Nuclear forensic analysis of an unknown uranium ore concentrate sample seized in a criminal investigation in Australia
Abstract
In early 2009, a state policing agency raided a clandestine drug laboratory in a suburb of a major city in Australia. While searching the laboratory, they discovered a small glass jar labelled “Gamma Source” and containing a green powder. The powder was radioactive. This paper documents the detailed nuclear forensic analysis undertaken to characterize and identify the material and determine its provenance. Isotopic and impurity content, phase composition, microstructure and other characteristics were measured on the seized sample, and the results were compared with similar material obtained from the suspected source (ore and ore concentrate material). While an extensive range of parameters were measured, the key ‘nuclear forensic signatures’ used to identify the material were the U isotopic composition, Pb and Sr isotope ratios, and the rare earth element pattern. These measurements, in combination with statistical analysis of the elemental and isotopic content of the material against a database of uranium ore concentrates sourced from mines located worldwide, led to the conclusion that the seized material (a uranium ore concentrate of natural isotopic abundance) most likely originated from Mary Kathleen, a former Australian uranium mine.
- Authors:
-
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Kirrawee, NSW (Australia)
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1240936
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-JRNL-683860
Journal ID: ISSN 0379-0738; TRN: US1600478
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Forensic Science International
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 240; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0379-0738
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND RUEL MATERIALS; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Nuclear forensics; Uranium ore concentrate; Nuclear forensic signatures
Citation Formats
Keegan, Elizabeth, Kristo, Michael J., Colella, Michael, Robel, Martin, Williams, Ross, Lindvall, Rachel, Eppich, Gary, Roberts, Sarah, Borg, Lars, Gaffney, Amy, Plaue, Jonathan, Wong, Henri, Davis, Joel, Loi, Elaine, Reinhard, Mark, and Hutcheon, Ian. Nuclear forensic analysis of an unknown uranium ore concentrate sample seized in a criminal investigation in Australia. United States: N. p., 2014.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.04.004.
Keegan, Elizabeth, Kristo, Michael J., Colella, Michael, Robel, Martin, Williams, Ross, Lindvall, Rachel, Eppich, Gary, Roberts, Sarah, Borg, Lars, Gaffney, Amy, Plaue, Jonathan, Wong, Henri, Davis, Joel, Loi, Elaine, Reinhard, Mark, & Hutcheon, Ian. Nuclear forensic analysis of an unknown uranium ore concentrate sample seized in a criminal investigation in Australia. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.04.004
Keegan, Elizabeth, Kristo, Michael J., Colella, Michael, Robel, Martin, Williams, Ross, Lindvall, Rachel, Eppich, Gary, Roberts, Sarah, Borg, Lars, Gaffney, Amy, Plaue, Jonathan, Wong, Henri, Davis, Joel, Loi, Elaine, Reinhard, Mark, and Hutcheon, Ian. Sun .
"Nuclear forensic analysis of an unknown uranium ore concentrate sample seized in a criminal investigation in Australia". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.04.004. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1240936.
@article{osti_1240936,
title = {Nuclear forensic analysis of an unknown uranium ore concentrate sample seized in a criminal investigation in Australia},
author = {Keegan, Elizabeth and Kristo, Michael J. and Colella, Michael and Robel, Martin and Williams, Ross and Lindvall, Rachel and Eppich, Gary and Roberts, Sarah and Borg, Lars and Gaffney, Amy and Plaue, Jonathan and Wong, Henri and Davis, Joel and Loi, Elaine and Reinhard, Mark and Hutcheon, Ian},
abstractNote = {In early 2009, a state policing agency raided a clandestine drug laboratory in a suburb of a major city in Australia. While searching the laboratory, they discovered a small glass jar labelled “Gamma Source” and containing a green powder. The powder was radioactive. This paper documents the detailed nuclear forensic analysis undertaken to characterize and identify the material and determine its provenance. Isotopic and impurity content, phase composition, microstructure and other characteristics were measured on the seized sample, and the results were compared with similar material obtained from the suspected source (ore and ore concentrate material). While an extensive range of parameters were measured, the key ‘nuclear forensic signatures’ used to identify the material were the U isotopic composition, Pb and Sr isotope ratios, and the rare earth element pattern. These measurements, in combination with statistical analysis of the elemental and isotopic content of the material against a database of uranium ore concentrates sourced from mines located worldwide, led to the conclusion that the seized material (a uranium ore concentrate of natural isotopic abundance) most likely originated from Mary Kathleen, a former Australian uranium mine.},
doi = {10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.04.004},
journal = {Forensic Science International},
number = C,
volume = 240,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Apr 13 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Sun Apr 13 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}
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Works referencing / citing this record:
Discrimination of uranium ore concentrates by chemometric data analysis to support provenance assessment for nuclear forensics applications
journal, May 2018
- El Haddad, Josette; Harhira, Aissa; Blouin, Alain
- Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 317, Issue 1
What’s that yellow powder? A nuclear forensic case study
journal, August 2018
- Xu, Ning; Worley, Christopher; Rim, Jung
- Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 318, Issue 1
Development, validation and verification of an ICP-MS procedure for a multi-element analysis of uranium ore concentrates
journal, January 2017
- Boulyga, Sergei F.; Cunningham, J. Alan; Macsik, Zsuzsanna
- Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, Vol. 32, Issue 11
Development of small particle speciation for nuclear forensics by soft X-ray scanning transmission spectromicroscopy
journal, January 2018
- Pacold, J. I.; Altman, A. B.; Knight, K. B.
- The Analyst, Vol. 143, Issue 6
A novel nuclear forensic tool involving deposit type normalized rare earth element signatures
journal, July 2017
- Spano, Tyler L.; Simonetti, Antonio; Wheeler, Thomas
- Terra Nova, Vol. 29, Issue 5
Spatial investigation of some uranium minerals using nuclear microprobe
journal, January 2018
- Valter, Anton A.; Knight, Kim B.; Eremenko, Gelij K.
- Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, Vol. 45, Issue 6
Development of a versatile sample preparation method and its application for rare-earth pattern and Nd isotope ratio analysis in nuclear forensics
journal, September 2014
- Krajko, J.; Varga, Z.; Wallenius, M.
- Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 304, Issue 1
Development of a versatile sample preparation method and its application for rare-earth pattern and Nd isotope ratio analysis in nuclear forensics
journal, September 2014
- Krajko, J.; Varga, Z.; Wallenius, M.
- Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 304, Issue 1