Tracing the impact of former uranium mine sites using stable Pb isotopes: A review

Tracing pollution originating from uranium (U) mining activities is a key challenge due to the diversity of U sources (geochemical background versus U-ore) and its daughter radionuclides. Among the available tracers that can be used to highlight the impact of these activities on the environment, the application of Pb stable isotopes is relevant. This paper is an overview of the use of Pb isotopes for tracing U-mining impacts due to mining and milling activities. For this purpose, this work outlines the different Pb isotope sources in the environment with a focus on the primary U-rich ores until the mineralized area. This information is an important prerequisite for the understanding of Pb fate during the physical and chemical processing of U-ores. Moreover, an important review regarding the Pb isotope composition of the different types of U mining waste is carried out. Finally, an additional part of analytical procedures including sample preparation and Pb isotopic analysis are also be presented.