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Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Uranium and Thorium Deposits...
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Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Uranium and Thorium Deposits

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Deposits".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 May 2020) | Viewed by 23328

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Leonid Shumlyanskyy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
Interests: isotope geochemistry; geochronology; Precambrian; mineral deposits; petrology
Dr. Christophe Bonnetti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Resources and Environment, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, China
Interests: petrology; geochemistry; mineralogy; ore deposits; ore-forming processes; metallogenic provinces

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global warming is one of the main challenges that humankind is currently facing. The fight against it requires sufficient reduction of global CO2 emissions, which can hardly be achieved without the development of electric power generation technologies that are not based on the burning of fossil fuels. One of such technologies is nuclear power generation, which, in spite of several severe safety faults that occurred over its history, can still be considered as a reasonable alternative to fossil-fuel-based electric power generation.
The development of nuclear power worldwide depends on a sustainable supply of nuclear fuel, which in turn largely relies on the availability of mineral deposits that can offer cost-effective, safe, and environmentally-friendly production.
This Special Issue aims to publish papers with an appropriate geochemical and mineralogical characterization of uranium and thorium deposits of various genetic types by combining contributions from the full range of modern mineralogical and geochemical investigations. We are looking for excellent papers that provide state-of-the-art information on the chemical and mineral composition of U and Th ores and discuss their origin from the local to the province scale. Papers providing experimental geochemical models for the origin of U and Th deposits, as well as papers that link geophysical features of the deposits with their mineral and geochemical compositions, are also welcome.

Dr. Leonid Shumlyanskyy
Dr. Christophe Bonnetti
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • geochemistry
  • mineralogy
  • stable and radioactive isotopes
  • fluid inclusions
  • ore minerals
  • U and Th deposits

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 7488 KiB  
Article
Alteration of Granitoids and Uranium Mineralization in the Blatná Suite of the Central Bohemian Plutonic Complex, Czech Republic
by Miloš René
Minerals 2020, 10(9), 821; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10090821 - 17 Sep 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2611
Abstract
The Bohemian magmatic complex belongs to granitoid plutons of the Central European Variscides. Hydrothermal uranium mineralization evolved in the small uranium deposits Nahošín and Mečichov is associated with N–S shear zones occurring on the SW margin of the Central Bohemian plutonic complex formed [...] Read more.
The Bohemian magmatic complex belongs to granitoid plutons of the Central European Variscides. Hydrothermal uranium mineralization evolved in the small uranium deposits Nahošín and Mečichov is associated with N–S shear zones occurring on the SW margin of the Central Bohemian plutonic complex formed by amphibole-bearing biotite granodiorites of the Blatná suite. The purpose of presented study is description of uranium mineralization bounded on brittle shear zones, which is coupled with intense low-temperature hydrothermal alteration of granitic rocks. Uranium mineralization, formed predominantly of coffinite, rare uraninite, and thorite, is accompanied by intense hematitization, albitization, chloritization, and carbonatization of original granitic rocks that could be described as aceites. These alterations are accompanied by the enrichment in U, Ti, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Y, and Zr and depletion in Si, Ba, and Sr. The analyzed coffinite is enriched in Y (up to 3.1 wt % Y2O3). Uraninite is enriched in Th (up to 9.8 wt % ThO2) and thorite is enriched in Zr (up to 5.7 wt % ZrO2). The REE-elements are concentrated in the REE-fluorcarbonate synchysite-(Ce). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Uranium and Thorium Deposits )
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22 pages, 12430 KiB  
Article
Geochemistry and Acid Hydrometallurgy Accessibility of Uraninite from Mianhuakeng Granite-Hosted Uranium Deposit, South China
by Jian Wang, Zhanxue Sun, Guangrong Li, Yajie Liu, Zhongkui Zhou, Xuegang Wang, Zhihong Zheng, Yipeng Zhou, Kai Zhao, Ling Xiang and Jiaxin Wei
Minerals 2020, 10(9), 747; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10090747 - 23 Aug 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2964
Abstract
Systematic study of the surface chemical properties of uranium minerals is necessary to improve the uranium ore extracting process. The presented work aims to argue geochemistry and acid hydrometallurgy accessibility of uraninite from the Mianhuakeng (MHK) granite-hosted uranium deposit, South China, which provides [...] Read more.
Systematic study of the surface chemical properties of uranium minerals is necessary to improve the uranium ore extracting process. The presented work aims to argue geochemistry and acid hydrometallurgy accessibility of uraninite from the Mianhuakeng (MHK) granite-hosted uranium deposit, South China, which provides insight on this ore extracting domain. Mineralogy, geochemical composition, U–Th–Pb chemical age, and uranium deportment of the uraninite were systematically analyzed by using scanning electron microscope with energy dispersion spectrum (SEM-EDS), an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that uraninite was intergrowth with coffinite, probably due to uraninite being partly metasomatized into coffinite along the fissures. The major element content of uraninite such as for UO2, SiO2, and CaO were 79.46 ± 2.03 wt%, 6.19 ± 1.36 wt%, and 5.09 ± 0.80 wt%, respectively. Single-point U–Th–Pb chemical ages for uraninite grains were calculated with the EPMA data, and the results showed ages ranging from a few million to dozens of million years, indicating Pb loss after uraninite formed. Uranium deportment in uraninite generally existed in the forms of UO2, U3O8, and UO3, and mostly showed high valence states suggested by XPS. Uranium on the surface of the uraninite grain was partially oxidized by sulfuric acid leaching, which led to tetravalent uranium converting to hexavalent uranium, suggesting uraninite in the MHK uranium deposit is accessible to be leached by sulfuric acid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Uranium and Thorium Deposits )
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27 pages, 9230 KiB  
Article
Lead Isotopes in Exploration for Basement-Hosted Structurally Controlled Unconformity-Related Uranium Deposits: Kiggavik Project (Nunavut, Canada)
by David Quirt and Antonio Benedicto
Minerals 2020, 10(6), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10060512 - 31 May 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3251
Abstract
Pb-isotopes have been proposed as pathfinders for sandstone-hosted unconformity-related U deposits, with isotope ratios providing information on mineralization timing and element remobilization and migration. Pb-isotopes proximal to mineralization display radiogenic signatures, often with ‘excess Pb’ suggestive of derivation from greater U concentrations than [...] Read more.
Pb-isotopes have been proposed as pathfinders for sandstone-hosted unconformity-related U deposits, with isotope ratios providing information on mineralization timing and element remobilization and migration. Pb-isotopes proximal to mineralization display radiogenic signatures, often with ‘excess Pb’ suggestive of derivation from greater U concentrations than are currently present. The U deposits in the Kiggavik project area (west of Baker Lake, NU, Canada) are basement-hosted, contain several generations of pitchblende mineralization, display a strong structural control, and are located in fault-related fracture systems and foliation-parallel veinlets. Drill core samples were analysed by Inductively-Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) for Pb isotopes following multi-acid total-digestion, reverse Aqua Regia partial-digestion, and weak-acid-leach attacks, to evaluate the utility of the respective dissolution methods in Pb-isotope pathfinder geochemistry. Partial-digestion results are similar to weak-acid-leach results, indicating that interpretation of Pb-isotope signatures can be carried out from partial-digestion data if weak-acid-leach data are unavailable. Application of this pathfinder method at Kiggavik shows that Pb-isotope ratios display systematic trends useful for exploration vectoring. Uranium-content-adjusted 206Pb/204Pb ratios and 206Pb/204Pb ‘excess-lead’ data highlight anomalous isotopic values. 207Pb/206Pb ratios display downhole trends complementary to location of mineralization. Three-dimensional (3D) distributions of Pb-isotope data at the Contact U prospect show systematic trends and form halos around the mineralization. Isotopic footprints are limited to <50 m from the mineralization outline, reflecting host-rock and structural control, but indicate areas with elevated potential for U mineralization and provide vectoring information within basement lithologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Uranium and Thorium Deposits )
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24 pages, 7689 KiB  
Article
Uranium Mineralogical and Chemical Features of the Na-Metasomatic Type Uranium Deposit in the Longshoushan Metallogenic Belt, Northwestern China
by Chi-Da Yu, Kai-Xing Wang, Xiao-Dong Liu, Michel Cuney, Jia-Yong Pan, Gang Wang, Lin Zhang and Jian Zhang
Minerals 2020, 10(4), 335; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10040335 - 8 Apr 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3891
Abstract
The Longshoushan Metallogenic Belt (northwestern China) is known for its word-class Jinchuan Ni-Cu sulfide (Pt) deposit and is also an important uranium metallogenic belt. The Jiling uranium deposit in this belt is a typical Na-metasomatic uranium deposit, which rarely occurs in China. Mineralization [...] Read more.
The Longshoushan Metallogenic Belt (northwestern China) is known for its word-class Jinchuan Ni-Cu sulfide (Pt) deposit and is also an important uranium metallogenic belt. The Jiling uranium deposit in this belt is a typical Na-metasomatic uranium deposit, which rarely occurs in China. Mineralization in the Jiling uranium deposit is hosted in granitoids that have suffered a Na-metasomatic alteration. There are three kinds of uranium minerals, including uraninite, pitchblende, and coffinite in the Jiling uranium deposit. Pitchblende is the predominant uranium mineral. Integrating the mineralogy and geochemistry of uranium minerals, and in situ electron microprobe analyzer (EMPA) U-Th-Pb chemical dating, we aimed to unravel the age and nature of the mineralization, to decipher the characteristics of the hydrothermal alteration and the U mineralization process. Based on the microtextural features and compositional variations, primary uraninite was altered to uraninite A and B, and fresh pitchblende was altered to pitchblende A and B. The best-preserved uraninite crystals displayed a euhedral-shape with high Pb and low SiO2, CaO, FeO, and Al2O3 contents, and was interpreted as primary uraninite. The EMPA U-Th-Pb chemical ages revealed that uraninite may have formed at 435.9 ± 3.3 Ma. High ThO2 + ΣREE2O3 + Y2O3 contents illustrated that the best preserved uraninite crystallized at a high temperature. Altered pitchblende A showed a relatively brighter gray color in backscattered electron (BSE) images and with a lower SiO2 content than B. Three analysis spots of the fresh pitchblende showed low contents of ΣSiO2 + CaO, indicating no obvious alteration. EMPA U-Th-Pb chemical dating gave a mean chemical age of 361 Ma. The low Th + ΣREE2O3 contents indicated that this pitchblende formed at a relatively low temperature. According to the different characteristics of occurrence and chemical composition, the coffinite in the Jiling uranium deposit can be divided into coffinite A and B, respectively. The compositional variation of the fresh and altered uraninite and pitchblende indicated that both uraninite and pitchblende underwent at least two discrete hydrothermal fluid alterations. The U mineralization was divided into two stages; uraninite was formed at a high temperature and possibly from a magmatic-hydrothermal fluid during ore stage I. Then, pitchblende was formed at a low temperature, during ore stage II. According to the petrographic observations and their chemical compositions, coffinite A and B resulted from the alterations of uraninite and pitchblende, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Uranium and Thorium Deposits )
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19 pages, 4661 KiB  
Article
A Mineralisation Age for the Sediment-Hosted Blackbush Uranium Prospect, North-Eastern Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
by Urs Domnick, Nigel J. Cook, Cristiana L. Ciobanu, Benjamin P. Wade, Liam Courtney-Davies and Russel Bluck
Minerals 2020, 10(2), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10020191 - 20 Feb 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2847
Abstract
The Blackbush uranium prospect (~12,580 tonnes U at 85 ppm cut-off) is located on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. Blackbush was discovered in 2007 and is currently the single example of sediment-hosted uranium mineralisation investigated in any detail in the Gawler Craton. [...] Read more.
The Blackbush uranium prospect (~12,580 tonnes U at 85 ppm cut-off) is located on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. Blackbush was discovered in 2007 and is currently the single example of sediment-hosted uranium mineralisation investigated in any detail in the Gawler Craton. Uranium is hosted within Eocene sandstones of the Kanaka Beds and, subordinately, within a massive saprolite derived from the subjacent Hiltaba-aged (~1585 Ma) granites, affiliated with the Samphire Pluton. Uranium is mainly present as coffinite in different lithologies, mineralisation styles and mineral associations. In the sandstone and saprolite, coffinite occurs intergrown with framboidal Fe-sulphides and lignite, as well as coatings around, and filling fractures within, grains of quartz. Microprobe U–Pb dating of coffinite hosted in sedimentary units yielded a narrow age range, with a weighted average of 16.98 ± 0.16 Ma (343 individual analyses), strongly indicating a single coffinite-forming event at that time. Coffinite in subjacent saprolite generated a broader age range from 28 Ma to 20 Ma. Vein-hosted coffinite yielded similar ages (from 12 to 25 Ma), albeit with a greater range. Uraninite in the vein is distinctly older (42 to 38 Ma). The 17 ± 0.16 Ma age for sandstone-hosted mineralisation roughly coincides with tectonic movement as indicated by the presence of horst and graben structures in the Eocene sedimentary rocks hosting uranium mineralisation but not in stratigraphically younger sedimentary rocks. The new ages for hydrothermal minerals support a conceptual genetic model in which uranium was initially sourced from granite bedrock, then pre-concentrated into veins within that granite, and is subsequently dissolved and reprecipitated as coffinite in younger sediments as a result of low-temperature hydrothermal activity associated with tectonic events during the Tertiary. The ages obtained here for uranium minerals within the different lithologies in the Blackbush prospect support a conceptual genetic model in which tectonic movement along the reactivated Roopena Fault, which triggered the flow of U-rich fluids into the cover sequence. The timing of mineralisation provides information that can help optimise exploration programs for analogous uranium resources within shallow buried sediments across the region. The model presented here can be predicted to apply to sediment-hosted U-mineralisation in cratons elsewhere. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Uranium and Thorium Deposits )
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Review

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25 pages, 8215 KiB  
Review
Uranium and Thorium Resources of Estonia
by Alvar Soesoo, Johannes Vind and Sigrid Hade
Minerals 2020, 10(9), 798; https://doi.org/10.3390/min10090798 - 9 Sep 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 7029
Abstract
We provide a compilation of geology of uranium and thorium potential resources in the Ordovician black shale (graptolite argillite), Cambrian–Ordovician shelly phosphorite and in the secondary resources (tailings) of Estonia. Historical and new geological, XRF and ICP-MS geochemical data and ArcGIS modeling results [...] Read more.
We provide a compilation of geology of uranium and thorium potential resources in the Ordovician black shale (graptolite argillite), Cambrian–Ordovician shelly phosphorite and in the secondary resources (tailings) of Estonia. Historical and new geological, XRF and ICP-MS geochemical data and ArcGIS modeling results of elemental distribution and tonnages are presented. The Estonian black shale contains 5.666 million tons of U, 16.533 Mt Zn, 12.762 Mt Mo, 47.754 Mt V and 0.213–0.254 Mt of Th. The Estonian phosphate resources, altogether about 3 billion metric tons of phosphate ore, contain about 147,000 to 175,000 tons of U. Rare earth element concentrations in the phosphorite ore average at 1200–1500 ppm of ΣREE. Thorium can also be a possible co-product. The mining waste dump at the Maardu contains at least 3650 tons of U and 730 tons of Th. The Sillamäe radioactive waste depository contains about 1200 tons of U and 800 tons of Th. Due to the neighboring geological positions, as well as environmental constraints and mining technologies, the black shale and phosphorite can be treated as a complex multi-resource, possibly at the continental scale, which needs to be extracted together. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Uranium and Thorium Deposits )
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