Uranium metallogenic characteristics and prospecting significance of Hongqingliang area in northeastern Ordos basin

A NNW trending uranium metallogenic belt was found in the northeastern Ordos basin in last 20 years. In order to evaluate further the mineralizing potential of the middle part of this uranium minerogenetic belt, we choose a typical less developed area:Hongqingliang area as a research object to analyze its ore-forming conditions on the basis of the secondary development of coalfield data. These ore-forming conditions are composed of characteristics of stratigraphic structure, sand thickness distribution, spatial morphology of roof and floor, the sedimentary-tectonic evolution of Zhiluo Formation and so on. After comprehensive analysis of uranium mineralization law and ore controlling factors, we conclude that in Hongqingliang area mud-sand-mud structure was developed in the uranium metallogenic target layer(subsection of the Lower Section of Zhiluo Formation), the sand bodies are thick and show panconnected state, after the period of deposition, the target layer was lifted, denuded and exposed on the ground surface, accepted infiltrated uranium-bearing water, the uranium metallogenic conditions were advantageous, in the same time, the sand bodies had intense nonhomogeneous control on uranium deposit, the metallogenic characteristics of paleo-interlayer oxidation are evident. The spatial positioning of ura-nium mineralization in Hongqingliang area is controlled conjointly by the oxidizing reducing barrier and the heterogeneity of the sand bodies. The future work is to extrapolate exploration to the west and east sides of Hongqingliang area.