The uranium potential of Greenland - A geological analysis of favourability

The potential for uranium deposits in Greenland is estimated on the basis of the following criteria: (1) the land areas, not covered by inland ice are 340,000 km2, and geologically extremely well exposed; (2) the geological history ranges from the early Archaean to the Quaternary, and a wide range of geological environments and lithologies are present; (3) the level of geological information is generally of a high quality, but the information is heterogeneous; (4) uranium exploration up to the present is mainly of a reconnaissance nature and it has only covered a part of Greenland; (5) only one major uranium deposit is at present known. It is concluded that the area with the highest potential is found in south Greenland and encompasses the early to middle Proterozoic mobile belt and the middle Proterozoic suite of Gardar alkaline igneous plutons. The high favourability of these units is supported by data from recent exploration work in the area as well as by radiometric data of an earlier date. In particular Ketilidian metasedimentary units, and the Ketilidian and post-Ketilidian country rocks of some of the Gardar complexes appear favourable. In view of the limited exploration work carried out, the early Proterozoic mobile belt in north central Greenland as well as the Proterozoic crystalline basement and the overlying suprastrata of the Thule Group in north-west Greenland are classified as being of medium favourability. Further exploration is required within these areas. (author)