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Separation of Uranium and Thorium for 230Th-U Dating of Submarine Hydrothermal Sulfides
Published on: May 20, 2019
(234)U/(238)U signatures associated with uranium ore bodies: part 2 Manyingee
Richard T Lowson1, Mark G McIntyre
1Institute for Environmental Research, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights Research Laboratories, Private Mail Bag 1, Menai, NSW 2234, Australia. richardlowson@yahoo.com.au
Abstract:
The Manyingee ore body is a roll-front U ore body located at depth in the Cretaceous sandstone sediments of a Proterozoic palaeo valley. It is located in a confined aquifer. The aquifer is recharged 4 km upstream by the Ashburton River. Groundwater samples were collected at and up to 4.7 km downstream of the ore body. The ground water (234)U/(238)U activity ratios (AR) were elevated to 1.86 in the vicinity of the ore body and then declined to 1.06 over the 4.7 km transect. The elevated (234)U/(238)U ARs are attributed to selective leaching of (234)U sites by oxidising waters, with α recoil as a necessary precursor to produce activated (234)U sites. Direct ejection into another phase following α recoil is considered to be a minor contributor to (234)U -(238)U disequilibrium in this environment. The profile is considered to be typical of the (234)U/(238)U AR profile at and down gradient of the redox front of a U ore body.
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