Heat-induced changes in speciation and extraction of uranium associated with sheet silicate minerals

• Published in: Applied geochemistry Vol. 18; no. 8; pp. 1121 - 1135
• Main Authors: Ritherdon, Benjamin, Hughes, Colin R., Curtis, Charles D., Livens, Francis R., Mosselmans, J.Fred W., Richardson, Steve, Braithwaite, Anna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Geochemistry; Pollution, environment geology; models; muscovite; X-rays; mica; heat treatment; dehydroxylation; faults; smectite; speciation; montmorillonite; materials; spectroscopy; temperature; clay minerals; silicates; electron microscopy; sheet silicates; dehydration; ions; uranium; thermal analysis

Three samples of gouge from a U-mineralised fault, and two model samples, montmorillonite and muscovite, spiked with U, were heat-treated at a range of temperatures up to 1100 °C. Mineralogical changes were followed by thermal analysis, powder XRD and electron microscopy, and U extractability was me...