

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Lead Story behind the Butte Town Center. Contamination exists on the surface at this site, likely the result of tailings that flowed downstream during smelting in the late 1800s. The Northside tailings, another shallow contamination site due to century- old tailings, is about 5½ acres. The Northside tailings is a slender stretch lying along the northern edge of the mostly dry drainage ditch — historically Silver Bow Creek — beside George Street. About 250 feet behind the visitor center is the Blacktail berm. Another area of surface contamination, the berm is also likely the result of smelter operations from days long gone. Icopini said the state believes the berm poses a danger because of its location next to Blacktail Creek. The berm is one acre, but if the wetlands behind it are included, then that site grows to nine acres, Pat Cunneen, Butte Natural Resource Damage Council environmental scientist,

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WHAT IS THE PARROT CORRIDOR? The Parrot corridor consists of four individual sites: the Parrot tailings, two areas along George Street called Diggings East and the Northside tailings, and the Blacktail berm behind the visitor center. The plume is located in an aquifer that is approximately 50 to 60 feet below ground, Icopini said. Scientists refer to the section where the plume lives as the middle alluvial unit. It is made up of mostly gravel and sand. Above that is sand, silt and clay. What’s below it is unknown, environmental scientist for the NRD Jim Ford said. State scientists argue the gravel and sand in the middle enables the dirty water to move through the soil. All of the state’s former and current scientists who spoke with the Standard say it’s moving toward the creeks. The Diggings East is a 24-acre barren area

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INDEPENDENT? Visit the SIPES Booth NAPE DENVER December 9-10, 2015

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OUTCROP | December 2015

Lead Story said. Cunneen says the wetlands are likely contaminated too.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Fish began appearing in Silver Bow Creek less than 10 years ago. While the health of the creek is greatly improved since the days when it was a devastated wasteland, the increased health is fragile. It has also been expensive. In a 2015 study, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks looked at five limited sections of the stream from Rocker to Opportunity and found 15 westslope cutthroat trout and 15 brook trout. Jason Lindstrom, fisheries manager, stressed this study does not provide a comprehensive count of the fish. The sections studied were 1,000 feet long. But it might give an indication of what’s going on in the lower portion of the creek from interstate 90 to Warm Springs Ponds. The trout population in upper Silver Bow Creek — the part that runs through town — is likely smaller than the not fully known numbers of trout living downstream. Lindstrom said trout do occur in the upper portion of the creek, but fish population there consists mostly of tiny fish — suckers and sculpin — that bigger fish feed on. Lindstrom said the quality of the habitat in upper Silver Bow Creek is the likely cause of why fish numbers are low. He cited a lack of vegetation on the creek banks to keep water temperatures cool, discharge coming from Butte’s wastewater treatment plant, and contamination running into the creek off the Butte Hill during storms. In regards to the Parrot contamination, Lindstrom said MFWP supports anything that creates better water quality for Silver Bow Creek. The cleanup of lower Silver Bow Creek, now complete after 16 years of work, cost $147 million, Joel Chavez, MDEQ project manager on that section of the cleanup, told the Standard. Griffin says he’s concerned over the creek’s future if the Parrot is not addressed now. Greene says he will receive financial assurances from a bank on behalf of ARCO’s parent company, BP (formerly called British Petroleum), as to its ability to meet cleanup commitments. How much BP will OUTCROP | December 2015

be on the hook for Greene could not disclose. Those figures are part of the current consent-decree negotiations, held in confidence by a court order and now underway. A look at BP’s public financial disclosures provides a mixed picture. At the beginning of July, BP announced it would pay $18.7 billion over 18 years to settle legal responsibilities for Deepwater Horizon, the 2010 oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. The settlement is pending a judge’s approval, Jason Ryan, press officer for BP, told the Standard. BP is in the process of divesting $48 billion of assets by 2015. But in March, BP announced the development of 5 trillion cubic feet of gas resources in Egypt, a potential financial boon. Greene said if a contamination issue arises in the future and ARCO fails to pay, the EPA would cover the cost. “If we had data that said (the contaminated water) wasn’t being captured, we would do something about it,” Greene said. “We wouldn’t just let it go.” But the EPA’s own financial resources are limited. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who sits on the appropriations committee in the Senate, acknowledged the EPA’s budget has seen some trimming since 2010, when the EPA’s budget reached an alltime high of $10.2 billion. The 2015 budget was $8.2 billion to oversee 1,321 sites. The agency has also seen staff trimming. Between 2012 and 2014, the EPA lost close to 2,000 employees. Robert Daguillard, press officer for the EPA, emailed a statement to the Standard stating, in part, the loss of employees was due to attrition and retirement, but the agency also offered early retirement packages to some staff. Tester said he doesn’t support the cuts the agency has faced in recent years and offered amendments to “buck it up,” but his amendments failed. “It’s an attempt to neuter the agency,” Tester told the Standard. In 1995 Congress allowed the so-called “Superfund” tax on petroleum and chemical companies to expire. It was that tax that created the original funding source to enable the EPA to clean up sites when responsible parties failed to do so. Daguillard stated in his email that Superfund money now comes from general tax revenue.

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03 03 16 Colorado Convention Center Thursday, March 3, 2016

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OUTCROP | December 2015

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RMAG FIELD TRIP OCTOBER SUMMARY

Written by: Bob Selover

RMAG Field Trip September Summary “…So you’re saying you walked along this hillside, looking for rock dust, and when you thought you did, you just started… digging?” I asked this of Dr. Ned Stern along the roadside at Berthound Pass, the second stop of the RMAG Field September Field Trip entitled Space-time Travel from the Ancestral Rockies to the Laramie and Beyond: A Transect of the Colorado Front Range. Dr. Stern had stopped to show us a substantial hole he had dug into the hillside, which culminated with a linear feature filled with rootlets that he contended was evidence of the Berthound fault zone. “You have to love your work” he replied with a smile. This sentiment permeated the entirety of the field trip, lead by Drs. Ned Sterne & Bob Raynolds, with significant contributions from Marieke Dechesne and Ron Pritchett. 23 attendees visited 7+ stops along a transect of the Rocky Mountain Front Range, beginning next to the Colorado School of Mines hillside “M”, traveling over Berthound pass, through Middle Park, and culminating at Gore Mountain. Enthusiasm

OUTCROP | December 2015

abounded as we investigated the complex structural and stratigraphic/morphologic features of the Rockies Front Range. The Transect essentially followed I70 from Golden to Idaho Springs, and then Route 40 from there on. At the first stop ‘Mount Zion’ (aka “the M”), we considered the implications of invoking the concept of an ‘intercutaneus wedge’ in order to explain the multiple fault movements observed along the front range. This concept, which was illustrated by inserting a wooden wedge between the pages of a phone book in classic ‘intro-to-geology’ form, allows for multiple stress regimes, and thus accommodates the various slip motions observed. Dr. Stern then produced one of the few optimally configured seismic lines available for this region of Colorado, and showed his interpretation to the group. The acquisition of this data was apparently a story unto itself, but its significance to the understanding of the structural mechanics of the Front Range cannot be understated. Traveling west along the Front Range

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Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015

RMAG Field Trip October Summary

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Cross-section, we took I70/US40 to Berthound Pass (Stop 2). This profound Geomorphic feature is coincidental with and likely formed/influenced by the Berthound Fault zone. The Berthound Fault Zone occurs entirely within PreCambrian basement rocks, and as such its delineation is somewhat nuanced. It is evidenced by geomorphological discontinuities, and as mentioned in the earlier yarn, can be retraced with careful dip measurements along the outcrops in this locality. Direct observations are limited to a few subsurface investigations, such as those collected during the construction of the Moffat Tunnel and nearby mines. From there, we drove to the Tabernash Campground (Stop 3), essentially at the boundary of the North/Middle Park Basin(s), south of Granby for a panoramic overview of several structural features apparent in the mountainside such as the Breccia “Spoon” Syncline, the Vazquez Thrust System, and a lower Pierre/Benton Detachment marking the zone of

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OUTCROP | December 2015

RMAG Field Trip October Summary is that the deformation is overturned - this is consistent with the observation of West-dipping Pierre shale beds east of the fault (based on the general structural attitude of the folds in this region one would expect these beds to dip East). This was also one of the few stops on this transect with well-preserved tertiary rocks. At our penultimate stop, we observed the effects of the Williams Range Thrust, manifest in the Mt. Wolford Klippe (Stop 6). As its geomorphic descriptor suggests, this feature consists of Cretaceous rocks surrounded on all sides by Precambrian basement. Also in this area, the Montezuma Stock window exposes (or nearly so) a denuded anticline core/window. We also reviewed the evidence for the Bearpaw Gravity slide, a feature created by motion counter to the primary thrust direction, potentially indicative of a paleo-rift zone. Our final stop brought us to the Gore Fault, which essentially marks the boundary between the Eagle Basin/Central Colorado Trough to the West, and so-called Frontrangia to the east. Here we discussed the various stages of tectonism experienced in the front range ranging from Laramide to later Neogene reactivation. Additional discussion regarding the age/elevation of various mountain ranges, the effects of larger scale tectonic, evidence for changes in the pattern of deformation over time, and other similar topics provided the overall context for the transect. After we had completed the transect, we regrouped to the cars, and returned home along I70. We had a great dinner at Adriano’s Bistro in Dillon and caught up on Geological Merriment. A good time was had by all.

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weakness between the sedimentary pile and the underlying PreCambrian. Here we also discussed the geologic continuity between the two drainage basins, separated by a resistant ridge of volcanic rich brecciate conglomerate, known as the Middle Park Formation. We enjoyed lunch atop a scenic ridge composed of Dakota Sandstone, just south of Granby, hosted by Monika and Philip Brinkman, two Colorado School of Mines graduates who were kind enough to share the view. After we ate, we reviewed a few more details of the front range structural package apparent in the hillside before packing up and driving over to get a closer look. At Stop 4 - Windy Gap, we got a close look at the Windy Gap Member of the Middle Park Formation, which was postulated to have formed at the same time as a local volcanic event, capturing the effects of sub-aqueous debris flows along the margins of a volcanic area. Several pro gradational wedges are apparent in this formation, however they rarely thicken in constant directions, suggesting widespread erosion and shifting locations of volcanic activity. As mentioned above, the resistive nature of this formation resulted in a dramatic ridge, sedimentary in origin, dividing the Middle Park and North Park Basins. Here we were standing on the flank of the Breccia Spoon Syncline, a large structural feature along the eastern flank of Middle Park. We continued along US 40 to Hot Sulfur Springs (Stop 5) where we observed the Mt. Bross Thrust - this feature is notable in that it preserves an anomalous ‘younger-over-older’ relationship, uncommon in this tectonic environment. One potential interpretation

WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!

Steve Alm

works at Encana in Centennial, CO.

William Almon

is a Senior Advisor at Chevron in Sugar land, TX. OUTCROP | December 2015

Mary Guisinger

is a Research Scientist at Rocky Mountain Imaging in Denver, CO.

Christopher Krambis

Marc Simmonds

is an Exploration Manager at Ultra Petroleum in Englewood, CO.

is a Senior Geologist at ARCADIS in Highlands Ranch, CO. 48

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The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 2015 Rockbusters Ball

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OUTCROP | December 2015

2015 RMAG AWARDS

2015 RMAG Awards and principal leader of the Chevron structural geology school. He was also involved with AAPG education programs where he taught a number of courses about the practical applications of structural geology to petroleum geology and led various field trips for the AAPG field school. Chuck was an AAPG Distinguished Lecturer in 2003. For many years he was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Arizona and San Diego State University. Chuck was a Distinguished Scientist at Colorado School of Mines, serving on many thesis committees and teaching a number of classes. Chuck was never more at home than when he was in the field. He was a natural teacher and formed lifelong bonds with the students he mentored on the outcrop. He always had an original perspective on structural analysis and an amiable, positive way of expressing his interpretations and methods. Many students and colleagues benefitted from his presence and will be a continuing legacy to the geologic community. In recognition of his lifetime of scientific contributions, the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is pleased to award the Outstanding Scientist Award posthumously to Charles F. Kluth.

Outstanding Scientist

Charles F. Kluth The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is pleased to recognize Charles F. Kluth (Chuck) for his contributions in the study of the tectonics and structural geology of the Rocky Mountain region. Chuck accumulated numerous degrees over the years. He received a B.A. in Business Administration at Augustana College in 1971, a B.S. and M.S in Geology from Northern Arizona (1973 and 1974) and a Ph.D in Structural Geology and Tectonics from the University of Arizona in 1982. In 1982, Chuck co-authored a paper with Peter Coney in Geology entitled “Plate Tectonics of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains” in which the authors attributed the enigmatic Pennsylvanian-Permian intraplate deformation in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, and part of the mid-Continent region to progressive collision between Laurentia and Gondwana. This paper is arguably the most influential paper ever written on the tectonics of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains deformational event, emerging at a time when there was literally no consensus regarding the nature of the basement-bounding faults in the region. Between 1981 and 2009, Chuck was a tireless supporter of science in the Ancestral Rocky Mountains. Chuck formed the Friends of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains working group (FARM), an informal group of geologists with common research interests in the Ancestral Rockies that would meet at GSA meetings each year to brainstorm ideas. He was the principal organizer of the 2002 AAPG Hedberg Research Conference held in Vail, Colorado entitled “Late Paleozoic Tectonics and Hydrocarbon Systems of Western North America - The Greater Ancestral Rocky Mountains”. Chuck enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others and was often sought out by students for advice and mentoring. For 28 years he was the organizer OUTCROP | December 2015

Distinguished Service to RMAG

Melissa M. Klinger The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is pleased to present a Distinguished Service award to Melissa (Mel) Klinger. This award recognizes Mel’s dedicated service to RMAG and the professional geologic community. Mel began her training as a structural and petroleum geologist at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2001. Before completing an M.S. degree from the University of Idaho in 2005, Mel became a member with the AAPG. In 2007, while working for

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2015 2015Summit SummitSponsors Sponsors Thank you to our top level Summit Sponsors! Your sponsorship over the 2015 year supported professional exchange and education, along with greatly enhancing RMAG publications such as The Outcrop and The Mountain Geologist.

e 910 16th Street #1214, Denver, CO, 80202

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OUTCROP | December 2015

2015 RMAG Awards efforts of that Committee helped put RMAG in a strong position before the current downturn. Currently Mike continues his role on the Summit Sponsorship Committee as well as serving on the Hot Plays Committee. Mike has also been a long-standing member of the AAPG House of Delegates, representing the Wyoming Geological Association since 2003; and also served as the Finance Chair for the 2014 RMS-AAPG Section meeting. In recognition of his dedicated and valuable service to RMAG and to the greater professional community, the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists proudly presents Mike Kozimko with the Distinguished Service to RMAG Award.

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Devon Energy she joined the RMAG. Over the past several years Mel has fulfilled a number of key leadership roles within the RMAG organization. Mel began volunteering with the Mountain Geologist in 2011, and has served as an Associate Editor since 2014. Her efforts have helped to continue the legacy of the journal as a high quality and relevant geologic media. During the well-attended 2014 RMS-AAPG meeting in Denver, Mel served as the Publications and Publicity Chair overseeing the advertising, publications, and signage committees. The success of her contributions to the meeting were evidenced by the attendance of nearly 800 members, and the inclusion of excellent technical talks and poster sessions. Mel is currently serving as First Vice President of RMAG and as Co-chair of the 2015 RMAG Hot Plays Symposium. In recognition of her dedicated and valuable service to RMAG and to the greater professional community, the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists proudly presents Mel Klinger the Distinguished Service to RMAG Award.

Distinguished Service to RMAG

Nicholas M. Nelson The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is pleased to present a Distinguished Service to RMAG Award to Nick Nelson. Nick is being recognized for his dedicated service to RMAG and the professional geologic community. Nick joined the Denver geologic community after graduating from Fort Lewis College in 2006. While in college he was president of the Geology Club and active in AAPG, allowing for an easy transition into actively participating in RMAG. You may remember Nick from his early volunteer activities as registration guru for numerous RMAG events. He was the friendly face greeting you at everything from the 3D Symposium to lunches. Nick served as Secretary on the 2014 RMAG Board. He did RMAG a huge favor by stepping into the role after the previous secretary stepped down due to job relocation. He also stepped into the role of Sign Chair for the 2014 RMS AAPG meeting in Denver after the previous chair left the role. He seamlessly transitioned into the needed job with a smile on his face and consistently did great work. In addition to those roles, Nick served on several RMAG committees including the 2014 Rockbusters Ball, 2015 3D Symposium, and the 2015 AAPG Annual Convention & Exhibition. Nick is the chair of the RMS-AAPG Young Professional group and the

Distinguished Service to RMAG

Leo Michael Kozimko The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is pleased to present a Distinguished Service award to Mike Kozimko. This award recognizes Mike’s dedicated service to RMAG and the professional geologic community. Mike graduated from the University of Nevada – Reno in 1972, and went on to earn his Masters at Iowa State University in 1977. He joined AAPG and began work for Conoco after graduating. During his tenure at Conoco, Mike moved to Casper and began his stint in the Rockies. Mike has worked for Yates Petroleum in Denver since 2001, currently as the Rockies Geology Manager. Over the past several years Mike has volunteered for a variety of leadership roles within the RMAG organization. Mike began in 2012 with serving on the Board of Directors as Treasurer-Elect, going on to serve as Treasurer in 2013, during which time he helped kick-start the implementation of the Summit Sponsorship Committee. The early fundraising OUTCROP | December 2015

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Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

RMAG ♦♦ DAPL GeoLand Ski Day 2016 SAVE THE DATE!!

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Thank you to our biggest 2015 sponsors!

For 2016 sponsorship opportunities, contact one of the committee chairs: DAPL Chairs ♦♦ Meg Gibson ♦ 720-583-4070 ♦ mgibson@bwenergylaw.com 53 ♦ pbotts@norstarpetroleum.com OUTCROP | ♦♦ December 2015 x120

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2015 RMAG Awards Energy Minerals Division Oil (Tar) Sands Committee, having served as Chair from 2010-2013. Debra has also co-chaired AAPG sessions on petroleum systems and modeling, and is a reviewer for AAPG Bulletin submittals. Dr. Higley has served on the RMAG Board as President (2013), President-Elect (2012), 2nd Vice President (2007) and Secretary (1998-1999). She was Chair of RMAG’s Continuing Education Committee from 2006 to 2008, and was RMAG’s Delegate to AAPG from 2001 to 2004. Debra has served multiple roles for the Rocky Mountain Section of the Society for Sedimentary Geology (RMS-SEPM) including Advisor (1995-96), President (1994-95), President-elect (1993-94), Vice-president (1992-93), and Treasurer (1991-91). Dr. Higley received the USGS Superior Service Award in 1992 and the Distinguished Service to RMAG Award in 2009. She is a member of AAPGEMD, RMS-SEPM, the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, and the Tulsa Geological Society. For her contributions to the advancement of petroleum geology and her time volunteering with RMAG and other associations, the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is pleased to grant Honorary Membership to Debra K. Higley.

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RMAG NeoGeo group; a role he took over in early 2014. Outside of RMAG and AAPG, Nick teaches the Life Cycle of Oil and Gas class with the Global Energy Management Program at CU Denver. Additionally, he completed his Masters at Colorado School of Mines in 2015 while working and volunteering full time. Nick’s service transcends location; he continues to actively chair the RMAG NeoGeos and RMSAAPG Young Professionals despite recently moving to Houston for a new position. We are also fortunate that he has graciously agreed to once again emcee the biggest RMAG night of the year, the Rockbusters Ball. In recognition of his dedicated and valuable service to RMAG and to the greater professional community, the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists proudly presents Nick Nelson a 2015 Distinguished Service to RMAG Award. Honorary Membership

Debra K. Higley The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists presents Honorary Membership to Dr. Debra K. Higley. The award is given for outstanding and distinguished service to RMAG and the geologic profession. Debra started her life-long devotion to the science of petroleum geology by receiving a Bachelor’s degree in geology from Mesa State College in 1977. She continued her education with a Master’s degree in geochemistry (1983) and Ph.D in geology (1994) from the Colorado School of Mines. Dr. Higley’s career began in uranium exploration before joining the USGS in 1983. Her research includes oil and gas assessment for sedimentary basins in the Western Hemisphere, reservoir characterization integrating multiple geologic and geochemical datasets to analyze fluid flow, reservoir heterogeneity and timing of oil and gas generation. Her 1-D, 2-D and 4-D petroleum system modeling within Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain basins involves both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. Debra has authored or co-authored approximately 100 publications and 50 abstracts over the last 30 years. She currently serves as Vice-Chair of AAPG’s OUTCROP | December 2015

Distinguished Public Service to Earth Science Award

Friends of Dinosaur Ridge The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is honored to present the 2015 Distinguished Public Service to Earth Science Award to the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge (FODR) in appreciation of its contributions in promoting earth science to the general public. The seed for forming this 501(c)(3) non-profit organization began in 1988 when Dr. Martin Lockley at the University of Colorado – Denver wrote a letter to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). The letter asked the department if there was any way to stop the pilfering of dinosaur tracks from alongside Alameda Parkway as it traverses the Dakota hogback, now called Dinosaur Ridge, on the west side of the Denver metro area. Fortunately, that

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Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

2015 RMAG Awards letter landed on the desk of Joe Tempel who convinced his associates at CDOT to erect a fence to protect the tracksite. Soon after acting on the letter, Mr. Tempel became a volunteer and then, after retiring from CDOT ten years later, Executive Director of the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge. The organization incorporated in 1989 and has become the pre-eminent outdoor laboratory for teaching the young and old alike about the geologic history of the Denver area. This, in no small part, was accomplished with the support and help of a dedicated group of volunteers, including many RMAG members. Through funding from individuals and government entities, such as the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Jefferson County Open Space and Great Outdoors Colorado, the FODR over the last 25 years has expanded its facilities to include a gift shop, a visitor center and a newly acquired teaching center. Money was also raised and used for the preservation of and access to the track and bone sites on the ridge and for the Triceratops Trail in Fossil Trace Golf Course in Golden. Geologic associations like the RMAG Foundation, RMS-AAPG Foundation and AAPG Foundation have also provided funds for publications and for the tools needed for teaching the general public. Dinosaur Ridge is now widely recognized as a great place to view and learn about the great outdoors, both past and present. In 1973, prior to the establishment of Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, this part of the Dakota hogback was officially designated as the Morrison Fossil Area National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. In 2001, the State of Colorado recognized the area as a State Natural Area. The Colorado Geological Survey designated both Dinosaur Ridge and Triceratops Trail as Points of Geological Interest in 2006 and in 2009 USA Today labeled the Ridge as the outstanding free vacation venue in Colorado. In recognition of its ongoing contributions to the education of the general public through its publications, programs, science camps, tours and field trips and for its preservation of a once-imperiled natural wonder, the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists proudly presents the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge with its 2015 Distinguished Service to Earth Science Award. Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

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Geosciences in the Media Award

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists is honored to present the 2015 Geosciences in the Media Award to the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources in appreciation of its 2010 publication The Geology of Northern New Mexico’s Parks, Monuments and Public Lands promoting earth science to the general public. This wonderful publication is well laid out and easy to use. It breaks up northern New Mexico into five basic geologic provinces and then color codes each section with tabs that are easy to browse. The five provinces are Colorado Plateau, Jemez Mountains and Valles Caldera, Rio Grande Rift, Southern Rocky Mountains, and Great Plains. Each of the five sections start with an easy to read overview before giving detailed information on each park or monument, often including a surface geologic map and general cross section and/or block diagram. This is a great book for the non-geologist and geologist alike. It is very useful when planning a trip to see the majestic scenery and multitude of historical sites in northern New Mexico. When travelling, this book is well worth bringing along because it is so easy to use. It gives the everyday visitor an edge to a basic understanding of the geological controls underlying recreational and scenic areas. Northern New Mexico is a treasure trove of geologic features and is a great place to catch the general public’s curiosity and focus it on earth science. This book fills the earth science gap at most of the parks which generally focus on archeology and biology. In recognition of its contributions to the education of the general public through its publication The Geology of Northern New Mexico’s Parks, Monuments, and Public Lands, the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists proudly presents the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources with its 2015 Geosciences in the Media Award.

OUTCROP | December 2015

CALENDAR | DECEMBER 2015 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

1 PTTC Short Course.

RMAG Luncheon. DWLS Annual Holiday Party.

9 RMAG NAPE on the Rocks.

DIPS Luncheon.

NAPE Rockies.

RMAG office closed

CHRISTMAS DAY

PTTC Short Course.

RMAG office closed

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2 Times

6 Times

12 Times

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$220

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$75

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Professional Card (2-5/8” x 1-1/2”)

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OUTCROP | December 2015

Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

ADVERTISER INDEX • AAPG �� 27, 37

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• JLog �� 40

• Weatherford Laboratories �� 6

• Johnson Geo-Consulting, LLC �� 23

• Whiting Petroleum Corporation �� 14

VOLUNTER! Vol. 64, No. 12 | www.rmag.org

As a diverse community of individuals working towards a worthy cause, we believe that your unique talents can bring us all forward. Volunteers are always needed and welcome! If you would like to volunteer for any of our committees or events, please contact the RMAG office at (303) 573-8621 or staff@rmag.org

OUTCROP | December 2015