Chemical and Sr isotopic characterization of North America uranium ores: Nuclear forensic applications

Enrica Balboni; Nina Jones; Tyler Spano; Antonio Simonetti; Peter C. Burns

doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2016.08.016

Chemical and Sr isotopic characterization of North America uranium ores: Nuclear forensic applications

Enrica Balboni, Nina Jones, Tyler Spano, Antonio Simonetti, Peter C. Burns

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47 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study reports major, minor, and trace element data and Sr isotope ratios for 11 uranium ore (uraninite, UO_2+x) samples and one processed uranium ore concentrate (UOC) from various U.S. deposits. The uraninite investigated represent ores formed via different modes of mineralization (e.g., high- and low-temperature) and within various geological contexts, which include magmatic pegmatites, metamorphic rocks, sandstone-hosted, and roll front deposits. In situ trace element data obtained by laser ablation-ICP-MS and bulk sample Sr isotopic ratios for uraninite samples investigated here indicate distinct signatures that are highly dependent on the mode of mineralization and host rock geology. Relative to their high-temperature counterparts, low-temperature uranium ores record high U/Th ratios (>1000), low total rare earth element (REE) abundances (<1 wt%), high contents (>300 ppm) of first row transition metals (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni), and radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (>0.7200). Comparison of chondrite normalized REE patterns between uraninite and corresponding processed UOC from the same locality indicates identical patterns at different absolute concentrations. This result ultimately confirms the importance of establishing geochemical signatures of raw, uranium ore materials for attribution purposes in the forensic analysis of intercepted nuclear materials.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	24-32
Number of pages	9
Journal	Applied Geochemistry
Volume	74
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2016.08.016
State	Published - Nov 1 2016
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This work is funded by DHS Grant 2014-DN-077-ARI082 . The authors thank Dr. Ian Steele for his expertise with electron microprobe analysis. The Center of Environmental Science and Technology (CEST) at the University of Notre Dame is thanked for the training and use of the μ-XRF. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 .

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Homeland Security	2014-DN-077-ARI082
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	DE-AC52-07NA27344

Keywords

ICP-MS
Strontium isotopes
Uranium deposits in the United States
Uranium ore concentrate

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10.1016/j.apgeochem.2016.08.016

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title = "Chemical and Sr isotopic characterization of North America uranium ores: Nuclear forensic applications",

abstract = "This study reports major, minor, and trace element data and Sr isotope ratios for 11 uranium ore (uraninite, UO2+x) samples and one processed uranium ore concentrate (UOC) from various U.S. deposits. The uraninite investigated represent ores formed via different modes of mineralization (e.g., high- and low-temperature) and within various geological contexts, which include magmatic pegmatites, metamorphic rocks, sandstone-hosted, and roll front deposits. In situ trace element data obtained by laser ablation-ICP-MS and bulk sample Sr isotopic ratios for uraninite samples investigated here indicate distinct signatures that are highly dependent on the mode of mineralization and host rock geology. Relative to their high-temperature counterparts, low-temperature uranium ores record high U/Th ratios (>1000), low total rare earth element (REE) abundances (<1 wt%), high contents (>300 ppm) of first row transition metals (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni), and radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr ratios (>0.7200). Comparison of chondrite normalized REE patterns between uraninite and corresponding processed UOC from the same locality indicates identical patterns at different absolute concentrations. This result ultimately confirms the importance of establishing geochemical signatures of raw, uranium ore materials for attribution purposes in the forensic analysis of intercepted nuclear materials.",

keywords = "ICP-MS, Strontium isotopes, Uranium deposits in the United States, Uranium ore concentrate",

author = "Enrica Balboni and Nina Jones and Tyler Spano and Antonio Simonetti and Burns, {Peter C.}",

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T1 - Chemical and Sr isotopic characterization of North America uranium ores

T2 - Nuclear forensic applications

AU - Balboni, Enrica

AU - Jones, Nina

AU - Spano, Tyler

AU - Simonetti, Antonio

AU - Burns, Peter C.

PY - 2016/11/1

Y1 - 2016/11/1

N2 - This study reports major, minor, and trace element data and Sr isotope ratios for 11 uranium ore (uraninite, UO2+x) samples and one processed uranium ore concentrate (UOC) from various U.S. deposits. The uraninite investigated represent ores formed via different modes of mineralization (e.g., high- and low-temperature) and within various geological contexts, which include magmatic pegmatites, metamorphic rocks, sandstone-hosted, and roll front deposits. In situ trace element data obtained by laser ablation-ICP-MS and bulk sample Sr isotopic ratios for uraninite samples investigated here indicate distinct signatures that are highly dependent on the mode of mineralization and host rock geology. Relative to their high-temperature counterparts, low-temperature uranium ores record high U/Th ratios (>1000), low total rare earth element (REE) abundances (<1 wt%), high contents (>300 ppm) of first row transition metals (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni), and radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr ratios (>0.7200). Comparison of chondrite normalized REE patterns between uraninite and corresponding processed UOC from the same locality indicates identical patterns at different absolute concentrations. This result ultimately confirms the importance of establishing geochemical signatures of raw, uranium ore materials for attribution purposes in the forensic analysis of intercepted nuclear materials.

AB - This study reports major, minor, and trace element data and Sr isotope ratios for 11 uranium ore (uraninite, UO2+x) samples and one processed uranium ore concentrate (UOC) from various U.S. deposits. The uraninite investigated represent ores formed via different modes of mineralization (e.g., high- and low-temperature) and within various geological contexts, which include magmatic pegmatites, metamorphic rocks, sandstone-hosted, and roll front deposits. In situ trace element data obtained by laser ablation-ICP-MS and bulk sample Sr isotopic ratios for uraninite samples investigated here indicate distinct signatures that are highly dependent on the mode of mineralization and host rock geology. Relative to their high-temperature counterparts, low-temperature uranium ores record high U/Th ratios (>1000), low total rare earth element (REE) abundances (<1 wt%), high contents (>300 ppm) of first row transition metals (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni), and radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr ratios (>0.7200). Comparison of chondrite normalized REE patterns between uraninite and corresponding processed UOC from the same locality indicates identical patterns at different absolute concentrations. This result ultimately confirms the importance of establishing geochemical signatures of raw, uranium ore materials for attribution purposes in the forensic analysis of intercepted nuclear materials.

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KW - Strontium isotopes

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KW - Uranium ore concentrate

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Chemical and Sr isotopic characterization of North America uranium ores: Nuclear forensic applications

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