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  • Yu SUN
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 541-551.

    Under the background of developing digital economy,the digital transformation of uranium exploration is facing structural imbalances,manifested as core contradictions such as the difficulty in integrating multi-source data,technology fragmentation,and the disconnection between data flow and business flow. This paper focused on the application requirements of digital exploration technology,proposes an information architecture model of “business logic reconstruction-data asset governance-technology middle platform empowerment”as a trinity,and designed the overall blueprint of the “54321 Project”,covering five types of application systems,four supporting systems,three platforms,two types of centers and one full-process data chain, so as to solve the problem of the broken chain of“data-knowledge-decision”. The closed-loop optimization of business flow,data flow and decision-making flow was achieved through a four-dimensional collaborative architecture system. Through the data middle platform and cloud platform,the management domain and the production domain are deeply coupled. A technical support system centered on the integration and application of multi-source data is constructed,forming an integrated data ecosystem of “mining-storage-treatment-utilization”,providing a replicable theoretical framework and practical paradigm for the digital transformation of uranium ore exploration.

  • Xiuwang CHEN, Song PENG, Yunfei FAN, Qiong WANG, Junyi CHENG, Ping LU
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 527-540.

    Dalishu uranium deposit is a carbonate rock type uranium deposit located at the Lukan fault hanging wall in the southeast limb of Xiongwu anticline. Researches on this uranium deposits are still seldom reported. Based on the field geological survey and collection of uranium ore samples in trenches and boreholes, this paper conducted a study on mineralogy,geochemistry,and genesis of the deposit. The study show that the ore body is controlled by the northeast-trending faults and the secondary Si-Ca structural planes and closely related to organic matters. The main uranium minerals in the ore are pitchblende and uraninite,and the uraninite minerals,which are closely associated with pyrite and “black”organic matters. The trace elements such as V,Cr,Co,Ni,Cu,Zn,and Mo are enriched in the ore and the wall rocks.The rare earth element distribution pattern is“right-inclined” with the enrichment of LREE and negative δEu anomaly,indicating a certain genetic relationship with the Cambrian black rock series. It believed that the ore-forming materials maybe come from the Cambrian Niutitang and Laoba formation,the deposit was formed by deep hydrothermal action which extracted the uranium from the Cambrian basement ore-forming materials and carried to favorable areas under the orogenic background of Himalayan period.

  • Guo WANG, Bo LIU, Yiming BAI, Longhui WANG, Huaming LI, Shuaishuai LU
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 485-503.

    The Ordos basin is the second largest energy basins in China,and several large uranium ore deposits have been discovered. The upper member of Lower Cretaceous Huanhe formation in the basin is the main prospecting horizon. In this paper,the uranium mineralization characteristics and metallogenic mechanism of Lower Cretaceous Huanhe formation in northern Ordos basin are studied by means of geological characteristics,altered mineral association,rock geochemistry and the metallogenic model is established. The three superimposed system domains of Lower Cretaceous Huanhe formation formed a fine-coarse-fine stratigraphic structure,which provided a foundation for the migration of uranium ore-forming fluids in the later period. In the early stage of mineralization,the scale of the oxidation zone was limited,and the main alteration minerals were hematite,limonite,pyrite,chalcopyrite,sphalerite,calcite and coffinite,etc. The metallogenic environment were of strong reducing capacity,the ore-forming fluid were strongly alkaline,and intense water-rock interaction occured. In the middle and late stage of mineralization,the oxidation zone advanced into the basin,a strong REDOX reaction developed ,the primary ore zone and reduction zone were formed,and the metallogenic environment maintained the early strong reducibility. The main altered minerals in this period were hematite,limonite,pyrite,montmorillonite,chlorite and uranite. With the mixing of ore-forming fluids,ore-forming fluids gradually turn to weak alkaline,uranyl silicate ions decomposed,and a large amount of uranite was formed.

  • Jianmei ZHANG, Changsheng DENG, Hao QIAO
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 647-658.

    To accurately measure the oxidation-reduction potential of uranium ore geological samples, this study try to explore a better measurement method and experimental conditions by comparing and analyzing the application effects of the acidic potassium dichromate method and the alkaline potassium permanganate method in the measurement of the oxidation-reduction potential of uranium ore geological samples. The potential drop method was used to systematically conduct a multi-dimensional comparison between the acidic potassium dichromate method and the alkaline potassium permanganate method. The aspects of comparison included solution stability, optimal solution concentration, sample soaking time,solid - liquid ratio, and electrode equilibrium time. The sample soaking time and electrode equilibrium time of the alkaline potassium permanganate method are shorter than those of the acidic potassium dichromate method, allowing it to reach a stable and reliable potential value more quickly. For strongly reducing samples,the ΔEh value obtained by the acidic potassium dichromate method is larger. However, the evaluation conclusions of the two methods regarding the reduction ability of the samples are consistent. Nevertheless, the precision of the alkaline potassium permanganate method is better.The optimal experimental conditions for the alkaline potassium permanganate method are as follows: a concentration of 0.03 mol∙L-1, a sample soaking time of 1.5 h,a solid-liquid ratio of 1:25, an electrode equilibrium time of 5 min, a reaction medium of 0.2 % potassium hydroxide solution, and a temperature of (25±1) °C. The ΔEh value measured by this method is basically consistent with the judgment results of the oxidation - reduction environment by the oxidation coefficient method (Fe2+/Fe3+), and is also basically consistent with the color of the samples.Based on comprehensive experimental indicators, the overall performance of the alkaline potassium permanganate method is superior to that of the acidic potassium dichromate method in the measurement of the oxidation - reduction potential of uranium ore geological samples. By adopting the optimal experimental conditions, the accurate measurement of the oxidation - reduction potential of uranium geological samples is achieved, providing reliable technical support for uranium ore geological research.

  • Xiaochuan TANG, Yibin DU, Yuying WANG, Shaobin GUAN, Changfeng SHEN
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 630-639.

    As the field verification standard for radioactive measuring instruments such as gamma loggers in uranium exploration work,radium sources have played a good role in controlling the metrological performance of the instruments. However,due to national security and environmental protection policies,the existing number of solid radium sources in China can hardly meet the increasing demand of uranium exploration workload,and there is an urgent need to carry out the development of alternative verification devices. It is planned to use natural uranium ore powder and other materials to develop verification devices to verify the radioactivity measuring instruments during the period. Based on the theory of γ radiation field,the relationship between the geometry of the verification device and the internal γ field was calculated,and it was experimentally verified that an annular column verification device with an internal bore diameter of 50 mm and an axial length of 600 mm can ensure that the center of the verification device has a saturated plateau area of 200 mm,leaving at least 100 mm redundancy for convenient detector placement. The internal irradiation volume rate is positively correlated with the thickness of the horizontally oriented ore layer before the saturation thickness is reached. The practical geometry of the γ logger verification device was determined by theoretical calculations,avoiding the waste of material and time in a large number of conservative designs.

  • Lijun GAO, Haiying LI, Wei YANG, Wei GONG, Qingqing LI
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 552-564.

    In seismic exploration,high-resolution seismic reflection imaging data volumes are critical tools for achieving fine identification of thin sandstone bodies and fault structures in sedimentary basins. However,actual seismic imaging profiles often face the loss of low- and high-frequency signals,leading to low seismic imaging resolution and ineffective identification of oil,gas,uranium,coal,and other mineral resources. In signal processing,integral and differential algorithms of effective signals respectively reflect their low- and high-frequency components. Based on this principle,this paper proposes an interpretative high-resolution processing method using multi-level fractional calculus. By separately calculating different fractional-order components of effective signals,the missing low- and high-frequency components in seismic imaging profiles are obtained. Through the introduction of multivariate Gaussian theory,Bayesian theory,and statistical inversion to improve the solving process of weighting coefficients,a broadband high-resolution seismic imaging profile is established. Compared with traditional calculus-based high-resolution processing methods,this method effectively enhances the accuracy of weighting coefficient determination and avoids the impact of calculation errors on precision. Processing results from both onshore and offshore actual data demonstrate that the proposed method significantly improves the resolution and frequency bandwidth of seismic data,thereby enhancing high-resolution identification of sand bodies and related structures.

  • Chunhui JIANG, Tangbo ZHOU, Xinwen GUO, Hangbing ZHOU, Zhi WANG
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 515-526.

    The southern section of Zone No. 9 in Mianhuakeng deposit is located in the middle of the Zhuguang pluton,which is a rich in uranium. The fault zone has undergone multiple tectonic and hydrothermal action ,forming the favorable space for uranium mineralization and storage. Through secondary development and utilization of data from previous exploration projects,this paper analyzes the change patterns of the ore bodies at different elevations in the southern section of Zone 9 by the statistics on grade and thickness. The results indicate that the ore body trend to be rich in the depth but remain stable in thickness on the whole with local widening. The occurring frequency of moderate and high-grade ore segments are increasing in the deep, which may be caused by the reduction environment in the deep. This understanding provides clues and basis for the next uranium predicting and prospecting.

  • Jihong KUANG, Fu’an MA, Guowei ZHANG, Yunchao LI
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 596-606.

    To address the applicability challenges of geophysical water exploration methods in the Carboniferous Huangjin formation of carbonaceous-argillaceous limestone characterized by uneven development of dissolution fissure,complex hydraulic connectivity of argillaceous shale interlayers,concealed groundwater occurrence conditions,scant water resources,and improve the success rate of water well drilling, This paper adopts high-density resistivity and Audio-frequency Magnetotelluric Sounding (AMT) methods to detect low-resistivity anomalies in an area of Shaoshui town,Guilin. By applying the induced polarization (IP) secondary time difference method to analyze and delineate water-induced anomalies within these low-resistivity zones. the spatial distribution and occurrence characteristics of groundwater were identified. Results indicate that the AB/2 positions characterized by low-resistivity anomalies,positive induced polarization secondary time difference values with good continuity correspond to the actual aquifer locations. Meanwhile,areas with single-point values or values below 50 ms and poor continuity exhibit low water-bearing capacity.

  • Jinxin LI, Wei ZHAO, Yuanli NING, Xiaoliu YANG, Shengwei ZHU, Ruowen WANG
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 582-595.

    High-quality field seismic data are fundamental to the refined processing of seismic signals and the accurate interpretation of geological information. A scientifically designed observation system is essential to ensure data quality and imaging effectiveness. In complex geological settings,traditional acquisition systems are prone to insufficient energy coverage and imaging shadow zones,which hinder the identification of reflection signals and the detailed delineation of target structures. To enhance seismic imaging performance under such conditions,this study conducts a systematic investigation into acquisition parameter optimization for observation systems in structurally complex areas,based on an illumination analysis approach using the one-way wave equation. Forward illumination analysis is first employed to optimize the layout of sources and receivers, thereby improving energy coverage over target horizons. Subsequently,reverse illumination analysis is used to refine shot point densification,receiver array length,and channel spacing,aiming to enhance energy acquisition and wavefield coverage. A two-dimensional geological model is constructed,and forward modeling is performed to quantitatively compare the illumination energy distribution before and after optimization,leading to the determination of acquisition parameters that meet imaging requirements. Results show that the optimized observation system effectively reduces imaging shadows in complex structural zones,improves profile continuity and reflection energy response,and exhibits strong adaptability and engineering feasibility. The proposed optimization workflow has been applied and validated in an actual survey area,demonstrating consistent improvements in imaging performance. This work confirmed the practical value of illumination-based analysis in the acquisition design for complex geological conditions and established a parameter configuration methodology suitable for fault-intensive zones and sand body development areas,which will provide a replicable design reference and technical path for future seismic exploration.

  • Chuan LYU, Xin WEI, Mengqi GAO, Shiwei HE, Tao NIE, Weiqing ZHAO
    World Nuclear Geoscience. 2025, 42(3): 504-514.

    Zoujiashan uranium deposit is located in the west of Xiangshan ore field ,which is the biggest volcanic-type uranium ore deposits in China. The exploration in recent years have found some uranium ore bodies. Based on the finished achievement of the research and exploration practice, this papers summarized the location of uranium ore bodies in Zoujiashan as the 6 positions:1)fractures zones in main fault;2)steep parts created by volcanic collapse structures;3)the junction of faults;4)secondary fracture zone in the side of main fault;5)clamping parts of parallel faults;6)the junction of volcanic collapse structures,faults,interface of different rock. We proposed three favorable location for the future exploration, they are the stable fissure-dense sector of zone 2 in hanging the wall of F6 main faults,the secondary fissure sector of Zone 1 beside the F2 fault,and a “waterfall”-like interface between different rock strata in zone 4. The first and second sector should preliminary explore shallow;the third one may explore -250 m elevation or deeper. The proposed sector provide not ideas for exploring uranium deposit in Zoujiashan area,but also the resource for the mining enterprises.