1. Kazakhstan
Volkovgeology JSC
Economic regionalization of sandstone-
type uranium deposits in Shu-Sarysu
uranium ore province
2012
By S. Shepelyov, S. Drobov
2. North
Kazakhstan
16.5%
III
Caspian
1.8% Balkhash
Chu- 0.4%
Sarysu
60.5%
ILI
6%
I IV
V VI
Syrdaria
12.4%
II
Uranium provinces 2
4. • Some of the deposits are characterized by multilevelness of
uranium mineralization (up to 9 hypsometric levels with a total
stem orebody power up to 100 meters) and its continuous length
up to 50 km.
• Every object is characterized by its own geological,
hydrogeological, and geotechnological features. Exploration and
preparation of sandstone-type deposits for ISL recovery has
many specific aspects, which are defined by both necessity to
obtain specific geotechological characteristics and application of
unconventional techniques of geological examination. These
factors, along with completeness of knowledge, determine the
planning stage, capacity of mining plants and a certain sequence
of their commissioning.
6. Geotechnological parameters
Qualitative characteristic
Risky Stable Very stable
Criteria Unit (high prime cost) ((averag prime cost)) (low prime cost))
1 2 3 4 5
1. Geotechnological parameters of deposit (lot)
1.1 Geological:
- uranium reserves Thousand tonnes up to 5 5-15 > 15
- areal rate of ore-bearingness per 1 sq. km.(К*s) up to 0.2 > 0.2-0.5 > 0.5
- uranium productivity kg/m2 up to 4 > 4-8 >8
- multilevelness of uranium mineralization Number of levels 1 2 >2
1.2 . Hydrogeological:
- Penetration factor of ore-bearing rocks (КF) m/day up to 4 4-10 > 10
- linear anisotropy factor up to 2 2-4 >4
- water mineralization g/L >5 3-5 up to 3
- water temperature °С < 20 20-30 > 30
- salt composition of water (for Cl¯) mg-eqv/ > 50 > 20-50 up to 20
dm3
- level of artesian water (+) m > 30 15-30 up to 15
(-) m > 100 50-100 up to 50
- output l/sec, m up to 0.2 0.2-0.8 > 0.8
1.3 Geotechnological:
% < 60 60-80 > 80
- ore content (for SiO2)
- acid capacity of ore (for H2SO4 ) kg/t > 16 8-16 up to 8
- carbonate content of ore-bearing rocks (for СО2) % >2 up to 2 up to 2
- content of Fe+3 % < 0.4 0.4-1.5 > 1.5
- uranium mineral classes silicates oxides oxides
- presence of aquitard in orebody bed No Yes-No Yes-No
- depth of orebody m > 500 100-500 100-500
- effective power to the power of orebody m > 4×m up to 4×m up to 4×m
6
7. Social-economic indicators
2.1. Public opinion No value Positive Positive
Not
2.2. Availability of local labor resources Necessary Necessary
necessary
Not
2.3. Availability of power lines Necessary Necessary
necessary
Not
2.4. Presence of paved roads Necessary Necessary
necessary
Not
2.5. Availability of water intakes Necessary Necessary
necessary
Not
2.6. Presence of a small-medium businesses Necessary Necessary
necessary
2.7. Presence of domestic manufacturers of basic Not
Necessary Necessary
materials necessary
7
8. Environmental Indicators
3.1 Absence of national parks, wildlife
sanctuaries and historical conservation Necessary Necessary Necessary
areas
3.2 Initial unfitness of groundwater for
Not necessary Necessary Necessary
drinking
3.3 Rating for bondability of the land High Low Low
3.4 Presence of low-level radioactive
Not necessary Necessary Necessary
waste temporary storage
3.5 Presence of the project for
rehabilitation of surface and Necessary Necessary Necessary
underground environment after mining
8
9. Example
• Risky (high prime cost) characteristics - 300-500
tones/year output
• Stable (average prime cost)characteristics –
1000-1500 tones/year output
• Very stable (low prime cost) characteristis–
2000 tones/year output and more
9
