The Use of Gamma Ray Spectrometry as an Aid for Uranium Exploration in Kab Amiri Area,Central Eastern Desert,Egypt

High‐resolution gamma ray spectrometry was exploited to locate the potential radioactive targets at Kab Amiri granite pluton, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. The Kab Amiri pluton forms a concentric granitic body of monzogranite to syenogranite composition intruded into mafic‐ultramific rocks. To identify and detect anomalous concentrations of natural radioactive elements in the study area, contour maps of equivalent uranium (eU ppm), equivalent thorium (eTh ppm), potassium (K%) and their geochemical ratios (eU/Th, eTh/K and eU‐eTh/3.5) as well as standard deviation map of uranium were constructed and interpreted. Qualitative and quantitative interpretations of the spectrometric survey data revealed the presence of seven radioactive anomalies in the south of the studied area. These anomalies could be related to the prevailing faulting directions NE and ENE fault trends. The southernmost anomalous zone is related to high episyenitization and uranium concentrations. It exhibits a sharp increase in the eU concentrations reaching 370 ppm resulting in a high eU/eTh ratio reaching 4.5 and characterized by oval shape trending in the NE direction. Constructing the contour map of the (eU‐eTh/3.5) was helpful in defining the trends of uranium migration and enabling the delineation of the limit between the negative contours (leaching) and positive contours (deposition).     

Radioactive occurrence in sediments of Cenozoic age near Bandha village,Jaisalmer district,Rajasthan

The radioactivity is dependent on the isotope and their concentration in the mineral such as potassium (K), uranium (U) and thorium (Th). In this paper the presence of a 3 to 5 m thick uranium and thorium bearing sediment of Cenozoic age is reported above Goru Formation of Jaisalmer basin. Gamma ray log response of Well-1 which falls under the study area has marked with very high GR (gamma ray) readings ranging from 350-1488 API coupled with high uranium and thorium content from spectral gamma ray log ranging from 92-178 ppm and 60-80 ppm respectively at the depth of 50 m from ground surface (-110m above MSL). Further studies are required to delineate the lateral thickness variation for mining purpose which may be a radioactive source.     

Natural radioactivity in basement rocks and stream sediments, Sharm El Sheikh Area, South Sinai, Egypt: radiometric levels and their significant contributions

The present study examines the natural radioactivity in basements rocks including granites and associated dikes besides stream sediments in Sharm El Sheikh area. Two main rock units are concerned; granites pertaining to Younger Granites of Precambrian age and clastic sedimentary rocks related to Miocene and Pliocene ages. This area is traversed by two shear zones that were delineated as the master fractures trending NW and NNE and controlling uranium and thorium enrichment in granites and dikes. The field and laboratory radiometric measurements revealed radiometric anomalies, in particular, along shear zones. The results of radiometric analyses including concentrations of equivalent uranium (eU), equivalent thorium (eTh), Ra, and K radionuclides as well as the calculated ratios eTh/eU and eU/Ra for representative samples belonging to all rock varieties, revealed that the felsic dikes have the highest values of the average radionuclides potential followed by the alkali feldspar granites, while the mafic dikes display the lowest radioactivity potential. On the other hand, the trends defined in the variation of uranium and thorium reflects the amount of remobilization of uranium that has occurred within the plutons. The eTh and eU/eTh ratios shows a negative correlation, suggesting that distribution of uranium and thorium was at least controlled by magmatic differentiation, while, the positive correlation between eU and eU/eTh ratios indicates enrichment of uranium through post magmatic processes. Some precautions and recommendations are proposed to avoid any possible environmental impacts from shear zone areas with high intensity of natural radiation sources.     

内蒙古二连盆地阿特巴音敖包地区eU、eTh、K等天然放射性水平调查评价

为了对内蒙古二连盆地阿特巴音敖包调查区铀成矿潜力做出评价,通过对其天然放射性水平测量数据的统计分析、参数构建等手段,多维度探索了铀(eU)、钍(eTh)、钾(K)元素含量及γ照射量率在空间上的分布规律及其变化趋势。结合区域地质资料对古铀含量、活化铀量、铀迁移富集指数、地化活动性指数等新构建参数特征进行了综合解释,成功预测了调查区铀成矿有利地段,经钻探查证,发现了良好的铀矿化信息。     

Airborne γ-ray spectrometric characteristics of lithological units and environmental issues in the Bahariya Oases area in the northern part of western desert, Egypt

Two significant airborne gamma ray spectrometic (AGRS) statistical parameters, i.e., the arithmetic mean and the standard deviation, were computed for all lithologic units and formations of the Bahariya Oases area, Northern Western Desert, Egypt. The results ascertain that the maximum AGRS values are associated with sabkha sediments, Bahariya Formation, basalt flows and sand dunes. The intermediate values are correlated with El-Heiz, El-Hefhuf, Qazzun and Naqb formations. The minimum values are connected with Khoman Chalk and El-Hamra formations. The AGRS records were found to vary from one type of rock to another and to some extent between units of the same rock type too. On the aerial total-count (TC) radiometric maps, the records change from 6.2 to 69.36 μR/h. On the potassium map, the values range from 0.05% to 4.35%. On the equivalent uranium (eU) and equivalent thorium (eTh) maps, the records oscillate from 0.12 to 7.4 ppm and from 0.28 to 8.4 ppm, respectively. Concerning the Bahariya Oases area, the calculated arithmetic mean natural dose rate values originating from the terrestrial gamma radiation were found to range from 0.14 to 0.26 mSv/year and where the maximum value attains 0.62 mSv/year. These values remain on the safe side and within the maximum permissible safe radiation dose without harm to individuals, with continuous external irradiation of the whole body.     

Enrichment characteristics of radioelements in various types of rock from Sambalpur district,Orissa, India

Over the years a large number of rock samples were collected by the explorationists of Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Department of Atomic Energy from Sambalpur district, Orissa, India. The variation of uranium enrichment with various types of rock in these samples was studied with an aim to help quick reviewing of toposheets in case of newly taken up areas, for uranium exploration. The radioelements U, Th and K determined for these samples are plotted in ternary diagrams for classifying them as being uraniferous or thoriferous with respect to various type of rocks, keeping the total natural content of radioelements (expressed by eUP₃O₈) as a parameter. In this study it is seen that samples of quartzofeldspathic breccia type are enriched in uranium irrespective of their further sub classification and eU₃O₈ content. Granites are enriched in thorium when eU₃O₈ < 100 ppm and are enriched in uranium when eU₃O₈ > 100 ppm. A database prepared for this purpose may be useful for reviewing toposheets in future     

Geostatistical analysis on the spatial variation of radiogenic elements in the crystalline basement of Grenville Province in the southwestern Québec

Accurate assessment of deep geothermal resources remains a challenge from the practical point of view. Parameter uncertainties and partial knowledge of initial conditions limit the prediction of subsurface temperatures using a variety of thermal models strongly unreliable, and the temperature is highly dependent on the radiogenic heat production in the geological layers mainly affected by a number of factors including the concentrations of uranium, thorium and potassium, and rock density. In this paper, geostatistical methods were applied to investigate the spatial distribution of radiogenic elements (e.g., uranium, thorium, potassium) and their corresponding concentrations and radiogenic heat production. A representative region measuring 35 km?×?80 km in the southwestern Québec, and covering the domains of Portneuf-Mauricie, Morin Terrane and Parc des Laurentides in the Grenville Province was selected for this study because of its easy accessibility. Analysis results show that the concentrations of uranium, thorium and potassium for most rocks of the Grenville basement in the research region are in the range of 1–2 ppm, 3–10 ppm and 1–4%, respectively. Furthermore, 90% of the total samples analysed in this study show a uranium concentration of less than 3 ppm, 64% of the samples show a thorium concentration of less than 5 ppm, and 56% of the samples show a potassium concentration of less than 3%. This paper engaged both the ordinary kriging interpolation and sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS) methods to study the spatial distribution of radiogenic elements. Using density data for specific rocks, the distribution of radiogenic heat production in the study area of the southwestern Grenville Province was also simulated using the SGS method. Conclusively, results show that the difference between the minimum and the maximum value of radiogenic heat production is 30%, considering a significant proportion of heterogeneity in rock density.     

中国铀、钍、钾元素地球化学场特征及与铀矿化关系

一直以来,利用铀、钍、钾同位素的γ能谱寻找铀矿是铀矿地质重要的放射性物探手段。同样,水系沉积物化探中铀、钍、钾元素作为铀矿化探重要指示元素,在铀矿资源潜力预测评价中亦发挥了重要作用。笔者论述了水系沉积物铀、钍、钾元素在铀矿预测评价中的指示作用和异常特点,以及中国铀、钍、钾元素地球化学场分布特点和规律,将铀、钍、钾异常按累频占比划分为特高异常(异常内带)、高异常(异常中带)、异常(异常外带)和高背景,同时,论证了铀、钍、钾异常分布与铀成矿关系。可以看出,铀、钍、钾异常分布有明显的区域特征,现有的异常分布区与我国四大类型铀矿产区高度一致,其异常分布对我国铀、钍矿资源预测评价具有重要意义。     

Factors Controlling Low Uranium and Thorium Concentrations in the ?ay?rhan Bituminous Shales (?BS) in the Beypazar? (Ankara) Area, Turkey

In this study uranium and thorium contents and depositional characteristics of ay rhan bituminous shales（ BS）, west of Ankara（central Anatolia）, are investigated. Samples used were collected from boreholes opened by Park Holding Ltd. A total of 25 samples were taken from bituminous shale levels in boreholes drilled at 6 different locations in the study area. The H rka formation which hosts bituminous shale deposits is a volcanosedimentary sequence and all lithofacies indicate that a lacustrine environment where the water level was continuously changed. In addition to hydrocarbon generation potential, bituminous shales also accumulate significant amount of radioactive elements such as uranium and thorium. The average uranium and thorium concentrations of BS（1.83/2.62 ppm） are much lower than averages of UC, NASK and PAAS（uranium： 2.70/2.66/3.10 ppm; thorium： 8.50/12.30/14.60 ppm）. Low uranium contents in comparison to those of similar lacustrine environments might be attributed to that waters of depositional environment of BS contain low concentration of dissolved uranium and redox conditions were of oxic and dioxic character. Correlation data indicate that U and Th have a similar source and are associated predominantly with clays and phosphates and dominantly with organic material. Radioactive elements in the basin might be derived from Paleozoic granites and metamorphites（e.g. gneiss, schist） which comprise the basement and volcanism which was active in the region throughout the Miocene period. These elements are probably associated with uraniferous phosphate minerals（e.g. autunite, torbernite） which occur in granite, gneiss and schist. BS with average TOC content of 10.96 % shows very good/perfect source rock potential. Positive correlations between Gamma-Ray values and U, Th and K concentrations imply that radioactivity might be originated from these three elements.     

Signature of potassium enrichment in granite of the Chitrial area, Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh: Inferences using its U, Th, K2O, Na2O, Rb, Ba and Sr contents

A medium tonnage unconformity proximal uranium deposit has been established at Chitrial by the Atomic Minerals Directorate in the Srisailam sub-basin. In this type of deposits, the association of uranium with potassic alteration (illitization) is well-documented. The present study is directed towards understanding such an association in the Chitrial area for which the uranium mineralized borehole core samples were collected and analyzed. It is observed that the average concentrations of K₂O, Na₂O, Rb, Ba and Sr in the granite of the Chitrial area are 5.35%, 1.78%, 252 ppm, 564 ppm and 52 ppm, respectively, and they show average critical elemental ratios of K/Rb, Ba/Rb and Rb/Sr as 191, 2.37 and 7.13, respectively. The granites show low K/Rb, low Rb/Ba and high Rb/Sr ratios compared to that of the average crust indicating its derivation from crustal source. The samples have higher values of uranium (av. 53 ppm), thorium (av. 66 ppm) and lead (av. 41 ppm). The U/Th ratio in the granite varies from 0.07 to 20.86 with an average of 1.68. They also exhibit high K₂O/Na₂O ratio typical of post-Archaean granite and very high values suggest the possibility of later potassium enrichment.     

Tuffaceous sediments as source rocks for uranium: A case study of the White River Formation, Wyoming

Fine-grained tuffaceous sediments of the White River Formation (Oligocene) are evaluated as a possible source of uranium for the sedimentary uranium deposits of Wyoming. The evaluation is based upon a model in which volcanic glass is considered to be a major host of uranium and thorium and in which uranium and silica are released during alteration of glass to montmorillonite. The evaluation scheme is applicable to other tuffaceous sediments in similar geologic settings. The average uranium and thorium contents of glass separates and glassy air-fall ashes of the White River Formation are 8 ppm and 22.4 ppm respectively, and these values approximate the average composition of glass deposited in Wyoming basins in Oligocene time. Comparison of these values with the uranium and thorium concentrations in montmorillonite separates indicates little change in thorium concentrations but reductions in uranium concentrations which average 3.3 ppm. In spite of the apparent major removal of uranium during alteration of glass to montmorillonite, whole-rock samples of tuffaceous siltstones show an average uranium loss of only 0.4 ± 0.4 ppm, because of generally small amounts of clay alteration. This conclusion is generated by comparisons between glassy ash and partially altered vitric siltstones, the latter corrected for dilution of glass and clay-altered glass with uranium- and thorium-poor primary and detrital materials. The original volume of the White River Formation is adequate to generate economically significant quantities of mobile uranium, even with such modest losses. Uranium and silica which are mobilized during glass alteration can coprecipitate as uraniferous secondary silica in areas where solutions become silica saturated. These precipitates indicate pathways of ancient, uranium-rich solutions in tuffaceous rocks. Exploration efforts in the White River Formation and underlying units should concentrate on areas where such pathways intercept reducing environments. Intercepts of this type are present at some uranium deposits in the study area and this lends support to a tuffaceous source rock model.     

引绰济辽工程文得根引水隧洞放射性调查评价

对长约70 km引水工程洞线上进行的地面伽马能谱测量、陆地伽马剂量率测量、土壤氡浓度测量、岩石表面氡析出率测量以及钻孔岩芯样品的放射性元素U、Ra、Th、K含量分析的综合放射性地质调查,并对获得的测量数据进行分析研究。结果表明,测区引水沿线地质体放射性核素当量含量平均值为：U 1.56×10-6,Th 14.12×10-6,K 2.16×10-2;钻孔岩芯放射性元素分析含量平均值为：U 32.34 Bq/kg,Ra 35.68 Bq/kg,Th 35.29 Bq/kg,K 865.65 Bq/kg。陆地伽马剂量率为90.42 nGy/h;土壤氡浓度平均值为4 272.1 Bq/m3;岩石表面析出率平均值为4.01×10-2 Bq/m2·s。根据测量结果,利用内照射和外照射辐射剂量计算了对施工人员造成的辐照剂量为0.759 mSv,低于国家对公众的剂量限值1 mSv/a,表明引水工程输水隧洞的施工在安全辐射范围内。     

Geophysical signature of the vien-type uranium mineralization of Wadi Eishimbai, Southern Eastern Desert, Egypt

The application of various geophysical tools with different responses succeeded in fixing U-mineralization in Wadi Eishimbai area. The area was studied using detailed ground spectrometric, magnetic, and filtered very low-frequency electromagnetic (VLF-EM) surveys. The interpretation of the obtained spectrometric maps clearly reflects the sharp increase of equivalent uranium (eU) content. Meanwhile, K and Th contents show sharp decreases. The eU/equivalent thorium (eTh) ratio correlates positively with eU concentrations and negatively with eTh concentrations, indicating an increase in U potentiality than the surrounding granite. The N?CS shear zone displays an eU content ranging from 20 to 140?ppm. The ENE-trending lamprophyre is characterized by elongated uranium anomalies trending in the E?CW direction, with values >90?ppm. Equivalent uranium content of the brecciated granite attains values up to 700?ppm. The ground magnetic and VLF-EM surveys played important roles in providing structural information which are proven useful in geological mapping and mineral exploration for the discovery of uranium mineralization in the study area. This study follows the expected subsurface extension of the Sela shear zone under Wadi sediments. The ground total magnetic intensity map shows a relatively narrow and an elongated shape for the lamprophyre anomaly extending for about 600?m in the Wadi toward the western direction. VLF-EM contour maps of the two used frequencies (17.1 and 28.5?kHz) show excellent agreement, indicating that the shear zone is distinguished with slightly strong conductivity westwards as an extension of the main shear zone. It is elongated in an ENE?CWSW trend and extends in the western direction, referring to the existence of conductive materials. Most of the NW/SE-trending faults cause sudden changes in the magnetic and VLF-EM contour spacing over an appreciable distance, which suggests a discontinuity in depth due to their left-lateral strike-slip displacements. The interpreted faults, with an ENE?CWSW trend representing the main trend of Sela shear zone through which hydrothermal solutions flowed, cause high alteration and uranium mineralization.     

Interpretation of gamma-ray logs: The distribution of uranium in carbonate platform

High gamma-radioactivity in carbonates is usually ascribed to uranium of detrital minerals and organic matter, and to thorium and potassium of clays. The present study based on Urgonian marls and marly limestones (France) shows that some of the most radioactive values correspond instead to some ‘pure’ limestones. These peaks are generally associated with a sequence boundary or a maximum flooding surface. Low-level γ-spectrometry and ICP–MS analyses show that although high radioactivities are mostly associated with uranium, there is no obvious correlation between uranium enrichment and lithology. Also, correlation between high radioactivity and argillaceous beds might not be systematic. To cite this article: M.C. Raddadi et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Radioelement variation in the Levang granite-gneiss,Bamble region,south Norway

An investigation of the distribution of thorium, uranium and potassium across the Levang granite-gneiss shows a significant increase in thorium and uranium from north to south. Although the mean thorium and uranium concentrations are comparable to average granitic values quoted in the literature, potassium is lower. The relative enrichment of thorium and uranium thus appears to be related to Sveconorwegian metamorphism recorded in the rocks of the adjacent Portør Peninsula to the south. The Levang granite-gneiss has recorded only the Svecofennian metamorphic event of approximately 1616 m.y.     

Paleoproterozoic quartz-pebble conglomerate type uranium mineralisation in Mankarhachua area,Angul district,Orissa

Ground Radiometric survey of Paleoproterozoic pyritiferous quartz-pebble conglomerate (QPC) occurring to the north of Pallahara area led to the discovery of a QPC type uranium mineralisation near Mankarhachua village. Significant radioactivity is recorded in three sub-parallel uraniferous QPC horizons with metamorphosed pebbly to medium grained recrystallised massive sandstones. Detrital grains of uranothorite, thorite, radioactive allanite, monazite, zircon, minute uraninite grains in carbonaceous matter and thucolite contributes to the radioactive phases present in QPC matrix. Adsorbed U on limonite and goethite, secondary uranyl minerals in matrix, along bedding planes and fractures are commonly observed. This discovery has opened up a new horizon for future exploration for QPC type uranium mineralization in the area. The paper presents observations on geology, radioactivity, petrological and geochemical nature of the uraniferous QPC horizons.     

Utilities of Landsat 7 data and selective image processing in characterization of radioactivity zones of Wadi Baba–Wadi Shalal Area, Westcentral Sinai, Egypt

Wadi Baba–Wadi Shalal area locates in the westcentral part of Sinai, Egypt. It is covered by a Precambrian basement rocks comprise the northern part of the Precambrian Arabo-Nubian crystalline massive. The lithologic and structural setting of the investigated area was interpreted from the digital Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) data. The structural lineament analyses for the lithologic units and their relationships to the high-radioactivity zones (HRZ) and the characterizations of HRZ of the study area are the main tasks of this article. Extraction algorithm was applied using Geomatica PCI package under the user defined parameters. The extracted structural lineaments have been evaluated and chicked using the visual interpretation and published works. The short-wave infrared spectral ETM+ band-7 was selected as an optimum data for automatic lineaments extraction since it scored the highest lineament frequency (1856) compared to the other visible and near infrared bands. The aeroradiometric color raster total count equivalent thorium (eTh) and equivalent uranium (eU) maps were used to delineate the highest radioactivity zones of the study area. A selective image processing technique (SIPT) is a new approach in Geomatica (9.1), which gives rise to valuable results in this work. The SIPT was carried out for the subset of the ETM+ data of the highest radioactivity zones. The spatial distribution of the structural lineament pattern maps for some low-radioactivity zones (LRZ) and for the highest radioactivity zones of the study area are prepared with their frequency rose diagrams. The NE–SW trend is the predominant structural lineaments trend in the investigated area. The NE–SW to the ENE–WSW directions are the predominant structural lineament trends in both the LRZ and the HRZ. These high-radioactivity zones of the investigated area are characterized by high lineaments density and lineaments-intersection density, restricted to Um Bogma Formation and younger granitic rocks and are not controlled by structural lineament trends.     

Gamma radiation levels in the villages of South Konkan,Maharashtra, India

Ambient gamma radiation study was carried out in South Konkan using thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLDs). A statistical analysis was carried out to understand the distribution of gamma radiation in the study area. The annual effective doses (AEDs) received by the local population from the selected villages were 0.31 and 0.09 mSv year^?1 for indoor and outdoor locations, respectively. For indoor conditions, the maximum dose rate occurred for winter season and the minimum occurred in monsoon season while for outdoor conditions the maximum dose rate occurred in spring season and minimum occurred in the monsoon season. The terrestrial radioactivity in the corresponding villages was measured by a HpGe detector. The radiation hazard indices like absorbed dose rate in air (D), radium equivalent activity (Ra_eq), external hazard index (H _ex) and internal hazard index (H _in), and AED were calculated using soil radioactivity data. The minimum absorbed dose rate in air (33.97 nGy h^?1) corresponds to the Dale village and the maximum (101.86 nGy h^?1) corresponds to the Mithgawane village. Radiation hazard indices as Ra_eq, H _ex, and H _in were found to be within the limit. The average AED from natural radionuclides was found to be lower than the worldwide value. The AEDs of this study were compared with previous studies carried out worldwide. A positive correlation was observed for the absorbed dose rate in air and the activity concentration of U-238, Th-232, and K-40. A positive correlation between activity concentrations of U-238, Th-232, and K-40 was also observed. The comparison between the AEDs calculated using absorbed dose measured by TLDs and the values calculated from soil’s gamma spectrometry showed some variation in the villages of South Konkan.     

Geochemistry,petrogenesis and radioactive mineralization of two coeval Neoproterozoic post-collisional calc-alkaline and alkaline granitoid suites from Sinai,Arabian Nubian Shield

The Younger Granites of Yahmid-Um Adawi area, located in the southeastern part of Sinai Peninsula, comprise two coeval Late Neoproterozoic post-collisional alkaline (hypersolvous alkali-feldspar granites; 608–580?Ma) and calc-alkaline (transsolvous monzo- and syenogranites; 635–590?Ma) suites. The calc-alkaline suite granitoids are magnesian and peraluminous to metaluminous, whereas the alkaline ones are magnesian to ferroan alkaline to slightly metaluminous. Both granitoid suites exhibit many of the typical geochemical features of A-type granites such as enrichment in Nb (>20?ppm), Zr (>250?ppm), Zn (>100?ppm) and Ce (>100?ppm) and high 10000*Ga/Al₂O₃ ratios (>2.6) and Zr?+?Nb?+?Y?+?Ce (>350?ppm). Accessory mineral saturation thermometers demonstrated former crystallization of apatite at high temperatures prior to zircon and monazite separation from the magma for both granitoid suites. The mild zircon saturation temperatures of the studied Younger Granites (around 800?°C) imply low-temperature crustal fusion and incomplete melting of the largely refractory zircon. The two Younger Granite suites were semi-synchronously evolved during the post-collisional stage of the Arabian-Nubian Shield subsequent to the collision between the juvenile shield crust and the older pre-Neoproterozoic continental blocks of west Gondwana. Their parental magmas has been generated by melting of crustal source rocks with minor involvement from mantle, which might participated chiefly as a source of heat necessary for fusion of the crustal precursor. Extensive in-situ gamma-ray spectrometry revealed anomalously high radioactivity of some Younger Granite exposures along Wadi Um Adawi (eU; 388–746?ppm and eTh; 1857–2527?ppm) and pegmatitic pockets pertaining to the calc-alkaline suite (equivalent U and Th; 212–252?ppm and 750–1757?ppm, respectively). The radioactivity of the syngenetic pegmatites arises from the primary radioactive minerals uranothorite and thorite together with the U- and/or Th-bearing minerals zircon, columbite, samarskite and monazite. The anomalously high radioactivity of some Younger Granite exposures in Wadi Um Adawi stem from their appreciable enclosure of the epigenetic uranium minerals metatorbenite and uranophane.     

Radiometric survey for exploration of hydrothermal alteration in a volcanic area

A radiometric survey on a sector of the Lipari volcanic island particularly affected by argillification due to hydrothermal processes was carried out. Preliminarily, on the basis of a wide set of field measurements over unaltered outcrops U and K distribution maps were obtained. The concentration of these radioelements increases with the degree of magma differentiation; the U and K content shows maxima (13.4 ppm and 3.7% on average, respectively) in the felsic materials, belonging to the youngest volcanic cycles, and minima (2.7 ppm and 2.0%) in the mafic rocks of the oldest cycles. The Th/U ratio insignificantly varies with magma differentiation and it equals 3.2. Laboratory measurements on volcanic products from altered zones were then used to identify radiometric anomalies related to hydrothermal processes. On the average, argillized rocks have radioactivity approximately five times lower than that measured in the unaltered volcanics. The Th/U ratio against U is rather uniform, whereas Th/K ratio is of the order of 3.6 in less altered rocks K > 0.2%) and it ranges from 7 to 11 in kaolin deposits having the largest depletion in potassium.