Exhalative supergenic uranium,thorium and marcasite occurrences in quaternary volcanites of central Italy

In the Quaternary alkali-potassic volcanites of Northern Latium, there are classical solfataras related to volcanic structures, and very large kaolinized fields, at the borders of the volcanic systems (perivolcanic), related to pre-volcanic tectonic structures. In the solfataric type of mineralization thorium and sulphur ores in an opaline matrix are prevailing; in the perivolcanic type of deposit are prevailing uranium ores in very regular layers associated with kaolin. Marcasite-pyrite beds and lenses are common in both of them. The mineralization processes start with the oxidation of H₂S coming out from volcanic edilices or from large faults. The origin of U and Th concentrations is to be seen in the anomalous high content of radioactive elements in the alkaline rocks, and in their enrichment in ground waters. The perivolcanic uranium mineralizations are of some economic interest: the ore deposition is controlled by ground water level in reducing conditions determined by H₂S, not unlike to the principal sedimentary uranium ores known in the continental environment.