Proposed Title 1: - Queen's University

of these deposits is related to fluids derived from diagenetic processes in sandstone of the
El Sherana Group. Mineralization formed when a 250 o C, low latitude, oxidizing, U-bearing
basinal brine from diagenetic aquifers in the Coronation sandstone descended downward
into the unconformity along fracture systems created by brittle reactivation of the El
Sherana-Palette fault system.
Uranium deposits associated with successor basins in the Beaverlodge and South
Alligator River area are older than those in the U-rich Athabasca and Kombolgie basins.
Rocks that host these deposits have been folded, and then exhumed during subsequent
tectonic events. These older U deposits can be considered as a potential source for detrital
uraninite that fed sediments of the Athabasca and Kombolgie basins and therefore
contributed to the inventory of uranium that formed unconformity-related U mineralization
in the younger basins. Therefore, the occurrence of older U mineralization associated with
successor basins can be considered as positive criterion for exploration of unconformityrelated
U mineralization in younger Paleoproterozoic basins.
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