Uranium in alkaline complexes

这项申请是为了支持女王大学和Cameco公司为期三年的合作研究，以调查导致与过碱性岩石相关的铀矿形成的过程，以及新开发的勘探工具的可行性，以评估碱性杂岩承载铀矿化的潜力。将详细研究的测试案例将是美国和加拿大的6个过碱性复合体，一旦利用测试案例制定了勘探标准，将对另外50个复合体的铀矿化潜力进行评估。将从碱性杂岩及其围岩中采集样本，以研究可能导致与火成岩有关的铀矿形成的初始成分、分异和污染等过程。将研究岩石的化学成分、矿物的晶体化学、矿化的时间和蚀变事件，以确定碱性杂岩中铀矿化的可能载体。最终目标是为与火成岩，特别是过碱性岩石有关的铀开发一种有效的“捕获”机制的模型，从而使工业受益。这项研究将涉及皇后大学的一名博士后、一名博士后研究员和两名教职员工，以及Cameco公司的工作人员地质学家。产生的知识将通过与Cameco公司的书面和口头交流以及通过科学文献中的出版物传播。

This application is for support of collaborative research for a duration of three years between Queen's University and Cameco Corp. to investigate the processes that lead to the formation of uranium deposits associated with peralkaline rocks and the viability of newly developed exploration tools to estimate the potential of alkaline complexes to host uranium mineralization. The test-cases to be studied in detail will be six peralkaline complexes in the USA and Canada, with 50 more complexes to be evaluated for their potential to host uranium mineralization once the exploration criteria have been developed using the test-cases. Samples will be collected from the alkaline complexes and their surrounding rocks to investigate processes such as initial composition, differentiation and contamination that may lead to the formation of igneous-related uranium deposits. Chemical compositions of the rocks, crystal chemistry of the minerals, timing of the mineralization and alteration events will be examined to identify possible vectors to uranium mineralization in alkaline complexes. The ultimate goal is to develop a model for an effective "trapping" mechanism for U associated with igneous rocks, peralkaline in particular, therefore benefitting industry. This research will involve one PhD student, one Post-Doctoral Fellow and two faculty members at Queen's University, along with staff geologists at Cameco Corp. The knowledge generated will be disseminated by written and oral communications with Cameco Corp. and through publications in the scientific literature.