Reduction of fluids in the Bashbulak sandstone type uranium deposit in the Tarim Basin, China

Abstract

This paper concentrates on the main evidence for reducing fluid in the Bashbulak uranium deposit, its fluid properties, stages and source. Based on these considerations, the origin of the deposit is discussed and an “extraction of reducing thermal fluid-metallogenesis” model is put forward. The formation of the deposit resulted from the internal action between infiltration water and the multi-stage reducing thermal fluids from multiple sources. The reducing thermal fluid plays an important role in three aspects: 1) resulting in the formation of host rock with relatively high reduction capacity; 2) leading to pre-concentration of uranium; 3) leading to local superposed concentration of uranium and increasing the grade of uranium ore.