Suggested Citation
Smith, R. C., II, and Barnes, J. H., 2014, Geology and mineralogy of uranium and thorium in the Reading Prong of Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 4th ser., Mineral Resource Report 97, 177 p. [Available online.]
Description
This report on uranium and thorium in the Reading Prong section of the New England physiographic province of Pennsylvania is based on work that began in the late 1970s. Originally submitted for hard-copy publication in 1989, the report in its entirety was never printed due to budget constraints; however, parts of the report were printed and shared with various agencies as health concerns over indoor radon became prevalent. In 2014, the detailed text and 1:50,000-scale plate that constitute the report were published in PDF format online. The study consisted of three phases: (1) a carborne scintillometer gamma-ray survey of nearly all roads within the Reading Prong, the results of which are shown on Plate 1; (2) collection and chemical analysis of samples from 64 sites of interest, and (3) follow-up studies of nine significant uranium occurrences that included detailed mapping using a gamma-ray spectrometer and magnetometer. The report covers the regional geology, the types of uranium and thorium occurrences within the region, a review of past work on those occurrences, suggestions for further study, and (in an appendix) rare elements in titanite from Chestnut Hill, Northampton County.