ME589—Special topics
Exploration and mining of sedimentary-hosted uranium deposits
This special topics class will be conducted primarily as a seminar series, where students
will summarize and discuss various topics on basin analysis and sedimentary-hosted
uranium deposits. The class will meet once a week for 2-3 hours with additional time
allotted for field trips and lab exercises. There will be some lectures by guest speakers.
Field trips will include examination of sedimentary sequences and uranium deposits in
the Socorro area and the San Juan Basin. Final grades will be determined by:
 class participation (15%)
 class project (25%)
 field trip reports (20%)
 lab exercises (20%)
 final exam (20%)
Plan to cover the following:
 What types of uranium deposits are found in sedimentary host rocks within
basins?
 What are the depositional environments of sediments?
 How do these depositional environments affect exploration, mining and
processing of sediment-hosted uranium deposits?
 What types of basins do uranium deposits occur?
 Why is stratigraphy important in uranium exploration, mining, and understanding
the formation of uranium deposits?
 What are the tools required for basin analysis and exploration of uranium
deposits?
 Why are uranium deposits found in sedimentary basins so economically
important?
 What are the different mining and processing of uranium deposits?
 What geochemical controls affect uranium deposition and subsequent leaching
and processing of uranium ores?
INTRODUCTION
The objectives of the course are:
 Develop student awareness of issues surrounding exploring and mining of
sandstone uranium deposits
 Foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills with this developing
awareness.
 Promote a multifaceted approach to teaching science through the use of debate,
writing, and hands-on activities.
Preliminary Schedule by Week
 Jan 24 Introduction
 Jan 29 Uranium background
o Life cycle of uranium
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o Environmental and sustainable development
o Chemistry of uranium deposits
 Jan 31 Types of uranium deposits
o Sedimentary-hosted deposits
o Vein deposits
o Surficial deposits
o Porphyry deposits (Eric Ostanski)
 Feb 7 Exploration techniques (what tools do we have available for our use)
Each student will select an exploration technique and present a powerpoint
summary of it (I need your topic by Jan 28)
 Historical data
 Radiometeric surveys (Shantanu)
 Gravity/magnetic surveys (Pedram)
 Geophysical logging (Frederick)
 Drilling (geophysical, lithologic logs) (Samuel)
 Geologic mapping (Leann)
 Sampling (surface) (Reggie)
 Sampling (metallurgical) (Gertrude)
 Feb 12 How do we manage data?
o Read McLemore, Veeger
 Feb 19 Data Interpretation and Analysis
 Feb 21 Sedimentary processes
 Feb 22 noon field
 Week of Feb 25 SME—no class
 Week of March 3 Australia—no class
 March 11 spring break
 Week of March 17 Phoenix—no class
 March 27 Sedimentary processes
 April 3 Basin Analysis
 Week of March 31 Mining of uranium
 Week of April 7 (Vancouver)—no class
 Week of April 17 Reclamation of uranium
 Week of April 24 Case studies (class presentations)
o Take home final
 Week of May 8 Case studies (class presentations)
FIELD TRIPS IN MARCH, APRIL
CASE STUDY
You are a newly hired employee of a uranium exploration and mining company. Your
boss has asked you to present a detailed summary of an important uranium district or
deposit. Each student will choose a sedimentary-hosted uranium deposit or district and
present 30 minute lecture, with handouts (summary report) and a reading list. The
handouts and presentation should include the following:
 What types of deposits are present?
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What is the mining/exploration/production history?
What are the depositional environments of sediments?
How do these depositional environments affect exploration, mining and
processing of sediment-hosted uranium deposits?
What is the stratigraphy and why is it important?
What are the different mining and processing of the deposits?
What geochemical controls affect uranium deposition and subsequent leaching
and processing of uranium ores?
Who are the major companies in the area?
What are potential benefits and disadvantages of the area?
What is the future potential?
Should we invest in exploration/mining?
POTENTIAL AREAS
 Grants district, New Mexico
 Ambrosia Lake Pedram
 Church Rock Leann
 Riley-Datil-Pietown area, New Mexico
 Wyoming (Sam)
 Texas
 Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan, Canada (Shantanu)
 Olympic Dam deposits, Australia (Gertrude)
 Kazakhstan (Reggie)
 Moab (Frederick)
SCHEDULE
 Feb 7—Choose area
 March 31—draft of handouts and presentation to me
 April 28, May 8—presentations
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TYPES OF URANIUM DEPOSITS READING LIST
Barbier, M.J., and Orleans, F., 1974, Continental Weathering as a Possible Origin of
Vein-Type Uranium Deposits: Mineral. Deposita, v. 9, p. 271-288
Culbert, R.R., and Leighton, D.G., 1988, Young Uranium: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 3, p.
313-330
Ruzicka, V., 1993, Vein uranium deposits: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 8, p. 247-276
International Atomic Energy Agency, 2000, Methods of Exploitation of Different Types
of Uranium Deposits: IAEA, VIENNA, IAEA-TECDOC-1174, 84 p.
Rogers, J.W., Ragland, P.C., Nishimori, R.K., Greenberg, J.K., and Hauck, S.A., 1978,
Varieties of Granitic Uranium Deposits and Favorable Exploration Areas in the Eastern
United States, Economic Geology, Vol. 73, p. 1539-1555
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