Characterization of U-series disequilibria at the Pena Blanca natural analogue site, Chihuahua, Mexico
The purpose of this study was to evaluate radionuclide migration from a uranium-mineralized breccia pipe. The site provides an excellent opportunity to evaluate radionuclide mobility in a geochemical environment similar to that around the proposed high-level waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Samples represent fracture-infillings from both within and outside the breccia pipe. Mineral assemblages within the fractures include (1) pure kaolinite, (2) a mixture of iron-oxyhydroxides (goethite and hematite) with associated alunite and jarosite, which the authors refer to as the Fe-mineral assemblage, and (3) carbonates. Uranophane, weeksite, soddyite, and boltwoodite are associated with samples from within the breccia zone. The authors obtain radionuclide activities from gamma-ray rather than alpha spectroscopy, and the methodology for these measurements is presented in detail. Plots of {sup 230}Th/{sup 238}U vs. {sup 226}Ra/{sup 230}Th show three distinct mobility trends. (1) The majority of the Fe-mineral samples from within the breccia pipe yield values between 1.0 and 1.1 for both ratios, (2) Fe-mineral samples from outside the ore zone and a kaolinite from within the ore zone have {sup 230}Th/{sup 238}U of 0.58 to 0.83 and {sup 226}Ra/{sup 230}Th of 1.09 to 1.42, and (3) some Fe-mineral samples from within the breccia pipe have values of 1.2 and 0.9 respectively. These data, combined with those from other studies at Pena Blanca suggest that U and Ra are sometimes mobile in the near-surface environment and that multiple episodes of enrichment and leaching are required to explain the trends.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Texas, El Paso, TX (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20015833
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1998 Materials Research Society Fall Meeting, Boston, MA (US), 11/30/1998--12/04/1998; Other Information: Single article reprints are available from University Microfilms Inc., 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106; PBD: 1999; Related Information: In: Scientific basis for nuclear waste management XXII. Materials Research Society symposium proceedings: Volume 556, by Wronkiewicz, D.J.; Lee, J.H. [eds.], 1355 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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