TECHNICALITY ( self correct )Lithium is not considered a rare element.
It's abundant but.... rare to find an economic deposit with concentrated grades.
Lithium is considered a, critical mineral.
World Nuclear Association May 16, 2024 — A large amount of uranium is in rare earths deposits, and may be extracted as a by-product. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/uranium-resources/uranium-from-rare-earths-deposits Do Quebec lithium deposits contain rare earth minerals ? Of course. Hence, technically speaking ( most often lithium and ree's go hand in hand )
Found in same deposit.
Essentially what the World Uranium Association is pointing out,
there's low grade uranium with in ree deposits and if one factors all the deposits
it could add up to significant amounts.
By: James J. Rytuba and Richard K. Glanzman
the
most important uranium occurrences are restricted to rhyolitic ring domes emplaced along the western margin of the calderas. Lithium occurrences are located in tuffaceous rocks that are altered to zeolites and potassium feldspar. Concentrations of lithium ranging from 0.1 to 0.68 percent are associated with the clay mineral hectorite.
https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/ofr78926 Uranium in pegmatites
Uranium and rare-earth minerals are common accessory minerals in pegmatite deposits. No domestic pegmatites have been found that are rich enough to support an economic mining operation for uranium alone; however, small quantities of uranium minerals may be recovered as by-products of feldspar or mica mining. https://www.usgs.gov/publications/uranium-pegmatites What are the main sources of lithium in, Quebec deposits ?
Pegmatites. Rewrote the post for the, politcally correct crown.
lol
Lithium requires complex extraction to separate lithium from other minerals.
Since a miner has to use specialized extraction for extracting lithium, wouldn't
cost thst much more to capture the uranium.
In the US report,
Uranium values on average are... 20 ppm
= 20 grams per tonne
50 million tonne lithium deposit
x 20 grams / t
=
1,000,000,000 billion grams
~ 453 grsms ( equal to 1 lb )
= 2,207,505 million lbs
Now 20 ppm i feel is on the low side.
I've read other reports ( diff deposits ) even Canadian lithium brines host uranium
having as high as, 40 ppm, 60 pom, and as high as, 120 plm.
Which would equate to, 2x, 3x 5x more thsn above figures using example tonnage.
Make a concentrate lithium ore and ship out of country.
Chances are... U might be in the mix.
Is Britian Brilliant ?
Used Aussie explorers and monies back by ( ??? ) to find and dev many lithium deposits.
Pull a quick... national security, Britian retains lithium deposits.
Graphite Deposits ?
I've covered this topic already.
Same concept.
Low grade U. ( lead, phophate, potassium uranium bonds )
Uranium only ever recognized if.... junior asks labs to perform U assays.
If junior doesn't ask... they won't know.
Saskatchewan is reknown for Uranium miners.
Funny thing ?
Most all junior's use Saskatchewan research council lab assays.
Wink.
Second funny ?
Most Saskatchewan geo's chip samples show good assayed U values.
But... rarely do the assayed cores show uranium.
lol