Roll-Front Uranium Deposit 3D Modeling: Modern Modeling of Historical Data at the Kaycee Project, Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA

Abstract Uranium exploration in the United States is gaining momentum as interest in nuclear energy grows and supply constraints tighten. The Kaycee project in Wyoming’s Powder River basin is an area with a long history of roll-front uranium production and offers an opportunity to revisit legacy data sets with modern 3D tools. The property includes a historical estimate of 1.7 million lbs U at 0.103% U3O8, supported by more than 2,000 drill holes with preserved geophysical logs. Using Leapfrog Geo, we defined the stratigraphic framework from gamma ray, resistivity, and spontaneous potential (SP) logs, then modeled uranium-bearing redox fronts as a combination of radial basis function (RBF) trends and narrow roll-front stringer veins. This approach allowed us to reproduce historical grade calculations while also resolving the geometry and lateral continuity of the mineralized fronts in three dimensions. Subsequent in-fill and step-out drilling (410 holes, 2023–2024) closely matched the modeled positions of several predicted roll-front trends, which supports the reliability of the vein-based interpolation method in this setting. Comparing traditional grade thickness estimates with the 3D models shows that incorporating geophysical logs and spatial continuity yields a more coherent picture of uranium distribution and helps refine exploration targeting in mature roll-front systems.