Uranium mineralization in the Judean Desert and in the northern Negev, Israel

238U‐series disequilibrium in the Upper Cretaceous oil shales of Israel as the primary source for the Dead Sea's 226Ra anomaly

“…It has been found that the uranium content was positively correlated with the P205 content (Nathan and Shiloni, 1977;Nathan et al, 1979), with the practical outcome that gamma-ray logging is often carried out to determine the phosphate ore potential in subsurface evaluations. It was noted that the phosphorites are characteristically in secular equilibrium (Ilani and Strull, 1989). Thus, the gamma ray signal (eU) (which indirectly measures the parent 238U by monitoring the gamma-ray emitting 'I4Bi daughter) is a valid monitor of the 238U and therefore a good indicator of the P205 concentration.…”

“…The former is exploited to the extent of 7 million tons annually for use as a fertilizer (Sakal, 1990). Leaching and alteration of the phosphorites have been proposed as a source for the minor secondary U mineralization encountered in the watershed (Ilani and Strull, 1989). The oil shales are currently being investigated as a potential energy source.…”

Cu-Fe-U phosphate mineralization of the Hagendorf-Pleystein pegmatite province, Germany: with special reference to laser-ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) of limonite-cored torbernite

“…YELLOW uranium ores such as uranyl phosphates, uranyl vanadates and uranyl arsenates may guide exploration geologists to black U ore minerals (pitchblende, coffinite, brannerite) by their conspicuous yellow, green, brown or red colours. Under specific supergene conditions, they may even form U deposits of their own by cementing siliciclastics in sandstones or developing uraniferous duricrusts (Namibia, Australia, Somalia, Israel) (Wright and Emerson, 1957;Dall'aglio et al, 1974;Mann and Deutscher, 1978;Dill, 1983;Ilani and Strull, 1988;Chakrabarti, 1988) . These uranyl minerals attract the attention of mineralogists and geochemists alike because they can provide age information on the emplacement and/ or alteration of U deposits if adequate methods to determine the 238 U/ 206 Pb and 207 Pb/ 206 Pb ages are available (Carl and Dill, 1983;Keay and Vasconcelos, 2000;Fayek et al, 2002).…”

A comparative study of uranium–thorium accumulation at the western edge of the Arabian Peninsula and mineral deposits worldwide

“…In the northern Negev and the Judean Desert, Israel, Senonian to Paleocene phosphorites provided U for a variegated mineral assemblage of gypsum, vanadate, meta-autunite, meta-tyuyamunite, strelkinite, and carnotite in gypcretes and calcretes. Uranium was supposed to be leached out of the phosphorites, then migrated towards the Dead Sea Rift Valley and concentrated in pedogenic layer (Gross and Ilani 1987;Ilani and Strull 1988;Ilani et al 2006;Minster et al 2004). Such uranium concentration is widespread in central and northern Jordan and in Syria-see previous section (Fig.…”