Uranium ore-forming systems of the - Geoscience Australia

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Uranium ore-forming systems of the Lake Frome region5.1.3 In-situ reductantsThe Beverley Sands are generally poor in organic material. The dominantly quartzose sands arefine to medium grained and contain laminae and beds of sandy clay, silt and clay and only sparsefragments of organic material. The Alpha Mudstone, however, is rich in organic materialrepresented by plant fragments and large pieces of carbonised wood. In general organic carbon ingrey sands ranges from 0.05% to 0.5% increasing up to 2% in a few samples (HeathgateResources, 1998).5.1.4 Beverley mineralisationUranium mineralisation at the Beverley deposit occurs in predominantly tabular and lenticularzones, mainly at the contact with the organic rich Alpha Mudstone (Fig. 5.2, Brunt, 2005). Thecombined thickness of ore zones varies typically from 20 to 30 m. The principal uranium mineralis coffinite which fills voids and forms coatings on quartz grains (McConachy et al., 2006). Minoruraninite has been reported but requires confirmation. The uncemented grey sand in the ore zonealso contains pyrite, marcasite, feldspars, clays (kaolinite and montmorillonite), gypsum andalunite. Alunite and gypsum may be associated with later oxidation which also produced carnotite(Wülser, 2009).The ores contains traces of Th, Rb, Sr, Cu, Zn, Mo, V, Se and As, which are typical for sandstoneuranium systems (Heathgate Resources, 1998).Figure 5.2: North-south cross section showing uranium mineralisation (red) in the Beverley Sand,Namba Formation (modified after Brunt, 2005). Note that mineralisation is located generally at ornear the contact with Alpha Mudstone.Page 59 of 151
Uranium ore-forming systems of the Lake Frome region5.2 Four Mile depositThe Four Mile deposit was discovered in 2005 and is located 8 km NW of the Beverley deposit.Mineralisation is located in two separate zones: Four Mile West (15 000 tonnes of U3O8 at 0.37%U3O8, Geoscience Australia, 2009) and Four Mile East (14400 tonnes of U3O8 at 0.314% U3O8,Geoscience Australia, 2009).Figure 5.3: DTM image showing location of the Beverley and Four Mile deposits. Four Mile East andFour Mile West are located in the Four Mile Embayment formed by the Paralana Fault in the west andPoontana-Wooltana Fault in the east. Faults (red lines) from SEEBASE (FrOG Tech, 2005).Figure 5.4: Map showing location of uranium mineralisation at Four Mile East and Four Mile Westdeposits (Alliance Resources, 2009).5.2.1 Host rocksPage 60 of 151
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