Journal article
Release of uranium from highly radiogenic zircon through metamictization: The source of orogenic uranium ores
MV McGloin, AG Tomkins, GP Webb, K Spiers, CM MacRae, D Paterson, CG Ryan
Geology | Published : 2016
DOI: 10.1130/G37238.1
Abstract
Although circumstantial evidence from ore deposit mineralogy and geochemistry can imply potential sources for fluids and metals, rarely is direct evidence for metal leaching from source rocks seen in the vicinity of deposits. Here, we investigate the source of metals for a series of fault zone- and shear zone-hosted uranium occurrences in the Mount Isa inlier, Australia. As well as containing uranium, these deposits are enriched in Zr and rare earth elements (REEs), requiring that unusual fluids were responsible for addition of these typically immobile elements. During the Isan orogeny, highly saline metamorphic fluids infiltrated the sheared margin of a highly evolved granite intrusion, whi..
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Funding Acknowledgements
Tomkins and McGloin were supported by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australian Synchrotron (Victoria, Australia), the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AUSIMM), and the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG) Hugh E. McKinstry grants. Part of this research was undertaken on the XFM beamline at the Australian Synchrotron. Summit Resources are thanked for access to drill core and logistical support. We thank N. Wilson and A. Torpy for assistance with EPMA mapping. S. Vollgger is thanked for assistance with Leapfrog. F. Bea, N. Oliver, and J. Hanchar are thanked for their constructive reviews.