Sandstone-hosted uranium deposits of the Colorado Plateau, USA

Hall, Susan M.; Gosen, Bradley S. Van; Zielinski, Robert A.

doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2023.105353

Cited by 12 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 92 publications

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“…Sandstone‐type uranium deposits in sedimentary basins are typically controlled by several major metallogenic factors, including uranium source, structure, lithology–lithofacies, epigenetic alteration, hydrogeology, and so on (Cuney et al, 2022; Hall et al, 2023; Jin et al, 2022; Kochkin, 2021). Extensive borehole data from past decades of uranium exploration in the southwest Songliao Basin have revealed that the uranium sources of the Quantou‐Yaojia Formation are relatively abundant.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These previous studies have provided a systematic understanding of the uranium enrichment mechanism and metallogenic process of this deposit (Jia et al, 2022;Luo et al, 2012), establishing the skylight ore-controlling geological viewpoint (Chen et al, 2021;Feng et al, 2017;Nie et al, 2021). Different from that the majority of sandstone-hosted uranium deposits worldwide are primarily composed of typical dark-black coloured coal-bearing clastic rocks (Hall et al, 2023;Vinokurov, 2021), the Upper Cretaceous orebearing formation in the Qianjiadian area is characterized by a set of red-variegated rock series with a small amount of internal primary reduction mediums, reflecting a depositional environment as arid and hot paleoclimate conditions (Dong et al, 2023;Xiao et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In sedimentary basins, the multi‐phased exudation and transformation from deep exogenous hydrocarbon fluids with diverse compositions and properties significantly influence the formation, preservation and final positioning of shallow sandstone‐type uranium deposits (Hall et al, 2023; Jin et al, 2022). This process leads to various consequences, including constructive, destructive and complex outcomes (Feng et al, 2023; Han et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatiotemporal relationship between hydrocarbon fluid and sandstone‐hosted uranium deposits in the Qianjiadian area, Songliao Basin

Huang,

Qin,

Liu

et al. 2023

Geological Journal

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The spatiotemporal coupling relationship between deep hydrocarbon fluid and sandstone uranium mineralization within the shallow buried red‐variegated clastic rocks in the Qianjiadian area of the Songliao Basin remains a topic of controversy. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the source, nature and exudative age of deep exotic hydrocarbon, as well as the interaction mechanism and alteration process between hydrocarbon fluid and clastic rock. To achieve this, various methods were employed, including acidolysis hydrocarbon test (AHT), clay x‐ray diffraction (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), carbon isotope analysis (CIA) and LA‐ICP‐MS U–Pb isotopic dating. The results indicate that some tight sandstones from the Qingshankou Formation in Dalin uranium deposit exhibit high acidolysis hydrocarbon content (AHC), reaching n × 104 μL/kg, and predominantly consisting of low mature oil‐type gas. Local microscopic observations reveal pore fluorescence and hydrocarbon‐bearing inclusions with nattier blue tone. Furthermore, the kaolinites present in the ore area's sand‐bodies show a significantly higher content anomaly, commonly exceeding >50%, compared to the same layer in peripheral regions. Extensive dissolutions of lithic grains and feldspars are observed, along with the widespread occurrence of ferro‐dolomites and colloidal pyrites. Additionally, exotic asphaltenes are sporadically developed in localized areas. These findings provide evidence that the sand‐bodies experienced a significant exfiltration event of external gaseous fluids. The light carbon isotopes (δ13CV‐PDB ranging from −33.26‰ to −30.06‰) of group components and n‐Alkane suggest that the hydrocarbon originates from the source rock of the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation. A detailed two‐stage alteration sequence caused by acidic and reducing hydrocarbon is clarified, encompassing acidic corrosion, kaolinization, pyritization, silification and asphaltization during the exudation stage, followed by ferro‐dolomitization in the later cessation stage. Notably, vermicular secondary kaolinites, formed through the interaction between acidic hydrocarbon fluid and low‐temperature meteoric groundwater, serve as significant markers for the exfiltration of deep hydrocarbon fluid. In‐situ U–Pb dating of hydrocarbon‐bearing ferro‐dolomite yielded absolute exfiltration ages of 63.54 ± 4.13 and 65.93 ± 3.35 Ma. By integrating the tectonic–sedimentary–fluid evolution history and uranium mineralization characteristics in the study area, a three‐stage superimposed metallogenic model is proposed for the Upper Cretaceous red‐variegated layers: (1) the sedimentary and diagenetic stage of the target layer during the Late Cretaceous, (2) the predominant hydrocarbon exudation stage at the end of the Late Cretaceous, and (3) the main uranium mineralization stage since the Paleogene. This study enhances our understanding of coupled‐genetic sandstone‐type uranium deposit in a sedimentary basin and provides valuable guidance for prospecting similar red‐variegated beds in the Songliao Basin and other sedimentary basins worldwide.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatiotemporal relationship between hydrocarbon fluid and sandstone‐hosted uranium deposits in the Qianjiadian area, Songliao Basin

Huang,

Qin,

Liu

et al. 2023

Geological Journal

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“…The first comprehensive examination of paleoclimate, paleotopography, and subsurface structure of aquifers coupled with analysis of the geochronology of deposits suggests that there were distinct pulses of uranium mineralization/redistribution during the period from about 259 Ma to 12 Ma with a significant maximum during the Upper Jurassic when oxidized mineralizing H.-J. Brink In both systems, deposits formed where groundwater flow slowed and was subject to evaporative concentration [34].…”

Section: Cosmic Uranium?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In general, modern landforms were shaped by diverse global tectonic events that began in the Mid- Figure 13. Global sandstone-style uranium mineralization ages, many of them occur in the Miocene (China) and later (violet curve) [35], and ages of mineralization of the Colorado Plateau/USA (violet boxes) [34], presented by using Figure 2. Not to scale.…”

Section: Cosmic Uranium?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cosmic Contributions to the Deposition of Petroleum Source Rocks: Review and Analysis

Brink

2023

IJG

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The development of globally distributed Phanerozoic petroleum source rocks is concentrated on time intervals, which correlate convincingly with climatic driven glaciation epochs of Earth's history, repeated every 150 million years, and during sea level high stands and maxima of global magmatism with a period of 300 million years. The 150 million year periodicity appears to be related to the path of the solar system through the spiral arms of the Milky Way and the 300 million year periodicity to changes of the spiral system. The spiral arms are preferred birth places of new stars, of which the larger ones have only smaller lifespans. Their preliminary deaths ended with explosions and selectively with the development of so-called white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes. The times of the explosions of intermediate (sun-like) stars can be determined by measuring the present brightness of the dwarfs. Not surprisingly the last two maxima of recordable near solar system star explosions took place during the presumably spiral arms driven glacial epochs in Eocene to present and Upper Jurassic times. Such near solar system star explosions may have been the source of intense neutrino showers, cosmic rays and star dust. This dust contained all kinds of chemical elements, including phosphorus and uranium. Such cosmic phosphorus may have supported, through fertilizing, the distribution of life on Earth additionally to local phosphorus resources via bloom of biota in lakes and oceans and the enhanced growth of plants on land across all climatic zones. Subsequently it maintained the development of petroleum source rocks of all organic matter types within black shales and coals. Via the distribution of remnants of exploding stars-mainly white dwarfs, but neutron stars and black holes have to be counted as well-a cosmic contribution can therefore casually linked to the deposition of petroleum source rocks on Earth, not only purely correlatively by their contemporaneous appearances.

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Paradox Basin Uranium-Vanadium Deposits: History and Significance of Geological Research

Barton

2024

Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration

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Sandstone-hosted uranium deposits of the Colorado Plateau, USA

Cited by 12 publications

References 92 publications

Spatiotemporal relationship between hydrocarbon fluid and sandstone‐hosted uranium deposits in the Qianjiadian area, Songliao Basin

Spatiotemporal relationship between hydrocarbon fluid and sandstone‐hosted uranium deposits in the Qianjiadian area, Songliao Basin

Cosmic Contributions to the Deposition of Petroleum Source Rocks: Review and Analysis

Paradox Basin Uranium-Vanadium Deposits: History and Significance of Geological Research

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