The redistribution of uranium with weathering in the Koongarra Uranium Deposit
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Date
1991-02-01
Authors
Edghill, R
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
De Gruyter
Abstract
In unaltered quartz chloride schist, uranium was mainly in uraninite (UO2), which occurred in zones, fissure coatings and veinlets. The apparent diffusivity of uranium into chloritic schist from fissures was estimated to be about 10-18 m2/s. Penetration into other fissure coating material was greater than into the chlorite matrix. In slightly weathered rock, areas of iron oxidation showed increased levels of dispersed uranium. Fronts of iron oxidation appeared to move preferentially along chlorite veins, accompanied by uranium and iron enrichment. Uraninite in this core showed signs of early in situ alteration of uraninite to secondary uranium minerals. In weathered rock, alpha activity was more strongly associated with manganese oxide nodules than iron oxides nodules, followed by dispersed iron oxides coating clays, and then clays.
Description
Physical copy held by ANSTO Library at DDC: 577.277/44
Keywords
Chlorite minerals, Diffusion, Iron oxides, Koongarra deposit, Manganese oxides, Quartz, Radionuclide migration, Schists, Spatial distribution, Uranium, Uranium ores, Weathering, Uranium deposits, Actinides, Metamorphic rocks
Citation
Edghill, R. (1991). The redistribution of uranium with weathering in the Koongarra Uranium Deposit. Paper presented to the Chemistry and migration behaviour of actinides and fission products in the geosphere : proceedings of the second International Conference in Monterey, California, 6-10 November 1989. In Radiochimica Acta, 52-53(2), 381–386. doi:10.1524/ract.1991.5253.2.381