Mobilization of uranium and thorium decay series isotopes in the hydrologic cycle

To assess the effect of weathering and ground water leaching processes on the isotopic fractionation of uranium and thorium series isotopes, radiochemicl studies of three different, though related systems were undertaken. They included: (1) the isotopic distribution of uranium, thorium, and radium through a weathering profile of a granitic saprolite, using an isovolumetric approach, (1) the behavior of 226Ra and 228Ra in an aquifer composed of weathered immature sediments, and (3) the effect of recent processes on the redistribution of uranium series isotopes in uraniferous gorceixite (Ba-Al phosphate). All three study sites were located adjacent to the Fall Line region in South Carolina