PROSPECTS OF URANIUM MINERALIZATION OF THE SOUTH-WESTERN SLOPE OF THE UKRAINIAN SHIELD

Abstract

The geological position, composition and genesis of uranium mineralization of ore occurrences on the southwestern slope of the Ukrainian Shield are considered. In the Precambrian basement metamorphic rocks of the Dniester-Bug, Bug and ultrametamorphic rocks of the Golovanev, Pobuzh, Berdichev and Kirovograd complexes were established. On the southwestern slope of the Ukrainian Shield, 4 uranium occurrences and 4 radioactive anomalies have been discovered, studied and prospected. The uranium occurrences are localized along the regional unconformity surface of the Precambrian basement and platform cover. They are often confined to the nodes of the intersection of faults. The uranium occurrences are installed simultaneously both in the rocks of the basement and in the platform cover. The ore deposits form stockwork and vein segregations among the tectonized rocks of the Precambrian. In the rocks of the sedimentary cover they are discontinuous lenticular, subconcordant with the bedding of rocks. The uranium mineralization is vein-disseminated, represented by uraninite, pitchblende, coffinite, uranium black, casolite, etc. The uranium mineralization was caused by both endogenous and exogenous processes; several stages of uranium concentration have been established. The main source of uranium and associated elements was the low-temperature hydrothermal fluids of the “unconformity zone” faults of the Precambrian basement and sedimentary cover. A comparison is given and the similarity of the uranium mineralization of these occurrences with the rich uranium ores of the "zones of unconformity" of the Canadian and North Australian shields is given, which determines the significant prospects for uranium mineralization of the southwestern slope of the Ukrainian shield for the development of the uranium resource base of Ukraine.