Basin-related uranium systems

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This study involves researchers from Queen's University and experts from Raven Minerals who will focus on identifying the critical factors that control uranium mobility and precipitation in sedimentary basins, and predict where new uranium deposits may reside within specific basin systems in Canada. Sedimentary basins have been selected because they supply most of the world's uranium and are most likely to contain future resources. The research will require four years to complete, involve several HQP (3 Research Associates, 3 PDFs, 3 PhD, 2 MSc, 4 BSc), and will focus on three styles of U mineralization in basins in Canada including: (1) unconformity-related deposits, the highest grade deposits, with research focused on the Athabasca Basin in Canada; (2) terrestrial carbonate (calcrete-type) deposits and their potential to occur in Western Canada Basin; and (3) sandstone-hosted deposits using those in Wyoming and Colorado to assess whether these deposits are likely in Canada. The research will examine when known deposits formed, what environments are required, what chemical reactions were critical in fixing and preserving the deposits, how the deposits have evolved and how areas of uranium mineralization in Canada can be identified through holistic basin analysis and surface sampling. The proposed research will also provide an understanding of the critical factors controlling element migration in the near surface envionment, including the likely source of uranium and pathfinder elements using their isotopes. This will influence exploration given the higher capacity to understand how such deposits can be chemically "imaged" at depth. The benefits to Canadian industry are recognition of both highly prospective and likely barren areas of basins in Canada and new exploration tools and strategies for discovery of undercover uranium deposits, with techniques that are equally applicable to other commodities. The benefits to Queen's researchers and students are the possibility to conduct research in previously understudied areas, the use and development of novel analytical techniques including isotope tracing, and exposure to real-world exploration programs and protocols.