Weathering and Uranium Formation

Leaching of the various rocks especially in the ore that contains uranium causes mobilization of the uranium through Fe+ ions in the strata containing uranium ore. Aqueous systems in this case are used to mobilize the uranium ions. The mobilization of uranium occurs mostly in the weathering of sedimentary rocks through leaching where water dissolves the rock together with ferric ions, which further help in mobilization of uranium.

Uranium unconformity deposits are rich in uranium and thus, they are of a high grade. They form part of the vast deposits about uranium. Such uranium deposits exist in unconformities between quartz dominated sandstones in sedimentary rocks especially metamorphic rocks on the basement that are deformed. Uranium roll front deposits are found in porous or permeable sandstones or may be found in conglomerates (El-Dine et al., 2001).  The deposits are formed by uranium dissolution from the nearby sedimentary rock whereby the transportation of the uranium is taken into the host rock. The redox state of the fluids change and led to the precipitation of uranium to form a front in the presence of organic matter rich in carbon. The roll front uranium deposits normally account for the largest deposits in sandstone and further represents the largest deposit of uranium which mostly average twenty one million pounds.

The dissolution of the rocks by the water and the various sedimentary rocks creates a lot of concentration in roll front deposits of uranium. The concentration in uranium deposits occurs especially in sandstones hosting rocks where the precipitated uranium is deposited in the sedimentary rocks.  Other deposits that have the genesis of weathering include tabular deposits, McArthur deposits, sandstone deposits and basal channel deposits. As such, most of the deposits are found in the sedimentary rocks regions. Uranium is a highly soluble element and therefore can be deposited in the various sedimentary rocks as they are dissolved by water contained minerals and other elements like iron.

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