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Partitioning of Actinides, Rare Earth Elements, and Other Trace Elements In Titanium-Rich Veins From Adamello, Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

Gregory R. Lumpkin
Affiliation:
Materials Division, ANSTO, Private Mail Bag 1, Menai, NSW 2234, Australia
Reto Gieré
Affiliation:
Materials Division, ANSTO, Private Mail Bag 1, Menai, NSW 2234, Australia
T.E. Payne
Affiliation:
Materials Division, ANSTO, Private Mail Bag 1, Menai, NSW 2234, Australia
P.J. McGlinn
Affiliation:
Materials Division, ANSTO, Private Mail Bag 1, Menai, NSW 2234, Australia
K.P. Hart
Affiliation:
Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN 47907-1397, USA
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Abstract

Extensive mineralogical and chemical studies have been carried out on the Ti-rich hydrothermal veins emplaced within the contact aureole of the Adamello batholith. In addition to other actinide and rare earth element host phases, the veins contain both zirconolite and betafite and provide information relevant to ceramic wasteforms designed for the disposal of actinide-rich nuclear wastes. In this paper, we describe the results of element partitioning studies based on dissolution experiments using 9M HCl. Generally, the acid-resistant minerals include allanite, baddeleyite, betafite, chalcopyrite, geikielite, titanite, spinel, and zirconolite. We also found that the major silicate minerals forsterite, phlogopite, and titanian clinohumite and the sulfide mineral pyrrhotite are partially dissolved by the acid treatment, whereas calcite and apatite are highly soluble (as expected). In particular, the distributions of Th and U between the acid-resistant and acid-soluble fractions indicate that they partition mainly between zirconolite, titanite, betafite, and apatite. However, there is a considerable increase in the amounts of Zr, Nb, Th, and U released in certain actinide-rich samples that may result from enhanced dissolution following radiation damage.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

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