Atmospheric fallout radionuclide data for soil cores from four uranium mine sites, Mohave County, Arizona, November 2018
Description
The data represent sediment depth profiles of gamma-emitting radionuclides cesium-137 (Cs-137), lead-210 (Pb-210), lead-214 (Pb-214), and bismuth-214 (Bi-214) in native soil locations around four mineralized sites in Mohave County, Arizona. The four sites represent breccia pipe uranium deposits in the Grand Canyon Region in various lifecycle stages of mining: EZ2 complex (exploration), Arizona 1 mine (standby), Pinenut mine (closed, pre-reclamation), and Kanab North Mine (reclaimed). The data were collected to assess the potential of fallout radionuclides (Cs-137 and unsupported Pb-210) to help understand the distribution of subsurface contaminants related to mining activity. Gamma spectroscopy determinations were performed on archive samples from November 2018 that were collected during a previous investigation, which is cited below. The Pb-210, Pb-214, and Bi-214 data can be used to calculate Ra-226 and excess (unsupported) Pb-210. Additional information about the collection of sediment cores and soil-profile measurements can be found in Kauble, R.K., Andraski, B.J., Green, C.T., and Walton-Day, K., 2021, Soil sample data for four uranium mine sites, Mohave County, Arizona, April and November 2018: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9B8I7KC.