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Hayes-Rich, E.; Levy, J.; Hayes-Rich, N.; Lightfoot, D.; Gauthier, Y. |
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Title |
Searching for hidden waters: The effectiveness of remote sensing in assessing the distribution and status of a traditional, earthen irrigation system (khettara) in Morocco |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports |
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51 |
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104175 |
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Keywords |
Remote sensing, Satellite imagery, , Morocco, Traditional irrigation, Archaeology, Water management |
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Abstract |
This paper presents the results of a multi-year, interdisciplinary project that aimed to assess the holistic status of the khettara system in Morocco. The khettara (also known as qanat) is a traditional, earthen water management system. Historically the system was used for settlement in regions without access to reliable surface water. It is both a world and local heritage structure, found in rural and urban regions throughout 46 countries. Recent evaluations of this traditional system have advocated for its preservation and use in arid and semi-arid regions, as modern technologies (pump wells, industrial dams, drip irrigation, etc.) have proven to be unsustainable. This project evaluates remote sensing as a tool for assessing the distribution and status of the khettara in Morocco. The results of this project demonstrate that (1) the khettara system played a large role in the historic settlement of arid and semi-arid regions, and (2) the system continues to be an important part of agriculture and life in many oases across Morocco. |
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2352-409x |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ Hayesrich2023104175 |
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256 |
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Liu, Z.; Tan, K.; Li, C.; Li, Y.; Zhang, C.; Song, J.; Liu, L. |
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Title |
Geochemical and S isotopic studies of pollutant evolution in groundwater after acid in situ leaching in a uranium mine area in Xinjiang |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Nuclear Engineering and Technology |
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Volume |
55 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
1476-1484 |
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Keywords |
Acid in situ leaching of uranium, Pollution evolution, Sulfate elimination, Sulfur isotopes analysis |
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Abstract |
Laboratory experiments and point monitoring of reservoir sediments have proven that stable sulfate reduction (SSR) can lower the concentrations of toxic metals and sulfate in acidic groundwater for a long time. Here, we hypothesize that SSR occurred during in situ leaching after uranium mining, which can impact the fate of acid groundwater in an entire region. To test this, we applied a sulfur isotope fractionation method to analyze the mechanism for natural attenuation of contaminated groundwater produced by acid in situ leaching of uranium (Xinjiang, China). The results showed that δ34S increased over time after the cessation of uranium mining, and natural attenuation caused considerable, area-scale immobilization of sulfur corresponding to retention levels of 5.3%–48.3% while simultaneously decreasing the concentration of uranium. Isotopic evidence for SSR in the area, together with evidence for changes of pollutant concentrations, suggest that area-scale SSR is most likely also important at other acid mining sites for uranium, where retention of acid groundwater may be strengthened through natural attenuation. To recapitulate, the sulfur isotope fractionation method constitutes a relatively accurate tool for quantification of spatiotemporal trends for groundwater during migration and transformation resulting from acid in situ leaching of uranium in northern China. |
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1738-5733 |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ liu_geochemical_2023 |
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192 |
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Wang, W.; Liang, X.; Niu, Q.; Wang, Q.; Zhuo, J.; Su, X.; Zhou, G.; Zhao, L.; Yuan, W.; Chang, J.; Zheng, Y.; Pan, J.; Wang, Z.; Ji, Z. |
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Title |
Reformability evaluation of blasting-enhanced permeability in in situ leaching mining of low-permeability sandstone-type uranium deposits |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Nuclear Engineering and Technology |
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Volume |
55 |
Issue |
8 |
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2773-2784 |
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Keywords |
Analytic hierarchy process-entropy method, Fuzzy mathematics method, Mechanical property, Mineral composition, Pore structure, Split Hopkinson pressure bar |
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Abstract |
It is essential to evaluate the blasting-enhanced permeability (BEP) feasibility of a low-permeability sandstone-type uranium deposit. In this work, the mineral composition, reservoir physical properties and rock mechanical properties of samples from sandstone-type uranium deposits were first measured. Then, the reformability evaluation method was established by the analytic hierarchy process-entropy weight method (AHP-EWM) and the fuzzy mathematics method. Finally, evaluation results were verified by the split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) experiment and permeability test. Results show that medium sandstone, argillaceous sandstone and siltstone exhibit excellent reformability, followed by coarse sandstone and fine sandstone, while the reformability of sandy mudstone is poor and is not able to accept BEP reservoir stimulation. The permeability improvement and the distribution of damage fractures before and after the SHPB experiment confirm the correctness of evaluation results. This research provides a reformability evaluation method for the BEP of the low-permeability sandstone-type uranium deposit, which contributes to the selection of the appropriate regional and stratigraphic horizon of the BEP and the enhanced ISL of the low-permeability sandstone-type uranium deposit. |
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1738-5733 |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ wang_reformability_2023 |
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194 |
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Zeng, S.; Song, J.; Sun, B.; Wang, F.; Ye, W.; Shen, Y.; Li, H. |
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Title |
Seepage characteristics of the leaching solution during in situ leaching of uranium |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Nuclear Engineering and Technology |
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Volume |
55 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
566-574 |
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Keywords |
In situ leaching, Leaching solution viscosity, Seepage characteristics, Seepage pressure, Uranium-bearing sandstone |
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Investigating the seepage characteristics of the leaching solution in the ore-bearing layer during the in situ leaching process can be useful for designing the process parameters for the uranium mining well. We prepared leaching solutions of four different viscosities and conducted experiments using a self-developed multifunctional uranium ore seepage test device. The effects of different viscosities of leaching solutions on the seepage characteristics of uranium-bearing sandstones were examined using seepage mechanics, physicochemical seepage theory, and dissolution erosion mechanism. Results indicated that while the seepage characteristics of various viscosities of leaching solutions were the same in rock samples with similar internal pore architectures, there were regular differences between the saturated and the unsaturated stages. In addition, the time required for the specimen to reach saturation varied with the viscosity of the leaching solution. The higher the viscosity of the solution, the slower the seepage flow from the unsaturated stage to the saturated stage. Furthermore, during the saturation stage, the seepage pressure of a leaching solution with a high viscosity was greater than that of a leaching solution with a low viscosity. However, the permeability coefficient of the high viscosity leaching solution was less than that of a low viscosity leaching solution. |
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1738-5733 |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ zeng_seepage_2023 |
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211 |
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Zhang, Y.; Liu, X.; Yuan, S.; Song, J.; Chen, W.; Dias, D. |
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Title |
A two-dimensional experimental study of active progressive failure of deeply buried Qanat tunnels in sandy ground |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Soils and Foundations |
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63 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
101323 |
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Qanat tunnel, Sand, Failure effect, Soil arching, Model test |
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As an ancient underground hydraulic engineering facility, the Qanat system has been used to draw groundwater from arid regions. A qanat is a horizontal tunnel with a slight incline that draws groundwater from a higher location and delivers it to lower agricultural land. During long-term water delivery, the qanat tunnel has experienced different degrees of aging and collapse, which may result in the significant ground settlement and even disasters. This paper developed a two-dimensional laboratory system to investigate the influence of progressive failure on the stability of deeply buried qanat tunnels. The developed system is fully instrumented with a particle image velocimetry (PIV) system and earth pressure and displacement monitoring. A special cylindrical membrane tube is designed and connected to an advanced pressure–volume controller to simulate the step-wise failure process of the tunnel. Three model tests were conducted on a dry sand considering the buried qanat tunnels at three different depths. Experimental results clearly show the progressive evolution of soil arching effect in the dry sand associated with the progressive failure of the tunnels. The failure of the Qanat ground starts from the vault and develops upwards, which is closely related to the evolution of stress contour at three consecutive stages. Ground surface settlement and volume loss corresponding to three burial depths were compared. A deeply buried qanat tunnel has a small effect on surface settlement. Earth pressure evolution on the 2D plane shows the load redistribution when the qanat collapses. The maximum arch and the initial point of the limit state correspond to a volume loss of 12.5 % and 50 %, respectively. For the collapse of the deep buried qanat tunnel, ground earth pressure evolution can be divided into a stress-increasing region, stress-decreasing region, and no redistribution region. Furthermore, a multi trap-door model considering soil expansion is proposed to describe the progressive failure behavior and its effects. |
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0038-0806 |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ Zhang2023101323 |
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274 |
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Author |
Alexander, A.C.; Ndambuki, J.M. |
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Title |
Impact of mine closure on groundwater resource: Experience from Westrand Basin-South Africa |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C |
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131 |
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103432 |
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Acid mine drainage, Groundwater quality, Mine closure, Spatio-temporal variation, Westrand Basin |
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The mining sector is at the edge of expanding to cater for natural resources that are much needed for technological development and manufacturing. Mushrooming of mines will consequently increase the number of mines closure. Moreover, mines closure have adverse impact on the environment at large and specifically on water resources. This study analyses historical groundwater quality parameters in mine intensive basin of Westrand Basin (WRB) to understand the status of groundwater quality in relation to mining activities and mine closure. Geographic information system (GIS) was used to map the spatio-temporal variation of groundwater quality in the basin and groundwater quality index (GQI) to evaluate its status. The coefficient of variation (CV) was applied to understand the stability of groundwater quality after the mine closure. Results indicated unstable and altered trend with increasing levels of acidity and salts concentration around the mines vicinity following the mine closure. The resultant maps indicated a significant deterioration of groundwater quality around the WRB with concentrations decreasing downstream. Obtained average GQI for the study period of 1996–2015 suggested a moderate groundwater quality at a range of GQI = 64–73. The CV indicated varying water quality at CV \textgreater 30% suggesting presence of source of contamination. Observed groundwater quality trends in Westrand basin suggested that mines closure present potential threat on groundwater quality and thus, a need for a robust mine closure plan and implementation. |
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1474-7065 |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ alexander_impact_2023 |
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134 |
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Asare, P.; Atun, F.; Pfeffer, K. |
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Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in spatial planning for urban flood mitigation: The perspective of flood management experts in Accra |
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Journal Article |
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2023 |
Publication |
Land Use Policy |
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133 |
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106865 |
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Naure-Based Solutions, Urban expansion, Urban floods, Urban flood management, Spatial planning, NBS integration |
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The rapid rate of urban expansion with its associated physical development in recent years conflicts with the urban ecosystem and the services it provides. In most Sub-Saharan African cities, rapid urban expansion often does not conform to existing spatial plans. Physical developments are sometimes carried out in unauthorized areas, contributing to urban floods. The Sub-Saharan African regions’ flood management strategies mainly focus on engineering solutions but have not been fully functional in mitigating urban floods. There is a scarcity of knowledge on how urban flood-related NBS measures can be part of the spatial development in Sub-Saharan African cities for effective flood management. In order to address this gap, this study employed content and text analysis of policy documents and interviews to understand how current spatial and flood mitigation schemes in Accra, Ghana reflect possible NBS applicability and identify possible approaches to integrating NBS into existing planning schemes to prevent urban floods. The study found that Accra’s spatial plans and flood mitigation schemes reflect a possibility of NBS integration. Additionally, the study unveiled techniques for integrating NBS measures and possible implementation barriers and facilitation in the Ghanaian context, which can be linked to combating the challenges that the Ghanaian spatial planning and flood management authorities face. The research, therefore, contributes to knowledge of how NBS can be integrated into spatial planning systems and flood mitigation schemes in Sub-Saharan African regions. |
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0264-8377 |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ Asare2023106865 |
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236 |
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Smedley, P.L.; Kinniburgh, D.G. |
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Title |
Uranium in natural waters and the environment: Distribution, speciation and impact |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Applied Geochemistry |
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Volume |
148 |
Issue |
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105534 |
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Drinking water, Mine water, NORM, Radionuclide, Redox, U isotopes, Uranium, Uranyl |
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The concentrations of U in natural waters are usually low, being typically less than 4 μg/L in river water, around 3.3 μg/L in open seawater, and usually less than 5 μg/L in groundwater. Higher concentrations can occur in both surface water and groundwater and the range spans some six orders of magnitude, with extremes in the mg/L range. However, such extremes in surface water are rare and linked to localized mineralization or evaporation in alkaline lakes. High concentrations in groundwater, substantially above the WHO provisional guideline value for U in drinking water of 30 μg/L, are associated most strongly with (i) granitic and felsic volcanic aquifers, (ii) continental sandstone aquifers especially in alluvial plains and (iii) areas of U mineralization. High-U groundwater provinces are more common in arid and semi-arid terrains where evaporation is an additional factor involved in concentrating U and other solutes. Examples of granitic and felsic volcanic terrains with documented high U concentrations include several parts of peninsular India, eastern USA, Canada, South Korea, southern Finland, Norway, Switzerland and Burundi. Examples of continental sandstone aquifers include the alluvial plains of the Indo-Gangetic Basin of India and Pakistan, the Central Valley, High Plains, Carson Desert, Española Basin and Edwards-Trinity aquifers of the USA, Datong Basin, China, parts of Iraq and the loess of the Chaco-Pampean Plain, Argentina. Many of these plains host eroded deposits of granitic and felsic volcanic precursors which likely act as primary sources of U. Numerous examples exist of groundwater impacted by U mineralization, often accompanied by mining, including locations in USA, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Portugal, China, Egypt and Germany. These may host high to extreme concentrations of U but are typically of localized extent. The overarching mechanisms of U mobilization in water are now well-established and depend broadly on redox conditions, pH and solute chemistry, which are shaped by the geological conditions outlined above. Uranium is recognized to be mobile in its oxic, U(VI) state, at neutral to alkaline pH (7–9) and is aided by the formation of stable U–CO3(±Ca, Mg) complexes. In such oxic and alkaline conditions, U commonly covaries with other similarly controlled anions and oxyanions such as F, As, V and Mo. Uranium is also mobile at acidic pH (2–4), principally as the uranyl cation UO22+. Mobility in U mineralized areas may therefore occur in neutral to alkaline conditions or in conditions with acid drainage, depending on the local occurrence and capacity for pH buffering by carbonate minerals. In groundwater, mobilization has also been observed in mildly (Mn-) reducing conditions. Uranium is immobile in more strongly (Fe-, SO4-) reducing conditions as it is reduced to U(IV) and is either precipitated as a crystalline or ‘non-crystalline’ form of UO2 or is sorbed to mineral surfaces. A more detailed understanding of U chemistry in the natural environment is challenging because of the large number of complexes formed, the strong binding to oxides and humic substances and their interactions, including ternary oxide-humic-U interactions. Improved quantification of these interactions will require updating of the commonly-used speciation software and databases to include the most recent developments in surface complexation models. Also, given their important role in maintaining low U concentrations in many natural waters, the nature and solubility of the amorphous or non-crystalline forms of UO2 that result from microbial reduction of U(VI) need improved quantification. Even where high-U groundwater exists, percentage exceedances of the WHO guideline value are variable and often small. More rigorous testing programmes to establish usable sources are therefore warranted in such vulnerable aquifers. As drinking-water regulation for U is a relatively recent introduction in many countries (e.g. the European Union), testing is not yet routine or established and data are still relatively limited. Acquisition of more data will establish whether analogous aquifers elsewhere in the world have similar patterns of aqueous U distribution. In the high-U groundwater regions that have been recognized so far, the general absence of evidence for clinical health symptoms is a positive finding and tempers the scale of public health concern, though it also highlights a need for continued investigation. |
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0883-2927 |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ smedley_uranium_2023 |
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118 |
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Qiu, W.; Yang, Y.; Song, J.; Que, W.; Liu, Z.; Weng, H.; Wu, J.; Wu, J. |
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Title |
What chemical reaction dominates the CO2 and O2 in-situ uranium leaching?: Insights from a three-dimensional multicomponent reactive transport model at the field scale |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Applied Geochemistry |
Abbreviated Journal |
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148 |
Issue |
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Pages |
105522 |
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Carbonate minerals, In-situ leaching (ISL) of uranium, Pyrite oxidation, Reactive transport modeling (RTM) |
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The complex behavior of uranium in recovery is mostly driven by water-rock interactions following lixiviant injection into ore-bearing aquifers. Significant challenges exist in exploring the geochemical processes responsible for uranium release and mobilization. Herein this study provides an illustration of a ten-year field scale CO2 and O2 in-situ leaching (ISL) process at a typical sandstone-hosted uranium deposit in northern China. We also conducte a three-dimensional (3-D) multicomponent reactive transport model to assess the effects of potential chemical reactions on uranium recovery, in particular, to focus on the role of sulfide mineral pyrite (FeS2). Numerical simulations are performed considering three potential ISL reaction pathways to determine the relative contributions to uranium release, and the results indicate that bicarbonate promotes the oxidative dissolution of uranium-bearing minerals and further accelerates the uranium leaching in a neutral geochemical system. Moreover, the presence of FeS2 exerts a strong competitive role in the uranium-bearing mineral dissolution by increasing oxygen consumption, favoring the formation of iron oxyhydroxide, and therefore causing an associated decrease in uranium recovery rates. The simulation model demonstrates that dissolution of carbonate neutralizes acidic water generated from pyrite oxidation and aqueous CO2 dissociation. In addition, the cation concentrations (i.e., Ca and Mg) are increasing in the pregnant solutions, showing that the recycling of lixiviants and kinetic dissolution of carbonate generates a larger number of dissolved Ca and Mg and inevitably triggers the secondary dolomite mineral precipitation. The findings improve our fundamental understanding of the geochemical processes in a long-term uranium ISL system and provide important environmental implications for the optimal design of uranium recovery, remediation, and risk exposure assessment. |
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0883-2927 |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ qiu_what_2023 |
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207 |
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Author |
Hall, S.M.; Gosen, B.S.V.; Zielinski, R.A. |
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Sandstone-hosted uranium deposits of the Colorado Plateau, USA |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Ore Geology Reviews |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
155 |
Issue |
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Pages |
105353 |
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Colorado, Plateau, Uranium, Vanadium |
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Abstract |
More than 4,000 sandstone-hosted uranium occurrences host over 1.2 billion pounds of mined and in situ U3O8 throughout the Colorado Plateau. Most of the resources are in two distinct mineral systems with deposits hosted in the Triassic Chinle and Jurassic Morrison Formations. In the Chinle mineral system, base metal sulfides typically accompany mineralization. The Morrison mineral system is characterized by V/U ratios up to 20. The uranium source was likely volcanic ash preserved as bentonitic mudstones in the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation, and lithic volcanic clasts, ash shards, and bentonitic clay in the lower part of the Chinle Formation. Vanadium originated from two possible sources: iron–titanium oxides that are extensively altered in bleached rock near deposits or from similar minerals in variably bleached red beds interbedded with and beneath the Morrison. In Chinle-hosted deposits, in addition to volcanic ash, a contributing source of both vanadium and uranium is proposed here for the first time to be underlying red beds in the Moenkopi and Cutler Formations that have undergone a cycle of reddening-bleaching-reoxidation. Transport in both systems was likely in groundwater through the more permeable sandstones and conglomerate units. The association of uranium minerals with carbonate and more rarely apatite, suggests that transport of uranium was as a carbonate or phosphate complex. The first comprehensive examination of paleoclimate, paleotopography, and subsurface structure of aquifers coupled with analysis of the geochronology of deposits suggests that that there were distinct pulses of uranium mineralization/redistribution during the period from about 259 Ma to 12 Ma when oxidized mineralizing fluids were intermittently rejuvenated in the Plateau in response to changes in tectonic regime and climate. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that deposits formed at ambient temperatures of about 25 °C to no greater than about 140 °C. In both systems, deposits formed where groundwater flow slowed and was subject to evaporative concentration. Stagnant conditions allowed for prolonged interaction of U- and V-enriched groundwater with ferrous iron-bearing reductants, such as illite and iron–titanium oxides, and more rarely organic material such as plant debris. Paragenetically late in the sequence, reducing fluids introduced additional organic matter to some deposits. Reducing fluids and introduced organic matter (now amorphous and altered by radiolysis) may originate from regional petroleum systems where peak oil and gas generation was from ∼ 82 to ∼ 5 Ma. Our novel analysis indicates that these reducing fluids bleached rock and protected affected deposits from remobilization during exposure and weathering that followed uplift of the Plateau (∼80 to 40 Ma). |
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0169-1368 |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ hall_sandstone-hosted_2023 |
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111 |
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