Concentration and mineralogical residence of elements in rich oil shales of the Green River Formation, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado, and the Uinta Basin, Utah; a preliminary report

Ten core samples of two rich oil-shale beds from the Parachute Creek Member of the Eocene Green River Formation, Piceance Creek basin, Colorado, and Uinta Basin, Utah, were analyzed for 34 major, minor, and trace elements. For 23 of these elements, principal mineralogical residence is established or suggested. Such studies of distribution and mineralogical residence provide important data for predicting the kinds and amounts of elements and compounds--some possibly harmful-that might he released into the environment by oil-shale mining operations. However, because of the many variables involved, no attempt is made to discuss these results in terms of any of the various retorting methods.