Gladiator Resources Ltd’s (ASX: GLA) new radiometric survey at the SWC Target (SWC) within its 724km2 Mkuju Uranium Project indicates a domal structure with an interpreted gentle dip of the uranium mineralised layer ‘outwards’ from the high-grade surface mineralisation.
If this interpretation is correct, it presents the opportunity for extensive and shallow uranium mineralisation and obvious targets for the drilling planned for Q1 2024. The recent trenching and radiometric survey increase the Company’s belief that there may be a significant sandstone-hosted uranium deposit at SWC.
Trenches gave a best zone of 44m with 9,999 counts per second (cps) the maximum for the device, and more recently up to 32,000 cps with a larger scintillometer. Samples have been sent to the laboratory.
SWC is ~50 km south of Mantra/Uranium One’s world class “Nyota” deposit (hosting a Measured and Indicated MRE of 187 Mt at 306 ppm U3O8 containing 124.6 Mlbs U3O8) in a similar geological setting.
Radiometric survey results
The ground spectrometer survey was carried out by independent geophysical contractor, Gregory Symons Geophysics over a 3-week period during October 2023. The data was older airborne data. The new data supports an interpretation of a domal structure with the surface/shallow mineralisation layer dipping outwards.
The interpretation is supported by geological observations; dip measurements north of the northern edge of the anomaly indicate gentle dip to the north in that area. If the interpretation is correct, then the mineralisation found at surface/near surface (in the 2008 auger holes and recent trenches) is likely to dip under cover and be shallow and potentially be of significant extent. This presents obvious drill-targe. While on site the independent geophysical contractor checked one of the trenches (trench 5) with a large crystal (1 litre) spectrometer and recorded values up to 32,000 cps.
The material in the auger holes and trenches at SWC is heavily oxidised. It is uncertain if the primary mineralisation that will be targeted by drilling down-dip of the surface mineralisation will have similar grade and thickness, it is possible that ‘supergene’ processes have caused surficial concentration of uranium.
