Vernal Field Combined

Site Name

Primary: Vernal Field Combined
Secondary: Vernal Field
Secondary: Brush Creek
Secondary: Little Brush Creek
Secondary: Ashley Creek
Secondary: Dry Fork
Secondary: Rock Creek Canyon
Secondary: Little Diamond Mountain
Secondary: Split Mountain

---

Commodity

Primary: Phosphorus-Phosphates
Tertiary: Uranium

---

Location

State: Utah
County: Uintah
District: Western Phosphate

---

Land Status

Land ownership: Mixed
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

---

Holdings

Type: Other

---

Workings

Type: Surface

---

Ownership

Owner Name: U.S. Steel Corp.
Home Office: Pennsylvania
Info Year: 1979

Owner Name: U.S. Government
Home Office: Dist Of Columbia
Info Year: 1980

---

Production

Not available

---

Deposit

Record Type: Deposit
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Surface-Underground
Mining Method: Open Stope - Room and Pillar
Milling Method: Flotation
Discovery Year: 1914
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y

---

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Middle Rocky Mountains

---

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Phosphate, upwelling type

---

Orebody

Not available

---

Structure

Not available

---

Alterations

Not available

---

Rocks

Not available

---

Analytical Data

Not available

---

Materials

Unknown: Limonite
Unknown: Tourmaline
Unknown: Zircon
Unknown: Calcite
Unknown: Dolomite
Unknown: Feldspar
Unknown: Fluorite
Unknown: Gypsum
Unknown: Illite
Unknown: Kaolinite
Unknown: Montmorillonite
Unknown: Pyrite
Unknown: Quartz
Unknown: Apatite
Unknown: Sphene

---

Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): RESERVE RECORD 1 CONTAINS RESOURCES ABOVE STREAM LEVEL IN T 2 S R 23 E EAST OF LITTLE BRUSH CREEK. RESERVE RECORD 2 CONTAINS RESOURCES ABOVE STREAM LEVEL EAST OF ASHLEY CREEK IN T 3 S R 21 E. RESERVE RECORD 3 CONTAINS RESOURCES ABOVE STREAM LEVEL WEST OF ASHLEY CREEK IN T 3 S R 20 E. RESERVE RECORD 4 CONTAINS ABOVE DRAINAGE LEVEL RESOURCES BETWEEN ASHLEY CREEK AND BRUSH CREEK, INCLUDING PART OF THE VERNAL MINE AREA. RESERVE RECORD 5 CONTAINS ABOVE DRAINAGE LEVEL RESOURCES BETWEEN BRUSH CREEK AND LITTLE DIAMOND MOUNTAIN. RESERVE RECORD 6 CONSISTS OF RESOURCES OVER ALL OUTCROPS WEST OF THE DIVIDE BETWEEN ASHLEY CREEK AND DRY FORK. RESERVE RECORD 7 CONSISTS OF RESOURCES WITHIN 1250 FEET OF VERTICAL DEPTH OVER A 3-MILE OUTCROP ACROSS WHITEROCKS RIVER. RESERVE RECORD 8 CONSISTS OF RESOURCES OVER THE ENTIRE OUTCROP AREA EAST OF DRY FORK, INCLUDING THE VERNAL MINE AREA.

Comment (Production): PRODUCTS A, B, C,D, AND E, WHERE PROPOSED IN THIS EVALUATION, ARE ACID GRADE PRODUCTS, AND PRODUCTS F,G, H, I, AND J, ARE FURNACE GRADE PRODUCTS. NOT ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE USED IN THIS EVALUATION.

Comment (Ownership): PHOSPHATE LANDS MAY BE LEASED FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT OR FROM THE STATE OF UTAH. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE SIX ACTIVE FEDERAL PROSPECTING PERMITS IN THE DEPOSIT AREA HELD BY THE U.S. STEEL CORPORATION, BUT NO ACTIVE STATE OR FEDERAL PHOSPHATE LEASES. THE SIX PERMITS DO NOT COVER ANY OF THE OUTCROP AREA, BUT ARE UNDERLAIN BY THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION.

Comment (Geology): THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION IS SUBDIVIDED INTO FIVE MEMBERS BY MCKELVEY (BIBLIOGRAPHY REF. L010), TWO OF WHICH (THE MEADE PEAK AND RETORT MEMBERS) CONTAIN SIGNIFICANT PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS. IN UTAH AND SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING, THE MEADE PEAK MEMBER, AND IN CENTRAL AND NORTHWESTERN WYOMING, THE RETORT MEMBER CONTAIN THE DEPOSITS OF POTENTIAL INTEREST. THE PARK CITY FORMATION OF UTAH AND CENTRAL WYOMING AND THE SHEDHORN SANDSTONE OF NORTHWESTERN WYOMING ARE STRATIGRAPHIC EQUIVALENTS OF AND INTERTONGUE WITH THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION. THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION AND EQUIVALENT FORMATIONS ARE UNDERLAIN BY EITHER THE TENSLEEP SANDSTONE, WEBER QUARTZITE, WELLS FORMATION, OR DIAMOND CREEK SANDSTONE AND ARE OVERLAIN BY EITHER THE WOODSIDE OR DINWOODY FORMATIONS.

Comment (Production): EXACT RECOVERY USED FOR CALCULATING PRODUCT H OUTPUT IN DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE 1 IS 86.5 PERCENT.

Comment (Economic Factors): Mining and beneficiation costs for each proposed operation were obtained by applying one of 34 basic mine models and 5 basic mill models developed for evaluating Utah and Wyoming phosphate deposits. Site-specific cost adjustments were made for land acquisition, infrastructure, unusual haulage distance to mill, the presence of multiple beds requiring mining of waste, and mill feed grade and recovery. All costs are in January 1980 dollars. The schedule of costs is based on the assumption that each proposed operation will be independently developed as soon as technically possible after the official January 1979 base date for the current phosphate study. Thus, land acquisition, exploration, and infrastructure capital costs are assumed to begin in 1979. Mine and mill capital costs include a contingency allowance of 15 percent of all other capital costs except working capital. Mine and mill working capital is estimated at 60 days of operating cost. A Bureau costing manual (bibliography data set ref. I030) was used to estimate surface and underground mine exploration, development, reclamation, plant, and equipment capital costs; underground mine operating costs; capital and operating costs for the calcining-hydration mill (if used) and for the flotation sections of other mills; costs of transporting products from proposed mills to existing final processing plants; and access road construction cost. Surface mine operating costs are size-scaled, using scaling factors from Bennett (bibliography data set ref. I001), and others (U.S. office of audit and investigation) for Idaho phosphate mines in 1976 and 1977. Infrastructure capital costs assigned to each proposed mine consist of only those railroad, transmission line, and access road costs which are needed for development of each mine. Railroad cost is estimated by the Richardson rapid construction cost estimating system (bibliography data set ref. I020). Transmission line cost is estimated from typical industry costs (A.W. Watts, 1980, Water and Power Resources Services, personal communication). Access road costs are estimated by using the capital and operating cost estimating handbook (bibliography data set ref. I030). Land acquisition costs are based on typical competitive bids for leases in southeastern Idaho, adjusted for specific deposit grade and thickness. Lease rentals and royalties are based on current rates for federal leases in the western phosphate field. Capital and operating costs for all mills, excepting the calcination-hydration mill (if used) and flotation sections of other mills, are size-scaled, using scaling factors from Bennett (bibliography data set ref. I001), from costs given for a sizing and calcining mill described by de Voto, et al. (bibliography data set ref. R030), vol. 2, appendix d. Site-specific cost adjustments for mill feed grade and recovery are made, using relative cost factors calculated from average cost and recovery curves for altered and unaltered ores (bibliography data set ref. I010).

Comment (Production): THERE HAS BEEN NO PHOSPHATE PRODUCTION IN THE VERNAL FIELD DEPOSIT AREA, WHICH, BY DEFINITION, EXCLUDES THE VERNAL MINE. EXPLORATION HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT BY NUMEROUS COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS SINCE 1915.

Comment (Deposit): THIS MINERALS AVAILABILITY SYSTEM EVALUATION WAS DONE AS PART OF A 1980 STUDY OF UTAH AND WYOMING PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS BY THE INTERMOUNTAIN FIELD OPERATIONS CENTER, DENVER, COLORADO. LITTLE BRUSH CREEK (FORMERLY UNDER SEQUENCE NO. 0490470060) WAS COMBINED INTO THIS PROPERTY. SEE IFOC MEMO 5/27/80. PROPERTY HAS BEEN SPLIT INTO 5 SEPARATE DEPOSITS FOR SUPPLY ANALYSIS WITH SEQUENCE NOS. 0490470253, 0490470254, 0490470255, 0490470256, AND 0490470257, RESPECTIVELY NAMED VERNAL FIELD NO 1, VERNAL FIELD NO 2, VERNAL FIELD NO 3, VERNAL FIELD NO 4, AND VERNAL FIELD NO 5. REFER TO THESE RESPECTIVE DEPOSITS FOR THEIR SPECIFIC RESERVES AND OPERATING DATA. DOMAIN - THE LAND CLASSIFICATION IS AS FOLLOWS WITH APPROXIMATE PERCENTAGES OF TOTAL OUTCROP AREA IN EACH CATEGORY SHOWN IN PARENTHESES: NATIONAL FOREST LAND (40), PRIVATE LAND (40), STATE OF UTAH LAND (25), AND LAND ADMINISTERED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (5). MINERAL HOLDINGS.

Comment (Workings): ABBREVIATION FOR MINING DISTRICT: WEST. PHOSPHATE = WESTERN PHOSPHATE FIELD.

---

References

Reference (Production): PARTIALLY ALTERED PHOSPHATE ROCK OF THE PHOSPHORIA

Reference (Production): FLOTATION OF CARBONATE AND SILICATE MINERALS FROM

Reference (Production): RULE, A. R., DAHLIN, D. C., AND FERGUS, A. J., 1978,

Reference (Production): 1968, P. 11-21.

Reference (Production): ADVANCES IN BENEFICIATION OF WESTERN PHOSPHATES, PAPER

Reference (Production): RULE, A. R., KIRBY, D. E., AND DAHLIN, D. C., 1977, RECENT

Reference (Production): CONF.; ORLANDO, FLA., OCT. 23-27, 1979, 11 P.

Reference (Production): FORMATION, PAPER PRESENTED AT ISMA TECHNICAL/ECON.

Reference (Production): PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM, NO. 35, MAY/JUNE

Reference (Production): NEUBERGER, R., 1968, PHOSPHATE ROCK CALCINATION IN ISRAEL:

Reference (Geology): SURVEY BULL. 72, 2 PLATES.

Reference (Geology): U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 1954, VERNAL, UTAH; COLORADO,

Reference (Geology): GEOLOGY OF UINTAH COUNTY: UTAH GEOL. AND MINERALOG.

Reference (Geology): VEY CIRC. 211, 48 P.

Reference (Geology): UNTERMANN, G. E., UNTERMANN, B. R., AND KINNEY, D. M., 1964,

Reference (Geology): PHOSPHORIA FORMATION IN UTAH, 1947-48: U.S. GEOL. SUR-

Reference (Geology): AND STEWART, M. D., 1952, STRATIGRAPHIC SECTIONS OF THE

Reference (Geology): SMITH, L . E., HOSFORD, E. G., SEARS, R. S., SPROUSE, D. P.,

Reference (Production): UNIV. OF WYO. NAT. RES. RESEARCH INST. BULL. 6, 60 P.

Reference (Deposit): CONF., 287 P., 3 PLATES.

Reference (Production): PHOSPHATE ROCK - CHARACTER, PROCESSING, AND ECONOMICS:

Reference (Deposit): FIELD: INTERMOUNTAIN ASSOC. OF GEOL. 15TH ANN. FIELD

Reference (Deposit): NO. 50-820, 1102 P.

Reference (Deposit): HALE, L. A., ED., 1967, ANATOMY OF THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE

Reference (Deposit): EASTERN IDAHO: U.S. DEPT. OF AGR. CONTRACT

Reference (Deposit): GARRAND CORPORATION, 1975 (?), PHOSPHATE RESERVES OF SOUTH-

Reference (Deposit): STRATEGIC MINER. INV. PRELIM. MAP 3-198, 1 SHEET.

Reference (Deposit): MONTANA, IDAHO, WYOMING, AND UTAH: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Reference (Deposit): CLABAUGH, P. S., 1946, PERMIAN PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS OF

Reference (Reserve-Resource): ANN. FIELD CONF. GUIDEBOOK, P. 153-168.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): MOUNTAIN AREA, IN INTERMOUNTAIN ASSOC. OF GEOL. 16TH

Reference (Reserve-Resource): WILLIAMS, J. S., 1969, THE PERMIAN SYSTEM IN THE UINTA

Reference (Reserve-Resource): AREA, DUCHESNE AND UINTAH COUNTIES, UTAH: U.S. GEOL.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): KINNEY, D. M., 1955, GEOLOGY OF THE UINTA RIVER, BRUSH CREEK

Reference (Geology): CHENEY, T. M., 1957, PHOSPHATE IN UTAH: UTAH GEOL. AND

Reference (Reference): FIELD: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 1018, 89 P.

Reference (Reference): BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE GEOLOGY OF THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE

Reference (Reference): HARRIS, R. A., DAVIDSON, D. F., AND ARNOLD, B. P., 1954,

Reference (Reserve-Resource): STA. BULL. 290, 44 P.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): WILLIAMS, J. S., 1939, PHOSPHATE IN UTAH: UTAH AGR, EXPT.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): CORP.) BY EARTH SCIENCES INC., 1396 P. PLUS PLATES.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): OF ENERGY CONTRACT 50-54-5903 (BENDIX FIELD ENG.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): STATES AND FREE WORLD: SUBCONTRACT 78-177-S TO DEPT.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): URANIUM RECOVERY FROM PHOSPHATE RESOURCES, UNITED

Reference (Reserve-Resource): PHOSPHATE RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS OF

Reference (Reserve-Resource): DE VOTO, R. H., AND STEVENS, D. N., ED., 1979, URANIFEROUS

Reference (Reserve-Resource): SURVEY BULL. 1007, 185 P., PLATES.

Reference (Ownership): LAND MANAGEMENT MAP, 1:250,000 SCALE, 1 SHEET.

Reference (Ownership): OWNERSHIP AND PUBLIC MANAGEMENT, BASIN - H: U.S. BUR.

Reference (Ownership): U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, 1973, STATE OF UTAH LAND

Reference (Ownership): REPT. (IN PRESS), TEXT WITH MAPS AND OVERLAYS.

Reference (Ownership): MONTANA, UTAH, AND WYOMING, 1979: U.S. BUR MINES SPEC-

Reference (Ownership): FEDERAL LAND STATUS IN THE OVERTHRUST BELT OF IDAHO,

Reference (Production): DUNCAN, W. E., AND FISK, H. G., 1957, CENTRAL WYOMING

Reference (Geology): VEY, 1:250,000-SCALE MAP, 1 SHEET.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): REPT. INV. 6934, 158 P.

Reference (Geology): 1-DEGREE BY 2-DEGREE TOPOGRAPHIC MAP: U.S. GEOL. SUR-

Reference (Reserve-Resource): PART 4, WYOMING AND UTAH: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES

Reference (Reserve-Resource): THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY AND ITS RESOURCES -

Reference (Reserve-Resource): COFFMAN, J. S., AND SERVICE, A. L., 1967, AN EVALUATION OF

Reference (Production): ADVANCES IN BENEFICIATION OF WESTERN PHOSPHATES: MIN.

Reference (Production): RULE, A. R., KIRBY, D. E., AND DAHLIN, D. C., 1978, RECENT

Reference (Production): MO., OCT. 19-21, 1977, 17 P.

Reference (Production): PRESENTED AT S.M.E. FALL MEETING AND EXHIBIT, ST. LOUIS

Reference (Ownership): SCHUMACHER, O. L., PENSE, R. A., AND DAVIS, R. B., 1979,

Reference (Geology): TAIN ASSOC. OF GEOL. 15TH ANN. FIELD CONF., P. 99-102.

Reference (Geology): PHOSPHORITES OF THE PHOSPHORIA FORMATION, IN INTERMOUN-

Reference (Geology): GULBRANDSEN, R. A., 1967, SOME COMPOSITIONAL FEATURES OF

Reference (Geology): 3 PLATES.

Reference (Geology): U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROF. PAPER 313-A, P. 1-47,

Reference (Geology): SHEDHORN FORMATIONS IN THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE FIELD:

Reference (Geology): MCKELVEY, V. E., 1959, THE PHOSPHORIA, PARK CITY, AND

Reference (Production): ENG., JAN. 1978, P. 37-40.

Reference (Production): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES REPT. INV. 8154, 17 P.

Reference (Production): CALCAREOUS PHOSPHATE ROCK BY CALCINATION AND HYDRATION:

Reference (Production): GOOD, P. C., 1976, BENEFICIATION OF UNWEATHERED INDIAN

Reference (Production): ITALY, APRIL 23-24, 1975, P. 53-54.

Reference (Production): INTERNAT. MINERALS PROCESSING CONGRESS, KAGLIARI,

Reference (Production): FICIATION OF LEAN PHOSPHATE WITH CARBONATE GANGUE, 11TH

Reference (Production): DEPOSIT WITH CALCAREOUS GANGUE, IN SEMINAR ON BENE-

Reference (Production): BENEFICIATION STUDIES ON A HIMALAYAN LEAN PHOSPHATE

Reference (Production): GOKHALE, K. V. G. K., RAO, T. C., AND BISWAS, A. K., 1975,

Reference (Production): METALURSKI ZBORNIK, NO. 2-3, 1970, P. 275-283.

Reference (Production): CALCINATION, THE MATERIAL BALANCE: RUDARSKO -

Reference (Production): EBERL, E., 1970, BENEFICIATION OF CALCIUM PHOSPHATE BY

Reference (Geology): PART I: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULL. 690, P. 31-94 PLATE.

Reference (Geology): PHOSPHATE, IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, 1918,

Reference (Geology): MOUNTAINS, NORTHERN UTAH, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO

Reference (Geology): SCHULTZ, A. R., 1919, A GEOLOGIC RECONNAISSANCE OF THE UINTA

Reference (Geology): SURVEY OPEN FILE REPT. 73-248, 8 SHEETS.

Reference (Geology): VERNAL PHOSPHATE AREA, UINTAH COUNTY, UTAH: U.S. GEOL.

Reference (Geology): STRIP MAPS OF THE PARK CITY AND PHOSPHORIA FORMATIONS,

Reference (Geology): 71, P. 74-87.

Reference (Geology): SCHELL, E. M. AND DYNI, J. R., 1973, PRELIMINARY GEOLOGIC

Reference (Geology): UINTAH COUNTY: UTAH GEOL. AND MINERALOG. SURVEY BULL.

Reference (Geology): INV. PRELIM. MAP PM-82.

Reference (Geology): PRUITT, R. G., JR., 1961, PHOSPHATE, IN MINERAL RESOURCES OF

Reference (Geology): UINTAH COUNTY, UTAH: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OIL AND GAS

Reference (Geology): GEOLOGY OF THE WHITEROCKS RIVER - ASHLEY CREEK AREA,

Reference (Geology): KINNEY, D. M., AND ROMINGER, J. F., 1947(?), PRE-TERTIARY

Reference (Geology): MAP OM-123.

Reference (Geology): COUNTIES UTAH: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OIL AND GAS INV.

Reference (Geology): CREEK-DIAMOND MOUNTAIN AREAS, DUCHESNE AND UINTAH

Reference (Geology): KINNEY, D. M., 1957, GEOLOGY OF THE UINTA RIVER AND BRUSH

Reference (Geology): MINERALOG. SURVEY BULL. 59, 54 P., 3 PLATES.

---

The Top Ten Gold Producing States

These ten states contributed the most to the gold production that built the West from 1848 through the 1930s. The Top Ten Gold Producing States.