---------------------[ Uranium from the Colorado Plateau: ]---------------------
Publication date: 2025-12-14
Last updated:     2026-01-22
 

[IMG /misc/rocks2/mivida1.jpg ]

Radiacode 102: 180 CPS [4 uSv/h]. Ludlum 44-9: 20 kCPM. 

Carnotite from the McCormic mine near the Mi Vida mine in Utah, USA. This
specimen was plastic treated to reduce dust. 

[IMG /misc/rocks2/mivida2.jpg ]

Radiacode 102: 1700 CPS [40 uSv/h]. Ludlum 44-9: 70 kCPM. 

Uraninite flecks in sandstone from around the Mi Vida in Utah, USA. This
one is quite spicy, the Radiacode still gets 50 CPS [1 uSv/h] at a distance
of 15 cm. My prospecting detector is able to pick it up from a meter away.


[IMG /misc/rocks2/parco1.jpg ]

Radiacode 102: 2 CPS [0.1 uSv/h]. Ludlum 44-9: 350 CPM. 

Unknown U(IV) mineral from Yellow Cat (Parco claims). I suspect it's zippeite,
but have no way to confirm this. 

Unlike Carnotite, it glows the classic "nuclear waste" green under 365 nm
UV light: 

[IMG /misc/rocks2/uv1.jpg ]

[IMG /misc/rocks2/uv2.jpg ]

For the record: spent fuel doesn't glow this color outside of Hollywood.
However, many uranium minerals and uranium containing glasses glow green
under ultraviolet light. 

Rocks like this aren't a hazard to be around. Yes, they are detectably radioactive
but so are bananas and stone countertops. Uranium is poisonous enough that
eating these rocks would be a bad idea... but not any worse than lead or
arsenic minerals. 

In many places, rocks like these aren't even legally considered radioactive
material, but you should check your local laws before collecting any. 

How it got here:
################
 

The ore formed when uranium rich groundwater seeped into sandstone deposited
during the upper Jurassic. Inside the rock, organic material (coal) reduced
the uranium from soluble uranyl ions into insoluble uranium oxides forming
uraninite and coffinite. Later, some of these primary minerals weathered
away and the uranium re-precipitated as carnotite and zippeite in the presence
of vanadium and sulfate respectively. 

Based on the elements present, it's suspected that the original source of
the uranium was volcanic ash, but it's hard to be sure: Whatever it was
has been gone for more then ten million years. 

Non radioactive: 
#################


[IMG /misc/rocks2/parco3.jpg ]

Radiacode 102: background. Ludlum 44-9: background. 

Jasper and Agate from Yellow Cat. Not detectably radioactive, but it looks
cool: I'll probably polish some in the future. 

[IMG /misc/rocks2/parco2.jpg ]

Radiacode 102: background. Ludlum 44-9: background. 

Petrified wood from near the Mc Cormic mines. (close to Mi Vida) Not significantly
radioactive despite it's proximity to the uranium deposit.