Unconformity-related uranium deposits constitute ~33% of the western world's uranium resources. The largest, high-grade unconformity-related uranium deposits in the world occur in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, and include the McArthur...
Unconformity-related uranium deposits constitute ~33% of the western world's uranium resources. The largest, high-grade unconformity-related uranium deposits in the world occur in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, and include the McArthur River and Cigar Lake deposits with total reserve estimates of 778 500 t of ore at 19.53% U3O8 and 557 300 t of ore at 17.04%, U3O8, respectively. Other unconformity-related deposits in the Athabasca Basin are typically richer than 1% U3O8. Basins such as the Thelon, Northwest Territories/Nunavut, Canada, and the McArthur, Northern Territory, Australia, also contain unconformity-related uranium deposits, although the grades are typically <0.5% U3O8. Deposits in the Athabasca Basin occur below, across and immediately above the unconformity, with the highest grade deposits, McArthur River and Cigar Lake, situated at or just above the unconformity. Uranium exploration in South Australia is typically focused on breccia-complex and roll-front style mineralisation; however, the Cariewerloo Basin, which is analogous to the Athabasca Basin, has the potential for unconformity-style uranium mineralisation. Similarities between the Athabasca and Cariewerloo basins were first proposed by PIRSA geologists in the 1990s. Both are intracratonic basins that contain Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic, unmetamorphosed and largely undeformed, quartz-dominated, fluvial sedimentary rocks. In addition, both basins unconformably overlie deformed and metamorphosed Palaeoproterozoic and Archaean basement including metasedimentary rocks, such as graphitic schists, and granitoid rocks. Reactivated basement structures that propagate into the basin sediments are also common. Moreover, basement rocks under both basins contain elevated uranium concentrations. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between PIRSA's Geological Survey Branch and the Canadian Saskatchewan Geological Survey of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources was signed in March 2009. The first part of this agreement involved a technical exchange on aspects of geoscience research including geophysics, 3D modelling, sedimentology and stratigraphy. Two PIRSA geoscientists were seconded to Canada during late 2009 and early 2010 to assist with the processing of existing geophysical data and development of 2.5D and 3D models for the Athabasca Basin. Continuing with the agreement of the MOU, a geoscientist from Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources was seconded to PIRSA during May and June 2010. This visit enabled transfer of lithostratigraphic logging and interpretive techniques, used successfully throughout the Athabasca Basin, to PIRSA staff and facilitated the application of these techniques to the Pandurra Formation in the Cariewerloo Basin. A brief field inspection of the Pandurra Formation was also undertaken.
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