Sedimentology and uranium prospecting

Gabelman, John W.

doi:10.1016/0037-0738(71)90034-0

Cited by 18 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Most sandstone-hosted ore occurs within facies of terrestrial systems deposited in closed, continental basins (Stokes 1967;Gabelman 1971). Marginal-marine coastal plains are a secondary, but important setting for sandstone deposits.…”

Section: Classification Of Uranium Deposits 377mentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrigenous Clastic Depositional Systems

Galloway¹,

Hobday²

1996

251

103

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data. Galloway. William E. Terrigenous clastic depositional systems: applications to fossil fuel and groundwater resources/William E. Galloway, David K. Hobday. -2nd completely rev .. updated, and enl. ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. 445-484) and index. ISBN 0-387-60232-1 (hardcover).-ISBN 3-540-60232-1 (hardcover) 1. Sedimentation and deposition. 1. Hobday, David K. II. Title. QE571. G27 1996 553.2 -dc20 95-47132 This work isThe use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Cover design: Springer-Verlag. E. Kirchner Typesetting: Best-set Typesetter Ltd., Hong Kong SPIN: 10509771 32/3136/SPS -5 4 3 2 1 0 -Printed on acid-free paper Preface to the Second EditionNonrenewable energy resources, comprising fossil fuels and uranium, are not randomly distributed within the Earth's crust. They formed in response to a complex array of geologic controls, notably the genesis of the sedimentary rocks that host most commercial energy resources. It is this genetic relationship between economic resources and environment that forms the basis for this book. Our grouping of petroleum, coal, uranium, and ground water may appear to be incongruous or artificial. But our basic premise is that these ostensibly disparate resources share common genetic attributes and that the sedimentological principles governing their natural distributions and influencing their recovery are fundamentally similar. Our combined careers have focused on these four resources, and our experiences in projects worldwide reveal that certain recurring geologic factors are important in controlling the distribution of commercial accumulations and subsurface fluid flow. These critical factors include the shape and stability of the receiving basin, the major depositional elements and their internal detail, and the modifications during burial that are brought about in these sediments by pressure, circulating fluids, heating, and chemical reaction.Since the first edition of this book in 1983, there has been a quantum leap in the volume of literature devoted to genetic stratigraphy and refinement of sedimentological principles and a commensurate increase in the application of these concepts to resource exploration and development. Two wholly new chapters, 11 and 16, have been added to accommodate these advances, two chapters (7 and 8) have been completely rewritten, and Chapters 3, 6, 9, 10, and 13 have been substantially revised.We review the spectrum of terrigenous (land-derived or siliciclastic as opposed to in-place or biochemical) clastic depositional systems and their component genetic facies, with emphasis on subsurface as well as field recognition. These range from the most proximal, subaerial, and generally coarse-grained alluvial-fan systems through fluvial, deltaic, shore-zone, ...

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Section: Classification Of Uranium Deposits 377mentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrigenous Clastic Depositional Systems

Galloway¹,

Hobday²

1996

251

103

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“…Gabelman, 1971). It is inconceivable that they could have moved long distances through the host sediments relatively unchanged without constant recharge, especially if they were oxidizing (cf.…”

Section: Sotli Cementioning

confidence: 97%

“…Toens and Le Roux, 1978), although it is conceivable that a small amount of detrital uranium may have been released to the basin from the locally mineralized basement rocks. A further complication is that most of the uranium released during the weathering of granites occurs in the early stages of granite decomposition (Gabelman, 1971), that is, following uplift. This is not the case in the Beaufort where stable tectonic conditions appear to be an important favorability factor, and as such provide additional support for a volcanic source.…”

Section: The Localization Of Mineralization In the Beaufortmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uranium mineralization in the Karoo Basin, South Africa

Turner

1985

Economic Geology

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Uranium mineralization in the fluviatile Upper Permian Beaufort Group of the southwestern Karoo basin, South Africa, is mainly confined to one sandstone-rich unit. The reason for this stratigraphic confinement of the mineralization can be related to the geomorphic evolution of the basin and the deposition of the host sandstones at a time when gradients and sediment input were declining in response to weathering and denudation of an initially uplifted, volcanically active source area. As a result, orographic rainfall declined, promoting deeper, more intense weathering of the source rocks and slower rates of sedimentation at the depositional site. This provided optimum conditions for leaching and solution of metals while increasing the residelice time of the mineralizing solutions at the depositional site, and the possibility of precipitating minerals from the solution on encountering a suitable reducing agent. Mineralization is mainly confined to the base of the thicker, more permeable channel sandstones trending down the regional palcoslope. Erosion of the deposits was effectively prevented by deposition of a thick overlying sequence of flood basin mudstones and by early compaction and diagenesis of the sediments rendering them impervious to later fluid movement. Thus, mineralization has retained its original character and was relatively unaffected by later remobilization and reconcentration processes.The uranium was probably leached from intrabasinal volcanic detritus in the host sediments by weathering and diagenesis in an arid climate, and was mobilized as uranyl carbonate complexes by oxygenated alkalitie ground waters. These moved through the more permeable channel sand bodies, and on encountering bacterially generated H2S at sites of differential permeability, uranium was precipitated as coffinRe and uraninite. Postburial changes in ground-water chemistry caused the primary oxidized sandstones to be reduced, a process that was concentrated in the more permeable sandstones leaving the mudstones relatively unaffected.Mineralization occurred shortly after deposition but before deep burial and final reduction of the host sandstones. The timing of mineralization is indicated by the replacement of undeformed plant structures by ore minerals, the presence of laumontite, and the estimated depths at which bacterial activity and decarboxylation can occur. These factors suggest an early diagenetic origin for the mineralization which must have occurred within a comparatively short period of time after deposition at temperatures of less than 50øC and depths of less than about 1,400 m.

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“…1,26,27,30,73,75 Rudd saw an immediate parallel in the Frome Embayment and spoke openly with South Australian geologists on its potential. As noted above, he literally 'practiced what he preached' and took out exploration permits (SMLs 267, 268) in January 1969 in the name of his personal consulting company Eric Rudd Pty Ltd in order to undertake exploration.…”

Section: Discovery Of the Gould's Dam And Oban Depositsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sedimentary uranium in South Australia: a history of early exploration and discovery in the Lake Frome region

Cooper¹

2008

Applied Earth Science

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The potential for sedimentary uranium in South Australia was substantively overlooked for more than 60 years following the discovery of the Radium Hill uranium deposit in 1906, despite local knowledge of, and several expert visits to sedimentary uranium deposits in the Colorado Plateau region of the United States during subsequent years. In the late 1960s, a combination of factors including the commercial opportunity for nuclear power generation and the removal of Government export controls on uranium, coupled with increasing demand for mineral commodities generally, changed the situation, and led the US based Kerr McGee group to take an interest in uranium in South Australia in 1967. Their exploration quickly revealed anomalous uranium in Cenozoic sediments. Soon after, South Australian geologist Brian Fitzpatrick visited the Wyoming sedimentary uranium region on behalf of the OTP group, which then quickly secured exploration acreage over the sedimentary region, adjacent to the longknown Mount Painter uranium deposits in South Australia. Within 18 months, the Beverley uranium resource was discovered and a new sedimentary uranium province was revealed. Further discoveries followed at Honeymoon in 1972, Gould's Dam in 1974 and Oban in 1982. Critical factors in these subsequent discoveries were the joint venture arrangements including up to four separate parties and the inspiration provided by Professor Eric Rudd (University of Adelaide). Close liaison by explorers with the Geological Survey of South Australia also provided regional mapping, regional stratigraphic drilling, experimental geophysics and spore-pollen dating.

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Sedimentology and uranium prospecting

Cited by 18 publications

References 11 publications

Terrigenous Clastic Depositional Systems

Terrigenous Clastic Depositional Systems

Uranium mineralization in the Karoo Basin, South Africa

Sedimentary uranium in South Australia: a history of early exploration and discovery in the Lake Frome region

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