Application of radiation-induced defects in quartz and calcite for uranium exploration at the ACKIO discovery, northern Saskatchewan

萨斯喀彻温省北部的古元古代阿萨巴斯卡盆地拥有世界上品位最高的铀矿床，是研究石英和其他矿物辐射缺陷的绝佳天然实验室。申请人作为nserc -工业界先前共同赞助的三个研究项目的首席研究员，证明了石英中的一系列硅空位空穴中心是由铀和钍的放射性衰变释放的α粒子的轰炸形成的，它们是确定含铀流体路径的优秀示踪剂，对勘探新的铀矿床很有用。这项申请是在这些先前研究的基础上进行的，并在萨斯喀彻温大学和Baselode能源公司之间形成了新的合作研究伙伴关系，以进一步开发石英以及方解石等碳酸盐矿物中的辐射诱导缺陷，作为勘探铀矿床的工具。拟开展的研究重点是对Baselode ACKIO发现的石英和方解石进行电子顺磁共振（EPR）光谱研究，有三个具体目标：1)记录石英中的辐射诱导缺陷，以追踪ACKIO的含铀流体路径；2)通过单晶EPR光谱和其他先进的EPR技术表征石英中的两个机械辐射诱导缺陷；3)研究方解石中的辐射诱导缺陷在ACKIO的应用，以评估盆地和基底衍生流体的混合。这些数据将与来自工业合作伙伴勘探项目的数据相结合，以帮助发现新的铀矿床。该项目为萨斯喀彻温大学的一名本科生和两名硕士研究生提供了良好的培训机会。勘探和随后的采矿活动将刺激萨斯喀彻温省北部这一孤立地区的经济活动，并为北部社区，特别是土著社区带来急需的就业机会。此外，新铀矿的开发使所有加拿大人受益，并通过采矿和有关服务为萨斯喀彻温省北部的土著人民提供就业机会。

The Paleoproterozoic Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan hosts the world's highest-grade uranium deposits and is an excellent natural laboratory for studying radiation-induced defects in quartz and other minerals. The applicant, as the principal investigator of three previous NSERC-industry co-sponsored research projects, demonstrated that a series of silicon-vacancy hole centers in quartz formed from bombardment of alpha particles emitted from radioactive decays of uranium and thorium and that they are excellent tracers for defining uranium-bearing fluid pathways, useful for the exploration of new uranium deposits. This application follows on these previous studies and forms a new collaborative research partnership between the University of Saskatchewan and the Baselode Energy Corp to further develop radiation-induced defects in quartz as well as those in carbonate minerals such as calcite as a tool for the exploration of uranium deposits. The proposed research focuses on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic study of quartz and calcite from the Baselode's ACKIO discovery with three specific objectives: 1) document radiation-induced defects in quartz to trace uranium-bearing fluid pathways at ACKIO, 2) characterize two engimatic radiation-induced defects in quartz by single-crystal EPR spectroscopy and other advanced EPR techniques, and 3) investigate the use of radiation-induced defects in calcite for assessing mixing of basinal and basement-derived fluids at ACKIO. These data will be integrated with those from the industrial partner's exploration program to help finding new uranium deposits. This project provides excellent training opportunities for one undergraduate graduate student and two MSc graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan. Exploration and subsequent mining activity will spark economic activity in this isolated part of northern Saskatchewan, and lead to much needed job opportunities for northern communities, especially indigenous communities. In addition, development of new uranium deposits benefits all Canadians and provides job opportunities to Indigenous Peoples in northern Saskatchewan, through mining and related services.