Uranium Mining and Exploration

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Marum was involved in the Southern AB diamond rush. The rush that went nowhere. What was known in AB was that there were Borneo-like Minette intrusives in the area, which could have been the source of diamonds in till, like the Minettes of Borneo were rumoured to be the source of diamonds on that Island. Minettes in theory can be a host for diamonds. On a side-note the supposed lamprohpyres of Wawa, Ontario which host ubiquitous diamonds are probably not lamprophyres of the Wawa regional type, but closer to a kimberlitic type of rock. Nicholas Rock of then UK likes to think of the ultramafic suite as a continuous related series whereas Mitchell of Canada says that the rocks are only spatially related and somewhat compositionally related but in important distinguishing characteristics, compositionally distinct. Nevertheless deep seated ultramafic rocks usually are the source of diamonds 90% of the time. Lamproites are an exception - a la the Argyle in Australia and the Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas.

Back to U308. I looked at the Hornby data a while back. They flew the area for "Wide window" EM in the time domain, similar to the Input system of Questor. Lots of basal sed formation conductors were found that may correspond to regolith type conductors that in similar sed basins to the Hornby, i.e. the SK basin, there are U deposits. As well Hornby has U occurences on the surface. Hornby is a classic sed basin with U potential. Exploring for U will be expensive in that deepish drilling, lots of targets, widespread geochem and fault hunting need be done. I am not aware how clear the faults are indicated by the EM, but they should show up. Some feel that the Hornby Basin is the last great thoroughly explored sed basin with U potential in Canada. I worked for SMDC in the basin in the 80's and did lots of boulder hunting with them. The trains that we found, that Hoffman got the benefit of later, were never followed back to source. There is much to do.

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