This paper defines four (04) uranium metallogenic epochs ranging from 2.8 Ga to Recent period and five (05) major uranium provinces in India. It presents overview of advances brought in AMD during last seven decades and way forward for augmentation of uranium resources in next 10-15 years.
Tuyển tập báo cáo Hội nghị Khoa học Công nghệ hạt nhân toàn quốc lần thứ 14 Proceedings of Vietnam conference on nuclear science and technology VINANST-14 EMERGING CONCEPTS IN URANIUM EXPLORATION IN INDIA: AN OVERVIEW AND WAY FORWARD DEEPAK KUMAR SINHA Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Hyderabad-500 016 Email: director.amd@gov.in Abstract: The geological set up of India which encompasses rocks of Archaean to Recent provides scope for any metallogeny Records of various metallogenic epochs are preserved in the known metallogenic provinces Sustained exploration efforts by Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit under Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India has established nearly 0.3 million tonnes of uranium in the country during the last seven decades AMD has planned establishment of similar quantity of uranium resources in 10 – 15 years period to support the indigenous Nuclear Power Programme (NPP) of the country This paper defines four (04) uranium metallogenic epochs ranging from 2.8 Ga to Recent period and five (05) major uranium provinces in India It presents overview of advances brought in AMD during last seven decades and way forward for augmentation of uranium resources in next 10-15 years Keywords: Uranium, Exploration, AMD, India INTRODUCTION Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), the oldest and a constituent R&D unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, shoulders the responsibility of survey, exploration and augmentation of atomic mineral inventory of the country in the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle Uranium, thorium and rare metals (niobium, tantalum, lithium, zirconium and beryllium) are the primary targets of exploration for the nuclear power programme of India AMD is also engaged in exploration for Rare Earth Elements (REE) and helium, mainly based on indigenous technology and expertise AMD has systematically developed its exploration capabilities over last seven decades through incorporation of innovative exploration techniques and state-of-the-art analytical facilities for scaling up the exploration activities for augmentation of atomic mineral resources in diverse geological domains of the country to support the nuclear power programme of India This paper presents an overview of advancements adopted by AMD for uranium exploration in India and the way forward URANIUM METALLOGENY VIS-À-VIS GEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF INDIA An appraisal of all the known uranium deposits of the world and their space – time relationship reveals a striking similarity in uranium metallogeny, i.e their formation in well defined epochs from Early Proterozoic to Recent These epochs apparently coincide with the major phases of crustal e volution such as cratonisation of the continental crust, oxygenation of the atmosphere, global tectonic events, global intrusive episodes, evolution of land plants and life forms and formation of coal, oil and gas [1] Globally, the uranium deposits are characterized by their extreme diversity in size, grade, shape, etc as they form in conditions ranging from deep high-grade metamorphic to surficial environments and from Neoarchaean to the Quaternary Period [2] In this context, India has a unique and diverse geological composition in time and space with lithological, structural and thermal events of almost all ages of the geological time scale broadly in line with global geological episodes (Fig 1) The geological records are well documented for the evolution of potential source rocks for uranium, the favorable tectonothermal and sedimentary processes for uranium mobility in different geochemical environments and finally its fixation in suitable geological or geochemical traps leading to the formation of major types of uranium deposits The Archaean history of Peninsular India is recorded in the five distinct cratonic nuclei, namely Bundelkhand (Northern), Dharwar (Southern), Singhbhum-Odisha (Eastern), Aravalli (Western), and Bastar (Central) Cartons A series of greenstone and high-grade metamorphic belts embedded in Tonalite - Throndhjemite Gneissic (TTG) complexes constitute the terminal Archaean accretion and marked by major event of granite emplacement that occurred around 2.2 - 2.5 Ga It is around these granite batholith and cratonic blocks of gneissic greenstone complexes that subsequent Proterozoic events have unfolded, with the cratons providing the source of terrigenous sediments to the basins that evolved around them in diverse tectonic settings [3,4] 555 Tiểu ban E: Hóa phóng xạ, Hóa xạ hóa học hạt nhân, Chu trình nhiên liệu, Cơng nghệ nhiên liệu hạt nhân, Quản lý chất thải phóng xạ Section E: Radiochemistry and adiation & nuclear chemistry, Nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear material science and technology, Radioactive waste management Recent geochronological and isotopic data generated from the Singhbhum-Odisha Craton revealed that the crustal growth of the Indian cratons extended over a protracted period of >4 Ga to the end of Neoarchaean (2.5 Ga) [5] Prior to the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) which started at ~2.2 Ga, uranium was mainly mechanically transported as detrital uraninite and deposited as placers in several Meso- and Neoarchaean quartz pebble conglomerate and quartzite horizons of the greenstone belts in Dharwar, Aravalli and Singhbhum cratons [6] GOE was responsible for the initiation of intense chemical weathering of the Neoarchaean U-rich K-granites mobilising uranium from the source rocks in the soluble (U6+) state After the GOE there was an abundant supply of uranium to ocean basins in U6+ state Such a development of anoxic/euxinic conditions favoured reduction of the hexavalent uranium to tetravalent state and its deposition on a large scale in the strata of post-2.3 Ga age In southern India, the Southern Granulite Terrain (SGT) is one of the largest exposed Precambrian deep continental crustal sections consisting of multiple deformed Archean and Neoproterozoic high-grade metamorphic and magmatic rocks A set of sigmoidal shear zones developed during the closure of Mozambique ocean between Dharwar craton and SGT with progressive sequence from Pacific-type orogeny (Neoarchean) to Himalayan-type orogeny (Neoproterozoic) as a result of collisional suturing [7,8] Concentration of U in these domains of high-grade metamorphic rocks is very low as during progressive regional metamorphism, U is expelled from the system during partial melting and subsequent melt extraction The Proterozoic basins developed over the Peninsular India exhibit quartz arenite (with or without rudaceous components) - argillite - carbonate associations that characterise ‘passive extensional basins’ occurring on the margin of cratonic blocks These sediments are assigned to an array of supra-tidal, shore-face, inter-tidal and off-shore depositional systems, with occasional incidence of aeolian, evaporitic and euxinic environmental conditions [9,10] Substantial thickness, in the order of kilometers, of these Proterozoic basin successions with pervasive shallow-marine signatures is attributed to intra- to epicratonic basin model with slow, steady subsidence [3] Majority of the redox-controlled, sedimentary and structurally controlled, hydrothermal uranium deposits of India are hosted in the Proterozoic rock formations (mostly between 1.9 – 0.8 Ga) The rocks representing the transition period between Precambrian and Phanerozoic is exposed in the Lesser Himalayan Region which also record uranium concentrations in phosphorite and black shale Phanerozoic sedimentation within the Indian craton commenced essentially from Late Carboniferous with the opening of continental rift systems in East Gondwana assembly, of which India was a constituent member along with Australia, Antarctica and Madagascar Late Jurassic onward, the fragmentation of East Gondwana and the separation of India from its erstwhile neighbours triggered the formation of the eastern and western coastlines of the Indian plate The craton-margin rifts turned into passive margins as the Indian plate took a long northward drift with time The continuing convergence of subducting plate and obduction of Himalaya-Tibet fold-thrust belt, the flexural buckling of the Indian lithosphere resulted in the formation of foreland basins with varying dimension and character in conjunction with the evolution of the Himalayan fold-thrust system Phanerozoic basins of varying tectonic affinity viz rift, passive margin, accretionary arc/forearc, intermontane, foreland opened and evolved in tune with the rift-drift-collision history of the Indian plate, starting with intracontinental Gondwana basins in Late Carboniferous and culminating in the Indo-Gangetic foreland with commencement of Himalayan orogeny Eocene onward [11] The fluvial Cretaceous sediments of Mahadek Basin in north east India, fluvio-deltaic Gondwana sediments (Permian to Cretaceous) in Central India and the foredeep mollasic sedimentary rocks of Siwalik Basin (Middle Miocene to Pleistocene) in northern India have significant potential to host sandstone-type uranium mineralisation Such mineralisation is attributed to concentration of intrinsic uranium in the basement granitoids and sediments derived from fertile silicic magmatic crystalline/tuffaceous provenance and subsequent remobilisation by groundwater Enrichment of uranium is controlled by porosity- ermeability barriers and abundance of reductants such as organic carbon, pyrite, and anaerobic bacteria Secondary controls by localised faults and relatively higher concentrations of Se, Mo, Cu, Co, V, and 556 Tuyển tập báo cáo Hội nghị Khoa học Cơng nghệ hạt nhân tồn quốc lần thứ 14 Proceedings of Vietnam conference on nuclear science and technology VINANST-14 Au with uranium are the chemical characteristics of this period The Deccan Traps represent a continental flood basalt province that records immense accumulations of tholeiitic basalt magmas as layered structure (traps) which erupted over a relatively short time span (0.5 Ma) straddling the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary around 65 Ma The basaltic lava covered an area of lakh sq km in the western and central part of India, with thickness decreasing from west to east, with around 100 m in the east to about 1500 m in the west [12] Although uranium content in trap basalts is very less, uranium ccurrences are known at the contact of the Deccan Trap (basalt)- Infratrappean (Lameta) beds – crystalline basement [13] Though the Deccan basalts are low in uranium content, cogenetic alkaline/carbonatite rocks contain vast economic resources of REE In post-Oligocene, large river systems originating from the Himalaya i.e., the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra, coastal tracts and desert regions such as the Thar record thick Quaternary deposit in Indian subcontinent These deposits constitute an important archive for Quaternary paleoclimatic studies including variations in monsoonal strength and intensity that took place during the Late Quaternary in India [14] In Western India, especially in Thar desert, Mg-calcrete formations under arid climatic condition in fluvio-lacustrine environment has favoured the formation of calcrete type of uranium occurrences by mixing of ephermal centripetal drainage with dissected palaeochannel water and groundwaters originating from acidic/basic volcanic [15,16] HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF URANIUM EXPLORATION IN INDIA The history of exploration for atomic minerals in India dates back to the discovery of the occurrence of monazite bearing black sand along the southern and south-western coast of India by a German Chemist, Schomberg in 1909 [17].The first report of uranium in India was in 1913, when occurrence of gummite (altered uraninite) and a 36 pound pure uraninite nodule was discovered from pegmatite of Gaya district, Bihar [18,19] ubsequently,torbernite has been discovered from Singhbhum belt in the early 1920's by a private prospector (E.F.O Murray) and documented in the records of the Geological Survey of India [20] The pre-independence records of 30 year period not show significant development in the search of uranium minerals However, post-independence, emphasis was given for the development of this as energy resource and major discoveries of uranium mineralisation were recorded Initially, uranium exploration by AMD was primarily oriented towards understanding the various processes of uranium mineralisation in a geological domain or in a host rock and contemplating possibilities of economically viable deposits The first extensive surveys for uranium began in 1949 in Singhbhum, Eastern India by a joint team of geologists from the Atomic Energy Commission, Geological Survey of India and Damodar Valley Corporation The team discovered fifty seven (57) uranium anomalies [21] The follow up exploratory drilling mainly concentrated in four major prospects namely Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar and Keruadungri [22] resulted in delineation of promising subsurface continuity of the uranium mineralisation Subsequent to the discoveries in the Singhbhum belt and the geological analogies of discovery related to hydrothermal deposits in black shales and pegmatites elsewhere in the world, uranium mineralisation was located in Aravalli Fold Belt at Umra (hosted in Precambrian calcareous/carbon phyllites) and at Bhunas (pegmatite hosted) in 1955-56 [23] The introduction of airborne surveys was a major input to the exploration activities of AMD India has been one of the pioneers in using the airborne surveys for uranium exploration as AMD commenced airborne survey way back in 1955 with indigenously designed and developed Gamma Ray Total Count System to cover large areas and lead to fairly quick location of anomalies [24] Various geological domains were covered by flying over 1,19,000 sq km area from 1957 – 62 [25] Exploratory mining commenced in Jaduguda as well as in Umra in 1957 The mineralisation had both primary and secondary uranium minerals with higher grades recovered through a shaft and processed for its contained uranium at the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET), the precursor to Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Subsequent progressive changes in uranium exploration strategies and adoption of innovative multidisciplinary techniques by AMD for survey and prospecting for uranium, brought to light several other genetic types of uranium mineralisation in India PROGRESSIVE CHANGES IN URANIUM EXPLORATION AND STRATEGIES IN INDIA Over the last seven (07) decades, the exploration models and techniques adopted by AMD have 557 Tiểu ban E: Hóa phóng xạ, Hóa xạ hóa học hạt nhân, Chu trình nhiên liệu, Cơng nghệ nhiên liệu hạt nhân, Quản lý chất thải phóng xạ Section E: Radiochemistry and adiation & nuclear chemistry, Nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear material science and technology, Radioactive waste management changed manifold Till 1970s, exploration was primarily focused to delineate the surficial radioactive anomalies with regard to the geochemical and geophysical properties attributed to the mineralising processes Exploration efforts were based mainly on investigating shear zone and granite related uranium mineralisation The Singhbhum copper belt in Eastern India became the obvious first choice for first extensive surveys for uranium in India in 1949 following the analogy of vein type, structure controlled, shear induced, hydrothermal uranium deposits established in Shinkolobwe, Katanga Copper Province, Congo [26] and the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, USA [27] Granitic rocks are known to constitute the most potential source rocks for uranium Thus terrains with Late Archaean granitoids and younger granites had provided a good provenance The discovery of uranium in the Quartz Pebble Conglomerates (QPC) of Blind River, Canada and Witwatersrand in South Africa prompted surveys in the basal conglomerates of the Eparchaean unconformity at the base of the Dharwar Supergroup in Dharwar Craton, Iron Ore Group (IOG) in Singhbhum- Odisha Craton and Aravalli Supergroup in Aravalli Craton in India Subsequently, there was a paradigm shift in uranium exploration strategy during 1970s and the Proterozoic and Phanerozoic sedimentary basins laid over such fertile granitoid-rich provinces became potential targets for exploration The follow up ground surveys resulted in discovery of several promising uranium anomalies which were taken up for detailed subsurface exploration This change in exploration strategy and adopting global best practices/techniques in exploration and mineral deposit modelling resulted in augmentation of substantial uranium resources in India The multidisciplinary techniques for survey and prospecting for uranium and other atomic minerals in diverse geological domains of the country became the major inputs for exploration In reconnaissance stage, apart from the direct radiometric methods for shallow surficial deposits, concealed and deeper exploration targets are invariably prioritised based on application of high resolution remote sensing, airborne and ground geophysical techniques.The heliborne geophysical surveys usually employ gamma ray spectrometry, magnetic and time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) methods besides the state of the art Audio Frequency Magneto Telluric (AFMAG) and gravity methods These techniques are enormously effective in narrowing down the exploration targets, especially the concealed and deep seated targets Applications of advanced hyper-spectral remote sensing technique are being utilised for delineation of alteration zones associated with mineralisation and subsequent target selection In addition, ground geophysical methods such as electrical, magnetic, gravity and electromagnetic methods are employed where airborne surveys have indicated potentiality to define target in localized scale Presently, exploration targets are being invariably prioritised based on the interpretation of ground and heliborne geophysical data including the conventional geological and geochemical studies Geographical Information System (GIS) has facilitated the integration of digital geophysical/geological data Technological advancements such as use of mobile GPS mapper, microprocessor based total station survey instrument, handheld GPS, CAD/GIS software based thematic mapping, portable XRF and indigenous development of portable 4-channel gamma-ray spectrometer have eased the hardship faced by field geologist on course of ground geological/geochemical/radiometric surveys and mapping in earlier days Subsequently, subsurface exploration is carried out by drilling to assess the subsurface continuity and homogeneity of the mineralization Mechanised borehole multi para-logging system, microprocessor based borehole trajectory logging system, core imaging system etc are utilised to facilitate high quality data generation Besides, software based ore body modelling, 3D visualization, volumetric analysis, resource estimation and ore body simulation utilising the sub-surface exploration data are carried out in line with best global practices It helps in planning of exploratory/commercial mining and understanding the aspects of ur anium metallogeny The metallogenic studies require state-of-the-art analytical facilities Accordingly, the analytical capabilities of AMD have witnessed noticeable advancements during recent years The Geochronology, Stable Isotope, Petro–mineralogy, XRD, XRF, Electron Microprobe, Mineral Technology, Radiometric and Chemical laboratories of AMD are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment / instrumentations like Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometer (TIMS), Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS), modern 558 Tuyển tập báo cáo Hội nghị Khoa học Công nghệ hạt nhân toàn quốc lần thứ 14 Proceedings of Vietnam conference on nuclear science and technology VINANST-14 petrological microscope aided with image analysing software systems, X-Ray Fluorescence instruments (Wavelength and Energy Dispersive), Electron Probe Micro Analyser (EPMA), Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) and Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES), Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) etc., which facilitates generating analytical data to support the exploration programme and understand the genetic aspects of mineralisation Utilisation of high resolution HPGe detectors and several major and trace elements using Instrumenta Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) technique has facilitated assaying uranium up to trace level in geological samples The Chemical laboratories of AMD are equipped with state-ofthe-art instruments for estimation of uranium up to parts per trillion (ppt) level and most of the other elements up to parts per million (ppm) level These facilities have helped AMD to identify major metallogenic provinces of India The exploration efforts are focused in these provinces which have largely aided the augmentation of uranium resources from different geological domains of the country in recent times (Fig 2).6 URANIUM PROVINCES OF INDIA AND PERIODS OF METALLOGENY India is the seventh-largest country in the world, with a total area of 3.28 million square kilometer Out of this, ~49% area is not suitable for uranium exploration as it includes the Deccan Traps (basic volcanics; ~16%), higher Himalayan terrain (inaccessible; ~13%), IndoGangetic Plain (alluvium; ~13%), Mio-Pliocene/ Recent sediments, Ophiolites (~4.7%), Thar Desert (~1.3%) and the coastlines (~0.2%) Two major geographical units of India, namely the Peninsular Indian Shield and the Himalayan belt, host a variety of uranium deposits and occurrences Over the last seven decades AMD has been carrying out integrated multidisciplinary exploration over several geological domains based on conceptual models This has resulted in identification of the following five major uranium provinces The Cuddapah Basin (Paleo- to Neoproterozoic) in the Dharwar Craton of Southern Peninsular India is one of the major uranium provinces hosting uranium mineralisation at various stratigraphic levels Two major types of uranium mineralisation / deposits namely the stratabound, carbonate-hosted and unconformity-related have been identified in the Cuddapah Basin The stratabound carbonate-hosted deposits occur in the southern part of the Cuddapah Basin The Palaeoproterozoic Vempalle Dolostone occurring in the lower stratigraphic sequence of the Cuddapah Basin hosts a unique, low-grade and largetonnage uranium deposit in the Tummalapalle-Rachakuntapalle sector The vast extent of the deposit, its stratabound nature, dolostone host rock and point-to-point correlation with uniform grade and thickness of the mineralisation over considerable lengths along the strike and dip, make the deposit unique in the world Two ore lodes with an average thickness of 2.30 meters and 1.75 meters, separated by a lean band of ~3 meters, are under active exploration at vertical depths of up to 1000 meters Exploration is being continued in several sectors of the 30 km long belt in southern part of Cuddapah basin The unconformity-related uranium deposits occur in the northwestern margin of the Cuddapah Basin, comprising the Meso- to Neoproterozoic Srisailam and Palnad SubBasins Intensive exploration over the past few decades in the northern part of the Srisailam Sub-Basin established three low-tonnage, low-grade uranium deposits named Lambapur, Peddagattu and Chitrial Exploration efforts along the northern margin of the Palnad Sub-Basin have resulted in locating a low-grade and low-tonnage deposit at Koppunuru Exploration is underway in other parts of the Srisailam and Palnad SubBasins Substantial dimensions of uranium mineralisation occurring close to the unconformity between the basement granite and Gulcheru Quartzite have been established in the Kappatralla Outlier The Mesoproterozoic Singhbhum Shear Zone (SSZ) in Eastern India is a 160 km long, arcuate belt of tectonised rocks fringing the northern boundary of the Singhbhum Craton along the Singhbhum Group of rocks Exploration efforts since the early fifties led to the identification of several low-grade and low- to medium-tonnage uranium deposits, some of which are under active exploitation The established uranium deposits are mainly located in the central and eastern sectors of the shear zone Intensive exploration in various sectors in the SSZ has added significant resources to the uranium inventory in the recent times Notable among them are Singridungri-Banadungri, Rajdah, Jaduguda North, Bangurdih and Narwapahar sectors A recent, path breaking discovery of a globally unique, serpentinised peridotite hosted polymetallic deposit (U–Cr–Ni–Mo–REE–Fe–Mg) in SSZ has provided a new exploration model for 559 Tiểu ban E: Hóa phóng xạ, Hóa xạ hóa học hạt nhân, Chu trình nhiên liệu, Cơng nghệ nhiên liệu hạt nhân, Quản lý chất thải phóng xạ Section E: Radiochemistry and adiation & nuclear chemistry, Nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear material science and technology, Radioactive waste management uranium mineralisation The Mesoproterozoic North Delhi Fold Belt, comprising the Khetri, Alwar and LalsotBayana Sub-Basins in the northwestern part of India, hosts several uranium occurrences The 200 km long NNESSW trending “Albitite Line” passing through the Delhi Supergroup and Banded Gneissic Complex is the site for extensive sodic metasomatism and holds great potential to host metasomatite-type uranium mineralisation Integrated7 exploration including litho-structural, heliborne and ground geophysics and drilling resulted in the discovery of a fracture-controlled metasomatite-type uranium deposit near Rohil, Rajasthan Intensive multi-disciplinary exploration led to the discovery of another deposit at Jahaz, Rajasthan Intensive exploration efforts have resulted in establishing promising new sectors in Guman singh-Ki-Dhani, Narsinghpuri, and Hurra-Ki-Dhani in the contiguous area of Rohil, which have similar geological settings The Upper Cretaceous Lower Mahadek Formation occurring in northeastern India, exposed along the southern margin of Shillong Plateau is a potential host for sandstone type uranium mineralisation This geological domain has been under exploration since the late 1970s Substantial exploration inputs over the years led to the discovery of seven lowto edium-grade, low- to medium-tonnage, uranium deposits at Domiasiat, Wahkyn, Wahkut, Gomaghat, Tyrnai, Umthongkut and Lostoin The Neoproterozoic Bhima Basin in Southern India comprises calcareous sediments with minor arenaceous lithostratigraphic units of the Bhima Group, which were deposited over basement granite and have been affected by several east-west trending faults A small-size, medium-grade uranium deposit has been established at Gogi along the GogiKurlagare-Gundahalli Fault Intensive multi-disciplinary exploration also established another deposit at Kanchankayi adjacent to the Gogi uranium deposit Current exploration efforts are concentrated in the eastern extension of the Kanchankayi sector, around Hulkal From the metallogenic point of view, four (04) uranium metallogenic epochs have been identified in India These are a) 2800 – 2200 Ma: Uranium mineralisation hosted in quartz pebble conglomerate at the base of the greenstone belts in Dharwar, Singhbhum and Aravalli cratons belong to this period b) 2000 – 800 Ma: This is the major metallogenic epoch in India The uranium deposits / occurrences in Cuddapah Basin, Singhbhum Shear Zone, Chhotanagpur Granite Gneiss Complex, Aravalli Fold Belt, intracratonic basins such as Bhima, Kaladgi, Vindhyan, Bijawar, Shillong and Chhattisgarh, Crystallines of Himalayas and Kotri – Dongargarh Belt belong to this epoch c) 540 – 0.011Ma: Uranium mineralisation associated with phosphorites and black shales of Krol– Tal sequence in Lesser Himalaya, the sandstone type uranium deposits/occurrences in Cretaceous Mahadek basin, Permian-Cretaceous Satpura-Gondwana Basin and Miocene-Pleistocene sedimentary sequences in Siwalik Basin belong to this period d) post 011 Ma: Uranium mineralisation associated with the Quaternary calcrete / playa in Western India occurs in this period THE WAY FORWARD The progressive technological, instrumental and conceptual advancements brought about in AMD have facilitated several leads and the discovery of several new uranium occurrences / deposits in India AMD has systematically planned the exploration strategy for future augmentation of additional uranium resources Exploration inputs are to be intensified in the first order target areas for enhanced resource augmentation while R&D and phase-wise exploration inputs in the identified greenfield areas will be focussed on developing these areas for further exploration AMD envisages around million line kilometers of heliborne geophysical surveys and million meters exploratory drilling to establish nearly 3,50,000 tonnes uranium oxide within a period of 10- 15 years (2020 -2035), which is approximately the same amount established in India in last seven decades Strengthening in-house exploration and R&D wing of the Directorate by acquiring state-of-the-art instruments, trained manpower and infrastructure are high on agenda for achieving the feat 560 Tuyển tập báo cáo Hội nghị Khoa học Cơng nghệ hạt nhân tồn quốc lần thứ 14 Proceedings of Vietnam conference on nuclear science and technology VINANST-14 Considering the availability of huge thorium resources, India has the most technically ambitious and innovative three stage NPP with an aim to base the future nuclear power generation on thorium rather than on uranium in its third stage However, the expansion and self-reliance in the first (natural uranium based) and second uranium and plutonium based stage of the NPP relies on the requirement of domestic in-situ uranium resources which will be catered by the forward looking and the state-of-the-art exploration strategy of AMD REFERENCES [1] Robertson, D.S., Tilsley, J.E., and Hogg, G.M The time-bound character of uranium deposits Econ Geol 55, pp 659-694 (1978) [2] Bruneton, P and Cuney, M Geology of uranium deposits in Uranium for Nuclear Power, Hore-Lacy, Ian, Eds (Woodhead, 2016) vol 1, chap [3] Ramakrishnan M, Vaidyanadhan R Geology of India (Geol Soc Ind., 2010) vol 1,556p & vol 2, 428p [4] Valdiya, K.S The Making of India – Geodynamic Evolution (Springer Publ., 2016 ed.2), 924p [5] Chaudhuri, T A review of Hadean to Neoarchean crust generation in the SinghbhumCraton, India and possible connection with Pilbara Craton, Australia: The geochronological perspective; Earth Sci Review 202, 103085: pp 125 (2020) [6] Mahadevan, T.M.: Exploration for quartz-pebble type uranium deposits in IndiaProblems and prospects; Mem Geol Soc Ind 9, pp 19-28 (1988) [7] Sato, K., Santosh, M., Tsunogae, T., Chetty, T.R.K and Hirata, T Subduction–accretion–collision history along the Gondwana suture in southern India: a laser ablation ICP– MS study of zircon chronology Jour Asian Earth Sci 40 (1), pp 162–171 (2011) [8] Chetty, T.R.K and Santosh, M Proterozoic orogens in southern Peninsular India: contiguities and complexities Jour Asian Earth Sci 78, pp 39–53(2013) [9] Kale, V.S Proterozoic Basins of Peninsular India: status within the global Proterozoic systems Proceed Ind Nat Sci Acad., 82 (3) pp 461-477(2016) [10] Mazumder R, Eriksson P.G Precambrian basins of India: stratigraphic and tectonic context Mem Geol Soc Lond 43(1) pp.1–4 (2015) [11] Chakraborty, P.P., Tandon, S.K., Saha, S Development of Phanerozoic sedimentary basins of India Jour Asian Earth Sci 184, pp – (2019) [12] Kalia, K.L and Krishna, V.G Deep Seismic Sounding Studies in India and major discoveries Curr Sci 62(1), pp 117 – 154 (1992) [13] Hansoti, S.K., Kamlesh Kumar, Duddalwar, A.B and Nagabhushanam B Geology and uranium mineralisation in Deccan Trap-Lameta-Crystalline basement at Lalbarra, Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh, India Jour Expl Res Atomic Miner 7, pp 15-23 (1994) [14] Tandon, S.K., Sinha, R., Gibling, M.R., Dasgupta, A.S., Ghazanfari, P Late Quaternary evolution of the Ganga Plains: myths and misconceptions, recent developments and future directions Golden Jubilee Mem Geol Soc Ind 66, pp 259–299 (2008) [15] Kumar, Ramesh, Pande, D., Misra, A and Nanda, L.K Playa sediments of the Dindwana Lake, Rajasthan: A new environment for surficial type uranium mineralisation in India Jour Geol Soc Ind 77 (1), pp 89-94 (2011) [16] Rao, A.Y., Vijay Raj, K., Yadav, O.P., Nanda, L.K., Rai, A.K and Parihar, P.S., 2015: Uranium bearing magnesiancalcrete in surficial environment from Khemasar, Churu district, Rajasthan, India; Curr Sci 108 (8): pp 1540-1544.9 [17] Overstreet, W.C Geologic occurrence of Monazite U.S.G.S Prof Paper 530, 327p (1967) [18] Hayden, H H., General report for 1913 Pitchblende: Ind Geol Survey, Rec.44, 24p [19] (1914) [20] Frondel, C Mineral Composition of Gummite Americ Miner 41 (7&8), 539-568 (1956) [21] Fermor, L The mineral resources of Bihar and Orissa Rec Geol Surv Ind 53, pp 239- 319 (1921) [22] Khedkar,V.R Iso-rad survey and prospecting for uranium in the belt of uraniferous rocks in Singhbhum district, Bihar Un published F.S Report 1950-51 RMSU(AEC) (1951) [23] Bhola, K.L., Rama Rao, Y.N., Sastry, C.S , and Mehta, N.R Uranium mineralization in the Singhbhum Thrust Belt, Bihar India Econ Geol 61, pp 162-173 (1966) [24] Kaul, R., Yadava, R.S., Gupta, K.R., Govind Singh, and Bahuguna, R Structure and uranium mineralization in the Proterozoic Aravalli Supergroup of Umra area, Udaipur district, Rajasthan, India Jour Expl Res Atomic Miner 4, pp 13-25 (1991) [25] Rama Rao, Y.N Conceptual approaches and changing philosophies in uranium exploration through time in India Jour Geol Soc Ind 82, pp 192-197 (2013) [26] Sinha, D.K Geophysical exploration for uranium and other atomic minerals in India – Historical perspective and future scope Jour Expl Res Atomic Miner 28, pp.1-23 (2020) [27] Derriks, J.J.; Vaes, J.F The Shinkolobwe Uranium Deposit: Current Status of Our Geological and Metallogenic 561 Tiểu ban E: Hóa phóng xạ, Hóa xạ hóa học hạt nhân, Chu trình nhiên liệu, Công nghệ nhiên liệu hạt nhân, Quản lý chất thải phóng xạ Section E: Radiochemistry and adiation & nuclear chemistry, Nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear material science and technology, Radioactive waste management Knowledge in Proc Int Conf on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy New York: United Nations pp 94–128 (1956) [28] Sims, P K., and Sheridan, D M Geology of uranium deposits in the Front Range, Colorado: U.S Geol Surv Bull 1159, 116p (1964) 562 ... intermontane, foreland opened and evolved in tune with the rift-drift-collision history of the Indian plate, starting with intracontinental Gondwana basins in Late Carboniferous and culminating... practices/techniques in exploration and mineral deposit modelling resulted in augmentation of substantial uranium resources in India The multidisciplinary techniques for survey and prospecting for uranium and other... approaches and changing philosophies in uranium exploration through time in India Jour Geol Soc Ind 82, pp 192-197 (2013) [26] Sinha, D.K Geophysical exploration for uranium and other atomic minerals in