Uranium in the Carnmenellis granite, Cornwall, England

Technical Report · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:5129164

Keith, M W

Samples from a 30 meter core from the Rosemanowas quarry in the Carnmenellis granite in Cornwall, England were analyzed by induced fission track detection, delayed neutron detection, backscattered electron imaging in a SEM, and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry. Uranium occurs mainly in: (1) primary accessory minerals; (2) alteration and replacement phases, and (3) microcrack-sealing phases. Zircon, monazite, and apatite are common uraniferous primary accessory minerals. Uraniferous alteration phases include hematite, rutile and pyrolusite. Hematite is a common uraniferous replacement phase. Most sealed microcracks contain uranium. Hematite and pyrolusite are ubiquitous uraniferous crack-sealing phases. Autunite and churchite are occasional uraniferous crack-sealing phases. Whole rock uranium concentrations are extremely variable. High uranium contents result from high percentages of uraniferous primary accessory phases and/or rutile. Hydrothermal activity, such as hematization, can result in depleted whole rock uranium concentrations. Results of this study indicate that uranium and light rare earth elements have been mobilized and redistributed in this section of the Carnmenellis granite by postmagmatic processes. 28 refs., 13 figs. 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Wellesley Coll., MA (USA). Dept. of Geology
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-78ER04972
• OSTI ID: 5129164
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/04972-T3; ON: DE86000879
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
APATITES
AUTUNITE
CHALCOGENIDES
DATA
DETECTION
DISTRIBUTION
DRILL CORES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
EUROPE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISSION TRACKS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GRANITES
HEMATITE
HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION
IGNEOUS ROCKS
INFORMATION
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON ORES
IRON OXIDES
MATERIALS
METALS
MICROSCOPY
MINERALIZATION
MINERALS
MONAZITES
NEUTRON DETECTION
NUMERICAL DATA
ORES
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE TRACKS
PHOSPHATE MINERALS
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIC ROCKS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE MINERALS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
ROCKS
RUTILE
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SPECTROSCOPY
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM MINERALS
THORIUM PHOSPHATES
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
UNITED KINGDOM
URANIUM
URANIUM MINERALS
WESTERN EUROPE
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY
ZIRCON
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM SILICATES