Peggy-Kay Hamilton

Peggy-Kay Hamilton (1922–1959) was born in Illinois in 1922 and was an American Research Associate in Mineralogy in the Department of Geology at Columbia University. One of Hamilton's first research breakthroughs was developing Research Project 49, otherwise known as the study of clay minerals. In her later research years, her focus shifted and led to her becoming involved full time in the study of uranium.

Hamilton achieved success in the fields of geology and mineralogy; according to her frequent research partner and friend Paul F. Kerr, Hamilton was held in high regard by both students at Columbia University as well as professional colleagues at multiple scientific research institutions.

Career Photo of Columbia University Campus in New York City, taken on Sunday, June 15th, 2003. Peggy-Kay Hamilton's alma mater where she obtained her masters and lifelong career as a research associate.After earning a Master's degree, Hamilton worked at Columbia University’s Mineralogy Department of Geology where she became an American Research Associate. During this time, Hamilton focused her studies on the differentiation of clay mineral types and produced many successful publications, along with her fellow Research Associate, Kerr.

While analyzing umohoite, Hamilton noticed that any fresh surface of the mineral developed a bright blue powder-like substance. She later determined this substance to be molybdenum efflorescence, which forms a few days after the mineral has been exposed to the atmosphere. With the use of X-Ray spectroscopy, uranium was indeed discovered in the mineral, as well as silica, sulphur, iron, cobalt, nickel, arsenic and thallium. After conducting sample collections in various parts of the world, it was discovered that this mineral is far more diverse and distributed than originally thought.

Publications Kerr, Paul F., and Peggy Kay. Hamilton. Glossary of Clay Mineral Names. New York : Columbia University, 1949 : [Ann Arbor, Mich. : University Microfilms International, 1978. Print. American Petroleum Institute. Clay Mineral Standards. Preliminary Report; No. 1. Hamilton classified various clay minerals, which led to this publication by American Petroleum Institute’s research project 49. The publication itself is a comprehensive list of notes for readers who do not have geology backgrounds that help make sense of the observed properties or characteristics.

The following 3 studies were a part of the United States Atomic Energy Commission's Annual Report for July 1, 1950, to June 30, 1951: Preliminary Memorandum Marysvale, Utah (1951) - Visiting five previously discovered mines in Marysvale, Utah with uranium mineralization, Paul F. Kerr, T.P. Anderson, P.K. Hamilton, and R.J. Pill found evidence of uranium mineralization in the form of uranite in the lowest level of rock which disproved previous studies which claimed that oxidized uranium minerals would not be found in lower layers of rock. Uranium in Black King Prospect, Placerville, Colorado (1951) - Throughout the Black King Prospect located outside of Placerville, Colorado, fissures resulting from fault movements were found to be saturated with radioactive organic material. Uranium was found to be spreading through hydrocarbons, leading to the conclusion that hydrothermal activity is a cause of mineralization. Bellevue - Rochester Mine (1951) - While analyzing a mine site near Colorado Springs, Idaho, Hamilton and her colleagues Kerr and Anderson observed a close association between a clay-bearing area and a radioactive seam, and proposed a hydrothermal origin for both. Their research also found evidence of apatite, biotite, residual quartz, chlorite, kaolinite, pyrite, sooty uraninite, and various carbonates.

Kerr, Paul Francis, and Hamilton, Peggy-Kay. "Chrome Mica-clay, Temple Mountain, Utah." The American Mineralogist 43.1-2 (1958): 34-47. Web.

While examining chrome mica-clay and its conditions of formation as well as its associated polymorphs, Hamilton and Kerr’s suggested a relationship between hydrothermal chromium-bearing solutions and mica-clay. The two concluded that chrome mica-clay occurs at Temple Mountain, Utah, in association with uranium mineralization. At the time, this was the second confirmed site of uranium mineralization in the United States. This research furthered Hamilton and Kerr’s hypothesis that uranium is far more widespread than previously believed.

Hamilton, Peggy-Kay, and Kerr, Paul Francis. "Umohoite from Cameron, Arizona." The American Mineralogist 44.11-12 (1959): 1248-260. Web.

This study confirmed the presence of fine-grained umohoite in Cameron, Arizona as the third locale for umohoite in the United States. With this discovery and the confirmation of umohoite found in the U.S.S.R, Hamilton and Kerr concluded that the rare mineral "is more widespread in occurrence than was known previously, and the fine-grained form may be considerably more abundant than is now known.

Death On September 19, 1959, at age 37, Hamilton died at the Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, New York. Hamilton died following a short, sudden illness and a cerebral operation for cancer.