Aqueous dissolution kinetics of pyrochlore, zirconolite and brannerite at 25, 50, and 75 C

We measured the rates of dissolution of pyrochlore, zirconolite, and brannerite in pH-buffered solutions of pH 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 at temperatures of 25, 50, and 75 C in flow-through reactors. The dissolution rates for all phases show a minimum near pH 8. Zirconolite dissolves the slowest of the three phases, with a slightly higher rate for pyrochlore and a much higher dissolution rate for brannerite. Brannerite dissolves as much has 30 times faster than zirconolite. The rates increase with temperature, but the magnitude of the increase varies with pH. The calculated average apparent activation energy for dissolution is 6 ± 3 kcal/mole. Dissolution is non-stoichiometric at all pHs. Ti and Hf are released most slowly, and are often below detection limits (1 ppb for Ti, 0.2 ppb for Hf). Releases of Ca, U, Gd, and Ce appear to be stoichiometric below pH 8. At pH 8 and above only U is measurable in solution. Dissolution rates are slow under all conditions, and commonly in the range of 1-100 nm total dissolution/year (between 10-3.5 and 10-5.5 g/m2/day). (orig.)