Structural evolution, paragenesis, and origin of the arrow uranium deposit, southwestern Athabasca Basin

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The objective of this project is to unravel the origin and evolution of an exciting new uranium deposit discovery in the 1.7 billion year old Athabasca sedimentary basin of northern Saskatchewan. The Arrow deposit was discovered two years ago and based on resource calculations it could be the third largest uranium deposit in the world, and now forms part of a fledgling uranium camp in the southwestern Athabasca Basin. Overall, this part of Canada contains the richest uranium deposits in the world, and yields about 15% of the world's uranium used to produce fuel for nuclear reactors. Nuclear energy is used to generate about 12% of the world's electricity at present, and it is likely that this proportion will increase as we reduce the global carbon footprint. In detail, the project will form the focus of a Master of Science thesis, as well as four B.Sc. theses, at the University of Saskatchewan, supported by NexGen Energy. Drill core from the Arrow deposit will be examined to relate uranium-bearing and alteration minerals to structures, along which brines would have moved during the evolution of the deposit. Samples will be analyzed by petrography and microprobe to determine the minerals present in and around the deposit, and their composition. The uranium and lead isotope compositions of uranium-bearing minerals will provide information on the age of the deposit and its history, and the oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon isotopes will be used to determine the character of the fluids through time. Representative samples of the rocks around the deposit will also be examined to determine the origin of these rocks, as this part of the Canadian Shield is poorly understood. This information will be used to construct a model for the origin of the Arrow deposit, which can be compared to other uranium deposits in the region to improve the ability to find new deposits. Direct outcomes will be MSc and BSc theses, and journal papers. In addition, new ideas as to the origin of the deposits of this part of northern Saskatchewan will provide economic growth for northern communities, and maintain the province and Canada as one of the leading providers of uranium in the world.