Australia’s uranium endowment: Metallogeny, exploration and potential

Australia has a rich uranium endowment. This is considered to reflect the widespread emplacement of uranium-enriched felsic igneous rocks in three main periods of igneous activity. While some uranium deposits appear to have formed during these igneous events, including the giant Olympic Dam deposit, most formed by subsequent low temperature processes from uranium-enriched source rocks. There has been limited exploration since 1980 and considerable potential exists for discoveries of various types of uranium deposits.