Uranium Deposit Report
Deposit : |
South Alligator River District |
Country : |
Australia |
General Information |
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Geological District |
South Alligator Valley Field | ||
Geological Region |
Pine Creek Inlier | ||
Political/Geographical Province |
Northern Territory | ||
Last Data Update |
2009-01-01 | ||
Owner(s) |
Southern Cross Resources Inc | ||
Operator |
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Technical Information |
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Tonnage Range (t U)
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500 - 1,000 | ||
Grade Range (% U)
|
0.50 - 1.00 | ||
Deposit Status
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Depleted | ||
Current Processing Plant
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Cumulative Production (t U)
|
348 | ||
Production Period
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1956-1964 | ||
Produced Grade (% U)
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General Remarks |
Contains El Sherana, El Sherana West, Palette, Rockhole, Scinto 5, Scinto 6, Sleisbeck deposits | ||
Geological Information |
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Deposit Type |
Unconformity-Proterozoic Fracture-bound | ||
Geological Setting |
Lithology: Koolpin Formation is a sequence of interbedded dolomite, siltstone and carbonaceous shale. Massive chert-banded ferruginous sandstone with bands of carbonaceous shale and dolomite occur at base of Koolpin. Tectonics: Deposits and prospects occur within a north-west trending, dextral strike slip structural belt 24km long and 3km wide. Alteration: Deposits are surrounded by alteration zones characterised by the presence of muscovite-chlorite+-kaolinite+-biotite+-hematite. Hostrock Age: Paleoproterozoic | ||
Age of Mineralization |
815-710Ma (five pitchblende samples from El Sherana, Palette and Sleisbeck deposits). | ||
Mineralization |
Ore Mineralogy: Pitchblende, gold Mineralization Description: Ore zones consisted of massive segregations, veins and disseminations of pitchblende. Gold occurred as veinlets within pitchblende or as separate zones of mineralisation. Ore Controls: Three main features control mineralisation - the deposits lie close to the unconformity between the Coronation Sandstone and Koolpin Formation; the deposits are hosted by fractured cherty ferruginous siltstone, and; the deposit are along fault zones. | ||
MetallogenicAspects |
Uranium was derived from leaching felsic volcanics in the Coronation Sandstone. The uranium was transported by oxygenated groundwaters along interbeds of permeable sandstone (Coronation Sandstone). Chemical reduction and precipitation of U occurred where fluids reacted with carbon-rich metasediments of Koolpin Formation | ||
Age of Mineralization |
815-710Ma (five pitchblende samples from El Sherana, Palette and Sleisbeck deposits). | ||
DepositShape |
steeply dipping lens shaped body along fault zone | ||
DepositDimensions |
Deposit Length: 430 m Deposit Depth Top: outcrop Deposit Depth Bottom: 200 m Deposit Thickness: variable up to 2 m | ||
GeologicalRemarks |
815-710 Ma from 5 samples from El Sherana, Palette & Sleisbeck deposits (Hills & Richards 1972, Cooper 1973) (?reset ages). | ||
Metallogenic Aspects |
Uranium was derived from leaching felsic volcanics in the Coronation Sandstone. The uranium was transported by oxygenated groundwaters along interbeds of permeable sandstone (Coronation Sandstone). Chemical reduction and precipitation of U occurred where fluids reacted with carbon-rich metasediments of Koolpin Formation | ||