Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)

The Kiggavik area is located on the eastern boundary of the Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic Thelon Basin (Nunavut, Canada) and hosts uranium mineralization in Archean basement rocks. The major fault/fracture network in the Kiggavik area is mainly oriented ENE-WSW and NE-SW, consisting of polyphased fault...

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Authors: Grare, Alexis, Benedicto Esteban, Antonio, Mercadier, Julien, Lacombe, Olivier, Travé i Herrero, Anna, Guilcher, Marie, Richard, A., Ledru, Patrick, Blain, M., Robbins, John
Format: article
Status:Versión aceptada para publicación
Publication Date:2020
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/162769
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/162769
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Urani
Geologia estructural
Canadà
Metal·logènia
Uranium
Structural geology
Canada
Metallogeny
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spelling Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)Grare, AlexisBenedicto Esteban, AntonioMercadier, JulienLacombe, OlivierTravé i Herrero, AnnaGuilcher, MarieRichard, A.Ledru, PatrickBlain, M.Robbins, JohnUraniGeologia estructuralCanadàMetal·logèniaUraniumStructural geologyCanadaMetallogenyThe Kiggavik area is located on the eastern boundary of the Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic Thelon Basin (Nunavut, Canada) and hosts uranium mineralization in Archean basement rocks. The major fault/fracture network in the Kiggavik area is mainly oriented ENE-WSW and NE-SW, consisting of polyphased fault zones initiated during the Thelon and Trans-Hudsonian orogenies (ca. 1900-1800 Ma). These faults were subsequently mineralized in four stages referred to as U0, U1, U2, and U3. The first event U0 is inferred to be of magmatic origin and is related to microbrecciation and weak clay alteration under a WSW-ENE σ1. U0 is a ca. 1830 event which predates intense quartz brecciation (QB) and veining at ca. 1750 Ma. QB is associated with emplacement of the Kivalliq Igneous Suite and caused pervasive silicification of former fault zones, which in turn controlled subsequent fracture development and behaved as barriers for later U mineralizing fluids (U1 to U3). U1, U2, and U3 postdate deposition of the Thelon Basin. U1 and U2 occurred under a regional strike-slip stress regime, with the direction of σ1 evolving from WNW-ESE (U1) to NE-SW /ENE-WSW (U2); both formed at ~ 1500-1330 Ma and are related to circulation of Thelon-derived uranium-bearing basinal brines. A post U2, but pre-Mackenzie dykes (ca. 1270 Ma), extensional/transtensional stress regime with σ3 oriented NE-SW caused normal-dextral offset of the orebodies by reactivating NNW-SSE and E-W trending faults. This fracturing event triggered circulation of hot (~ 300 °C), probably acidic, fluids that dissolved quartz, and caused illitization and bleaching of the host rocks. Finally, U3 records remobilization of the previous mineralization along redox fronts through percolation of low-temperature meteoric fluids during two main tectonic events at ca. 550 and 350 Ma. This study provides evidences for the presence of a primary, pre-Thelon Basin uranium stock within the Kiggavik prospects, and a strong structural control on mineralization in the Kiggavik area. Our study also shows a nearly similar evolution of uranium mineralization in this area compared to the world-class uranium district of the Athabasca Basin (Saskatchewan, Canada).Springer Verlag2020info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/162769Articles publicats en revistes (Mineralogia, Petrologia i Geologia Aplicada)reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UBinstname:Universidad de BarcelonaInglésVersió postprint del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-020-00957-xMineralium Deposita, 2020, vol. 2020, p. 1-34https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-020-00957-x(c) Springer Verlag, 2020info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/1627692026-05-27T06:46:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)
title Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)
spellingShingle Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)
Grare, Alexis
Urani
Geologia estructural
Canadà
Metal·logènia
Uranium
Structural geology
Canada
Metallogeny
title_short Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)
title_full Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)
title_fullStr Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)
title_full_unstemmed Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)
title_sort Structural controls and metallogenic model of polyphase uranium mineralization in the Kiggavik area (Nunavut, Canada)
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Grare, Alexis
Benedicto Esteban, Antonio
Mercadier, Julien
Lacombe, Olivier
Travé i Herrero, Anna
Guilcher, Marie
Richard, A.
Ledru, Patrick
Blain, M.
Robbins, John
author Grare, Alexis
author_facet Grare, Alexis
Benedicto Esteban, Antonio
Mercadier, Julien
Lacombe, Olivier
Travé i Herrero, Anna
Guilcher, Marie
Richard, A.
Ledru, Patrick
Blain, M.
Robbins, John
author_role author
author2 Benedicto Esteban, Antonio
Mercadier, Julien
Lacombe, Olivier
Travé i Herrero, Anna
Guilcher, Marie
Richard, A.
Ledru, Patrick
Blain, M.
Robbins, John
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Urani
Geologia estructural
Canadà
Metal·logènia
Uranium
Structural geology
Canada
Metallogeny
topic Urani
Geologia estructural
Canadà
Metal·logènia
Uranium
Structural geology
Canada
Metallogeny
description The Kiggavik area is located on the eastern boundary of the Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic Thelon Basin (Nunavut, Canada) and hosts uranium mineralization in Archean basement rocks. The major fault/fracture network in the Kiggavik area is mainly oriented ENE-WSW and NE-SW, consisting of polyphased fault zones initiated during the Thelon and Trans-Hudsonian orogenies (ca. 1900-1800 Ma). These faults were subsequently mineralized in four stages referred to as U0, U1, U2, and U3. The first event U0 is inferred to be of magmatic origin and is related to microbrecciation and weak clay alteration under a WSW-ENE σ1. U0 is a ca. 1830 event which predates intense quartz brecciation (QB) and veining at ca. 1750 Ma. QB is associated with emplacement of the Kivalliq Igneous Suite and caused pervasive silicification of former fault zones, which in turn controlled subsequent fracture development and behaved as barriers for later U mineralizing fluids (U1 to U3). U1, U2, and U3 postdate deposition of the Thelon Basin. U1 and U2 occurred under a regional strike-slip stress regime, with the direction of σ1 evolving from WNW-ESE (U1) to NE-SW /ENE-WSW (U2); both formed at ~ 1500-1330 Ma and are related to circulation of Thelon-derived uranium-bearing basinal brines. A post U2, but pre-Mackenzie dykes (ca. 1270 Ma), extensional/transtensional stress regime with σ3 oriented NE-SW caused normal-dextral offset of the orebodies by reactivating NNW-SSE and E-W trending faults. This fracturing event triggered circulation of hot (~ 300 °C), probably acidic, fluids that dissolved quartz, and caused illitization and bleaching of the host rocks. Finally, U3 records remobilization of the previous mineralization along redox fronts through percolation of low-temperature meteoric fluids during two main tectonic events at ca. 550 and 350 Ma. This study provides evidences for the presence of a primary, pre-Thelon Basin uranium stock within the Kiggavik prospects, and a strong structural control on mineralization in the Kiggavik area. Our study also shows a nearly similar evolution of uranium mineralization in this area compared to the world-class uranium district of the Athabasca Basin (Saskatchewan, Canada).
publishDate 2020
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2020
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
format article
status_str acceptedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/162769
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/162769
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Versió postprint del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-020-00957-x
Mineralium Deposita, 2020, vol. 2020, p. 1-34
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-020-00957-x
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv (c) Springer Verlag, 2020
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv (c) Springer Verlag, 2020
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Verlag
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Verlag
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Mineralogia, Petrologia i Geologia Aplicada)
reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
instname:Universidad de Barcelona
instname_str Universidad de Barcelona
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de la UB
collection Dipòsit Digital de la UB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15.301603

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