O and H diffusion in uraninite: Implications for fluid–uraninite interactions, nuclear waste disposal, and nuclear forensics

Fayek, Mostafa; Anovitz, Lawrence M.; Cole, David R.; Bostick, D.T.

doi:10.1016/j.gca.2011.03.040

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Thus, the chemistry of the interface, which is influenced by effects of adsorption, electron transfer, catalysis, crystallographic orientation, and more, must be understood and described. In addition, experiments with the aim of investigating diffusion of O and H in uraninite were recently described by Fayek and others [28] indicating two diffusion mechanisms operating at different rates.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Review of spatial relations between uraninite and coffinite - implications for alteration mechanisms

Evins

Jensen

2012

MRS Proc.

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Coffinite (USiO 4 •nH 2 O) is a common mineral in uranium ores. It is often observed to replace uraninite during alteration under reducing conditions. However, it has proven difficult to synthesize coffinite in the laboratory and quantitative thermodynamic data for coffinite are lacking. Despite these experimental difficulties, there is ample evidence in nature that many uranium deposits have encountered conditions where formation of coffinite has been favoured over uraninite during postgenetic alteration events. Coffinite is also found as a primary mineral in sandstone uranium deposits. This review elucidates the spatial relation between coffinite and uraninite as seen on different scales with different analytical methods. Some further insight into the mechanism of uraninite alteration in natural, reducing, Si-rich environments is gained and some new arguments put forward, including the question of the effect of impurities and dopants, defects, and grain size. The replacement of uraninite by coffinite is discussed in terms of solidfluid interaction.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Review of spatial relations between uraninite and coffinite - implications for alteration mechanisms

Evins

Jensen

2012

MRS Proc.

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“…Oxygen diffusion in uraninite is orders of magnitude faster than in clay minerals and other silicates (Cole and Ohmoto, 1986;Fayek et al, 2011), which is why the oxygen isotopic composition of uraninite can be easily reset whereas clay and silicate minerals can retain their original oxygen isotopic composition. Uraninite-mineral (e.g., quartz, illite) oxygen isotope fractionation factors are often used to calculate isotope equilibrium temperatures; however, since the δ 18 O of uraninite at the Kianna deposit has been reset, uraninite-mineral oxygen isotope fractionation factors cannot be used to calculate the equilibrium temperatures.…”

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confidence: 99%

A Combined Ingress-Egress Model for the Kianna Unconformity-Related Uranium Deposit, Shea Creek Project, Athabasca Basin, Canada

Sheahan

Fayek

Quirt³

et al. 2016

Economic Geology

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The Kianna deposit is an unconformity-related uranium deposit in the western Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan, hosting uraninite in three distinct zones: 1) perched above the unconformity, hosted in sandstone; 2) at the unconformity, hosted in sandstone and basement rocks; and 3) below the unconformity in two separate pods, hosted by basement paragneiss. In situ secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was used to obtain radiogenic and stable isotope data to update the genetic model for the Kianna deposit. Primary basement-hosted ingress-style uraninite, associated with hematite and muscovite, has a minimum U-Pb age of ~1500 Ma. Recrystallization of basement uraninite occurred ~1100 Ma with the precipitation of coarsegrained illite. Late basement uraninite precipitated with fine-grained illite ~850 Ma. A separate, deeper basement pod formed ~1280 Ma. Egress-style uraninite at the unconformity, and perched uraninite in the sandstone, inter-grown with alumino-phosphate sulfate (APS) minerals and chalcopyrite, formed ~750 Ma. Later unconformity and perched uraninite precipitated with hematite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite ~500 Ma. Sulfides coeval with unconformity and perched uraninite have δ 34 S values from -1.9 to 8.1‰ and 15.1 to 25.4‰, indicating two sources of sulfur: 1) sulfides in the metamorphosed basement and 2) APS minerals in the sandstone. Average δ 18 O and δD mineral values for muscovite are 0.7 ± 4.3‰ and -33 ± 12‰, respectively, suggesting that muscovite formed from a marine brine. Average δ 18 O and δD mineral values for coarse-grained illite are 0.4 ± 4.1‰ and -79 ± 16‰, respectively, indicating formation from hydrothermal fluids, whereas fine-grained illite δ 18 O and δD mineral values are 6.5 ± 1.6‰ and -144 ± 21‰, respectively, suggesting formation from meteoric fluids.iii Acknowledgements

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“…Indeed, uranium oxides have a wide range of crystallisation conditions (Cuney and Kyser , Cuney , , Fayek et al . ), and their REE contents and chondrite‐normalised REE patterns are strongly dependent on factors such as temperature, fluid chemistry or REE source (Mercadier et al . ).…”

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confidence: 99%

In Situ Quantitative Measurement of Rare Earth Elements in Uranium Oxides by Laser Ablation‐Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Mass Spectrometry

Lach

Mercadier²,

Dubessy

et al. 2013

Geostandard Geoanalytic Res

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Advances in the quantification of rare earth elements (REE) at the micrometric scale in uranium oxides by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry are described. The determination of the best analytical conditions was tested using a uranium oxide (Mistamisk) the concentrations of REE in which were previously estimated by other techniques. Comparison between the use of U or Pb as an internal standard clearly showed a diameter-dependent fractionation effect related to Pb at small crater diameters (16 and 24 lm), which was not found for U. The quantification of REE contents in uranium oxide samples using both matrix-matched (uranium oxide) and non-matrix-matched (NIST SRM 610 certified glass) external calibrators displayed no significant difference, demonstrating a limited matrix effect for REE determination by LA-ICP-MS. Moreover, no major interferences on REEs were detected. The proposed methodology (NIST SRM 610 as external calibrator and U as internal standard) was applied to samples from uranium deposits from around the world. The results showed that LA-ICP-MS is a suitable analytical technique to determine REE down to the lg g -1 level in uranium oxides at the micrometre scale and that this technique can provide significant insights into uranium metallogeny.

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O and H diffusion in uraninite: Implications for fluid–uraninite interactions, nuclear waste disposal, and nuclear forensics

Cited by 14 publications

References 39 publications

Review of spatial relations between uraninite and coffinite - implications for alteration mechanisms

Review of spatial relations between uraninite and coffinite - implications for alteration mechanisms

A Combined Ingress-Egress Model for the Kianna Unconformity-Related Uranium Deposit, Shea Creek Project, Athabasca Basin, Canada

In Situ Quantitative Measurement of Rare Earth Elements in Uranium Oxides by Laser Ablation‐Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Mass Spectrometry

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