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Uranium Exploration Potential
Athabasca Basin
Saskatchewan, Canada
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
Modified after Jefferson et al., 2007
After Jefferson et al., 2007
Athabasca Basin, Major Uranium Deposits
50 Km
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
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
Athabasca Unconformity-Type Uranium Deposit Model Variants
AthabascaEnd Member
BasementEnd-Member
After Jefferson et al., 2007
Example of Unconformity-Type Uranium Deposit GeometryMcClean Lake North Pod 1 (Plan and 3D Views)
(After Wallis, 1985)
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
Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
After Jefferson et al., 2007
Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
After Jefferson et al., 2007
Mudjatic Domain
Wollaston-Mudjatic Transition Zone
Wollaston Domain
50 Km
Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
Regional and District Scale
Significant Exploration Characteristics ofUnconformity-Type Uranium Deposits
Regional and District Scale
After Jefferson et al., 2007
Correlation between Uranium Deposits, EM Conductors, Magnetic Intensity, and DDH Locations
CAMECO
AREVA
UEX
DENISON
FORUM
50 Km
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
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)
Example of Unconformity Uranium Deposit: Sue C
From: Purepoint Uranium 2013 Corporate Presentation
Athabasca Unconformity-Type Uranium DepositsGeophysical and Geochemical Methods
Modified after Jefferson, 2007; Fogwill, 1985
Trace and REE Elements in Athabasca Sandstone, Phoenix Deposit, Zone A and B
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
)
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
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
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
Economic Uranium Deposit Discoveries in the Athabasca Basin referenced to the Spot Uranium Price and Exploration Expenditures
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
Athabasca Basin Uranium Exploration ‘Learning Curve’
(after Marlatt and Kyser, 2011)
300 m 600 m >900 m
From: Fission Uranium Presentation 2014
Contact Information
Delio Tortosa, P.Eng., M.Sc.Geological Consultant
Tel: 705 946-1040Cell: 705 971-4768
Email: [email protected]