Paradigmatic Shifts in the Uranium Exploration Process: Knowledge Brokers and the Athabasca Basin Learning Curve

SEG Discovery ◽  
2011 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
James L. Marlatt ◽  
T. Kurt Kyser

ABSTRACT Uranium exploration increased over the past decade in response to an increase in the price of uranium, with more than 900 companies engaged in the global exploration on over 3,000 projects. Major economic discoveries of new uranium orebodies have been elusive despite global exploration expenditures of $3.2 billion USD, with most of the effort in historical uranium districts. The increased effort in exploration with minimal return can be described through the example of a cyclical model based on exploration and discovery in the prolific Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The model incorporates exploration expenditure, quantities of discovered uranium, and the sequence of uranium deposit discoveries to reveal that discovery cycles are epochal in nature and that they are also intimately related to the development and deployment of new exploration technologies. Exploration in the Athabasca Basin can be divided into an early “prospector” phase and the current “model-driven”phase. The future of successful uranium exploration is envisaged as the “innovation exploration” stage in which a paradigmatic shift in the exploration approach will take the industry towards new discoveries by leveraging research and technology development. Effective engagement within the “innovation exploration” paradigm requires that exploration organizations recognize knowledge brokers, and adopt research, development, and technology transfer as a long-term, systematic strategy, including critical definition of exploration targets, identification of innovation frontiers needed, enhanced leadership to accurately portray the research and development imperative and elevation of the status of the research and development effort within the organizational system.

1987 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 114-118
Author(s):  
M.W. Dale

This paper presents a manufacturing systems engineering view of important issues relating to IT research and development. It argues for an approach to the next phase of information technology development which is heavily based on real-world applications with the dominant influences held by educated users and engineers who have added computing skills, rather than information technologists. It argues for ‘consolidation’ with particular attention to total systems integration and an emphasis on the need to professionally engineer the human interface.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 104
Author(s):  
Wei-Hao Su ◽  
Kai-Ying Chen ◽  
Louis Y. Y. Lu ◽  
Ya-Chi Huang

This study collected literature on augmented reality (AR) from academic and patent databases to plot the historic development trajectory of AR and forecast its future research and development trends. A total of 3193 and 13,629 papers were collected from academic and patent databases, respectively. First, a network was established using references from the academic literature; main path analysis was conducted on this reference network to plot the overall development trajectory. Subsequent cluster and word cloud analyses revealed the following five major groups of AR research topics: AR surgical navigation applications, AR education applications, AR applications in manufacturing, AR applications in architecture, and AR applications in visual tracking. Subsequently, the relationships between the overall development trajectory and the five AR research topics were compared. Next, the title and abstract of AR-related academic and patent papers were subjected to text mining to identify keywords with a high frequency of occurrence. The results can provide a reference for industry, government, and academia when planning future development strategies for the AR field. This research adopted an integrated analysis procedure to plot the trajectory of AR technology development and applications successfully and effectively, predict future patent research and development directions and produce technological forecasts.


1984 ◽  
Vol 106 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-291
Author(s):  
H. F. Brose

Renewed interest and planning for a Space Station, probably NASA’s next major space activity, poses a new challenge for ETCLS technology not previously emphasized. Over the past two decades, regenerative life support technology development for Space Station has been underway. This development effort was always aimed at regenerative (closed loop) life support for a full capability Space Station. The level of priority for manned space presence and current budgetary pressures dictate the need for a low cost profile program with an evolutionary growth Space Station. The initial capability may be a small station with a crew of 2 or 3. This station could grow in size and capability by the addition of modules to a station with a crew of 8 to 12 with the possibility of multiple stations in orbit. Depending upon the selected missions, the early station may be best served by an open or only partially closed loop ETCLS whereas the final station may need a completely closed loop ETCLS. The challenge would be to grow in-orbit the ETCLS system capability in a “no-throw-away” fashion in order to minimize annual and total program cost. This paper discusses a possible ETCLS system evolutionary growth scenario, the Space Station architecture variations influencing the ETCLS system design, and a technology preparedness plan for Space Station ETCLS.


Author(s):  
Daniel Peter Ferguson ◽  
Guoxiang Chi ◽  
Charles Normand ◽  
Patrick Ledru ◽  
Odile Maufrais-Smith

The Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan is host to many world-class uranium deposits associated with the unconformity between the Paleoproterozoic sandstone of the basin and the underlying crystalline basement (Jefferson et al., 2007).  While the style and tonnage of these deposits vary, the current genetic model for unconformity-related uranium deposits has been a practical tool for exploration in the Athabasca Basin. However, the factors which control the location and formation of these deposits is still not fully understood. A paragenetic and petrographic study of mineralization along the Midwest Trend, located on the northeastern margin of the Athabasca Basin, aims to refine the current model and to address the general problem: What are the factors which control mineralization and non-mineralization? The Midwest Trend will be used as a "modèle réduit" for uranium mineralization, as it displays many features characteristic of unconformity type deposits. The Midwest Trend comprises three mineral leases that encompass two uranium deposits, the Midwest Main and Midwest A (Allen et al., 2017a, b). Mineralization occurs along a NE-trending graphitic structure, and is hosted by the sandstone, at the unconformity, and in much lesser amounts in the underlying basement rocks. Petrographic observations aided by the use of RAMAN spectroscopy and SEM-EDS, have been used to create a paragenetic sequence of mineralization (Fig.1). Future work will focus on fluid inclusion studies using microthermometry, LA-ICP-MS, and mass spectrometry of contained gases. References:Allen, T., Quirt, D., Masset, O. (2017a). Midwest A Uranium Deposit, Midwest Property, Northern Mining District, Saskatchewan, NTS Map Area 741/8: 2017 Mineral Resource Technical Report. AREVA Resources Canada Inc. Internal Report No. 17-CND-33-01. Allen, T., Quirt, D., Masset, O. (2017b). Midwest Main Uranium Deposit, Midwest Property, Northern Mining District, Saskatchewan, NTS Map Area 741/8: 2017 Mineral Resource Technical Report. AREVA Resources Canada Inc. Internal Report No. 17-CND-33-01. Jefferson, C.W., Thomas, D.J., Gandhi, S.S., Ramaekers, P., Delaney, G., Brisbin, D., Cutts, C., Portella, P., and Olson, R.A., 2007: Unconformity-associated uranium deposits of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Geological Survey of Canada, Bulletin 588, p. 23–67.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (513) ◽  
pp. 478-484
Author(s):  
O. V. Ptashchenko ◽  
◽  
D. Y. Arkhypova ◽  

The article examines the main global problems of the modern world space, defining the main tendencies of overcoming the crisis and the further path of human development. Globalization indicates the general nature of most processes meaningful to mankind. Modern humanity represents an indivisible system of economic, political, social and cultural ties and interactions, which is significative for the unity of its future destiny. Informatization became the basis of globalization, reflecting the current level of technology development. Global problems are problems affecting all mankind, influencing the course of economic development and social sphere, also ecology and political stability. These problems require international cooperation, since none, even a highly developed State, is able solve them on its own. The number of hungry people in the world has increased over the past few years. Now every ninth person in the world is starving every day, suffering from a lack of nutrition. Both the food scarcity and hunger are among the greatest threats to the overall health of the human population exceeding malaria, tuberculosis or HIV. Responsibility for the planet should begin with responsibility for the country, because the crisis of a separate country complicates the world situation in the political aspect; ecological and resource crises jeopardize environmental equilibrium and complicate the problem of resources on a global scale; an economic crisis leads to social consequences in other countries.


Ergodesign ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (4) ◽  
pp. 288-305
Author(s):  
Galina Stepanova ◽  
Alexandr Sudarik

The 60s-80s of the last century are characterized by emerging a number of theoretical and methodological works devoted to new understanding of design as a person’s interaction with his objective world. These are the works of designers (Fedorov M.V., Minervin G.B. and others), philosophers (Kantor K.M., Shchedrovitsky G.P., Yudin E.G.) and psychologists (Zinchenko V.P., Munipov V.M., Chainova L.D. and others). Common positions were noted in a variety of interpretations; these positions are interdisciplinarity and project-based design. Intensive development of technical means of labour activity determined the need to have an integral system of ideas about a working person, his labour activity, his relationship with the machine and with the environment, his ergonomics. Thanks to the research and development of prominent Russian philosophers, engineers and psychologists, ergonomics received the status of an interdisciplinary, scientific and design discipline of a new type, based on a systemic methodology and an activity approach. On the basis of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics, founded in 1962, a productive integration of design and ergonomics tools was fulfilled; a direction was formed, which would later be called ergodesign. Special interdisciplinary research, projects and developments were organized where specialists from different fields of knowledge studying the human nature participated. In the process of these events the ideas of various disciplines were synthesized. A significant part of the research in the field of ergodesign in the period of 1960s-1980s was carried out within the framework of a closed problem in the field of space ergonomics and defence technology. Some of the solutions in the field of space ergonomics and defence technology related to the developments conversion in the post-Soviet period are discussed in this article.


1986 ◽  
Vol 2 (03) ◽  
pp. 145-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. W. Montemarano ◽  
B. P. Sack ◽  
J. P. Gudas ◽  
M. G. Vassilaros ◽  
H. H. Vanderveldt

The Naval Sea Systems Command has recently certified a lower-cost alternative steel to the HY-80 steel presently used in construction of naval surface ships. This alternative steel is based on the commercial development of high strength low alloy (HSLA) steels originally directed to the offshore oil exploration platform and gas line transmission industries. The certification is a result of an ongoing research and development program begun in 1980. This paper addresses several aspects of the HSLA steel development effort, including a discussion of the properties and metallurgy of this steel, and the cost savings which are achievable. Finally, the status of the current and planned Navy HSLA usage and the R&D program is described.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 71-75
Author(s):  
MAXIM SAFONOV ◽  
◽  
MARAT BIKTIMIROV ◽  

The article examines the recent active public debate concerning the organization of expert activity in Russia. Along with terminological ambiguity in this area, there are significant issues related to the status of the expert, expert’s independence, and the general devaluation of expert opinion. The activity of expert councils formed under the executive authorities is subject to particular criticism both from the citizens and the state. At the same time, special attention is paid to the participation of the scientific community in the independent expertise of programs, projects, and decisions. In this connection, according to the results of the meeting of the Council on education and science, the list of instructions of the President of the Russian Federation provides for the introduction of amendments into the legislation concerning the concept “scientific (scientific-technical) expertise”. It is necessary to establish the criteria and mechanisms for this expertise, as well as the rules for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of budgetary allocations for state support of scientific research and development.


Author(s):  
Rubén A. Mendoza

Business Intelligence (BI) has been a top technology development concern for high-ranking IT executives over the past decade. The objective of BI is to use data analysis as a competitive weapon, deeply integrated into business processes. The ability of an organization to provide enterprise-level BI services depends heavily on its IT strategy, itself a function of existing technology investment. Previous research has described four IT architecture stages ranging from isolated applications to modular services, each with increasing complexity and service capabilities. Representatives from four companies were interviewed about the status of their BI activities, and the resulting data helps identify common barriers faced by these organizations in the provisioning of enterprise-level BI services. Interview results also describe the success of a limited-scope operational BI system by one of these firms, and the role of semantic data exchange technologies, primarily XML, in this system.


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