Zr-Y-Nb-REE mineralization associated with microgranite and basic dykes at EL Sela shear zone, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

Shahin, Hassan A.

doi:10.1186/2193-1801-3-573

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Uranophane is considered one of the most important economic-secondary uranium deposits. It is a monoclinic uranyl silicate mineral fairly common in the oxidized zone of most deposits [20]. In the present study, uranophane occurred as films, patches, and crusts, either on outcrops or in fractures.…”

Section: Petrographic Investigationsupporting

confidence: 50%

Natural Radionuclide Concentrations by γ-Ray Spectrometry in Granitic Rocks of the Sol Hamed Area, Southeastern Desert of Egypt, and Their Radiological Implications

et al. 2022

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The occurrence of heavy radioactive minerals in construction supplies such as granite has drawn attention to the extraction of heavy radioactive minerals. Granitic rocks were identified to serve an essential economic role in the study area’s surrounding locations. As a result, the current study attempted to detect the activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, and 40K in the granitic rock samples tested and estimate the radiological dangers associated with these rocks. The obtained data on activity concentrations for 238U (610 ± 1730 Bq kg−1), 232Th (110 ± 69 Bq kg−1) and 40K (1157 ± 467 Bq kg−1) in the granitic samples (GR) were higher than the recommended worldwide average. The radioactive levels found in the samples were caused by radioactive materials being altered and trapped inside granite faults. The exposure to gamma radiation from the granitic rocks were assessed via various radiological parameters, such as radium equivalent content (856 Bq kg−1), absorbed dose rate (Dair) in the air (396 nGy/h), and annual effective dose for either outdoor (0.48 mSv y−1) or indoor (1.9 mSv y−1). Statistical analysis was performed to detect the correlations between radioactive concentrations and radiological parameters. The radioactive effects contributed by the uranium minerals were associated with the granitic rocks. Based on the analysis, the radioactive levels in the examined granitic surpassed the acceptable limits; therefore, they are not safe to use in building and infrastructure applications and may cause adverse health effects.

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Section: Petrographic Investigationsupporting

confidence: 50%

Natural Radionuclide Concentrations by γ-Ray Spectrometry in Granitic Rocks of the Sol Hamed Area, Southeastern Desert of Egypt, and Their Radiological Implications

et al. 2022

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“… [a] Map of Egypt with the investigated area, [b] the geological map of the Seila area together with the distribution of prospecting trenches [ 27 ]. …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The presence of radioactive heavy minerals in prospecting trenches and concomitant occupational exposure

et al. 2021

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Uranium, perhaps the most strategically important component of heavy minerals, finds particular significance in the nuclear industry. In prospecting trenches, the radioactivity of 238U and 232Th provides a good signature of the presence of heavy minerals. In the work herein, the activity concentrations of several key primordial radionuclides (238U, 232Th, and 40K) were measured in prospecting trenches (each of the latter being of approximately the same geometry and physical situation). All of these are located in the Seila area of the South Eastern desert of Egypt. A recently introduced industry standard, the portable hand-held RS-230 BGO gamma-ray spectrometer (1024 channels) was employed in the study. Based on the measured data, the trenches were classified as either non-regulated (U activity less than 1000 Bq kg-1) or regulated (with 238U activity more than 1000 Bq kg-1). Several radiological hazard parameters were calculated, statistical analysis also being performed to examine correlations between the origins of the radionuclides and their influence on the calculated values. While the radioactivity and hazard parameters exceed United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) guided limits, the mean annual effective doses of 0.49 and 1.4 mSv y-1 in non-regulated and regulated trenches respectively remain well below the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommended 20 mSv/y maximum occupational limit. This investigation reveals that the studied area contains high uranium content, suitable for extraction of U-minerals for use in the nuclear fuel cycle.

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“…El-Nisr et al, 2002;Khalaf, 2005, Abdel Gawad 2018, mineralogically (e.g. Rashed, 2001;Gaafar, 2005;Mira and Ibrahim 2009;Shahin, 2011 and2014;Abdel Gawad et al, 2015, Abdel Gawad andIbrahim 2016) and structurally (Ali, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiological and Environmental Impacts of El Sela-Qash Amer Granites, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

Tawfik

Shaheen

Elsetouhi

2022

Nuclear Sciences Scientific Journal

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El Sela area is mainly covered by ophiolitic mélange (Sul Hamed), biotite granite, two-mica granite (El Sela), muscovite granites (Qash Amer), and cross cut by microgranite dolerite and bostonite dikes as well as quartz and japser veins. These granitic rocks are hydrothermally altered, especially around El Sela ENE-WSW shear zone, that causing hydrothermal alterations accompanied by radioactive mineralization. These rocks are mainly composed of alkali feldspar, quartz, muscovite, and biotite with zircon, fluorite, apatite and iron oxides as an accessory minerals. The radioactive minerals are represented by uranophane, autunite, meta-autunite and phurcalite which are restricted in the highly sheared microgranite, dolerite dikes as well as jasper veins. Uranium contents (eU) range from 10.1 to 17.7 ppm at Qash Amer with their thorium contents (eTh) vary from 5.8 to 22.7 ppm. El Sela granites have uranium contents (eU) range from 6.4 to 19.7 ppm with equivalent thorium content (eTh) range between 14.0 and 44.9 ppm. The eU-eTh, (eU/ eTh)-eU and eU-[eU+(eTh X 3.5)] diagrams show depletion of uranium for both the Qash Amer and El Sela granitic samples, suggesting that uranium may be leached out of the original rock towards the ENE-WSW and NNW-SSE shear zones. The migrated uranium (Um) amount was calculated and indicated as either migration out or migration in at Qash Amer and El Sela granites, mostly to the shear zone cutting through the area. Absorbed Dose Rate (D), annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external (Hex) and internal (Hin) hazard index, in addition to activity gamma index (Iγ) caused by gamma emitter natural radionuclide were determined from the obtained values of 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K. Most of the studied samples have radiological parameters values higher than the international recommended values suggesting that El Sela and Qash Amer granitic rocks are hazardous and not recommended for use as ornamental stones with respect to workers and human beings.

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Zr-Y-Nb-REE mineralization associated with microgranite and basic dykes at EL Sela shear zone, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

Cited by 10 publications

References 10 publications

Natural Radionuclide Concentrations by γ-Ray Spectrometry in Granitic Rocks of the Sol Hamed Area, Southeastern Desert of Egypt, and Their Radiological Implications

Natural Radionuclide Concentrations by γ-Ray Spectrometry in Granitic Rocks of the Sol Hamed Area, Southeastern Desert of Egypt, and Their Radiological Implications

The presence of radioactive heavy minerals in prospecting trenches and concomitant occupational exposure

Radiological and Environmental Impacts of El Sela-Qash Amer Granites, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

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