Uranium Transport in F-Cl-Bearing Fluids and Hydrothermal Upgrading of U-Cu Ores in IOCG Deposits

Figure 14

Schematic model for the formation of uraninite-bornite-fluorite intergrowth textures formed at the reaction front according to the step-flow-through reactor calculations. (a) Mineralogy at the reaction front after N waves; fluorites are precipitated a bit earlier than uraninite and Cu sulfides, forming mineralogical zonation; (b) mineralogy at the reaction front after N + k waves; the reaction front is moved towards the fluid penetration direction, causing U-Cu and fluorite mineralization to be moved in the same direction. Due to this movement, early formed fluorite will be overprinted by uraninite and bornite (and/or chalcocite) when fluorites are not fully mobilized.