Alteration zonation of drilling cores in the Baiyanghe uranium deposit of Xinjiang and its geological implications

Hyperspectral technology of drilling cores, which can provide geological information of drilling core, is a new research direction. Alteration of drilling cores is developed in the Baiyanghe uranium deposit, and the study of alteration can provide better reference for deep uranium exploration. In this paper, the spectra of eight drilling cores in the Baiyanghe deposit were measured and analyzed by FieldSpec4 visible-shortwave ground-based infrared spectrometer, and the results show that the hydrothermal alteration mineral assemblage of the drilling cores has three types of obvious zonation features, which is named "the upper is high, the bottom is low and the middle is transitional", In detail, Al-poor muscovite + a little hematite, limonite and montmorillonite assemblage is in the upper part of the drilling core, intermediate Al-content muscovite + Al-poor muscovite + a little hematite, limonite, montmorillonite and carbonate assemblage is in the middle, Al-rich muscovite + chlorite and carbonate assemblage is at the bottom. The varieties of muscovitès Al-OH absorption peak reflect the hydrothermal activities of the deposit, whose feature is that the relatively higher temperature, higher pressure and more acidic hydrothermal fluid is in the depth, and things are just the opposite in the upper part. The characteristics of three types of zonation and hydrothermal activities show that the Baiyanghe uranium deposit probably has obvious hydrothermal ore-forming background and uranium mineralization is located in the transition zone, which may be a favorable site for uranium mineralization and possible hydrothermal/mineralization centers. The transition zone develops hematite, intermediate Al-content muscovite, and Al-rich muscovite, which may be closely related to uranium mineralization. These data can provide reference and information for the deeper exploration.