PAEC B (IB) 84001 r?».»PPtN6ATOW6 EMEHGT .-•.«.«•.-.-,, ,1...

.;.-.tiH.I»HTATI<'»N "EHTG* OCT 1 3 19& PRELIMINARY URANIUM GEOCHEMICAL SURVEY OF PROVINCE, ,

by Gabriel Santos Jr. .Wilfred Magsambol Julietta Seguis Marilyn Castillo Hiltrudis Ortile Lourdes Fernandez

June 1984

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TABLE .OP CONTENTS

Page

Abstract ...... I Introduction ...... 2 Methodology 3 Results and Discussion . ..4 Acknowledgement . . . 7 References 8 PAEC B ( IB ) 84001

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Location Map of Pangasinan Figure 2 Geological Map of Pangasinan Figure 3 Uranium Distribution in Stream Sediments Figure 4 Uranium Distribution in Heavy Minerals

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 : Results of uranium and copper analyses of stream sediments and heavy minerals from Pangasinan (values in ppm). Table 2 : Comparison of the background and threshold concen­ trations (ppm) of uranium in Pangasinan and north­ western Luzon (ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, and La Union). P/.EC B (IB) 84001 Pcige 1

Preliminary Uranium Geochemical Survey of Pannasinan Province, Luzon, Philippines

by

Gabriel Santos Jr. Wilfred Magsambol Julietta Seguis Marilyn Castillo Hiltrudis Ortile Lourdes Fernandez

ABSTRACT

Sediment and panned heavy mineral survey: were conducted in the province of Pangasinan in Luzon island for a cummula- tive period of lh months in 1983. A total of ...4'Dstream sediments and 125 panned heavy mineral concentrates wer'2 obtained along active rivers and streams draining into the L.ngayen Gulf and Luzon Sea, The minus 80 mesh sediment fractious and non-magnetic portions of the heavy minerals were analyzed Ifor total uranium using delayed neutron activation analysis techniques. Results indicated that uranium values ranged from 0.1 ppm to 1.4 ppm and 0.1 ppm to 23.2 ppm, ^for the stream sedimmts and heavy minerals, respectively. The uranium values obtained in the scream sediments were considered to be within the range of the average uranium concentrations in northwesternLuzon. However, uranium values in the heavy minerals, in-general, were higher than the values obtained in northwestern Luzon, One uranium ano- mally area was found in San Carlos PAEC B (IB) 84001 Page 2

INTRODUCTION

This study was undertaken in order to determine the uranium distribution in the province of Pangasinan and to delineate areas with significant above background uranium concentration. Pangasinan is located in the northwestern part of Luzon. It is partly bounded by the Gulf in the north and Luzon Sea in the west. The survey area lies approximately bet­ ween 119°45' -120°50' East longitude and 15°45' -16°30' Worth latitude. Pangasinan could be easily reached from Manila by road. which is about 207 km. north of Manila is the larger of the two cities found in the province, shown in Fig. 1 is the location map of Pangasinan and other provinces in north­ western Luzon.

Most of Pangasinan partly occupies the lowlands between the Zambales mountain ranges and the Cordillera Central; However/ average elevation in the western part of the province is about 200 meters. The highest elevation reaches up to 570 meters in Mount . Several river systems originating from the foot of Cordillera Central Range traverse the plains southward and then northward towards the ; The largest and longest river is the Agno River. Except for the high relief areas in western Pangasinan, most of the survey areas have been • converted into commercial plantations.

The geology of Pangasinan (Fig. 2) was taken from the Geo­ logical Map of the Philippines published by the Bureau of Mines in 1962. PAEC B (IB) S4001 Page 3

The region is mainly underlain by Recent alluvium, Pliocene- Pleistocene marine and terrestrial sediments as well as Oli- gocene-Miocene shales and limestone. Most of -ihe intrusive rocks consist of ultramafic and mafic plutonic rocks which are found in the Mount Mangatarem area.

METHODOLOGY

Sediments weighing about 1-2 kg. were collected at each sampling point from active streams and rivers, Heavy mineral concentrates were obtained by panning the sediments using a wooden pan. The sediments were dried and prepared in the base camp by screening and separating the minus 80 mesh fraction. The heavy minerals were further treated by removing the siliceous materials employing heavy media separation. B.romoform with a specific gravity of 2.85 was utilized as the heavy liquid. The magnetic minerals were separated from the non-magnetic portion by using a hand magnet. Uranium was analyzed with the use of delayed neutron activa­ tion analysis (DNAA) technique. The uranium was determined using the PAEC /Automated Uranium Analyzer System which is similar to the system described by Boulanger et al.(1976!. The limit of detection of DNAA was 0.1 ppm u for a one gram sample. 'AEC B (IB) 84001 'age 4

Copper contents of the sediments were de ;ermined using the acid leach method developed by Smith and Lync/i (1969) employing a Varian Techtron Spectrophotometer. The limi-; of detection for copper, was 4 ppm.

Copper was determined because it was believed that mine tailings from copper mines were being discharged into rivers draining the survey area. It was hoped therefore/ to use copper concentration levels as a measure of sediment contamination or pollution.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A total of 140 and 125 stream sediments md heavy mineral concentrates, respectively, were collected ov jr an area cove­ ring 3/400 sg.km. or roughly at a sampling de isity of one sample per 24 sq.km. The results of uranium end copper analyses of the stream sediments and heavy minerals an listed in Table

1. A total of 261 samples were analyzed. The iranium values were treated statistically to determine the background and threshold values using the method of Lepeltier (1969). Values which were equal to or greater than the threshold were consi­ dered geochemical anomalies. The average geoc'iemical background values of uranium in stream sediments and her /y minerals were

0.6 ppm and 1.1 ppm, respectively, while the threshold values of uranium in stream sediments and heavy minerals were 1,4 ppm and 10.5 ppm, respectively. Shown in Figs. 3 ind 4 are the ura- nium distribution in stream sediments and he?/y minerals in

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Early in the survey, it was observed that Agno and Bued Rivers as well as Ealingcaquin River were heavily silted with mine tailings. Samples taken from these river systems were considered partly mixed with tails coming from copper mines in the Baguio district and Barlo mines. A study made by MHS/NEPC-NACIAD (1983) noted that the metal contamination which were observed in the Agno River and to a lesser degree in the Bued and the Equia (Barlo) catchments were mainly due to mining waste disposal. Analyses and statistical treatment of copper content of the stream sediments indicated that the copper background and thres­ hold values were less than 110 ppm and 220 ppm, respectively. The above river systems contain anomalous copper levels. Shown in Fig. 5 is the copper distribution in Pangasinan. If copper values in stream sediments obtained from the affected river systems were excluded in the statistical treat­ ment, the copper concentration levels for Pangasinan ranged from 3 ppm to 10 ppm. The adjusted copper background and thres­ hold values were 22 ppm and 60 ppm, respectively. The uranium concentration in the stream sediments were generally low. In order to compare the values obtained in Pangasinan with the other parts of northwestern Luzon, samples used in the work of Santos et al (1980) were analyzed for total uranium by delayed neutron activation analysis. The results ob­ tained in Pangasin;in were considered within tie range of value distribution obtained in other parts of northwestern Luzon. PAEC B (IB) 84001 Page 6

The adjusted uranium background and threshold concentrations were 0,5 ppm and 1,2 ppm, respectively. These values are almost comparable to those obtained in northwestern Luzon, which were 0.4 ppm for the background values and 2.3 ppm for the threshold value. However,in heavy minerals the background and threshold values were 1,0 ppm and 9.0 ppm, respectively. These values were very much higher than those obtained in other parts of northwestern Luzon by Santos et al, (1983), which were 0.5 ppm for the background value and 2,8 ppm for the threshold value. Shown in Table 2 is the comparison of the background and threshold concentrations of uranium in stream sediments and heavy minerals in Pangasinan and northwestern -Luzon. . Shown in Figure 4 is the uranium distribution map based on heavy minerals showing uranium anomaly in San Carlos City; Since this area is underlain by Recent alluvium, it is believed that the uranium enrichment in the heavy minerals would be rather restricted in extent or highly localized; However, a resampling of the streams of interest would be appropriate. PAEC B (IB) 84001 Page

Table 1. Results of Uranium and Copper. Analyses of Stream Sediments and Heavy Minerals from Pangasinan (values in ppm).

Stream Sediments

Sample U Cu Sample u Cu No. No.

2967 1-0 0.5 59 2968 106-0 0.7 22 101 0.9 10 107 0.7 20 102 6.8 22 108 1.1 18 103 1.0 5 109 1.3 13 104 1.3 15 110 0.6 18 105 0.7 46 111 0.4 20 106 1.0 12 112 0.7 19 107 0.5 571 113 0.5 22 108 0.4 28 114 0.9 11. 109 0.6 31 115 1.2 16 110 1.1 23 116 0.7 8 111 0.1 24 117 0.3 65 112 0.3 14 118 0.3 18 113 0.3 9 119 0.3 150 114 0.3 20 120 0.2 48 115 0.8 9 121 0.8 5 116 0.4 33 122 °.9 13 117 0.3 2048 123 0.9 7 118 0.5 14 124 1.0 11 119 0.7 15 125 0.8 23 2968 1-0 0.2 60 126 0.7 28 101-0 1.2 17 127 1.1 2 102 0.6 11 128 0.9 6 103 0.9 13 129 0.9 12 104 1.6 18 130 - 11 105 1.4 14 131 - 31

>•-•-'•' -.1. . 1 . • " " I/' PAEC B (IB) 84001

Stream Sediments

Sample U Cu Sample U Cu No. . No.

2969 101-0 1.4 5 3067 113-0 0.2 31 102 0.7 5 .114 °.5 34 3067 1-0 1.4 41 115 0.5 23 2 0.3 16 116 0.5 31 3 1.0 13 117 0.5 29 4 0.3 26 118 0.5 22 5 0f4 19 119 0.2 22 6 1.0 51 120 0.2 40 7 0.8 70 121 0-9 48 8 1.0 193 122 0.6 37 9 1.5 30 123 0.6 18 10 0.4 348 124 0.7 13 11 0.4 32 125 0.5 13 12 0.2 27 126 0.3 8 101-0 0.3 29 127 0.9 279 102 ND 26 128 0.6 211 103 9.3 38 3068 1-0 0.5 656 104 0.3 46 2 0.7 44 105 0.4 44 3 0.9 46 106 0.1 41 4 0.7 72 107 0.2 49 5 0.-4 10 108 0.1 38 6 0.4 3 109 0.3 60 7 ND 8 110 0.4 25 8 0.3 11 111 0.1 27 9 1.2 310 112 0.2 36 10 1.1 32

MD - not detected co co CO co W rt CTi eon 3 3 ^1 CD (D 0 'tf cu W)00-0(nU1c^UM , ro 3 I i- i-'i-'00000000©Ln*.cofoi-, ' roi- oy3CD^^U^UU1Wi>Jif>UffliP.#.U10 01

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Heavy Minerals

Sample u Sample U No. No.

2967 1-2 1,2 296S 106-2 1.3 102 1.2 107 1.1 103 1.5 108 2.0 104 1.9 109 2.7 105 1.7 110 1.6 111 0.3 111 1.5 112 0.8 112 0.8 113 1.0 114 1.7 114 0.8 115 1.1 115 1.3 116 0.6 116 2,7 117 1.0 117 0.1 118 0-8 118 0.5 119 0.6 119 0.3 120 0.6 2968 1-0 0.4 121 1.8 101 2.1 122 2.4 102 1.8 121 1.8 103 L4 122 2.4 104 1.2 123 2.0 105 1.7 124 1.3 125 0.7 126 1.0 127 4.4 128 3.4 129 0.9 2969 101-2 3.9 PAEC B (IB) 84001

Heavy Minerals

Sample U Sample U No. No.

102-2 3.4 3067 114 ND 1-2 4.3 115 0.6 3 1.0 116 0.4 4 1.7 117 0.3 5 0.1 119 0.1 6 0.2 120 b.4 7 1.7 121 5.7 8 0,5 122 6.7 9 3.4 123 5.0 10 1.1 124 9.5 11 0.1 125 23.2 12 0.5 126 °.8 101-2 ND 127 12.8 102 ND 128 12.5 103 0.2 3068 104 0.3 2 4.4 108 ND 3 5.0 109 1.1 4 4.5 110 0.4 5 0.1 112 0*3 6 0.5 113 0.2 7 0.4 11 0.9 P/*EC B (IB) 84001

Heavy Minerals

Sample U Sample U No. Wo.

3068 12-2 0*6 104-2 7*5 13 2i5 105 4.7 14 0*9 1-0 3;0 15 4.1 2 li6 101 2.1 4 ' 4.1 102 0.1 5 1.4 103 0.6 6 . 5.0 104 0.4 8 6.2 105 0.3 9 0.5 106 0-7 107 0.6 108 0.2 111 1.2 112 0.4 3167 1-2 0.3 2 2.2 5 0.4 6 0.9 7 0.5 3167 101-2 5.8 102 2.0 103 9.3 ?AEC B (IB)

Table 2. Comparison of the background and threshold concentrations (ppm) of uranium in Pangasinan and northwestern Luzon (ilocos Norte; Ilocos Sur/ Abra, Benguet and La Union).

Pattgasinan Northwestern Luzon

Medium Bkcjd Threshold Bkgd . Threshold + Stream Sediments 0.5 ' 1.2 0.4 2.3 i i

Heavy minerals 1.0 i 9.0 0.5 2.8 PAEC B (IP) 84001 Page 7

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors wish to acknowledge the support extended to the project by Commissioner Zoilo M. Bartolome and Deputy Commissioner Col. A. Ver Albino.

Mario Rebenque assisted in the sampling collection during the early part of the survey.

The authors would also like to express their appreciation to Gov. A. Agbayani and the mayors of the different towns in Pangasinan as well as to Mr. Rafael F. Baraan, Provincial Development Coordinator for their kind assistance during the conduct of the fieldwork.- PAEC B (IB) 84001 Page 8

REFERENCES

Boulanger, A.Evans, D.J. and Raby, B., 1976. Uranium Analysis by Neutron Activation Delayed Neutron Counting, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Ottawa. Lepeltier, C. 1969. "\ Simplified Statistical Treatment of Geochemical Data by Graphical Representation. Econ. Geol., v. 64, pp. 538-550. National Environmental Protection Counci]-National Council on Integrated Area Development, 1983. Ecological Profile of Pangasinan. NEPC, Quezon City.

Santos, G., Fernandez, L.G., Ogena/ M. and Tauli, G., 1980. Uranium Geochemical Exploration in Northwestern Luzon. In Proceedings mineral Re­ sources Development Symposium, Baguio. Santos, G., Seguis, E.J;, Fernandez, L.G., Miranda F.E., Custodio, D.G., and Alfaro, N.P. Reconnai­ ssance Geochemical Survey of Heavy Minerals in Northern Luzon, Philippines. PAEC Technical Report (A) IN 83007, 1983. Smith, A.Y. and Lynch. J.J. (1969) ." Field and labora­ tory methods used by the Geological Survey of Canada in Geochemical Surveys, No. 11, Uranium in Soil, Stream Sediments and Water Surv. Can. Paper 69-40. 45 120° 00' SEDIMENTARY A —r~ r RECENT

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