A Review of Uranium Deposits in the Karoo Supergroup of South Africa

Uranium (Nuclear Minerals) / Exploration, Mining, Marketing, & Acquisitions

Date posted: 01/05/10

Uranium is present in the form of fluvially-deposited, sandstone-hosted peneconcordant tabular deposits in the Late Permian lower Beaufort Group (Adelaide Subgroup) and Late Triassic Molteno and Elliot formations within the main Karoo Basin and Late Permian coal-hosted deposits in the Springbok Flats Basin. The sandstone-hosted deposits generally contain less than 1000 t U in situ, the largest deposit having 6791 t U. Average recoverable grades are 0.76 kg U/t. Metallogenesis is thought to have been dependent upon uranium source, palaeoclimate and availability of a reductant. Basement granite and volcanic ash have been proposed as possible uranium sources for the Adelaide Subgroup and granite for the Molteno and Elliot formations.