Occurrence of naturally enriched 235 U: Implications for plutonium behaviour in natural environments

Details Occurrence of naturally enriched 235 U: Implications for plutonium behaviour in natural environments Occurrence of naturally enriched 235 U: Implications for plutonium behaviour in natural environments

Mar 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993gecoa..57.1351b&link_type=abstract

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 57, Issue 6, pp.1351-1356

Physics

2

Scientific paper

It is generally accepted that uranium and most of the fission products, with the exception of the alkalis, alkaline earths and rare gases, remained in the irradiated uranium oxides during the nuclear reactions that took place 2.0 Ga ago in the Oklo uranium deposit (Gabon). New isotope investigations show that clay minerals from argillaceous rocks neighbouring the natural fission reactor 10 at Oklo have depleted 235 U with 235 U / 238 U ratios ranging between 0.00560 and the common natural value of 0.00725. One sample, however, is enriched in 235 U with a 235 U / 238 U ratio of 0.007682. Leaching experiments of this sample with dilute 1N HCl revealed that the 235 U enrichment is actually restricted to the insoluble residue ( 235 U / 238 U = 0.010511), whereas the leachate remains depleted in 235 U. This unique discovery of very enriched uranium, together with samarium, neodymium, rubidium, and strontium isotopic analyses, indicate that a small amount of plutonium could have been more mobile than uranium in the reactor 10, and it is suggested that plutonium was incorporated in the crystallographic structure of clay minerals such as the chlorites.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Occurrence of naturally enriched 235 U: Implications for plutonium behaviour in natural environments does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Occurrence of naturally enriched 235 U: Implications for plutonium behaviour in natural environments, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Occurrence of naturally enriched 235 U: Implications for plutonium behaviour in natural environments will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1444323