A catastrophe mathematical model for uranium mineralization of hot-water origin

Abstract

Presented in this paper are some primary data on the temperature, stratigraphical altitude and thickness of a certain uranium ore deposit. Taking these data as the parameters for the temperature, pressure and geochemical conditions of uranium mineralization under ideal geological conditions which constitute a finite variable series, in conjunction with the catastrophe theory developed by Rene Thom (1968), we have proposed a swallow-tail model fit to uranium mineralization. This model provides insight into the mechanism of uranium mineralization.Our study shows that the process of uranium mineralization is a discontinuous or catastrophic event. Temperature and pressure are considered important thermodynamic conditions which control the distribution pattern of uranium mineralization, and the principle of temperature-pressure correspondence for uranium mineralization has been also derived. Geological bodies of minerogenetic importance serve as favourable geochemical media for capturing ore-forming materials. Uranium mineralization of commercial importance depends on a delicate coupling between temperature,pressure, and geochemical condition. The loci of uranium mineralization in the model constitute the surfaceK, referred to as the surface of enrichment-mineralization, on which minerogenetic domain is expected.The model provides quantitatively clues to the process of uranium mineralization, i.e., a process from quantitative to qualitative changes.