Reconnaissance for uranium in New Mexico in 1953

In the fall of 1953 a reconnaissance search for uranium was made in the Datil area, west-central New Mexico, and in the Cerrillos, Glorieta, and Tecolote districts and the Las Vegas and Colfax Sill areas in north-central and northeastern New Mexico. Traces of radioactive materials were detected at many places and occurrences of uranium minerals that may be of possible economic significance were found in the Datil area, near the village of Datil. Small amounts of uranium are widespread in sandstone beds in the Mesaverde formation. The highest-grade sample contained 0.056 percent uranium.