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Hydrothermal uranium deposits. Developments in economic geology, 6
Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 10 (1978) 109--116 109 © Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands
B o o k Reviews
Hydrothermal Uranium Deposits. Developments in Economic Geology, 6. R.A. Rich, H.D. Holland and U. Petersen. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1977, 264 pp., U.S. $ 35.00. Elsevier again has moved rapidly to present to explorationists and acedemics alike a very timely b o o k on hydrothermal uranium deposits. It fills a special need insofar as hydrothermal or vein-type uranium deposits are believed to have received the bulk of exploration and research expenditures during the last decade. The state of knowledge in this b o o k is a b o u t late 1975. It is a revised version of ERDA Report GJO-1640 on vein-type uranium deposits written b y three professors of Harvard University and dated October 10, 1975. It is thus unfortunate that the b o o k , which came on the market early in 1977, is already o u t of date, b u t this was to be expected in this fast-moving field. Much exploration research b y industry, government and universities across the world is confidential and will n o t appear in print for some time. The b o o k is very well organized with 264 pages and 2 parts. The first part contains 6 chapters on basics like geology, geochemistry and genesis. The second part contains descriptions of the most important and representative veintype deposits in North America, Australia, Europe and Africa. Indonesia, Japan, the Soviet Union and South America are excluded. The print and the paper are superb in the Elsevier tradition and there is much space beside the printed text on each page for notes. The size 17 X 25 X 2 cm and weight of a b o u t 11/~lbs. hard cover fits into any field pack, briefcase or handbag. The price of U.S. $ 35.00 is not o u t of line b u t tough on students. The authors admit in the preface that this b o o k is a first a t t e m p t toward an understanding of the genesis of this deposit type. Late in 1976 and early 1977, some significant new information became available on the complexity of Canadian hydrothermal deposits. Recently recognized multistage events concerning the emplacement of uranium m o d i f y previously held ideas considerably, and these in turn will be changed by future data. Therefore, the chemical conclusions drawn in the first part of the b o o k are adequate for this condensed volume, b u t active explorationists should realize that this field is extremely complex and presents many problems to the investigators of uranium metallogenesis. It is interesting to note the change of the historical term of " h y d r o t h e r m a l " from the strict definition of the Lindgren and Schneiderhoehn Schools. Now the dogma has been lifted, and in this volume " h y d r o t h e r m a l " is all-encompassing a veritable "composito o p p o s i t o r u m " . The old terminology of "hypogene" and "supergene" is also slowly being decrepitated and new terms such as " h y d r o g e n i c " (Drs. R o n McMillan and Vladimir Ruzicka, Canada) are trying to define these processes more adequately.
110
The reader should be aware that many of the descriptions of deposits in the b o o k are n o w inadequate. More detailed studies in open pits, e.g. at the Rabbit Lake mine, have led to the modification of the interpretation which previously depended on drill core data only. Interpretations by Saskatchewan government geologists L.S. Beck, T.I. Sibbald and J. Hoeve, though still on somewhat shaky ground, are required additional reading. In the references, which are generally good, some significant omissions occur: G. Bigotte (France) separated the geochemical cycle of uranium into the supergene and hypogene segments in 1964 (International Geological Congress, New Delhi). This was a very important geochemical concept for exploration. The theory of "biorhexistasie" of H. Erhart (France) appears to this reviewer worthy of mention, even if it represents only one phase in the mobilization of uranium. The same is valid of "Geochemistry of Epigenesis" by A.I. Perelman of Moscow, U.S.S.R. One of the most incisive researchers, a true hydrothermalist, John W. Gabelman is also not mentioned. Gabelman's theories are controversial from many geologists viewpoint, b u t he is one of the best informed writers on the subject and very stimulating. Uranium is a very versatile and mobile element and therefore of prime interest to geochemists either from a genesis viewpoint or as applied to geochemical exploration, which is b y far the most important search tool at present. The authors and publishers are to be congratulated on a concise volume which could not have been composed better on a short space of 264 pages. The biggest accolade will come from active explorationists who, often desperate for new ideas and effective tools, will find some real bits of information for exploration guidance in this book. H.D. KNIPPING (Ottawa, Ont.)
Exploration for Uranium Ore Deposits. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1976, 806 pp., U.S. $ 49.00. Available from Booksellers or from: Division of Publications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Karntner Ring 11, P.O. Box 590, A-1011 Vienna, Austria. The best educational investment for newcomers to uranium exploration is to acquire the relevant publications of the International Atomic Energy Agency which have been published during the last eight years. The publications contain papers presented at various Symposia, Technical Committees and Panel Meetings convened by the Agency at approximately two year intervals. Volumes in the series have included Uranium Exploration Geology (1970), Uranium Exploration Methods (1973), Formation of Uranium Ore Deposits (1974), Exploration for Uranium Ore Deposits {1976) and Recognition and Evaluation of Uraniferous Areas (1977). The volume which is the subject of this review was published the same year as the meeting was held (1976), whereas the last volume of the preceding list is a report of a meeting held in 1975.
B o o k Reviews
Hydrothermal Uranium Deposits. Developments in Economic Geology, 6. R.A. Rich, H.D. Holland and U. Petersen. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1977, 264 pp., U.S. $ 35.00. Elsevier again has moved rapidly to present to explorationists and acedemics alike a very timely b o o k on hydrothermal uranium deposits. It fills a special need insofar as hydrothermal or vein-type uranium deposits are believed to have received the bulk of exploration and research expenditures during the last decade. The state of knowledge in this b o o k is a b o u t late 1975. It is a revised version of ERDA Report GJO-1640 on vein-type uranium deposits written b y three professors of Harvard University and dated October 10, 1975. It is thus unfortunate that the b o o k , which came on the market early in 1977, is already o u t of date, b u t this was to be expected in this fast-moving field. Much exploration research b y industry, government and universities across the world is confidential and will n o t appear in print for some time. The b o o k is very well organized with 264 pages and 2 parts. The first part contains 6 chapters on basics like geology, geochemistry and genesis. The second part contains descriptions of the most important and representative veintype deposits in North America, Australia, Europe and Africa. Indonesia, Japan, the Soviet Union and South America are excluded. The print and the paper are superb in the Elsevier tradition and there is much space beside the printed text on each page for notes. The size 17 X 25 X 2 cm and weight of a b o u t 11/~lbs. hard cover fits into any field pack, briefcase or handbag. The price of U.S. $ 35.00 is not o u t of line b u t tough on students. The authors admit in the preface that this b o o k is a first a t t e m p t toward an understanding of the genesis of this deposit type. Late in 1976 and early 1977, some significant new information became available on the complexity of Canadian hydrothermal deposits. Recently recognized multistage events concerning the emplacement of uranium m o d i f y previously held ideas considerably, and these in turn will be changed by future data. Therefore, the chemical conclusions drawn in the first part of the b o o k are adequate for this condensed volume, b u t active explorationists should realize that this field is extremely complex and presents many problems to the investigators of uranium metallogenesis. It is interesting to note the change of the historical term of " h y d r o t h e r m a l " from the strict definition of the Lindgren and Schneiderhoehn Schools. Now the dogma has been lifted, and in this volume " h y d r o t h e r m a l " is all-encompassing a veritable "composito o p p o s i t o r u m " . The old terminology of "hypogene" and "supergene" is also slowly being decrepitated and new terms such as " h y d r o g e n i c " (Drs. R o n McMillan and Vladimir Ruzicka, Canada) are trying to define these processes more adequately.
110
The reader should be aware that many of the descriptions of deposits in the b o o k are n o w inadequate. More detailed studies in open pits, e.g. at the Rabbit Lake mine, have led to the modification of the interpretation which previously depended on drill core data only. Interpretations by Saskatchewan government geologists L.S. Beck, T.I. Sibbald and J. Hoeve, though still on somewhat shaky ground, are required additional reading. In the references, which are generally good, some significant omissions occur: G. Bigotte (France) separated the geochemical cycle of uranium into the supergene and hypogene segments in 1964 (International Geological Congress, New Delhi). This was a very important geochemical concept for exploration. The theory of "biorhexistasie" of H. Erhart (France) appears to this reviewer worthy of mention, even if it represents only one phase in the mobilization of uranium. The same is valid of "Geochemistry of Epigenesis" by A.I. Perelman of Moscow, U.S.S.R. One of the most incisive researchers, a true hydrothermalist, John W. Gabelman is also not mentioned. Gabelman's theories are controversial from many geologists viewpoint, b u t he is one of the best informed writers on the subject and very stimulating. Uranium is a very versatile and mobile element and therefore of prime interest to geochemists either from a genesis viewpoint or as applied to geochemical exploration, which is b y far the most important search tool at present. The authors and publishers are to be congratulated on a concise volume which could not have been composed better on a short space of 264 pages. The biggest accolade will come from active explorationists who, often desperate for new ideas and effective tools, will find some real bits of information for exploration guidance in this book. H.D. KNIPPING (Ottawa, Ont.)
Exploration for Uranium Ore Deposits. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1976, 806 pp., U.S. $ 49.00. Available from Booksellers or from: Division of Publications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Karntner Ring 11, P.O. Box 590, A-1011 Vienna, Austria. The best educational investment for newcomers to uranium exploration is to acquire the relevant publications of the International Atomic Energy Agency which have been published during the last eight years. The publications contain papers presented at various Symposia, Technical Committees and Panel Meetings convened by the Agency at approximately two year intervals. Volumes in the series have included Uranium Exploration Geology (1970), Uranium Exploration Methods (1973), Formation of Uranium Ore Deposits (1974), Exploration for Uranium Ore Deposits {1976) and Recognition and Evaluation of Uraniferous Areas (1977). The volume which is the subject of this review was published the same year as the meeting was held (1976), whereas the last volume of the preceding list is a report of a meeting held in 1975.