Uranium Potential of South Australia
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South Australia has significant uranium resources and potential. The Olympic Dam mine is the world's largest uranium deposit and produces 4500 tonnes of uranium oxide per year. The Beverley mine uses in situ leaching and has produced over 21,000 tonnes of uranium resources. Other deposits like Honeymoon and East Kalkaroo have over 4000 tonnes of uranium resources. The state has potential for additional discoveries in breccia complexes, sandstone roll-front deposits, vein deposits, and unconformity-related deposits.
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Uranium Potential of South Australia
- 1. Uranium Potential of SouthUranium Potential of South AustraliaAustralia Fabris, A. Fairclough, M., Daly, S., Hou, B.Fabris, A. Fairclough, M., Daly, S., Hou, B. EXIT
- 2. URANIUM SPOT PRICE US$24/pound (UxC, 24 Apr 2005)
- 3. OLYMPIC DAM • Worlds largest Uranium deposit • 8% of worlds production, 38% of worlds resources • Produces 4500t U3O8 per annum, total resource of 1.524 Mt contained U3O8 • IOCG deposit, total resources of 3810 Mt U ore @ 0.04%
- 4. BEVERLEY DEPOSIT • Largest in situ leach (ISL) mine in the world • Mined since 1999 • ISL mining operation • 21Mt @ 0.18% U3O8 (21,600t contained U3O8)
- 5. HONEYMOON • Honeymoon 2.8Mt @ 0.12% U3O8 • East Kalkaroo 1.2Mt @ 0.074% U3O8 • Combined resource of 4210t contained U3O8 • In feasibility stage
- 6. Tarcoola Port Augusta Moonta Ceduna Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Moomba Renmark Robe Mt Gambier Adelaide Kingscote Marla Moonta Port Lincoln Vein Roll front Breccia Unconformity redox OLYMPIC DAM YARRANNA RADIUM HILL HONEYMOON MT PAINTER BEVERLEY Andamooka WARRIOR TYPES OF URANIUM DEPOSITS • Breccia complex e.g. OD • Sandstone(roll-front) e.g. Beverley, Honeymoon, Warrior • U/C redox related e.g. Ranger, Jabiluka, Rum Jungle • Vein style e.g. Crocker Well, Radium Hill
- 7. WIRRDA WELL ACROPOLIS OAK DAM CANEGRASS MT PAINTER OLYMPIC DAM EAST PAINTER Tarcoola Andamooka Port Augusta Moonta Ceduna Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Moomba Renmark Mt Gambier Adelaide Marree Port Lincoln Cultana BRECCIA COMPLEX RELATED • High crustal levels in active hydrothermal systems • Enriched country rocks Prospective areas – Gawler Craton – Mt Painter (Radium Ridge Breccia) – Benagerie Ridge
- 9. WIRRDA WELL ACROPOLIS OAK DAM CANEGRASS MT PAINTER OLYMPIC DAM EAST PAINTER Tarcoola Andamooka Port Augusta Moonta Ceduna Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Moomba Renmark Mt Gambier Adelaide Marree Port Lincoln Cultana BRECCIA COMPLEX RELATED • High crustal levels in active hydrothermal systems • Enriched country rocks Prospective areas – Gawler Craton – Mt Painter (Radium Ridge Breccia) – Benagerie Ridge
- 10. Tarcoola Andamooka Port Augusta Moonta Ceduna Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Moomba Renmark Mt Gambier Adelaide Marree Port Lincoln YANINEE GOULDS DAM BEVERLEY HONEYMOON YARRAMBA OBAN DRIVER RIVER YARRANNA WARRIOR EALBARA ALBERGA Cultana SANDSTONE (ROLL-FRONT)
- 11. SANDSTONE (ROLL-FRONT) • Medium-coarse grained sand • Interaction of U-rich Ox fluids and Red lithologies.
- 12. Tarcoola Andamooka Port Augusta Moonta Ceduna Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Moomba Renmark Mt Gambier Adelaide Marree Port Lincoln YANINEE GOULDS DAM BEVERLEY HONEYMOON YARRAMBA OBAN DRIVER RIVER YARRANNA WARRIOR EALBARA ALBERGA Cultana SANDSTONE (ROLL-FRONT) • Beverley • Honeymoon • Yarranna
- 13. WILD DOG MT PAINTER Tarcoola Andamooka Port Augusta Moonta Ceduna Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Moomba Renmark Mt Gambier Adelaide Marree Port Lincoln Cultana VEIN RELATED HOSPITAL WILD DOG CROCKER WELL MT PAINTER RADIUM HILL INGLEWOOD Myponga+ Houghton Inlier Crocker Well mineralisation • Crocker Well – Radium Hill • Mt Painter • Myponga Inlier
- 14. U/C REDOX RELATED Unconformity www.nrcan.gc.ca/gsc/mrd/extech4/index_e.html • Mineralisation below and/or above U/C • Fractures or permeable units
- 15. Tarcoola Andamooka Port Augusta Moonta Ceduna Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Moomba Renmark Mt Gambier Adelaide Marree Port Lincoln Cultana U/C REDOX RELATED POONANA EMU PLAIN CALCOOKRA BENBUY • Pine Creek Inlier, NT e.g. Ranger, Rum Jungle and Coronation Hill South Australia • Pandurra Fm, Corunna Conglomerate, Polda Trough DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND
- 16. Pandurra Formation – basal poorly sorted granular or pebbly sandstone U/C REDOX RELATED
- 17. Tarcoola Andamooka Port Augusta Moonta Ceduna Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Moomba Renmark Mt Gambier Adelaide Marree Port Lincoln Cultana U/C REDOX RELATED POONANA EMU PLAIN CALCOOKRA BENBUY • Pine Creek Inlier, NT e.g. Ranger, Rum Jungle and Coronation Hill South Australia • Pandurra Fm, Corunna Conglomerate, Polda Trough DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND
- 18. Tarcoola Port Augusta Moonta Ceduna Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Moomba Renmark Mt Gambier Adelaide Marree Port Lincoln Cultana URANIUM POTENTIAL OF SA
Editor's Notes
- I’d like to acknowledge the following people that contributed ideas to this presentation.
- The U spot price has recently reached US$24/pound. This is a response to the world markets continued if not increased demand for U and a impending world shortage in resources. The surge in price is forecast to steady if not increase. This positive result in U commodity price has led to renewed interest in uranium exploration. South Australia is in a good position to supply the world demand.
- South Australia has a long list of known U occurrences. Of these is the massive Olympic Dam which is the worlds largest U deposit with 38% of the worlds total low cost U resources and 65% of Australia’s resources. U mineralisation at OD is within hematite breccia and is of course associated with Cu mineralisation.
- SA is also host to the Beverley U Deposit which has been in operation since 1999 using ISL mining technology. Beverley is the second largest U deposit in SA with 21600t of contained U3O8 and is hosted in sands of Miocene Namba Fm.
- Of a similar style of deposit is the Honeymoon U deposit which is also within the Tertiary Callabonna Sub-basin. It is hosted by sands of the Eocene Eyre Fm, it contains a significant resource for this style of deposit. The deposit is currently in a feasibility stage. So along with these established deposits, there are >150 occurrences of U in the state including the biggest in the world. This not only indicates that SA is prospective for large U deposits but that U is abundant throughout the state!
- Vein related deposits are defined as those that occur in cavity fill such as fractures and veins, and can be related to fault planes and shear zones. There are a number occurrences of this style throughout the state. Most notable are those within the Willyama Supergroup of the Olary block, at Radium Hill and the Crocker Well area. Radium Hill was mined for U between 1954-1961. About a Mt of ore was extracted at 0.15%. 890 000t of low grade ore still remains. The mineralisation is mainly as davidite veins that are related to fold structures. The Crocker Well area contains a number of prospects largely associated with shear zones within sodic granitiods. The Mt Painter block also hosts a considerable number of this style of deposit There are also historic occurrences within the Myponga Inlier. Of most interest is the Wild Dog prospect which was mined in the late 1950’s.
- The U/C redox related deposit have not traditionally been explored for in SA. The type examples for this type of deposit in Australia is in the Pine Ck Inlier in NT. Mineralisation is found immediately below and or above major U/C. Deposits occurring above U/C tend to be of higher grade. These occur in permeable SS. Mineralisation can also occur within the basement units where permeability can be created by fractures.
- Only minor exploration has taken place for this style. U/C style U was briefly explored for within the Polda Trough which followed up on a radiometric anomaly. In this case drilling didn’t reach the major U/C. U/C related U has been found in the Cleve area and comprise the only noted occurrences of this style. These include the Emu Plain and Ben Buy prospects. (point out). The fact that not a great deal of exploration effort has been made for this style of deposit presents an opportunity for this style in SA. A suitable architecture for this style of deposit is found in SA over the GC. (next slide) Other areas of interest are in the Corunna Conglomerate that occurs within the GRV. The only known occurrences in SA of this style of mineralisation are found within this unit such as the Emu Plain mine.
- Clastic sediments of the MesoProt Pandurra Fm overly Hiltaba suit granitiods, GRV. The most prospective areas are the basin margins and over basement highs. Fault structures will further increase the prospectivity. One such area is referred to as the Devils Playground in the NE of the Careiwerloo Basin.
- Only minor exploration has taken place for this style. U/C style U was briefly explored for within the Polda Trough which followed up on a radiometric anomaly. In this case drilling didn’t reach the major U/C. U/C related U has been found in the Cleve area and comprise the only noted occurrences of this style. These include the Emu Plain and Ben Buy prospects. (point out). The fact that not a great deal of exploration effort has been made for this style of deposit presents an opportunity for this style in SA. A suitable architecture for this style of deposit is found in SA over the GC. (next slide) Other areas of interest are in the Corunna Conglomerate that occurs within the GRV. The only known occurrences in SA of this style of mineralisation are found within this unit such as the Emu Plain mine.