Uranium-234 fractionation in the sandstone-type uranium deposits of the Ambrosia Lake District, New Mexico

Where on Earth is all the lithium?; with a section on uranium isotope studies

“…The sample from the greatest depth, 435 feet (133 m) , is approximately in equilibrium, whereas those from the upper part of the hole are not. This equilibrium pattern compares with patterns found in ore at the Ambrosia Lake uranium deposits in New Mexico (Dooley, Granger, and Rosholt, 1966). Near-equilibrium 234U/ 238U values are found at Ambrosia Lake near uranium ore-zone boundaries and at impermeable zones throughout the ore. By analogy, one might hope to find uranium deposition in progress at the 435-foot-(133-m) depth zone at Fish Lake Valley.…”

Isotopic Disequilibrium of Uranium in Kansas Groundwaters

“…Experimental results that support this mechanism were published by Rosholt et al (1965) and Dooley (1966). An oxidizing environment would enhance the formation of the soluble hexavalent 234U.…”

“…Two mechanisms have been put forward to explain the 234U/238U disequilibrium observed in water (Barnov et al, 1958;Rosholt et al, 1963;Dooley et al, 1966). The first mechanism involves the direct transfer of the alpha-recoil 234Th nuclide across the solid-liquid phase boundary followed by the decay to 234U.…”

Journal of Research of the U. S. Geological Survey, 1975, volume 3, issue 3

“…Thus, part of a deposit may be enriched in one element under one set of conditions, then be depleted under a slightly different set of conditions, while the thrust of Ra226 redistribution remains the same. The significance of the disequilibrium between U and the radioisotopes heavier than Ra220 in the Ambrosia Lake samples is discussed by Dooley, Granger, and Rosholt (1966).…”