URANIUM: Geophysical signature of the Kintyre uranium deposit, Western Australia

Jonathon C. Root; William J. Robertson

doi:10.1071/ASEGSpec07_27

Geophysical Signatures of West Australian Mineral Deposits

ISSN: 2202-0586
E-ISSN:

oa URANIUM: Geophysical signature of the Kintyre uranium deposit, Western Australia
Authors Jonathon C. Root and William J. Robertson
Publisher: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Source: ASEG Extended Abstracts, Volume 1994, Issue Geophysical Signatures of West Australian Mineral Deposits, Dec 1994, p. 369 - 382
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/ASEGSpec07_27
- Published online: 01 Dec 1994

Abstract

Kintyre is an unconformity-related, vein-style uranium deposit estimated to contain 36,000 t of U3O8. The deposit, located 70 km south of Telfer, was discovered during heliborne follow-up of ²¹⁴Bi channel anomalies detected by an airborne magnetic and radiometric survey. Ground inspection of the strongest anomaly identified outcropping secondary uranium-silicate mineralisation. Drilling beneath the mineralised outcrop intersected the Kintyre ore lens, with the best hole containing 71 m at 5.94 kg/t U3O8. Since then, six additional ore lenses have been discovered and these make up the Kintyre deposit.

A wide range of airborne, ground and borehole geophysical techniques has been applied to the evaluation of the deposit in an attempt to locate additional ore lenses and to determine a geophysical signature for use in regional exploration. Two types of geophysical signature have been determined for the deposit; that of the mineralised zones and that of the host unit.

The deposit has an anomalous ²¹⁴Bi channel radiometric response coupled with elevated counts in the potassium channel. Induced polarisation surveys have shown that a distinct, high apparent resistivity and high chargeability response coincides with the Kintyre mineralisation.

The ore is hosted by a lithological package which contains variable amounts of magnetite, leading to a moderate- to high-amplitude, inhomogeneous magnetic response. A density contrast detectable by gravity surveying has been noted between the host sequence and surrounding rocks. Electrical surveys have shown that the host unit is resistive relative to the rest of the host sequence and other rocks in the area.

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1994-12-01

2026-01-13

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References

ANDREW R.L., 1988. Geological and ore reserve report for the Kintyre Feasibility Study, Rudall, WA SF51-10. CRAE Report 130826, 20 pp. (unpublished).
CHIN R.J., WILLIAMS I.R., WILLIAMS S.J. & CROWE R.W.A., 1980. Rudall, Western Australia. Geological Survey of Western Australia 1:250,000 Geological Series Explanatory Notes. Geological Survey of Western Australia, Perth, 22 pp.
CLARK LA., 1988. Geological review, Kintyre Project, Western Australia. CRAE Report 130822, 25 pp. (unpublished).
HARVEY T.V., 1987. Rudall Project electrical survey June & July 1987. CRAE Report 14874, 20 pp. (unpublished).
HASEGAWA K., DAVIDSON G.I., WOLLENBERG P. & YOSHIMASA I., 1990. Geophysical exploration for unconformity related uranium deposits in the northeastern part of the Thelon Basin, Northwest Territories, Canada. Mining Geology 40, 83-95.
JACKSON D.G., 1986. Annual report on E.L.s 45/56 Mt. Isdell, 45/57 Broadhurst, 45/59 Yandagooge, 45/60 Yandagooge South, 45/73 Yandagooge East, 45/99 Coolbro South, 45/156 Throssel Range East, 45/158 Throssel Range North, 45/ 159 Throssel Range South, 45/215-217 Rudall 25-27, 45/347 Broadhurst North and 45/414 The Spinner, Rudall and Paterson Range, WA. CRAE Report 130622, 33 pp. (unpublished).
JACKSON D.G. & ANDREW R.L., 1990. Kintyre uranium deposit. In Hughes F.E. (ed.), Geology of the Mineral Deposits of Australia and Papua New Guinea, pp. 653-658. Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Melbourne.
PRICE G.D., WEIR D.J., DONNELLY M.J., HULTON S.J., ROBERTSON W.J., KNIGHT B.K., WIS-NEWSKI S.I., ADAMS H.C., CLIFFORD P.R., PRESTON R.J. & RAINES C.W., 1989. Annual report for 1988 on the Kintyre Uranium Project, Exploration Licences: 45/59 Yandagooge, 45/60 Yandagooge South, 45/73 Yandagooge East and Mining Lease 45/266 Yandagooge 5, Rudall, Western Australia. CRAE Report 130829, 63 pp. (unpublished).

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Article Type: Research Article

Keyword(s): AlphaCard radon; borehole logging; electromagnetics; gravity; induced polarisation; magnetics; Paterson Orogen; radiometrics; resistivity; Rudall SF51-10; vein-style unconformity-related uranium

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Abstract

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