Small-scale geochemical cycles and the distribution of uranium in central and north Florida organic deposits

Conference · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6111435

Bond, P A ^[1]

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1. Florida Geological Survey, Tallahassee, FL (United States)

The global geochemical cycle for an element tracks its path from its various sources to its sinks via processes of weathering and transportation. The cycle may then be quantified in a necessarily approximate manner. The geochemical cycle (thus quantified) reveals constraints (known and unknown) on an element's behavior imposed by the various processes which act on it. In the context of a global geochemical cycle, a continent becomes essentially a source term. If, however, an element's behavior is examined in a local or regional context, sources and their related sinks may be identified. This suggests that small-scale geochemical cycles may be superimposed on global geochemical cycles. Definition of such sub-cycles may clarify the distribution of an element in the earth's near-surface environment. In Florida, phosphate minerals of the Hawthorn Group act as a widely distributed source of uranium. Uranium is transported by surface- and ground-waters. Florida is the site of extensive wetlands and peatlands. The organic matter associated with these deposits adsorbs uranium and may act as a local sink depending on its hydrogeologic setting. This work examines the role of organic matter in the distribution of uranium in the surface and shallow subsurface environments of central and north Florida.

• OSTI ID: 6111435
• Report Number(s): CONF-9304188-; CODEN: GAAPBC
• Journal Information: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:4; Conference: 42. annual Geological Society of America (GSA) Southeastern Section meeting, Tallahassee, FL (United States), 1-2 Apr 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL DEPOSITS
GEOCHEMISTRY
FLORIDA
WETLANDS
ORGANIC MATTER
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
URANIUM
ADSORPTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GROUND WATER
PEAT
SURFACE WATERS
ACTINIDES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATTER
METALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESOURCES
SORPTION
SURFACE PROPERTIES
USA
WATER
580000* - Geosciences
011000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration