Database name: |
Uranium Deposits, Athabasca Basin |
Custodial agency: |
Geological Survey of Canada |
Compilers: |
Sunil S. Gandhi |
Release date: |
2007-03-02 |
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Deposit name(s): |
West Bear Uranium Deposit |
Political location(s): |
Canada; Province or state: Saskatchewan; Nearest community: Rabbit Lakemine-mill complex (43 km SSW) |
NTS map data: |
074H16 (Poulton Lake) |
Deposit clan (type): |
Unconformity-associated |
Deposit (sub) types: |
Unconformity-associated - Proterozoic - clay-bound; deposit straddles the sub-Athabasca unconformity; main part in basement; mineralogy and alteration typical of deposit-type; Reference: Tremblay, L. P., 1982: Geology of the Uranium Deposits Related to the Sub-Athabasca Unconformity; Paper, Geological Survey of Canada, Publication code 81-20, 56 p.. |
Deposit status: |
advanced prospect; Size category: small |
Geologic province: |
Churchill - Hearne Craton |
Geologic subprovince: |
Wollaston Domain (Fold Belt) |
Geologic district: |
Eastern Athabasca Basin |
Deposit object located: |
subcrop |
Commodities: |
U; Ag; Pb; Ni |
Mineralization styles: |
aggregations in graphitic clay; disseminations in graphitic clay; dissemination above unconformity; veining in basement at unconformity; dissemination below unconformity |
Geological ages: |
Early Mesoproterozoic - Middle Mesoproterozoic (mineralization) |
Tectonic setting: |
continental marginal deformation zone-fold belt; convergent; Formal name: Wollaston Fold Belt (host rocks) continental surficial-paleoweathering; stable; Formal name: sub-Athabasca regolith (host rocks) continental basin-intracratonic; stable; Formal name: Athabasca Group (host rocks) |
Coincident features: |
paleoregolith (mineralization in strongly paleoweathered zone at sub-Athabasca unconformity, and extends several metres below it ); Coincident feature name: pyrite-chlorite-graphite schist unconformity (along the unconformity paraschist and paragneiss are thoroughly altered to a varicoloured clay zone 3 m thick); Coincident feature name: Sub-Athabasca unconformity lithology (mineralization extends into altered basal quartz arenites with clay matrix); Coincident feature name: Manitou Falls Formation |
Regional tectonic structure: |
fold belt (paragneisses trend 065° and dip 20° to southeast; insufficient exposures and drill data for structural interpretations) Tectonic structure name: Wollaston fold belt cross-fault (deposit affected by a set of northwest-trending normal and reverse faults, with horizontal vertical offsets upto 25 and 9 m, respectively) Tectonic structure name: post-ore northwest faults |
Host rocks: |
(1) metamorphic; paragneiss (metapelites-quartzite); Depositional setting: platform-shelf; Metamorphic grade: amphibolite - upperExternal host rock forms: | thin to thick bedded thin to thick bedded thin to thick bedded | Host rock protoliths: | carbonaceous shale-siltstone (commonly pyritic; interbedded with siltstone and impure quartz arenite); Host rock protolith name: unit of Wollaston Supergroup aluminous shale (structurally, and possibly strattigraphically underlies the carbonaceous shale); Host rock protolith name: unit of Wollaston Supergroup pelite and semipelite (occurs in the southwestern part of the deposit); Host rock protolith name: unit of Wollaston Supergroup | Internal host rock structures: | gneissic to schistose augen gneiss gneissic to schistose | Individual lithologies: | graphite-pyrite gneiss (graphite-pyrite-quartz-chlorite gneiss is the main host unit and associated paragneisses; foliation and layering trend 065° and dip 20° to SE) sillimanite augen gneiss (structurally, and possibly stratigraphically overlies an impure quartzite unit) quartz-biotite gneiss (structurally, and possibly stratigraphically overlies the pyritic graphitic metapelite) |
(2) metamorphic; migmatite (anatectic and younger pegmatites); Depositional setting: platform-shelf; Metamorphic grade: amphibolite (upper) - granuliteExternal host rock forms: | coarse grained segregations and dyke-like bodies | Host rock protoliths: | metasedimentary schist and gneiss (formed during two stages of prograde metamorphism of the Hudsonian orogeny); Host rock protolith name: Wollaston Supergroup | Internal host rock structures: | coarse pegmatitic | Individual lithologies: | pegmatite (irregularly distributed in the metasedimentary sequence; commonly subparallel to the strata and foliation) anatectic gneiss |
(3) surficial; laterite (weathered basement; profile ~50 m deep); Host series: paleoregolith; Depositional setting: subaerial; Metamorphic grade: unmetamorphosedExternal host rock forms: | lateritic profile paleoregolith | Host rock protoliths: | metasedimentary schist and gneiss (host graphitic schists are weathered to a relatively deeper level than other metasediments ); Host rock protolith name: Wollaston Supergroup | Internal host rock structures: | lateritic zonation | Individual lithologies: | laterite (a 3 m zone just beneath the sub-Athabasca unconformity strongly altered to a clayey mass; grading down to less altered zones) |
(4) sedimentary; sandstone-conglomerate (basal beds mineralized); Depositional setting: fluviatile; Metamorphic grade: unmetamorphosedExternal host rock forms: | thin to thick bedded, flat lying | Host rock protoliths: | quartz arenites (includes minor mudstones); Host rock protolith name: Manitou Falls Formation | Internal host rock structures: | fine to very coarse grained | Individual lithologies: | sandstone (typical of fluvial sediments; deposit is 1.5 km west of the present boundary of the Athabasca Group) conglomerate (typical of fluvial sediments; deposit is 1.5 km west of the present boundary of the Athabasca Group) mudstone (typical of fluvial sediments; deposit is 1.5 km west of the present boundary of the Athabasca Group) |
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Country rocks: |
(1) metasedimentary rocks; (folded and metamorphosed); Country rock name: Wollaston Group; Metamorphic grade: amphibolite (upper) - granuliteCountry rock protoliths: | pelite and semipelite (interbedded shales and siltstones; includes graphitic beds); Country rock protolith name: unit of Lower Wollaston Group impure sandstone (interbedded with pelites and semipelites); Country rock protolith name: unit of Lower Wollaston Group paragneisses and paraschists (quartzo-feldspathic sediments); Country rock protolith name: units of Lower Wollaston Group | Individual lithologies: | graphitic paragneiss/migmatite (includes pyritic graphitic horizons, sillimanite augen gneiss and quartz-biotite gneiss) impure quartzite (thin to thick beds) pegmatite (anatectic and younger pegmatites; formed during Husonian thermo-tectonic events; semiconcordant layers and dykes) |
(2) conglomerate-sandstone; (flat-lying, undeformed); Country rock name: Manitou Falls Fm. / Athabasca Group; Metamorphic grade: unmetamorphosedCountry rock protoliths: | quartz arenites (basal siliciclastic units of the Athabasca Group; deposited in fluvial environment over nearly peneplaned basement affected by lateritic weathering); Country rock protolith name: Manitou Falls Formation |
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Metallogenic signatures: |
U U-Pb-Ag-Ni |
Alteration signatures: |
lateritic alteration: upper oxidized zone; lower reduced zone; What was altered: paragneiss and paraschists illite alteration: illite, up to 60 m below unconformity; What was altered: feldspar; Component: mineralization chlorite alteration: chlorite; hematite stain; What was altered: mafic silicates in paragneiss; Component: mineralization argillic alteration: strong clay alteration in and around deposit; What was altered: paleoregolith; Component: mineralization hematization: hematization, late stage ; What was altered: paleoregolith; Component: mineralization illite alteration: illite, dominant in and around high grade ore; What was altered: Manitou Falls Formation; Component: mineralization |
Mineralogy: |
(gangue): clay, pyrite, chlorite, graphite, galena (graphitic clay ore): pitchblende - massive, pitchblende - sooty, pitchblende - disseminated, coffinite, uranoan carbon (Th-free thucolite), galena, pyrite, niccolite (veins and disseminations): pitchblende, niccolite |
Deposit shape: |
elongate podDeposit dimensions: | length: 800 metre width: 61 metre thickness: 12 metre |
lens, high grade coreDeposit dimensions: | length: 450 metre width: 20 metre thickness: 8 metre |
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Qualified comments: |
(Applies to: discovery and development) Discovered in 1977 under a radioactive swamp; tested by 170 diamond and reverse circulation drill holes during 1977-'80; estimated resources: 462 t U in 0.125 Mt of ore at an average grade of 0.37 % U. The deposit is 17 to 40 m below surface; trends ENE and dips 20° to SE; the high grade part of it is 450 m long, averages 20 m in width and is 8 m thick; one 12 m drill section assayed 1.91 % U.
(Applies to: mineralization) Zone of uranium and nickel minerals in Athabasca sandstone and in older, Sub-Athabasa Aphebian rocks. |
Links to other databases: |
SMDI; Key value: 1146 GSC U-Th File (Prasad); Key value: 3791 |
References: |
Bennett, R. W., 2002 |
Geological Atlas of Saskatchewan, Version 5 (2002) |
Government of Saskatchewan, CD-ROM |
Prasad, N., 2002 |
Uranium File: Canmindex |
Geological Survey of Canada, Canadian Mineral Occurrence Index (Canmindex), CD-ROM |
Rhys, D. A., 2002 |
Geological Report on the Hidden Bay Property, Wollaston Lake Area, Northern Saskatchewan |
Report to UEX Corporation, Vancouver, B. C., Panterra Geoservices Inc., Surrey, B. C., Canadian Securities Commission website (www.sedar.com), 89 p.. |
Ruzicka, V., 1986 |
Uranium Deposits in the Rabbit Lake - Collins Bay Area, Saskatchewan |
Chapter 4, Section Saskatchewan Unconformity-associated and Sedimentary-hosted Deposits of Helikian Age, In Uranium Deposits of Canada, Edited by Evans, E. L., Special Volume, The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 33, 323 p., p. 144 - 154 |
Saskatchewan Geological Survey, 2003 |
Geology, and Mineral and Petroleum Resources of Saskatchewan |
Miscellaneous Report, Saskatchewan Industry and Resources, Publication code 2003-7, 173 p., 4 maps. |
Saskatchewan Industry and Resources, 2001 |
Saskatchewan Mineral Deposits Index |
Government of Saskatchewan, Geological Atlas of Saskatchewan, Internet |
Thomas, D. J.; Mathews, R. B.; Sopuck, V., 2000 |
Athabasca Basin (Canada) - Unconformity-type Uranium Deposits: Exploration Model, Current Mine Development and Exploration Directions |
In Geology and Ore Deposits 2000: the Great Basin and Beyond; May 15 - 18, 2000 Symposium Proceedings (CD-ROM), Edited by Cluer, J. K.; Price, J. G.; Struhsacker, E. M.; Hardyman, R. F.; Morris, C. L., Symposium Proceedings, Geological Society of Nevada, Geological Society of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, 647 p., p. 103 - 126 |
Tremblay, L. P., 1982 |
Geology of the Uranium Deposits Related to the Sub-Athabasca Unconformity |
Paper, Geological Survey of Canada, Publication code 81-20, 56 p.. |
Ward, D. M., 1989 |
Rabbit Lake Project - History of Exploration and General Geology |
Bulletin of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Volume 82, p. 40 - 48 |
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Resource data: |
Disclaimer - Reserves/Resource Data
Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Natural Resources (NRCan) does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of Reserve and Resource information (Data) contained in this database, including whether the Data is compliant with any securities regulations or standards, and NRCan does not assume any liability with respect to any damage or loss incurred as a result of the use made of the Data.
Resource and reserve figures are historical in nature. The Data source provided with each set of figures should be cited if the Data are re-reported. | Estimate date: 2002; 0.1315 million metric tons ore; Combined with production?: no; Provisional entry?: no; Resource category: indicated resourceGrade-commodity information: | U: 0.37312 percent | Cutoff grade-commodity: | U: 0.03 percent | weight-commodity information: | U: 487 metric ton | Reference: Rhys, D. A., 2002: Geological Report on the Hidden Bay Property, Wollaston Lake Area, Northern Saskatchewan; Report to UEX Corporation, Vancouver, B. C., Panterra Geoservices Inc., Surrey, B. C., Canadian Securities Commission website (www.sedar.com), 89 p.. Percent weights allocated to deposit: 100.0%
Generated 2007-03-02 2:36:47 PM with GQuery -- 3.7 ADO (3.19/3.20/3.21 -- 2006-02-24) GlobalDB System, Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada
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