DOCSLIB.ORG

IAEA TECDOC SERIES World Thorium Occurrences, Deposits and Resources

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

IAEA-TECDOC-1877 IAEA-TECDOC-1877 IAEA TECDOC SERIES World Thorium Occurrences, Deposits and Resources Deposits and Resources Thorium Occurrences, World IAEA-TECDOC-1877 World Thorium Occurrences, Deposits and Resources International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna ISBN 978–92–0–103719–0 ISSN 1011–4289 @ WORLD THORIUM OCCURRENCES, DEPOSITS AND RESOURCES The following States are Members of the International Atomic Energy Agency: AFGHANISTAN GERMANY PAKISTAN ALBANIA GHANA PALAU ALGERIA GREECE PANAMA ANGOLA GRENADA PAPUA NEW GUINEA ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA GUATEMALA PARAGUAY ARGENTINA GUYANA PERU ARMENIA HAITI PHILIPPINES AUSTRALIA HOLY SEE POLAND AUSTRIA HONDURAS PORTUGAL AZERBAIJAN HUNGARY QATAR BAHAMAS ICELAND REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA BAHRAIN INDIA BANGLADESH INDONESIA ROMANIA BARBADOS IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION BELARUS IRAQ RWANDA BELGIUM IRELAND SAINT LUCIA BELIZE ISRAEL SAINT VINCENT AND BENIN ITALY THE GRENADINES BOLIVIA, PLURINATIONAL JAMAICA SAN MARINO STATE OF JAPAN SAUDI ARABIA BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA JORDAN SENEGAL BOTSWANA KAZAKHSTAN SERBIA BRAZIL KENYA SEYCHELLES BRUNEI DARUSSALAM KOREA, REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE BULGARIA KUWAIT SINGAPORE BURKINA FASO KYRGYZSTAN SLOVAKIA BURUNDI LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC SLOVENIA CAMBODIA REPUBLIC SOUTH AFRICA CAMEROON LATVIA SPAIN CANADA LEBANON SRI LANKA CENTRAL AFRICAN LESOTHO SUDAN REPUBLIC LIBERIA CHAD LIBYA SWEDEN CHILE LIECHTENSTEIN SWITZERLAND CHINA LITHUANIA SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC COLOMBIA LUXEMBOURG TAJIKISTAN CONGO MADAGASCAR THAILAND COSTA RICA MALAWI TOGO CÔTE D’IVOIRE MALAYSIA TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO CROATIA MALI TUNISIA CUBA MALTA TURKEY CYPRUS MARSHALL ISLANDS TURKMENISTAN CZECH REPUBLIC MAURITANIA UGANDA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC MAURITIUS UKRAINE OF THE CONGO MEXICO UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DENMARK MONACO UNITED KINGDOM OF DJIBOUTI MONGOLIA GREAT BRITAIN AND DOMINICA MONTENEGRO NORTHERN IRELAND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MOROCCO UNITED REPUBLIC ECUADOR MOZAMBIQUE OF TANZANIA EGYPT MYANMAR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA EL SALVADOR NAMIBIA ERITREA NEPAL URUGUAY ESTONIA NETHERLANDS UZBEKISTAN ESWATINI NEW ZEALAND VANUATU ETHIOPIA NICARAGUA VENEZUELA, BOLIVARIAN FIJI NIGER REPUBLIC OF FINLAND NIGERIA VIET NAM FRANCE NORTH MACEDONIA YEMEN GABON NORWAY ZAMBIA GEORGIA OMAN ZIMBABWE The Agency’s Statute was approved on 23 October 1956 by the Conference on the Statute of the IAEA held at United Nations Headquarters, New York; it entered into force on 29 July 1957. The Headquarters of the Agency are situated in Vienna. Its principal objective is “to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world’’. IAEA-TECDOC-1877 WORLD THORIUM OCCURRENCES, DEPOSITS AND RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY VIENNA, 2019 COPYRIGHT NOTICE All IAEA scientific and technical publications are protected by the terms of the Universal Copyright Convention as adopted in 1952 (Berne) and as revised in 1972 (Paris). The copyright has since been extended by the World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva) to include electronic and virtual intellectual property. Permission to use whole or parts of texts contained in IAEA publications in printed or electronic form must be obtained and is usually subject to royalty agreements. Proposals for non-commercial reproductions and translations are welcomed and considered on a case-by-case basis. Enquiries should be addressed to the IAEA Publishing Section at: Marketing and Sales Unit, Publishing Section International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna International Centre PO Box 100 1400 Vienna, Austria fax: +43 1 26007 22529 tel.: +43 1 2600 22417 email: [email protected] www.iaea.org/books For further information on this publication, please contact: Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna International Centre PO Box 100 1400 Vienna, Austria Email: [email protected] © IAEA, 2019 Printed by the IAEA in Austria July 2019 IAEA Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Names: International Atomic Energy Agency. Title: World thorium occurrences, deposits and resources / International Atomic Energy Agency. Description: Vienna : International Atomic Energy Agency, 2019. | Series: IAEA TECDOC series, ISSN 1011–4289 ; no. 1877 | Includes bibliographical references. Identifiers: IAEAL 19-01250 | ISBN 978–92–0–103719–0 (paperback : alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Thorium. | Thorium ores. | Mines and mineral deposits. FOREWORD With increased demand for carbon-free energy and accelerated growth of global nuclear power, it is possible that thorium will be used as a nuclear fuel in the foreseeable future. The thorium fuel cycle offers several potential advantages, including superior physical and nuclear properties of fuel, enhanced proliferation resistance, and reduced plutonium and actinide production. Thorium use in light water reactors, high temperature reactors and liquid fluoride thorium reactors has been successfully demonstrated. Recently, many Member States have announced new initiatives involving the use of thorium. During the peak years of nuclear development in the 1960s and 1970s, thorium was regarded as an alternative to uranium for fuelling nuclear reactors, and a number of thorium fuelled reactors were developed and put into operation. Thorium fuelled reactors have demonstrated advantages such as a higher yield of neutrons and the absence of plutonium produced in the uranium fuel cycle. Among the disadvantages are the intermediate production of protactinium-233, which diminishes the yield of neutrons, and problems related to radiation, the inert nature of thorium oxide and the reprocessing of spent thorium fuel. The crustal abundance of thorium is three to five times greater than that of uranium. Thorium occurs as oxides, silicates and phosphates, often with rare earth elements and other critical materials such as niobium, tantalum and zirconium. The total world thorium resources are estimated to be around 6 million tonnes. However, thorium resources cannot be compared with uranium resources, the total identified and predicted resources of which were approximately 9.3 million tonnes as of 2014. These thorium estimates are based on historic data and recent estimates from a few countries. Thorium geology and mineralogy, though not widely studied in the past, is currently receiving increasing attention owing to its close association with rare earth elements and other critical materials. The possibility of thorium as a by-product of rare earth element production is becoming increasingly relevant today. This publication attempts to combine existing knowledge of thorium geology and mineralization into a brief account of the worldwide occurrence of thorium resources. Recent advances in estimating thorium resources are also presented. The IAEA officers responsible for this publication were M. Fairclough and H. Tulsidas of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology. EDITORIAL NOTE This publication has been prepared from the original material as submitted by the contributors and has not been edited by the editorial staff of the IAEA. The views expressed remain the responsibility of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the IAEA or its Member States. Neither the IAEA nor its Member States assume any responsibility for consequences which may arise from the use of this publication. This publication does not address questions of responsibility, legal or otherwise, for acts or omissions on the part of any person. The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA. The authors are responsible for having obtained the necessary permission for the IAEA to reproduce, translate or use material from sources already protected by copyrights. The IAEA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third party Internet web sites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such web sites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................. 1 1.2. OBJECTIVE ........................................................................................................ 1 1.3. SCOPE ................................................................................................................. 2 1.4. STRUCTURE ...................................................................................................... 2 2. PRINCIPAL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES............................................ 2 3. THORIUM MINERALS ..................................................................................................... 3 4. CLASSIFICATION OF THORIUM DEPOSITS ............................................................... 4 4.1. DESCRIPTION OF THORIUM DEPOSIT TYPES AND EXAMPLES ........... 8 4.1.1. Carbonatite .............................................................................................. 8 4.1.2. Alkaline/peralkaline
Recommended publications
  • Applicability of Siberian Placer Mining Technology to Alaska

    Applicability of Siberian Placer Mining Technology to Alaska

    MIRL Report No. 89 Applicability- - of Siberian Placer Mining Technology to Alaska Dr. Frank J. Skudrzyk, Project Manager E++W Engineering Consultants 461 1 Dartmouth Fairbanks, Alaska James C,Barker U.S. Bureau of Mines Alaska Field Operations Cenkr Fairbanks. Alaska Daniel E. Walsh School of Mineral Engineering University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska Rocky MacDonald American Arctic Company Fairbanks, Alaska Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 9 1-6 1923 ISBN 0-911043-12-8 May, 1991 Published bv Mined Industry Research Laboratory 212 ONeill Building University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-1 180 Alaska Science and Technology Foundation 550 West 7th Avenue Suite 360 Anchorage, Alaska 99501 ABSTRACT The result of Perestroyka and Glasnost has been an awakening of potential for cooperation between East and West. Nowhere has that been better demonstrated than between Alaska and Magadan Province, USSR. This report summarizes a one year effort financed by ASTF, with participation from several technical organizations, to establish contacts with the Siberian placer mining industry. The purpose of the project was to provide initial assessment of the Soviet technology for placer mining in permafrost. A ten day trip to Magadan province by an ASTF team and a similar length visit to Alaska by the Soviet mining group representing the All Union Scientific and Research Institute of Gold and Rare Metals, (VNII-I), Magadan are described. The report also reviews translated data on mining in permafrost and describes surface and underground placer mining technology developed by the Soviets. The report also lists relevant publications on Soviet mining research and state of the art Soviet mining technology and expertise.
  • Brabantite Cath(PO4)2 C 2001-2005 Mineral Data Publishing, Version 1

    Brabantite Cath(PO4)2 C 2001-2005 Mineral Data Publishing, Version 1

    Brabantite CaTh(PO4)2 c 2001-2005 Mineral Data Publishing, version 1 Crystal Data: Monoclinic; partially metamict. Point Group: 2/m. Crystals are elongated, in crystalline aggregates, to 1.5 cm; fine granular, massive. Physical Properties: Cleavage: On {100} and {001}. Hardness = ∼5 D(meas.) = 4.72– 5.02 (after heating to 900 ◦C); 5.20 D(calc.) = 5.26 Radioactive. Optical Properties: Semitransparent. Color: Grayish brown to reddish brown on rims, pale yellow, brownish green; brown-gray in thin section. Luster: Dull, greasy. Optical Class: Biaxial (+). α = 1.691 β = 1.696–1.73 γ = 1.725 2V(meas.) = 44◦ Cell Data: Space Group: P 21/n. a = 6.726(6) b = 6.933(5) c = 6.447(12) β = 103◦53(16)0 Z=2 X-ray Powder Pattern: Brabant Farm, Namibia; close to monazite. 3.06 (100), 2.85 (75), 3.26 (70), 4.15 (30), 1.947 (30), 3.46 (25), 2.14 (25) Chemistry: (1) (2) (3) (1) (2) (3) UO3 0.29 (Ce, Y)2O3 3.05 P2O5 27.68 28.78 30.72 Fe2O3 0.05 0.66 SiO2 2.27 1.60 MnO 0.32 UO2 1.23 MgO 0.56 trace TiO2 0.12 CaO 11.94 13.33 12.14 ThO2 52.65 51.12 57.14 H2O 3.07 Al2O3 0.74 Total 99.28 100.18 100.00 (1) Brabant Farm, Namibia; after deduction of H2O from admixed brockite, corresponds to (Ca1.00Mg0.06Mn0.02)Σ=1.08(Th0.94Al0.07)Σ=1.01[(P0.92Si0.09)Σ=1.01O4]2.
  • Crystal Chemistry of the Monazite and Xenotime Structures Yuxxnnc Nr

    Crystal Chemistry of the Monazite and Xenotime Structures Yuxxnnc Nr

    American Mineralogist, Volume 80, pages2I-26, 1995 Crystal chemistry of the monazite and xenotime structures YuxxnNc Nr, JonN M. Hucnns Department of Geology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056' U.S.A. ANrrrotvv N. M.q'nr,lNo 48 PageBrook Road, Carlisle, Massachusetts01741' U.S.A. Arsrnlcr Monazite and xenotime, the RE(PO,) dimorphs, are the most ubiquitous rare earth (RE) minerals, yet accuratestructure studiesof the natural phaseshave not been reported. Here we report the results of high-precision structure studies of both the natural phasesand the synthetic RE(PO4)phases for all individual stable rare earth elements. Monazite is monoclinic, P2r/n, and xenotime is isostructural with zircon (spacegroup 14r/amd)- Both atomic arrangementsare basedon [001] chains of intervening phosphate tetrahedra and RE polyhedra, with a REO, polyhedron in xenotime that accommodates the heavy lanthanides(Tb-Lu in the synthetic phases)and a REO, polyhedron in monazite that preferentially incorporatesthe larger light rare earth elements(Ia-Gd). As the struc- ture "transforms" from xenotime to monazite, the crystallographic properties are com- parable along the [001] chains, with structural adjustments to the different sizes of RE atoms occurring principally in (001). There are distinct similarities betweenthe structuresthat are evident when their atomic arrangementsare projected down [001]. In that projection, the chains exist i! (100) planes, with two planes per unit cell. In monazite the planes are offset by 2.2 A along [010], relative to those in xenotime, in order to accommodate the larger light RE atoms. The shift of the planes in monazite allows the RE atom in that phaseto bond to an additional 02' atom to complete the REO' polyhedron.
  • List of Applications for the Post of Night Watchman

    List of Applications for the Post of Night Watchman

    List of applications for the post of Night Watchman Receipt Sl. Whether Application is Register Name and address of the applicant No. Accepted (or) Rejected. No. (1) (2) (3) (4) C. Nagarajan, S/o. K.Chellan, 15/15, ElangathuVilai, Palace Road, 1 6373(2) Accepted Thukalay, Kanyakumari District – 629 175. K. Arumugam, S/o. A. Karuppan, 43A/43, Arunthathiyar Street, Age exceeds the maximum 2 6475 Irulappapuram, Kottar Post, Nagercoil. age limit. Hence Rejected. Velayutha Perumal.S., S/o. V. Sudalaiandi, 6C/17, Kulalar Amman Koil Age exceeds the maximum 3 6486 Street, Vagaiadi Street, Kottar, Nagercoil. age limit. Hence Rejected. T. Mahesh, S/o. K. Thalavai, 4/48B, Balavinayagar Koil Street, Thekoor, 4 6497 Accepted Thovalai. D. Jerald, S/o. T. Devaraj, 14-102 L/3, Hookley Garden, Boothapandy Post, 5 6510 Accepted Kanyakumari District-629 852. D.Jebastin, S/o. T.Devaraj, 14-102 L/3, Hookley Garden, Bhoothapandy 6 6518 Accepted Post, Pin 629 852. S. Navaneethan, S/o. S. Saravanan, 3.278C 5/1, Gandhi Colony, 7 6520 Accepted Gurugulam Road, Asaripallam. V. Suresh, S/o. A.Velu, 5/73/4, Ambal Nagar, Kumarapuram, Thoppur, 8 6522 Accepted Kanyakumari District. M. Raju, S/o. S. Murugan, 20A, Manikavasaham Puram, Chettikulam Age exceeds the maximum 9 6532 Junction, Nagercoil. age limit. Hence Rejected A.K. Arul Kumar, 25/1, Pattarkulam Colony, Bhoothapandy Post – 629 852, 10 6589 Accepted Kanyakumari District. S.M. Saravanan, S/o. Sivan Kutty,34/2, 3rd Street, Keezhakulam, 11 6592 Accepted Padmanabhapuram, Thuckalay Post, Kanyakumari District. J. Arun Kumar, S/o. Johnson, Old No.8/41A, New No.8/35, Market Road, 12 6620 Accepted Puliyoorkurichi, Thuckalay Post – 629 175, Kanyakumari District.
  • Jens Esmark's Mountain Glacier Traverse 1823 À the Key to His

    Jens Esmark's Mountain Glacier Traverse 1823 À the Key to His

    bs_bs_banner Jens Esmark’s mountain glacier traverse 1823 À the key to his discovery of Ice Ages GEIR HESTMARK Hestmark, G. 2018 (January): Jens Esmark’s mountain glacier traverse 1823 À the key to his discovery of Ice Ages. Boreas, Vol. 47, pp. 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/bor.12260. ISSN 0300-9483. The discovery of Ice Ages is one of the most revolutionary advances made in the Earth sciences. In 1824 Danish- Norwegian geoscientist Jens Esmark published a paper stating that there was indisputable evidence that Norway and other parts of Europe had previously been covered by enormous glaciers carving out valleys and fjords, in a cold climate caused by changes in the eccentricity of Earth’s orbit. Esmark and his travel companion Otto Tank arrived at this insight byanalogous reasoning: enigmatic landscape features theyobserved close to sea level alongtheNorwegian coast strongly resembled features they observed in the front of a retreating glacier during a mountain traverse in the summer of 1823. Which glacier they observed up close has however remained a mystery, and thus an essential piece of information in the story of this discovery has been missing. Based on previously unknown archive sources, supplemented by field study, I here identify the key locality as the glacier Rauddalsbreen. This is the northernmost outlet glacier from Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier in mainland Europe. Here the foreland exposed byglacier retreat since the Little Ice Age maximum around AD 1750 contains a rich collection of glacial deposits and erosional forms. The point of enlightenment is more precisely identified to be a specific moraine and its distal sandur at 61°53026″N, 7°26043″E.
  • Jens Esmark – Meteorologist

    Jens Esmark – Meteorologist

    1 2 Jens Esmark’s Christiania (Oslo) meteorological observations 3 1816-1838: The first long term continuous temperature record 4 from the Norwegian capital homogenized and analysed 5 6 7 Geir Hestmark1 and Øyvind Nordli2 8 9 1 Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, CEES, Department of 10 Biosciences, Box 1066 Blindern, University of Oslo, N-0316 Oslo, Norway 11 2 Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET Norway), 12 Research and Development Department, Division for Model and Climate Analysis, 13 P.O. Box 43 Blindern, N-0313 Oslo, Norway 14 15 Correspondence to: Geir Hestmark ([email protected]) 16 17 Abstract 18 In 2010 we rediscovered the complete set of meteorological observation protocols 19 made by professor Jens Esmark (1762-1839) during his years of residence in the 20 Norwegian capital of Oslo (then Christiania). From 1 January 1816 to 25 January 21 1839 Esmark at his house in Øvre Voldgate in the morning, early afternoon and 22 late evening recorded air temperature with state of the art thermometers. He also 23 noted air pressure, cloud cover, precipitation and wind directions, and 24 experimented with rain gauges and hygrometers. From 1818 to the end of 1838 he 25 twice a month provided weather tables to the official newspaper Den norske 26 Rigstidende, and thus acquired a semi-official status as the first Norwegian state 27 meteorologist. This paper evaluates the quality of Esmark’s temperature 28 observations, presents new metadata, new homogenization and analysis of monthly 29 means. Three significant shifts in the measurement series were detected, and 30 suitable corrections are proposed.
  • NEW MINERALS It Is Proposed Hereafter to Indicate In.A General Way the Classification of All New Minerals Recoided in This Department

    NEW MINERALS It Is Proposed Hereafter to Indicate In.A General Way the Classification of All New Minerals Recoided in This Department

    JOURNAL MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMENICA 63 Dr. Kunz then spoke of the various city localities and the minerals found therein. He stated that the East Side, from 37 to 110 St., probably afforded the most specimens. The various tunnels and their minerals were spoken of. Capt. Miller called attention to the fine collection of Brooklyn Drift Minerals and Rocks in the collection of the Long Island Historical Society. Ife abo mentioned the occurrence of monazite and xenotime crystals, on the Speedway,Harlem River. Dr. Kunz emphasizedthe irnportance of complete records being kept of all finds. Tnou,q,s L Mrr,r,nn, SecretaryPro, Tem. NEW MINERALS It is proposed hereafter to indicate in.a general way the classification of all new minerals recoided in this department. Subdivision will be first into "families," of which nine may be recognized,as listed in the January number (Am. Min.6 (1), 12,1921). Eachfamilywillbe separatedinto "subfamilies " based on special features of composition. This arrangement is tentative and open to modification, and criticism of it will be welcome, [Eo.] FAMILY 2. SULFIDES, ETC. SosreMrr,v 3. Doust,u suLFrDEs oF METALSAND sEMr-METAr,s. I'LTRABASITE V. Rosrcxf and J. Srnnse-Btinu. Ultrabasit, ein neues Mineral aus Freiberg in Sachsen. (Ultrabasite, a new mineral from Freiberg, Saxony). Rozpr.Eeslcd Ako,il. Prag,25, No. 45, 1916;Z. Krgst. Min., 55,43H39, 1920, Neun: From its extremely basic chemical composition. Pnrsrcar, Pnopnnrrus Color black, somewhat grayish; luster metallic; streak black; cleavage none; fracture scaly, with somewhat greasy luster on the surface. H. : 5; sp. gr.
  • Tailings and Their Component Radionuclides from the Biosphere-Some Earth Science Perspectives

    Tailings and Their Component Radionuclides from the Biosphere-Some Earth Science Perspectives

    Tailings and Their Component Radionuclides From the Biosphere-Some Earth Science Perspectives Isolation of Uranium Mill Tailings and Their Component Radionuclides From the Biosphere-Some Earth Science Perspectives By Edward Landa GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 814 A critical review of the literature dealing with uranium mill tailings, with emphasis on the geologic and geochemical processes affecting the long-term containment of radionuclides 1980 United States Department of the Interior CECIL D. ANDRUS, Secretary Geological Survey H. William Menard, Director Library of Congress catalog-card No. 79-600148 Free on application to Branch of Distribution, U.S. Geological Survey 1200 South Eads Street, Arlington, VA 22202 CONTENTS Page Abstract 1 Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------­ 1 Acknowledginents ---------_----------------------------------------------- 2 Quantity and location of the tailings --------------------------------------­ 2 Radioactivity in tailings --------------------------------------------------­ 4 Sources of potential human radiation exposure from uranium mill tailings ------ 6 Radon emanation ----------------------------------------------------- 6 VVind transport ------------------------------------------------------- 6 Surface water transport and leaching ----------------------------------- 7 External gamma radiation -------------------------------------------­ 8 Contamination of terrestrial and aquatic vegetation ---------------------- 8 Seepage ----------------------------------------------------~--------
  • Geology and Description of Thorium and Rare-Earth Deposits in the Southern Bear Lodge Mountains, Northeastern Wyoming

    Geology and Description of Thorium and Rare-Earth Deposits in the Southern Bear Lodge Mountains, Northeastern Wyoming

    l^ft PER COVER PHOTOGRAPHS 1 . Asbestos ore 8. Aluminum ore, bauxite, Georgia 1 2 3 4 2. Lead ore, Balmat mine, N. Y. 9. Native copper ore, Keweenawan 5 6 3. Chromite-chromium ore, Washington Peninsula, Mich. 4. Zinc ore, Friedensville, Pa. 10. Porphyry molybdenum ore, Colorado 7 8 5. Banded iron-formation. Palmer, 11. Zinc ore, Edward, N. Y. Michigan 12. Manganese nodules, ocean floor 9 10 6. Ribbon asbestos ore, Quebec, Canada 13. Botryoidal fluorite ore, 11 12 13 14 7. Manganese ore, banded Poncha Springs, Colo. rhodochrosite 14. Tungsten ore. North Carolina Geology and Description of Thorium and Rare-Earth Deposits in the Southern Bear Lodge Mountains, Northeastern Wyoming By MORTIMER H. STAATZ GEOLOGY AND RESOURCES OF THORIUM IN THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1049-D A description of the size, mineralogy, chemical composition, economic geology, and geologic setting of the thorium and rare-earth veins and newly discovered large disseminated deposits UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, W AS H I NGTON : 1 983 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR JAMES G. WATT, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Staatz, Mortimer Hay, 1918- Geology and description of thorium and rare-earth deposits in the southern Bear Lodge Mountains, northeastern Wyoming (Geological Survey Professional Paper 1049-D) Bibliography: 52 p. Supt. of Docs. No.: I 19.16:1049-D 1. Thorium ores Wyoming Bear Lodge Mountains. 2. Earth, Rare Wyoming Bear Lodge Mountains. I. Title. II. Series. III. Series: Geological Survey Professional Paper 1049-D QE390.2.T45S73 553.4'93 81-607092 AACR2 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.
  • Exploration of Placer Gold Deposits by Geomagnetic Surveys

    Exploration of Placer Gold Deposits by Geomagnetic Surveys

    MTR-2 EXPLORATION OF PLACER GOLD DEPOSITS BY GEOMAGNETIC SURVEYS by Eric Anderson V. P. Exploration Placer Management Group, Ltd. EXPLORATION OF PLACER GOLD DEPOSITS BY GEOMAGNETIC SURVEYS by Eric Anderson V. P. Exploration Placer Management Group, Ltd. Exploration of Placer Gold Deposits by Geomagnetic Surveys Eric Anderson, V.P. Exploration Placer Management Group, Ltd. ABSTRACT Past attempts to explore for placer gold deposits by measuring the anomalous magnetic intensities of the magnetite normally found in the ”black sands” fraction of placer gravels were for the most part unsuccessful. Recent improvements in the sensitivity, reliability and portability of magnetometers have made it possible to cheaply and accurately delineate some types of placer gravels if they occur in a geological environment that is ”magnetically hospitable” and does not mask the signal of the overlaying gravels. The main benefit of this technique is that it can accurately delineate targets and thus dramatically reduce the overall cost of an exploration program in a given area. INTRODUCTION Whether or not this technique will work in a given area depends on three factors: 1. The amount of magnetite associated with the pay gravels. 2. The depth of the gravel deposit. 3. The nature of the underlying bedrock. In our work to date in Western Canada and United States, we have not encountered any pay gravels that did not have measurable concentrations of magnetite in the black sands. It is common to find gravel deposits with high concentrations of magnetite and no gold values whatsoever, but our experience and history have shown that gold values rarely occur without associated magnetic black sands; although the concentrates of magnetite do vary tremendously, In this regard it is important to keep two things in mind: 1.
  • Weathering of Ilmenite from Chavara Deposit and Its Comparison with Manavalakurichi Placer Ilmenite, Southwestern India

    Weathering of Ilmenite from Chavara Deposit and Its Comparison with Manavalakurichi Placer Ilmenite, Southwestern India

    Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 34 (2009) 115–122 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Asian Earth Sciences journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jaes Weathering of ilmenite from Chavara deposit and its comparison with Manavalakurichi placer ilmenite, southwestern India Ajith G. Nair a,*, D.S. Suresh Babu a, K.T. Damodaran b, R. Shankar c, C.N. Prabhu d a Centre for Earth Science Studies, PB No. 7250, Akkulam, Thuruvikkal P.O., Thiruvananthapuram 695 031, India b Department of Marine Geology and Geophysics, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682 016, India c Department of Marine Geology, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri 574 199, India d INETI, Departamento de Geologia Marinha, Estrada da Portela, Zambujal 2720 Alfragide, Portugal article info abstract Article history: The magnetic fractions of ilmenite from the beach placer deposit of Chavara, southwest India have been Received 22 August 2005 studied for mineralogical and chemical composition to assess the range of their physical and chemical Received in revised form 6 February 2006 variations with weathering. Chavara deposit represents a highly weathered and relatively homogenous Accepted 21 March 2008 concentration. Significant variation in composition has been documented with alteration. The most mag- netic of the fractions of ilmenite, separated at 0.15 Å, and with a susceptibility of 3.2 Â 10À6 m3 kgÀ1, indi- cates the presence of haematite–ilmenite intergrowth. An iron-poor, titanium-rich component of the Keywords: ilmenite ore has been identified from among the magnetic fractions of the Chavara ilmenite albeit with Chavara an undesirably high Nb O (0.28%), Cr O (0.23%) and Th (149 ppm) contents.
  • Stillwellite-(Ce) (Ce, La, Ca)Bsio

    Stillwellite-(Ce) (Ce, La, Ca)Bsio

    Stillwellite-(Ce) (Ce; La; Ca)BSiO5 c 2001 Mineral Data Publishing, version 1.2 ° Crystal Data: Hexagonal. Point Group: 3: As °at rhombohedral crystals, to 4 cm, and massive. Twinning: Observed about [100]. Physical Properties: Cleavage: One imperfect. Fracture: Conchoidal. Hardness = 6.5 D(meas.) = 4.57{4.60 D(calc.) = 4.67 » Optical Properties: Transparent to translucent. Color: Red-brown to pale pink; colorless in thin section. Streak: White. Optical Class: Uniaxial (+) to biaxial (+). ! = 1.765{1.784 ² = 1.780{1.787 2V(meas.) = 0±{6± Cell Data: Space Group: P 31: a = 6.841{6.844 c = 6.700{6.702 Z = 3 X-ray Powder Pattern: Mary Kathleen mine, Australia. 3.43 (s), 2.96 (s), 2.13 (ms), 4.44 (m), 1.864 (m), 2.71 (mw), 2.24 (mw) Chemistry: (1) (2) (1) (2) (1) (2) SiO2 22.40 22.06 La2O3 27.95 19.12 MgO 0.06 UO2 0.22 Ce2O3 33.15 30.82 CaO 0.95 0.34 ThO2 5.41 Pr2O3 1.82 F 0.30 + B2O3 12.23 [13.46] Nd2O3 5.36 H2O 0.85 Al2O3 0.42 Sm2O3 0.34 H2O¡ 0.10 Y2O3 0.74 0.28 Fe2O3 0.18 P2O5 0.67 Total [100.00] [99.26] (1) Mary Kathleen mine, Australia; recalculated to 100.00% after removal of very small amounts of uraninite and apatite determined by separate analysis. (2) Vico volcano, near Vetralla, Italy; by electron microprobe, B2O3 calculated from stoichiometry, original total given as 99.23%; corresponds to (Ce0:50La0:31Nd0:08Th0:05Pr0:03Ca0:02Sm0:01)§=1:00B1:02Si0:97O5: Occurrence: Locally abundant as a metasomatic replacement of metamorphosed calcareous sediments (Mary Kathleen mine, Australia); in alkalic pegmatites in syenite in an alkalic massif (Dara-i-Pioz massif, Tajikistan).