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

该项目的目的是揭开萨斯喀彻温省北部有17亿年历史的阿萨巴斯卡沉积盆地发现的一个令人兴奋的新铀矿床的起源和演化。Arrow矿床是两年前发现的，根据资源计算，它可能是世界上第三大铀矿床，现在是阿萨巴斯卡盆地西南部一个新兴铀矿的一部分。总的来说，加拿大的这部分地区拥有世界上最丰富的铀矿，产量约占世界上用于生产核反应堆燃料的铀的15%。目前，核能发电量约占全球总发电量的12%，随着全球碳足迹的减少，这一比例很可能会增加。具体而言，该项目将成为萨斯喀彻温大学（University of Saskatchewan）一篇理学硕士论文和四篇理学学士论文的重点，由NexGen Energy提供支持。将检查Arrow矿床的岩心，以将含铀和蚀变矿物与构造联系起来，在矿床演化过程中，盐水将沿着这些构造移动。样品将通过岩石学和显微探针进行分析，以确定矿床内部和周围存在的矿物及其组成。含铀矿物的铀和铅同位素组成将提供有关矿床年龄及其历史的信息，而氧、氢和碳同位素将用于确定流体随时间变化的特征。由于对加拿大地盾的这一部分知之甚少，因此还将检查矿床周围具有代表性的岩石样本，以确定这些岩石的起源。这些信息将用于构建Arrow矿床起源的模型，该模型可以与该地区的其他铀矿床进行比较，以提高发现新矿床的能力。直接成果将是硕士和学士学位论文，以及期刊论文。此外，关于萨斯喀彻温省北部这部分矿床起源的新想法将为北部社区提供经济增长，并使该省和加拿大保持世界上主要铀供应国之一的地位。

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.