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Crystallographic Study of Uranium-Thorium Bearing Minerals in Tranomaro, South-East Madagascar
Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires (Madagascar-INSTN), Antananarivo, Madagascar
Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires (Madagascar-INSTN), Antananarivo, Madagascar
Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires (Madagascar-INSTN), Antananarivo, Madagascar
Institute of Nuclear Waste and Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Institute of Nuclear Waste and Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Institute of Nuclear Waste and Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
- 1 Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires (Madagascar-INSTN), Antananarivo, Madagascar
- 2 Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires (Madagascar-INSTN), Antananarivo, Madagascar
- 3 Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires (Madagascar-INSTN), Antananarivo, Madagascar
- 4 Institute of Nuclear Waste and Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
- 5 Institute of Nuclear Waste and Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
- 6 Institute of Nuclear Waste and Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering·Volume 01 (2013)·Pages 347–352·Published 26 November 2013·DOI10.4236/jmmce.2013.16053
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Abstract
Studies are undertaken to characterize the uranium and thorium minerals of south-east Madagascar. Seven selected uranothorianite bearing pyroxenites samples from old abandoned uranium quarries in Tranomaro, south Amboasary, Madagascar (46°28'00"E, 24°36'00"S) have been collected. To determine the mineral micro-structure, they were investigated for qualitative identification of crystalline compounds by using X-ray powder diffraction analytical method (XRD). Results showed that the uranium and thorium compounds, as minor elements, were present in various crystalline structures. Thorium, as thorianite, is present in a simple ThO 2 cubic crystalline system, whereas the uranium component of the Tranomaro uranothorianite samples is oxide-based and is a mixture of complex oxidation states and crys-talline systems. Generally called uraninite, its oxide compounds are present in more than eight phases.
KeywordsTranomaroMadagascarUranothorianiteCrystallographyXRD
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