Helium in soil and overburden gas as an exploration pathfinder — an assessment

Orientation surveys were conducted over five deposits to test the potential of determining helium in overburden gas as a pathfinder for uranium mineralization and other deposits containing uranium or thorium. Samples were collected via fixed tubes emplaced at depths of 6 m in backfilled holes drilled for this purpose. Compared to the atmospheric background value of 5.24 ppm v/v He, a variable weak anomaly (maximum 5.45–5.65 ppm He) was found over part of the Angela uranium deposit, N.T., in an arid area where mineralization is mostly at a depth of 60–90 m, at or below the water-table. Helium contents were mostly at background levels over a uranium deposit in the Officer Basin, W.A., where mineralization is at the water-table at 30–35 m, although radon gave a marked anomaly. Neither helium nor radon indicated the Manyingee deposit, W.A., which has uranium mineralization in a confined aquifer at 60–110 m. Similarly, no helium anomalies were found over the uranium- and thorium-rich Mt. Weld carbonatite or mineral sands at Eneabba.There appeared to be no correlation between helium distributions shown by groundwater and overburden-gas sampling at Manyingee or Mt. Weld. At Mt. Weld, groundwaters contained 0.06 to 13.60 μ/l He and overburden gases 5.24–5.47 ppm He, with the higher gas concentrations over country rock, where waters had background helium contents. It is presumed that equilibration between overburden gas and the atmosphere is far more rapid than that between overburden gas and groundwater, so that any helium released from the water is quickly dispersed.Overburden-gas helium concentrations were found to vary according to overburden type, being 5.24–5.32 ppm where sandy and porous and 5.30–5.50 ppm where clay-rich and less permeable. These background variations, which are greater than the total background-anomaly contrasts reported in the literature for shallow soil gases, have not been accounted for in most trial surveys, nor has the possibility of similar variations being due to analytical error. From the data obtained, there is little evidence that helium can be considered an effective pathfinder for blind or concealed deposits using soil gas or overburden gas as sample media. Previous work on the use of soil and soil-gas helium determinations in uranium exploration is reviewed in the light of these findings and the concept and techniques assessed.     

Fracture detection and groundwater flow characterization using He and Rn in soil gases,Manitoba, Canada

Surveys of the distribution and migration of He and Rn were carried out in the well-characterized granitic terrane of the AECL Underground Research Laboratory (URL), Manitoba as part of a joint AECL Research, United Kingdom Department of the Environment, and United States Department of Energy research initiative. The investigations were designed to determine whether concentrations of He and Rn in soil gases could be used to identify locations of groundwater recharge and discharge from bedrock fractures. The results obtained indicate that subsurface transport of He and possibly Rn in this setting appears to be controlled largely by the groundwater flow system in the bedrock. Release of dissolved gases near the ground surface causes soil gas anomalies, which reflect discharge from the deeper flow system. In the recharge area of the deep groundwater flow system at the URL site, He abundances are close to the atmospheric level, but the discharge area of the deep flow system is characterized by significant He anomalies (up to 0.5 ppm above atmosphere levels). For Rn, the recharge area has broadly distributed high concentrations, probably caused by local Rn production in U-rich overburden, while the discharge area has only localized concentrations of Rn, which are not at the same location as the He anomalies. The general nature of the groundwater flow regime in both areas is reflected in the presence and distribution of the soil gas anomalies. In addition, major fractures in bedrock, which act as preferential groundwater flow paths, have been located from soil gas anomalies, even when obscured by overburden of variable thickness and character. The distribution of He in soil gas appears to be most representative of groundwater recharge and discharge conditions in the granitic rock, while Rn may be useful for locating specific channels where more rapid groundwater discharge is occurring from deep fracture zones.     

内蒙古二连盆地砂岩型铀矿深穿透地球化学扫面技术的应用

铀矿资源的勘查一直是全球矿业领域的一个重点和热点,砂岩型铀矿是我国铀矿勘查的主要矿床类型。砂岩型铀矿在我国主要分布在盆地当中,矿体埋藏较深,找矿难度较大。本文通过深穿透地球化学扫面技术在二连盆地开展砂岩型铀矿的试验,主要得出以下结论:(1)通过土壤微细粒分离技术分离土壤样品,可以实现对富含活动性铀的粘土矿物进行物理富集,方法简单高效;(2)地表铀地球化学异常的发现反映的是活动性铀迁移扩散的结果,即深部铀矿(化)体产生的易溶于水的铀酰阳离子,在地下水及蒸发蒸腾作用下通过垂向迁移至地表,而通过地表径流等水平运移形成了大面积的地表铀异常;(3)利用能捕捉来自深部铀矿(化)体发出的直接找矿信息的土壤微细粒分离技术能有效圈定盆地内砂岩型铀矿在地表引起的地球化学异常,可在盆地内快速有效地开展砂岩型铀矿地球化学扫面工作。     

Soil-geochemistry,radiometric and soil gas helium studies in the uranium mineralized zone of Tumallapalle,Cuddapah Basin,Andhra Pradesh

A geochemical soil sampling survey undertaken at Tumallpalle uranium mineralized zone Cuddapah district, has confirmed the presence of uranium anomalies in soils. Bulk soil samples were collected at every 20 m along the traverse from approximately 30 cm below the surface and were assayed for uranium by x-ray fluorescence (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The uranium anomalies detected by the insitu radiometric survey show a correlation with the helium highs. The soil gas helium studies have aided in delineating the subsurface extension of the deposit. This study endeavors for an integration of different techniques in a known area which could probably aid in delineating uranium zones for optimal exploitation in the future exploration programmes.     

Helium, carbon dioxide and oxygen soil gases: Small-scale variations over fractured ground

To investigate the control on small-scale variation of He in soil gas exercised by minor fracturing, shallow surveys have been carried out over a cave system formed along an approximately orthogonal set of fractures in Devonian limestone in southwest England. The possibilities that He variation could be related to deep-seated, major fractures or hidden mineralisation, and that other soil gases may also be affected by minor fracturing were assessed by contemporary surveys for CO₂ and O₂. Comparisons of soil gas values with variations in electrical apparent resistivity were also carried out. Location of fractures with direct connection to the cave system was determined by spiking the cave atmosphere with He and then resurveying after equilibration.The results for CO₂ and O₂ show anomalies of low magnitude (with respect to atmospheric concentrations), and although they display an antithetic relationship, this is generally poor. There is also no strong correlation with the results of the He surveys either before or after spiking, or with the apparent resistivity values. Moreover, anomalies in CO₂ + O₂ do not support the pattern of variation shown by the individual gases. These negative results suggest the absence of deep-seated fractures or hidden mineralisation, and show that CO₂ and O₂ values are independent of minor fracturing. The origin of the variation is attributed to bacteriological productivity.He soil gas concentrations were obtained as disequilibrium values relative to Field Atmospheric Air (ΔHe/ppb-FAA). Positive ΔHe values were generally found to correlate with areas of thin, dry soil cover, enhancement occurring along fracture lines. Negative ΔHe values were also found to correlate with fracture lines, but in these areas the fractures are overlain by a thick soil cover with a high moisture content. It is considered that distinctions can be drawn between water-conducting and dry fractures, and that negative ΔHe values are likely only to be encountered with shallow soil gas samples. Results of spiking with He show a clear distribution of enhanced values along the set of orthogonal fractures, irrespective of the sign of the natural He anomaly. It is considered, therefore, that major deep-seated fractures may result in positive He anomalies superimposed upon negative ΔHe values. This implies that He anomalies must always be related to a local datum value. It is concluded that resolution of interacting variables in the interpretation of soil gas data is facilitated by integrated soil gas surveys.     

测定水浸土壤样的水中氦找铀矿方法的研究

本文讨论了利用离子泵测氦仪,测定水浸土壤样的水中氦的找铀矿方法。通过十项浸泡条件及测量试验,确定了处理土壤样的水浸技术。在矿床上取样分析的结果表明,在陡倾角地层的条件下,壤中氦异常出现在深部铀矿化范围的水平投影位置上,说明该方法对寻找隐伏铀矿是有效的,可用于地表详测等找矿工作。     

The use of soil mercury and radon gas surveys to assist the detection of concealed faults in Fuzhou City, China

Soil gas approaches have been proven useful for detecting buried faults in field survey. How about their applicability in urban area? A trial soil gas survey has been conducted in an attempt to evaluate this in Fuzhou City, Southeastern China. The detection was performed by measuring the adsorbed mercury, free mercury and radon gases in soil in the sites such as crop soil, refilled soil and those with shallow groundwater levels. The resulting distributions show that anomalous concentrations of soil gases over faults are generally two to four times as much as those in the surrounding areas. The locations of peak values of absorbed and free mercury could possibly be applied to assist to determine the trend of faults. The background values of free mercury seems to be more stable and the anomalous zones narrower than those of radon gas, therefore, the free mercury method seems to be good for detection at this area, especially in those sites with shallow groundwater levels. The false gas anomalies may occur in such a site as refilled with external soil, refilled pond and abandoned construction bases.     

地下水中铀的油气化探意义及其应用

经过20多年的实验研究,逐渐认识了地下水中铀的油气化探意义和特性,从而掌握了它对油气的指标意义,并在油气化探中得到了应用。油田水和深层地下水由于处在还原和弱还原环境中,铀的浓度分异效应不显著;潜水处于氧化环境中,铀的浓度分异效应显著,储集着与油气有关的信息。文章阐述了油气藏上方潜水中铀的异常特征,接着论述了铀指标的特性,即稳定性、直观性和单一性。最后以松辽中央拗陷南部和东濮凹陷为例,介绍了应用实例。     

Use of 234U and 238U isotopes to evaluate contamination of near-surface groundwater with uranium-mill effluent: a case study in south-central Colorado, U.S.A.

The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U alpha activity ratio (AR) was determined in 47 samples of variably uraniferous groundwater from the vicinity of a uranium mill near Cañon City, Colorado. The results illustrate that uranium isotopes can be used to determine the distribution of uranium contamination in groundwater and to indicate processes such as mixing and chemical precipitation that affect uranium concentrations. Highly to moderately contaminated groundwater samples collected from the mill site and land immediately downgradient from the mill site contain more than 100?μg/l of dissolved uranium and typically have AR values in the narrow range of 1.0–1.06. Other samples from the shallow alluvial aquifer farther downgradient from the mill contain 10–100?μg/l uranium and plot along a broad trend of increasing AR (1.06–1.46) with decreasing uranium concentration. The results are consistent with mixing of liquid mill waste (AR≈1.0) with alluvial groundwater of small, but variable, uranium concentrations and AR of 1.3–1.5. In the alluvial aquifer, the spatial distribution of wells with AR values less than 1.3 is consistent with previous estimates of the probable distribution of contamination, based on water chemistry and hydrology. Wells more distant from the area of probable contamination have AR values that are consistently greater than 1.3 and are indicative of little or no contamination. The methodology of this study can be extended usefully to similar sites of uranium mining, milling, or processing provided that local geohydrologic settings promote uranium mobility and that introduced uranium contamination is isotopically distinct from that of local groundwater.     

土壤磁性与可地浸砂岩型铀矿关系初探

在内蒙东胜工区进行土壤的磁性调查,研究土壤磁性与铀矿的关系,结果表明土壤磁异常与铀矿有相当的相关性。利用土壤磁化率和次生剩磁能较好地确定铀矿化带的位置的土壤磁性勘探方法,对铀矿找矿工作具有较大的指导意义。     

Determining uraniferous host rocks and minerals as a source of dissolved uranium in granite aquifers near the central Ogcheon metamorphic belt,Korea

Korea has suffered from high U concentrations in some groundwater, especially in Daejeon near the central Ogcheon metamorphic belt. However, clear explanation has not been yet reported for the uranium sources in groundwater. This study is focused on identifying the potential uraniferous host rocks and finding the exact U-minerals serving as uranium sources in groundwater near Daejeon, Korea. For this work, we performed an in situ gamma ray spectrometer survey and a laboratory microscopic study with electron micro-probe analysis. The measurements for radioactive element content did not show any prominent K- and Th-anomaly spots, but they did result in several observations of considerable U-anomalies in pegmatite and hydrothermally altered granite, in which uraninite, coffinite and uranophane were found by electron micro-probe analysis. The occurrences of U-minerals are the first such discovery except in the low-grade U deposits of the Ogcheon metamorphic belt in Korea. All observed U-minerals were intimately associated with hydrothermal alteration. The remarkably low Th/U ratios in the studied uraniferous rocks also suggest that the U enrichment was genetically related to a post-magmatic hydrothermal process. However, many of the uraniferous parts were controlled by a reducing environment and occurred near the border between graphite-rich mica-schist and Jurassic leucocratic granite. The findings on these uraniferous rocks can be used in elucidating the source of highly enriched U groundwater in granite aquifers as well as in understanding the occurrence of igneous U-minerals, which has not been previously reported in Korea.     

川北广元田坝子剖面含铀沥青脉的发现及其地质意义

通过野外地质调查,在四川盆地西北部广元市青川县田坝子剖面发现了多处具铀异常(≈70×10-6)的含铀沥青脉.对含铀沥青脉开展了矿物学、元素地球化学、光谱学研究,并与研究区典型砂岩型铀矿床(303矿床)中的"有机质"开展了对比研究.研究表明,含铀沥青脉中含有大量的微粒状矿物,包括微米级的石英、重晶石、黄铜矿、闪锌矿、方铅...     

氦气测量方法及其应用于区域地质研究和寻找能源资源的效果

七十年代以来,国内外都加速了对氦气测量方面(以下简称氦法)的研究,并取得了肯定的地质效果。大量实测资料证实,氦法是一种可用于区域地质研究和寻找能源资源(首先是铀矿普查勘探)以及地震预测的有效手段。     

稳定同位素和放射性同位素方法在铀矿水化找矿中的应用

在水文地球化学找矿研究中,采用稳定同位素和放射性同泣素方法判别放射性水异常及其成圈是一个重要的课题。在宝昌盆地采用氢氧同位素及氚的研究确定了3种类型的地下水异常。它们是:(1)局部淋滤富集和蒸发浓缩作用形成;(2)铀矿化引起的异常水;(3)深部与浅部水的混合作用形成。异常水的补给高程估计为1796m。异常地下水中~(234)U的过剩显示了矿化存在的可能性。同位素水文学的研究为水文地球化学找铀提出了一个新的方向。     

十红滩铀矿床地下水中的气体在成矿过程中的作用

十红滩铀矿床地下水中的气体成分主要是N2、O2,为大气降水成因,地下水中含有的对铀还原成矿非常有利的强还原性气体CH4、H2在矿床成矿过程中发挥了重要作用。气体中He、Ar组成表明,自1．33Ma以来该矿床在地下水的作用下一直处于发展演化过程中。     

Nitrogen as the carrier gas for helium emission along an active fault in NW Taiwan

Variations of He gas concentration are widely applied in studies devoted to the location of faults and to monitor seismic activities. Up to now, its migration mechanism in soil is not fully understood. A systematic soil gas survey across an active fault in NW Taiwan provides the opportunity to closely examine the mechanism of He migration in the fault zone. Significant spatial and temporal correlations observed between soil N₂ and He gas support the hypothesis that N₂ is the probable carrier gas for He emission in the studied area. Based on N₂/Ar ratios and N₂ isotopic results, the excess soil N₂ in this study is considered to be largely derived from ancient atmospheric air which was dissolved in groundwater. Furthermore, observations rule out the possibility of CO₂ being the dominant carrier gas for He in the studied area based on the C and He isotopic compositions and the relationship between concentrations of these gases. At least two soil gas sources, A and B, can be identified in the studied area. Source A is an abiogenic gas source characterized by excess N₂ and He, and very low O₂ and CO₂ content. Source B, on the other hand, is a mixture of biogenic gas and atmospheric air. The development of the fault system is an important factor affecting the degree of mixture between sources A and B. Therefore, variations of soil gas composition, in particular those derived from source A, could be a useful proxy for tracing faults in the area.     

土壤天然热释光法在相山火山岩型铀矿床中的应用研究

土壤天然热释光法是一种能达到攻深找盲的方法,而且它的异常重复性很好.天然热释光法在火山岩铀矿床上的应用研究表明,矿体上方异常较大,无矿区域异常较小,矿体的分布范围与高值异常范围一致.同时,在一些构造薄弱带或者裂隙、断层处出现大的异常,该方法可以为评价火山岩铀资源提供线索.     

鄂尔多斯盆地砂岩型铀矿深穿透地球化学勘查方法实验

鄂尔多斯盆地尚未开展区域化探扫面工作。文中以东胜砂岩型铀矿区为例,开展深穿透地球化学勘查方法实验。东胜铀矿床产于侏罗系直罗组下段,为隐伏矿床。研究发现,富含细粒级地表结层是半干旱盆地砂岩型铀矿区域地球化学勘查的有效采样介质。在东胜砂岩型铀矿区及周边2 000 km2的方法实验中,每4 km2采集一个样品,过筛后取-200目进行全量分析,在矿化出露区及隐伏矿区圈出了铀及相关元素的地球化学异常。对元素比值R=lnU/(lnCe+lnY+lnZr+lnNb)在不同区域分布特征的研究表明,样品中活动态铀是形成铀异常的主要原因,提取细粒级土壤组分进行全量分析,可作为区域深穿透地球化学的砂岩型铀矿找矿指标。在矿床尺度深化穿透地球化学勘查方法中,因实验区地形特点使得富含细粒级地表结层样品不易普遍取得,地表土壤的全量分析不能满足勘查要求,需要采用铀专属性强的提取试剂进行元素活动态分析。文中采用作者研制的MML-U活动态提取剂,在东胜铀矿区孙家梁矿段剖面实验中,成功探测到矿体上方土壤中的U、Mo、V等元素的活动态异常。     

柴东地区航放异常成因及其找矿意义

1997年在柴达木盆地东部（柴东地区）五道梁及北霍布逊湖地区发现了两片共7处航放异常。本从基础地质条件出发，分析、研究了柴东地区的区域地下水动力条件，对航放异常区的放射性水地球化学特征进行了分析，重点解剖了五道梁地区航放异常。从水地质角度探讨了航放异常成因，认为其反映了深部铀成矿信息，进而指出柴东地区有利于形成层间氧化带砂岩型铀矿化，值得进一步工作。