| Basis for focus area |
The focus area includes known occurrences and traces of roll fronts in the Shirley Basin district (Boberg, 2010; Gregory and others, 2010). |
| Identified resources |
Identified resources and historical production of uranium. |
| Production |
The total resource of the Shirley Basin area is estimated to be more than 122 million lbs U3O8, and mostly open pit production from 1960 to 1992 was about 48 million lbs U3O8 (Dahlkamp, 2010). |
| Status |
Past mining, recent exploration. |
| Estimated resources |
Ur Energy reports in-place resources of about 8.8 million lbs U3O8 in the Measured and Indicated categories in the Shirley Basin (Schiffer and Moores, 2022). Cameco reports about 4.4 million lbs U3O8 in the Shirley Basin (UxC, 2019). |
| Geologic maps |
Jones and Gregory (2011), scale 1:100,000. Gregory and others (2010), scale 1:500,000; Love, Christiansen, Earle and Jones (1979), scale 1:250,000; Harshman (1964a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h), scale 1:24,000. |
| Geophysical data |
Inadequate aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
Eocene Wind River Formation. |
| Deposits |
The largest producers were the Utah Mine/F-group-Section-28-Area 2, and Petrotomics-Dave Group, TSG 1 and Walker Lease (Pool, 2017). |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
MRDS; International Atomic Energy Agency (2020b); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2006). |
| Geochemical evidence |
No data. |
| Geophysical evidence |
No data. |
| Evidence from other sources |
No data. |
| Comments |
Future ISR (in situ recovery) mining operations are on hold. |
| Cover thickness and description |
Most major orebodies are between 50 and 100 meters below the surface (Dahlkamp, 2010). |
| Authors |
Susan Hall, Robert W. Gregory. |
| New data needs |
Mapping at basin margins might be useful to capture the recharge area geology. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
New geologic mapping at basin margins. |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
Radiometric and electromagnetic data may be very helpful. |
| Digital elevation data needs |
Lidar complete in Wyoming. |
