RB 2015/00011 Uranium and uranium mineral systems in South Australia – Third edition.
Published: 01 Apr 2015 Created: 25 Nov 2024 Revised: 27 Nov 2024

South Australia is well recognised as being significantly enriched in uranium. During 2013–2014, South Australia produced 4399 t of uranium, representing 80% of Australia’s total uranium production of 5512 t, and equating to 9.2% of the world’s...

South Australia is well recognised as being significantly enriched in uranium. During 2013–2014, South Australia produced 4399 t of uranium, representing 80% of Australia’s total uranium production of 5512 t, and equating to 9.2% of the world’s total production of 59 673 t (World Nuclear Association, 2015). Extensive emplacement of uranium-enriched felsic igneous rocks occurred during the Mesoproterozoic, and to a lesser extent the Palaeoproterozoic. These igneous rocks are either directly spatially or genetically related to various uranium deposits throughout the state, or have provided a source for secondary enrichment processes such as sandstone-hosted deposits or fault-controlled mineralisation in older rocks. A variety of deposit or occurrence types occur throughout South Australia, including sediment- hosted, breccia-related and vein-hosted. Significant potential exists in some areas for discoveries of previously unrecognised deposit styles. For example, the Benagerie Ridge in the Curnamona Province is considered prospective for IOCG(±U) type deposits. Recent discoveries of palaeochannel-hosted mineralisation at the Samphire Project in the Pirie Basin and IOCGU mineralisation at Hillside on the eastern margin of the Gawler Craton, highlights the potential prospectivity of previously unexplored regions of the state. Uranium deposits have typically been described using the OECD/NEA and IAEA classification scheme of fifteen deposit types based on their host rock type and geological setting (McKay and Miezitis, 2001). More recently, Skirrow et al. (2009) proposed a revised classification scheme utilising the ‘mineral systems’ approach whereby entire ore-forming systems are described, at multiple scales, rather than focussing on deposit-scale properties. Using this process-driven classification scheme, all known uranium occurrences in South Australia have been re-assessed with new classifications outlined in this report. In reclassifying each occurrence, the fluid type(s) and mineral system processes interpreted to result in the development of each known uranium occurrence have been taken into consideration. As more evidence becomes available, some revision of these preliminary category assignments is expected.

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Use constraints License
License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Persistent identifier https://pid.sarig.sa.gov.au/document/d20011032
Citation Wilson, T. 2015. RB 2015/00011 Uranium and uranium mineral systems in South Australia – Third edition. Departmental Publication - Geological Survey Geoscience Publication. Government of South Australia.
https://pid.sarig.sa.gov.au/document/d20011032

Technical information

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Maintenance and Update Frequency
Geographic Reference GDA2020 (EPSG:7844)
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