- SMDI #
- 1987
- Current Showing Name
- Riou Lake Uraniferous Boulder Train
- Historical Showing Names
- Riou Lake Uraniferous Boulder Train
- Company Name
- Pioneer Metals Corporation
- Project Name
- UTM Easting (NAD83 Z13)
- 426882.8100
- UTM Northing (NAD83 Z13)
- 6552628.4600
- NTS Sheet
- 074O01
- TRM (Township-Range-Meridian)
- 116-02-3
- Primary Commodities
- Uranium
- Associated Commodities
- Phosphorus
- Discovery Type
- Float Rock
- Status
- Anomaly: Bedrock/Felsenmeer
- Geological Details
- The coordinates of the showing are taken from the approximate mid-point of the boulder train.
The area underlying the showing is Athabasca Formation sandstone. The upper part has been correlated with Ramaekers' Wolverine Point Formation and has been identified by diamond drilling by SMDC as consisting of well sorted, medium- to coarse-grained sandstones and shales. The lower unit consists of poorly sorted sandstones. This entire sequence unconformably overlies chlorite-biotite-feldspar gneiss basement rock.
The showing consists of several uraniferous glacial erratics which trend in an east-west belt which passes through Riou Lake. Uranium values range from several hundred ppm to 11.3% U. The erratics, which assayed up to 13.5% P2O5, are of cobble to boulder size and consist of medium- to coarse-grained reddish sandstone which may contain abundant smoky quartz. On the basis of their distribution, size and roundness, they are considered to be far travelled and derived from a source estimated to be located several tens of kilometers up-ice from the eastern boundary of the permit.
The lithology and analysis of the anomalous samples are given below:
Sample No. cps % U Lithology
_____________________________________________________________________________
J9B-1,24 7600 8.4 Sandstone--siliceous, hematized, medium
to coarse grained (Pioneer Metals 1999
resample gives 1390 ppm U)
J9B-8 2000 0.6 Sandstone--siliceous, hematized, medium
to coarse grained with yellow uranium
oxide staining
J9B-12 5000 0.2 Sandstone--siliceous, hematized medium
grained with yellow uranium oxide
staining, U in matrix
J9B-15 5500 1.3 Sandstone--reddish brown, coarse
grained with smoky quartz
J9B-18 7000 1.3 Sandstone--black, coarse grained with
abundant smoky quartz; U in matrix
J9B-19 1500 0.5 Sandstone--reddish brown medium to
coarse grained, U in matrix
J9B-20 2800 1.0 Sandstone--black, coarse grained,
abundant smoky quartz
J9B-26 +15,000 11.3 Sandstone--medium grained, yellow
U-stain throughout, U in matrix
- Geological Domain
- Tantato
- Host Rocks
- Host Minerals
- Indicators
- Exploration History
- 6/28/1989 The area was originally covered by SMDC Permit No. 26; the name was changed to MPP 1086 on 1 December 1977. A substantial amount of exploration work has been done on the property, the earliest reported in 1978 by SMDC when they undertook aeromagnetic (AF 74-0002) and airphoto interpretation of the area (AF 74O-0006). That same year they carried out lake sediment and water sampling, overburden sampling, a seismic survey and an audiomagnetotelluric study (AF 74O-0007).
In 1979, work continued within the area consisting of diamond drilling, prospecting and low-level aeromagnetic surveying (AF 74I13-0006). It was as a result of this prospecting that the showing was discovered. As a result, extensive exploration was undertaken and continued into the following year. Airborne EM and magnetic surveys were done (AF 74O01-0013) and evaluated by SMDC (AF 74O-0010). That same year overburden sampling, prospecting, ground EM and gravity surveys were carried out (AF 74O-0011), a marine seismic survey done (AF 74O01-0007), and Eldorado Nuclear Ltd. drilled up-ice on MPP 1040 to locate the source of the glacial erratics (AF 74I13-0007). No source was found.
In 1981, SMDC continued their exploration of the area by prospecting and doing ground geophysics and geochemical sampling (AF 74O-0012). Work done on MPP 1086 but not pertaining to the showing consisted of line-cutting and gravity and VLF-EM surveys (AF 74I13-0012). The ground geophysical program continued into 1982 (AF 74O01-0015;-0020) and SMDC later prospected the Platt Creek Fault area and did overburden and springwater sampling (AF 74O01-0021).
MPP 1086 was converted to CBS 8906 to CBS 8908 on 1 December 1977; areas not covered by these claims lapsed 1 August 1983.
On 11 July 1997, Rod Spooner staked the showing as CBS 8745 for Pioneer Metals Corporation. Between 1997 and 1998, Pioneer metals completed lake sediment sampling and a ground TDEM survey in the immediate showing area (AF 74O01-0025). In 1999, Pioneer Metals Corporation completed lake sediment sampling immediately north of the showing (74O01-0028).
- Production History
- Reserves and/or Resources