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2015 GSA Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, USA (1-4 November 2015)

Paper No. 122-5
Presentation Time: 9:00 AM-6:30 PM

TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF URANIUM ORE CONCENTRATES: SOURCE ATTRIBUTION, PROVENANCE INDICATOR, AND PROOF OF CONCEPT


SPANO, Tyler L., Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 301 Stinson Remick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, SIMONETTI, Antonio, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 105A Cushing Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, BALBONI, Enrica, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, DORAIS, Corinne, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, BURNS, Peter C., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 and HIXON, Amy E., University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, tspanofr@nd.edu

Yellowcake, or uranium ore concentrate (UOC) represents an important intermediate material in the nuclear fuel cycle. UOC is precipitated from U-rich leach solutions, a product of in-situ mining operations. Relating observed trace element distributions in UOC materials to the geologic conditions in which the source material formed is possible through trace element analysis as obtained through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) analysis. Several samples of UOC extracted from sandstone-hosted roll front U deposits in the Powder River basin U province in Wyoming USA have been obtained and analyzed for trace element contents and distribution. Powdered samples have been mounted in epoxy and polished for study using the laser ablation method of sample introduction. Additional aliquots of UOC powder were digested in nitric acid for solution mode analysis. Prepared samples were analyzed on both ThermoScientific Element2 and Nu Instruments Attom HR-ICP-MS instruments as a means by which to assess the quality of data obtained using various sample introduction techniques and instruments.

Session No. 122--Booth# 217

T134. Radiation Effects, Mineralogy, and Materials Science of Actinides: In Honor of Rodney C. Ewing, 2015 Roebling Medalist (Posters)
Monday, 2 November 2015: 9:00 AM-6:30 PM
Exhibit Hall (Baltimore Convention Center)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 47, No. 7, p.333
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