Australia's Uranium Orebodies Unconformity-related deposits Breccia complex deposits Sandstone deposits Surficial deposits Volcanic deposits Intrusive deposits Metasomatite deposits Vein deposits Uranium Minerals Sources Uranium occurs in a number of different igneous, hydrothermal and sedimentary geological environments. Australia's Uranium Orebodies Most of Australia's uranium resources are in two kinds of orebodies, unconformity-related and breccia complex, while sedimentary deposits are less significant than overseas. Below the unconformity, the metasedimentary rocks which host the mineralisation are usually faulted and brecciated. The overlying younger Proterozoic sandstones are usually undeformed.
Minerals are uraninite and pitchblende.
In the Alligator Rivers region, the known deposits are below the unconformity and are generally much lower grade than the Canadian deposits. Uranium exploration in the Alligator Rivers region and Arnhem Land has been restricted since the late 1970s because of political and environmental factors. Much of the Alligator Rivers region and Arnhem Land have only been subjected to first pass exploration designed to detect outcropping deposits and extensions of known deposits, eg Jabiluka 2 was found by drilling along strike from Jabiluka 1. There has been very little exploration to locate deeply concealed deposits lying above the unconformity similar to those in Canada. The Kintyre deposit in the Rudall River area is similar to the deposits in the Alligator Rivers region.