uranium exploration potential, athabasca basin, saskatchewan, canada
TRANSCRIPT
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Uranium Exploration Potential
Athabasca Basin
Saskatchewan, Canada
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Presentation Outline
• Geological Setting• Distribution of Unconformity-Type Deposits• Genetic Model and Variants• Uranium Exploration Criteria
– Regional and District Scale– Local Scale
• Uranium Exploration Methods – Summary• Uranium Deposit Resources and Grade• Uranium Supply/Demand• Uranium Exploration Cycles
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Modified after Jefferson et al., 2007
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After Jefferson et al., 2007
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Athabasca Basin, Major Uranium Deposits
50 Km
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Genetic Model for Athabasca Unconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
Genetic Model: Diagenetic-Hydrothermal
Oxidized, mineralized basinal fluids interact with graphitic metapelites resulting in reduction of uranium
After Alexandre et al., 2005
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Athabasca Unconformity-Type Uranium Deposit Model Variants
Athabasca/Unconformity Hosted
Basement/Unconformity Hosted
Athabasca/UnconformityBasement Hosted
AthabascaEnd Member
BasementEnd-Member
Athabasca/BasementCombined
After Jefferson et al., 2007
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Athabasca Unconformity-Type Uranium Deposit Model Variants
AthabascaEnd Member
BasementEnd-Member
After Jefferson et al., 2007
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Example of Unconformity-Type Uranium Deposit GeometryMcClean Lake North Pod 1 (Plan and 3D Views)
(After Wallis, 1985)
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Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
Regional and District Scale Attributes
• Athabasca Sandstone: Fluviatile Red Beds; Uranium Depleted
• Unconformity: Athabasca Sandstone/Basement
• Paleo-Regolith: Archean and Proterozoic Basement
• Uranium-Rich Basement Complex: U-enriched Granite and Pegmatite
• Ductile Deformation: Basement Zones of Weakness
• Reactivated Regional Faults: Virgin River, Cable Bay, Black Bay
• Graphitic Metapelite Gneiss: Zones of Weakness; Provides Reductant
• Archean Granitoids: Spatial Association with some Uranium Deposits
• Domain Boundary Transition: Wollaston-Mudjatic; Mudjatic-Virgin River
• Regional Alteration Corridors: Illite-Chlorite-Dravite Corridor East Athabasca
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Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
After Jefferson et al., 2007
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Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
After Jefferson et al., 2007
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Mudjatic Domain
Wollaston-Mudjatic Transition Zone
Wollaston Domain
50 Km
Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
Regional and District Scale
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Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
Regional and District Scale
After Jefferson et al., 2007
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Correlation between Uranium Deposits, EM Conductors, Magnetic Intensity, and DDH Locations
CAMECO
AREVA
UEX
DENISON
FORUM
50 Km
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Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
Local Scale Attributes
• Athabasca/Unconformity Ore: Polymetallic (Complex Mineralogy)
• Unconformity Basement Ore: Monometallic (Simple Mineralogy)
• Brittle Structures: Faults, Fractures, Breccia
• Deposit Morphology: Athabasca – Flattened, elongate, linear pods/bodies
• Deposit Morphology: Basement – Shear-bounded ore lenses
• Alteration: Athabasca – Illite-Kaolinite-Chlorite envelope/chimney
• Alteration: Athabasca – High K2O / Al2O3
• Alteration: Basement – Illite-Sudoite-Fe Mg Chlorite envelope
• Alteration: Paleoregolith – Bleaching (Illite) overprint of Hematite-Chlorite
• Quartz Dissolution: Volume reduction, collapse of Athabasca Group strata
• Late Silicification: Formation of drusy quartz along fractures
• Perched Uranium Zones: Fracture/Fault controlled; above deposit
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K2O / Al2O3 Ratios for Midwest Lake
(After Sopuck, 1980; Abrahim, 1985)
Example of Alteration ‘Chimney’
above ‘egress’ style deposits
(Cigar Lake, Midwest Lake, McClean Lake)
(Modified after Jefferson et al. 2007)
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Example of Unconformity Uranium Deposit: Sue C
From: Purepoint Uranium 2013 Corporate Presentation
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Athabasca Unconformity-Type Uranium DepositsGeophysical and Geochemical Methods
Modified after Jefferson, 2007; Fogwill, 1985
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Trace and REE Elements in Athabasca Sandstone, Phoenix Deposit, Zone A and B
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Uranium Deposit Depths
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Clu
ff La
ke 1
969
Hor
sesh
oe/R
aven
1974
Key
Lak
e 19
75
Wes
t Bea
r 19
77
McC
lean
Lak
e 19
78
Mid
wes
t Lak
e 19
78
Daw
n La
ke 1
978
Eag
le P
oint
198
0
Cig
ar L
ake
1981
McA
rthu
r R
iver
198
8
She
a C
reek
199
2
Tam
arac
k 19
99
Mille
nium
200
2
Cen
tenn
ial 2
004
Rou
ghrid
er 2
008
Pho
enix
201
0
J-Z
one
2012
Pat
ters
on L
ake
2013
De
pth
(m
)
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Uranium Deposit Mineral Resource
133
123
106
105
88
70
61 60 58 56
41 41
30 29
18 17 16 14 14 13 12 12 11
6 6 5 4 2 2 2 2 1 1 0
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
McA
rthu
rRiv
er
Cig
arLa
ke
Eag
leP
oint
Dei
lman
-Key
Lake
Pat
ters
on L
ake
*
Mill
eniu
m
She
a C
reek
Pho
enix
Cen
tenn
ial *
Gae
rtne
r-K
eyLa
ke
Rou
ghri
der
W/E
Mid
wes
t
Col
linsB
ayB
Rab
bitL
ake
Daw
nLak
e
Sue
C
Tam
arac
k
Col
linsB
ayA
Hor
sesh
oe
Dom
iniq
ue-P
eter
D-J
Sou
th a
nd W
est
J Zo
ne
Clu
ffLa
keD
McC
lean
Rav
en
Col
linsB
ayD
Cla
ude
JEB
Clu
ffLa
keN
Sue
A
Sue
B
Mau
rice
Bay
Dom
iniq
ue-J
anin
e
Wes
t Bea
r
Fond
-du-
Lac
Clu
ffLa
keO
P
MM
Lb
s U
3O8
342
589
Athabasca Unconformity Uranium Deposit Mineral Resources
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Source: Cameco/UxC/Historical
Uranium Spot and Long-Term Price Trend
$0.00
$20.00
$40.00
$60.00
$80.00
$100.00
$120.00
$140.00
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Year
$US
/lb U
3O8
Spot
Long-Term
Glo
ba
l Re
cess
ion
Fu
kush
ima
Dis
ast
er
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U3O8 Resource
58.30
530.00
983.00
105.98
293.97
118.39
5 16 7 2 4 20.00
200.00
400.00
600.00
800.00
1000.00
1200.00
1960-1970 1970-1980 1980-1990 1990-2000 2000-2010 2010-2014
Date Range
MM
lbs
U3
O8
MM Lbs U3O8
# Deposits
Rab
bit L
ake
, C
luff
Lak
e
Key
Lak
e, M
cCle
an L
ake
Mid
wes
t Lak
e, E
agle
Po
int
Cig
ar L
ake,
McA
rthu
r R
iver
She
a C
reek
, T
amar
ack
Pho
enix
, Rou
ghri
der,
Mill
en
niu
m
Pat
ters
on
Lak
e, J
-Zon
e
Date Range MM Lbs U3O8 # Deposits Major Uranium Discoveries1960-1970 58.30 5 Rabbit Lake, Cluff Lake1970-1980 530.00 16 Key Lake, McClean Lake, Midwest Lake, Eagle Point1980-1990 983.00 7 Cigar Lake, McArthur River, Sue, JEB1990-2000 105.98 2 Shea Creek, Tamarack2000-2010 293.97 4 Phoenix, Roughrider, Millenium, Centennial2010-2014 118.39 2 Patterson Lake, J-Zone
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Economic Uranium Deposit Discoveries in the Athabasca Basin referenced to the Spot Uranium Price and Exploration Expenditures
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Beaverlodge Deposit Model
(Classical Vein-Type Uranium)
Elliot Lake Deposit Model
(Placer Uranium)
Unconformity Deposit Model
(Diagenetic-Hydrothermal Uranium)
New Deposit Model
(Unconformity Variants?)
1950 1960 1970 2010
Selective History of Paradigm Shifts in Uranium Exploration Process(Modified after Marlatt and Kyser, 2011)
Prospector Driven Exploration
Research/Model/Technology Driven Exploration
1980 1990 2000
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Athabasca Basin Uranium Exploration ‘Learning Curve’
(after Marlatt and Kyser, 2011)
300 m 600 m >900 m
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From: Fission Uranium Presentation 2014
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Contact Information
Delio Tortosa, P.Eng., M.Sc.Geological Consultant
Tel: 705 946-1040Cell: 705 971-4768
Email: [email protected]