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Author Jaireth, S.; Roach, I.C.; Bastrakov, E.; Liu, S.
Title Basin-related uranium mineral systems in Australia: A review of critical features Type Journal Article
Year (down) 2016 Publication Ore Geology Reviews Abbreviated Journal
Volume 76 Issue Pages 360-394
Keywords Australia’s uranium deposits, Calcrete-uranium, Sandstone-hosted uranium, Unconformity-related uranium
Abstract This paper reviews critical features of basin-related uranium mineral systems in Australia. These mineral systems include Proterozoic unconformity-related uranium systems formed predominantly from diagenetic fluids expelled from sandstones overlying the unconformity, sandstone-hosted uranium systems formed from the influx of oxidised groundwaters through sandstone aquifers, and calcrete uranium systems formed from oxidised groundwaters flowing through palaeochannel aquifers (sand and calcrete). The review uses the so-called ‘source-pathway-trap’ paradigm to summarise critical features of fertile mineral systems. However, the scheme is expanded to include information on the geological setting, age and relative timing of mineralisation, and preservation of mineral systems. The critical features are also summarised in three separate tables. These features can provide the basis to conduct mineral potential and prospectivity analysis in an area. Such analysis requires identification of mappable signatures of above-mentioned critical features in geological, geophysical and geochemical datasets. The review of fertile basin-related systems shows that these systems require the presence of at least four ingredients: a source of leachable uranium (and vanadium and potassium for calcrete-uranium deposits); suitable hydrological architecture enabling connection between the source and the sink (site of accumulation); physical and chemical sinks or traps; and a post-mineralisation setting favourable for preservation. The review also discusses factors that may control the efficiency of mineral systems, assuming that world-class deposits result from more efficient mineral systems. The review presents a brief discussion of factors which may have controlled the formation of large deposits in the Lake Frome region in South Australia, the Chu-Sarysu and Syrdarya Basins in Kazakhstan and calcrete uranium deposits in the Yilgarn region, Western Australia.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0169-1368 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ jaireth_basin-related_2016 Serial 139
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Author Min, M.; Chen, J.; Wang, J.; Wei, G.; Fayek, M.
Title Mineral paragenesis and textures associated with sandstone-hosted roll-front uranium deposits, NW China Type Journal Article
Year (down) 2005 Publication Ore Geology Reviews Abbreviated Journal
Volume 26 Issue 1 Pages 51-69
Keywords China, Mineralogy, Paragenesis, Sandstone-hosted roll-type uranium deposit
Abstract We present a first paragenetic study of the Wuyier, Wuyisan, Wuyiyi and Shihongtan sandstone-hosted roll-front uranium deposits, northwest China. The mineralization is hosted by Lower–Middle Jurassic coarse- to medium-grained sandstones, which are dark-gray to black due to a mixture of ore minerals and carbonaceous debris. The sandstone is alluvial fan-braided river facies. Minerals associated with these deposits can be broadly categorized as detrital, authigenic, and ore-stage mineralization. Ore minerals consist of uraninite and coffinite. This is the first noted occurrence of coffinite in this type of deposit in China. Sulfide minerals associated with the uranium minerals are pyrite, marcasite, and less commonly, sphalerite and galena. The sulfide minerals are largely in textural equilibrium with the uranium minerals. However, these sulfide minerals occasionally appear to predate, as well as postdate, the uranium minerals. This implies that there are multiple generations of sulfides associated with these deposits. The ore minerals occur interstitially between fossilized wood cells in the sandstones as well as replace fossilized wood and biotite. The deposits are generally low-grade. Primary uranium minerals associated with the low-grade deposits are generally too small, ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 μm in diameter, to be observed by optical microscopy and are only observed by electron microscopy. Mineral paragenesis and textures indicate that these deposits formed under low temperature (30–50 °C) conditions.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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ISSN 0169-1368 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ min_mineral_2005 Serial 175
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Author Min, M.; Xu, H.; Chen, J.; Fayek, M.
Title Evidence of uranium biomineralization in sandstone-hosted roll-front uranium deposits, northwestern China Type Journal Article
Year (down) 2005 Publication Ore Geology Reviews Abbreviated Journal
Volume 26 Issue 3 Pages 198-206
Keywords Biomineralization, China, Roll-front uranium deposit, Sandstone
Abstract We show evidence that the primary uranium minerals, uraninite and coffinite, from high-grade ore samples (U3O8\textgreater0.3%) in the Wuyiyi, Wuyier, and Wuyisan sandstone-hosted roll-front uranium deposits, Xinjiang, northwestern China were biogenically precipitated and psuedomorphically replace fungi and bacteria. Uranium (VI), which was the sole electron acceptor, was likely to have been enzymically reduced. Post-mortem accumulation of uranium may have also occurred through physio-chemical interaction between uranium and negatively-charged cellular sites, and inorganic adsorption or precipitation reactions. These results suggest that microorganisms may have played a key role in formation of the sandstone- or roll-type uranium deposits, which are among the most economically significant uranium deposits in the world.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0169-1368 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number THL @ christoph.kuells @ min_evidence_2005 Serial 186
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