Geophysics of the Patterson Lake South Uranium Deposit, northwestern Saskatchewan

Abstract

The Athabasca Basin’s major uranium deposits and mines are generally proximal to graphitic conductors (reducing environment) and accompanied by an alteration ‘halo’ which is usually a resistive low, but can also be silicified (resistivity high). The sandstone environment is normally highly resistive which makes things ideal for EM detection of weaker graphitic conductors at depth. The Triple R deposit on Fission Uranium Corp’s Patterson Lake South Property is located in Canada’s Athabasca Basin, home to the world’s richest uranium mines. It is the only major, high-grade deposit in the region that is potentially open-pitable and is the largest mineralized trend in the region - currently standing at over 3 km in length. Patterson Lake South is unconventional in that virtually all the major high grade uranium deposits have been inside the basin margins and were on the east side of the Athabasca Basin; whereas Patterson Lake South lies outside the basin margins and is on the west side of the Basin. The Patterson Lake South discovery is chronicled from the initial airborne radiometric and EM surveys, to ground follow-up using DC resistivity and induced polarization, horizontal loop EM, moving loop TEM and radon survey, leading up to the discovery holes. The deposit shows excellent correlation with a VTEM conductive ‘bright spot’, an interpreted conductor and a resistivity low segment. Also significant is the evidence of cross structure seen in the resistivity at the west side of the displayed deposit outline. The continued success of the resource delineation and expansion is attributed to the dedicated Fission staff for their work to bring the project forward. From Discovery to Resource Estimate, the Triple R Deposit was achieved in just two years of drilling.