Geology Seminar Series: Kelsey McKee: 3D Geological and Fluid Flow Modeling of the Midwest Trend in the Northeastern Athabasca Basin

Wed., Apr. 14, 2021 4:00 p.m.

Location: https://uregina-ca.zoom.us/j/92337163072?pwd=b2xnMFpVYXRUQnlRYnZaWEF2WDlnUT09

Title: 3D Geological and Fluid Flow Modeling of the Midwest Trend in the Northeastern Athabasca Basin: Implications for Uranium Mineralization and Exploration

Speaker: Kelsey McKee, MSc student, Department of Geology, University of Regina and Modeling Specialist Geoscientist

Abstract:

Reactivated basement faults are the main control on most unconformity-related uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin. However, not all reactivated faults contain uranium mineralization, and this study aims to help in the understanding of why mineralization exists in certain areas but not in others along the same trend with seemingly the same system and structural/lithological framework. The research is focused on the Midwest Trend, which contains typical unconformity-related uranium deposits along a NE-trending reverse-offset structure, and has been described as a uranium deposit occurring as ‘beads on a string, separated by intervening barren areas’ within a deformation zone. By examining the reverse, fault-related uranium deposits along the Midwest trend (Midwest Main and Midwest A) and the barren segments between this work will aid in identifying the factors that control the placement of mineralization, which is critical in uranium exploration, particularly for determining where mineralization may be located within a given fault system. This study specifically consists of two parts: 1) construction of a 3D geological model illustrating the spatial distribution of structures, lithologies, alteration, and element concentrations; and 2) numerical modeling of fluid flow driven by deformation and thermal convection, based on a simplified version of the 3D geological model established in the first step.