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(Mernagh et al., 1994). Uraninite is associated with galena, chalcopyrite, pyrite, gold, and
clausthatite (Ayres et al., 1975). The alteration is dominated by quartz+sericite±chlorite±
kaolinite+hematite (Mernagh and Wyborn, 1994).
Mernagh et al. (1994) suggested that highly oxidizing, acid and low temperature
basinal brines transported Au–PGE–U as oxy-chloride and chloride species and proposed a
model for the Coronation Hill deposit wherein U mineralization formed by reaction of
acidic oxidized basinal brines from the cover sandstone with reducing basement rocks of
the Koolpin Formation. The precipitation of Au-PGE ore in the quartz feldspar porphyry
resulted from acid neutralization and moderate reduction from fluid interaction with
feldspathic host rocks (Mernagh et al., 1994). Ayres (1975) suggested that the U source was
the El Sherana Basin volcanics. The U-bearing groundwater percolated down to an aquifer
in the sandstone unit at the base of the volcanics. U precipitation occurred where U-bearing
basinal brines reacted with reducing carbonaceous shales of the Koolpin Formation.
Previous dating of uraninite from the SAVMF deposits proved inconclusive.
Uraninites from the El Sherana and Palette deposits have U-Pb ages ranging from 815 Ma
to 710 Ma (Hills and Richards, 1972; Cooper, 1973). Thermal Ionization Mass
Spectrometry (TIMS) dating of U-bearing samples indicate young 207 Pb/ 206 Pb ages ranging
between 830 Ma and 494 Ma and an U-Pb upper intercept of 730 Ma at the Palette deposit
whereas 207 Pb/ 206 Pb dates of 1196 Ma and U-Pb upper intercept ages of 1600 Ma occur at
the El Sherana deposit (Greenhalgh and Jeffery, 1959). U-Pb dating of uraninite from the
Palette deposit gives 207 Pb/ 206 Pb dates ranging from 964 Ma to 634 Ma (Greenhalgh and
Jeffery, 1959) and uraninite analyzed by laser ablation-high resolution inductively-coupled
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