Yes Helmel, it is a coincidence. Selenium (drysdallite) and uranium fall into two distinct geochemical associations. These associations classify elements into the groups where they are more commonly found.
Selenium, the rarest element in drysdallite belongs to the chalcophile group of elements commonly found with sulphur. Sulphur tends to scoop up these elements when it moves through the Earth. The result can be economic deposits of sulphides such as copper, silver, lead, zinc, molybdenum, nickel...
Uranium is a lithophile element concentrating occasionally in silicate rocks. Most of the Earth's crust is silicate rocks so uranium concentrations are unusual even though the element itself is almost as common as zinc.
What intrigues me about this Cloncurry deposit is the convergence of two strong geochemical associations. There are chalcophile elements at potentially economic concentrations and there are elements linked to iron as well. (siderophiles). If I were making comparisons, I wouldn't be choosing Cadia, a porphyry copper deposit but rather Olympic Dam, an IOCGU deposit. At least part of the Wilgar anomaly seems to be IOCGU related.
Whatever formed this Wilgar deposit seems to have produced something huge. If the Company intends to spend within its means, they may choose to exploit the near surface gold resource first and grow organically. The alternative strategy of borrow borrow borrow spend spend spend is the path CMR took. Remember them?
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