In a breakthrough announcement, China's Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) revealed the discovery of the world's deepest sandstone industrial uranium mineralization at 1,820 meters underground in the Tarim Basin of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the Chinese mainland.
Industrial uranium mineralization serves as a direct, reliable clue for locating uranium deposits, and this find marks the first time a thick, large-scale layer has been identified in the red variegated strata beneath the desert's heart. It fills a critical exploration gap in China's largest desert-covered region.
A blend of remote sensing, geophysical surveys, geochemical analyses and targeted deep drilling underpins this success. Nuclear scientists have integrated these methods into a green and efficient detection system tailored for sandstone-type uranium mines in desert landscapes, boosting exploration capabilities while minimizing environmental impact.
Qin Mingkuan, principal investigator at the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), explained: "By combining data-driven forecasts with deep drilling verification, we finally hit the thick industrial uranium mineralization in the desert core of the Tarim Basin. The discovery is significant, with great value and prospects."
By uncovering a major industrial uranium layer in the Chinese mainland's largest desert expanse, this breakthrough fills a critical exploration gap and lays the groundwork for steady uranium-industry development.
Reference(s):
China discovers deepest sandstone industrial uranium mineralization
cgtn.com
