TKAK 2A?Sbo436 - 2&S00647 PEn-sfi DISCUSSION FORUM FOR RESEARCHERS IN NUCLEAR GEOLOGY- PROGRAMME ABSTRACTS AND NEWSLETTER PELINDABA REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 1 -2 NOVEMBER 1984 by H J Brynard (Editor) NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD x N U C O R m PRIVATE BAG X266 PRETORIA 0001 a, oo JANUARY 1985 Jill iltiitl PER-88 NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD DISCUSSION FORUM FOR RESEARCHERS IN NUCLEAR GEOLOGY- PROGRAMME ABSTRACTS AND NESLETTER PELINDABA REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 1 -2 NOVEMBER 1984 by H J Brynard* (Editor) 'Geology Department POSTAL ADDRESS: Private Bag X256 PELINDABA PRETORIA January 1985 0001 ISBN 0-86960-768-5 DISCUSSION FORUM FOR RESEARCHERS IN NUCLEAR GEOLOGY MAIN AUDITORIUM, PELINDABA 21 - 22 NOVEMBER 1984 PROGRAMME WEDNESDAY 21 NOVEMBER P D Toens -Welcome and introductor- remarks (NUCOR) SESSION 1: URANIUM IN GRANITES CONVENOR: A E SCHOCH (OOFS) P R Simpson Plenary address: Uraniferous high (British Geological heat production granites and their Survey) mineralising systems L J Robb The distribution of uranium in (E G R U) Archaean basement granites from the provenance region of the Witwatersrand Basin R J Hart Petrological and geochemical MAG Andreoli studies of the Vredefort Structure: (NUCOR) new clues to the evolution of the pre-Witwatersrand basement MAG Andreoli Radioelement fertilisation in R J Hart granulites of the Mozambique and (NUCOR) Kibaran belts N Niemand Uranium and thorium distribution in (NUCOR) the Verena and Makhutso gran, tes of the Bushveld Complex D Twist Distribution of U and Th in the (U P) Rooiberg silicic lavas of the Loskop Dam Area, southeastern Bushveld - 2 - A E Schoch - The radioelement host mineral (U 0 F S) spectrum of the Contreberg granite, Darling A 0 Fuller - Radiometric surveys of the south­ (U C T) western Cape Province A E Schoch - Summary remarks: Uranium in granites SESSION 2: URANIUM IN SEDIMENTARY DEPOSITS CONVENOR: W E L MINTER (U C T) E S Cheney Plenary address: Pyrite as a geo- (University of chemlcal trap for uranium and other Washington) ores M J Duane The genesis, mineralogy and (B P I) geochemistry of uranium in the Gortdrum mine, Tipperary, Ireland S G Buck* Pal aeocur rent and lithologic fades university of Redding, control of uranium and gold UK mineralisation in the Carbon Leader W E L Minter* placer, Carletonville Goldfields (U C T) DEL Minter* Mineraloglcal changes In the (U C T) Wit waters rand placer uranium during C E Feather* Proterozoic weathering, Welkom C W Glatthaar* Goldfield (A A C) - 3 - THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER SESSION 2: URANIUM IN SEDIMENTARY DEPOSITS (Continued) CONVENOR: W E L MINTER (U C T) V R W Harvey - Sedimentological and uranium (U C T) mineralisation characteristics of Karoo sandstone bodies at Drlefontein in the Fraserburg District G I Schneider* - Stratigraphic distribution of (G S 0) uranium within the Karoo Sequence P E Wipplinger* - The occurrence of uranium in baked (G S 0) mudstone of the Karoo Sequence WEI Minter - Summary remarks: Uranium in sedimentary deposits TEA SESSION 3: URANIUM MINERALOGY AND GEOCHEMISTRY CONVENOR - D K HALLBAUER (C M) I fl Evans - Recent advances in fission track (B P I) dating techniques SESSION 4: RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL B B Hambleton-Jones - A review of recent research relating and N J B Andersen to the NUCOR Radioactive Waste (NUCOR) Disposal Project ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE COORDINATION OF NUCLEAR GEOLOGY (Attendance by invitation only) * This meeting is primarily aimed at providing a forum for NUCOR-sponsored researchers to table the results of their researches and to exchange views. Contributions of persons not sponsored by NUCOR are indicated thus (*). - * - 1.1 INTRODUCTORY IDIAIKS - P D TOEBS MANAGER: GEOLOGY DEPARTMENT It is indeed a pleasure to velcoae you all here today to our third annual discussion forua for researchers in nuclear geology. In doing so I aust stress that this aeeting Is arranged primarily for the purpose of providing a forua for researchers in uranlua geology sponsored by NUCOR to report on their progress. It also provides an ideal opportunity for industry to be kept abreast of developaents in this field of endeavour and to aake suggestions regarding future research projects. As is usual, we have a number of guest lecturers whose researches are not sponsored by NUCOR and I would like to thank then for their presence here today. Our prograaae Is further enhanced by the presence of Dr P II Slaps on of the British Geological Survey and Professor E S Cheney of the University of Washington, who have been invited to South Africa by NUCOR to assist the University of Pretoria In assessing the uranium potential of the Bushveld Coaplex and related rocks. It should be stressed that NUCOR does not undertake exploration as such but sees Itself aainly in a co-ordinating role in the closest possible co-operation with the universities, the mining industry and the Geological Survey with the ultimate ala of providing possible targets for prospecting operations. In particular, close co-operation is maintained with the Geological Survey and care Is taken that there is no duplication of effort. The programme has to be carried out within definite budget constraints and preference has to be given to projects judged most likely to accomplish the objectives In mind. - 5 - While in no way wishing to stifle fundamental research, NUCOR-sponsored researchers must appreciate that we have a definite mandate and objectives in mind, and we dare not bleed off more than a small percentage of our research budget for fundamental work, so those wishing to pursue research in the earth sciences of a more fundamental nature would be well advised to seek funding elsewhere. In accordance with this policy the reconstltution of working groups in uranium will be discussed at the meeting of the Coordinating Committee when it meets after the technical sessions. It is becoming increasingly desirable that a viable uranium province should be located outside the Witwatersrand Basin and for this reason the major thrust of NUCOR-sponsored research has in recent years tended to shift towards the granitic areas. It is therefore our intention over the next five years to examine in as much detail as our resources will allow, the uranium potential of the Bushveld Complex and related rocks and the Natal/Namaqua province as these seem to represent the best potential target areas. Some attention will, however, continue to be devoted to the Archaean granites as potential source rocks, the Witwatersrand and the Karoo as well as geochemlcal, minerological, geochronologlcal and sedimentological studies of a more general nature. The question is often asked - Why prospect for uranium when it is In such oversupply and the market so depressed? Firstly, it is In times such as these that one should cake stock of the situation and plan for the future. Secondly, most market surveys indicate that uranium demand will exceed currently projected production by the late 1980s and that by 1992 significant inventory reductions will be achieved, resulting in market improvements In real terms. This is borne out by official forecasts of U.S. uranium spot and contract prices as of January 1984 and illustrated in the figure. It would therefore seem that a turnaround is not far off. South Africa currently produces about 16,5 % of the Western World's uranium and holds 14,0 % of its resources. If we are to maintain this prestigious position in the years to come, a sustained research effort is required. - 6 - For additional information, the reader is referred to the publications listed in the bibliography. BIBLIOGRAPHY CAMISAK1-CALZ0LAFÏ, F.A.C.M.; DE KLERK, W.J.; VAN DER MËRWE, P.J.; Assessment of South African uranium resources! methods and results. July 1984. (In print. To te published by the Geological Society of South Africa.) Nuclear Development Corporation of South Africa. Geology Department. Resource Evaluation Group. Uranium in South Africa: 1963 Assessment of resources and production. Pelindaba: Kl'COR, June 1984. Surflclal uranium deposits: a handbook prepared by the IAEA Working Group 6 on Uranium Geology. Vienna: IAEA, 1984. 247 p. Survey of United States uranium marketing activity 1983. Department of Energy. Energy Information Administration, August 1984. TOENS, P.D.; DE KLERK, W.J. South African uranium resources and production potential: paper presented at Atomic Industrial Forum Uranium Seminar 30 September - 3 October 1984, Keystone, Colorado. Pretoria: NUCOR, September 1984. United States uranium mining and milling industry, a comprehensive review: a report to the Congress by the President of the United States. U.S. Department of Energy, May 1984, Uranium resources, production and demand: a joint report by the OECD. Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Parist OECD, 1983. 348 p. - 7 - ABSTRACTS OF FORUM PROCEEDINGS 2.1 URANIUM IN GRANITES Convenor : A E Schoch (U 0 F S) - 8 - URANIFZROUS HIGH HEAT PRODUCTION GRANITES AND THEIR MINERALISING SYSTEMS P R Simpson British Geological Survey, London The geochemistry and geological setting of metalliferous and mineralised uraniferous granites is discussed with particular reference to the Caledonides and Hercynides of Britain. The geochemistry of Sn-U granites, which is described using trace element plots r.ortraHsee.1 to primordial mantle, is related to modes of crustal evolution at destructive plate margins. Sn-U granites, which generally have high heat production, are generated in tens tonal regimes following orogenesis or in cratonic rift zones over dry mantle previously metasomatised by F (CI). Transfer of high heat production granites to the upper crust has been an essential part of cratonisation probably since at least the early Proterozoic. The evolution of metalliferous granites from Cu and Mo porphyries to Sn-U granites can be modelled in terms of decreasing hornblende separation and Increasing plagioclase and potassium feldspar separation and does not require the involvement of upper crustal melt components as proposed in the "S-type" (sedimentary protolith) model for Sn-U granites.