Uranium distribution in mineral species of rocks by a sequential extraction procedure

This work has the objective of measuring uranium series nuclides concentrations and calculating disequilibria in co-existing mineral species in order to clarify the uranium redistribution and the migration mechanicsm. The results to date indicate that the citrate-dithionite-bicarbonate extractable minerals (hematite and geothite) are the minerals most highly associated with uranium in the secondary ore deposit; that the 234U/238U activity ratios of Morgan's and Tamm's solution extractable minerals (adsorbed trace minerals and carbonates, and amorphous iron minerals) are less than unity, and are almost the same as in the groundwater (these minerals may be accessible to the groundwater); and that further investigation is required to confirm the extraction scheme, eg whether all uranium by Tamm's solution extraction is from amorphous iron and uranium silicates and phosphates. 11 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs