Uranium mineralization associated with late Palaeozoic acid magmatism in northeast Queensland

The late Palaeozoic acid igneous petrographic province, covering some 120,000 km2 in the Cairns-Townsville hinterland, has associated uranium mineralization characterized by various combinations of uranium, fluorine, and molybdenum. Mineralization of this type has been described from other parts of the world, but is best known in the USSR. Information about the Australian deposits and occurrences is very limited, but it is apparent that the mineralization is mainly of hydrothermal origin and genetically related to extensive late Palaeozoic magmatism. A detailed description of the mineralization and the prospect of additional discoveries of uranium deposits of similar and related types in other parts of Australia are discussed. (J.R.)