No description available.

The Millennium uranium deposit is located 35 km north of the Key Lake mine, Saskatchewan. Uranium mineralization occurs in a variety of styles including (1) massive replacement, (2) fracture filling veins, (3) fine-grain aggregates associated with “mini” roll fronts, and (4) disseminated grains. The chemical Pb and isotopic 207Pb/206Pb ages of the massive (style 1), vein-type (style 2), and fine-aggregate (style 3) uraninite cluster at 1400-1200 and 1100-900 Ma. The ~1400 Ma ages coincide with the primary mineralization event for many of the uranium deposits (1550-1400 Ma) within the Athabasca Basin. Unlike other uranium deposits from the Athabasca basin, disseminated uraninite (style 4) have 207Pb/206Pb ages from 1770-1650 Ma. These ages are older than the depositional age for the Athabasca sediments (~1710 Ma) and are similar to the ages from the Beaverlodge vein-type uranium deposits.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The Millennium uranium deposit is located 35 km north of the Key Lake mine, Saskatchewan. Uranium mineralization occurs in a variety of styles including (1) massive replacement, (2) fracture filling veins, (3) fine-grain aggregates associated with “mini” roll fronts, and (4) disseminated grains. The chemical Pb and isotopic 207Pb/206Pb ages of the massive (style 1), vein-type (style 2), and fine-aggregate (style 3) uraninite cluster at 1400-1200 and 1100-900 Ma. The ~1400 Ma ages coincide with the primary mineralization event for many of the uranium deposits (1550-1400 Ma) within the Athabasca Basin. Unlike other uranium deposits from the Athabasca basin, disseminated uraninite (style 4) have 207Pb/206Pb ages from 1770-1650 Ma. These ages are older than the depositional age for the Athabasca sediments (~1710 Ma) and are similar to the ages from the Beaverlodge vein-type uranium deposits.

Advances in mass spectrometry in the second half of this century allowed very accurate measurements of isotopic compositions of various elements. In turn it was discovered that due to the radiogenic origin of some of these isotopes their composition often reflects the geochemical history of minerals and rocks. Terrestrial lead is composed of four isotopes, of which three are radiogenic in origin as daughters of uranium and thorium. In geochronology the isotopic composition of minerals helps in dating the ore and rock formations. However, if there is enough diversity amongst the isotopic compositions of different deposits, then their lead isotope composition can be used as a simple and unique 'fingerprint', which can be scientifically measured. This feature can be used as a powerful tool in the identification of sources of ancient metals, because it passes unchanged through the smelting and refining processes. However, one of the most important requirements for such 'lead isotope provenance studies' is empirical investigation of the 'fingerprints' of ore deposits which are relevant to a given archaeological research. In this dissertation the scientific foundations of lead isotope provenance studies are described and examined in detail. All available evidence concerning the possibility of distinguishing isotopically between different European ore deposits is examined and methods of visual and numerical evaluation of the lead isotope data are suggested. Two examples of applications to specific archaeological problems are also given: the identification of sources of metals used for production of Bronze Age Cretan weapons and of non-ferrous metals in the Roman Period in Southern Poland. The interpretation of lead isotope data for archaeological objects is based on nearly 1500 isotopic analyses of ores.

No description available.