Transport and deposition of uranium in hydrothermal ore fluids as exemplified by Uranium Deposit 302

Uranium Deposit 302 is a large hydrothermal uranium deposit occurring in fault zones within a granite. Pitchblende is the only primary uranium mineral found in the ore. The associated minerals include quartz, fluorite, hematite and pyrite. This paper focusses on the mechanism of transport and deposition of uranium in hydrothermal oreforming solutions responsible for the deposit. It is concluded that uranium might be not only oxidized in a relatively reducing environment, but also reduced in a relatively oxidizing environment, depending on the speciation of uranium in the solutions. The formation of pitchblende is closely related to uranium reduction at the stage of uranium mineralization.