Dissolved Uranium and 234U/238U in the Yamuna and the Chambal Rivers, India

Dissolved uranium concentration and ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratio have been measured in two distinctly different Indian drainage systems: the Yamuna headwaters in the Himalaya and the Chambal river system in the plains to study the weathering and mobility of uranium in these watersheds. The dissolved uranium in the Chambal river system ranges from 0.2 to 1.74 μg L⁻¹ during September (tail end of monsoon), whereas in the Yamuna river system, its concentration varies from 0.1 to 3.18 μg L⁻¹ during October (post-monsoon) and from 0.09 to 3.61 μg L⁻¹ in June (summer). In the Yamuna main stream, uranium is highest at its source and decreases steadily along its course, from 3.18 μg L⁻¹ at Hanuman Chatti to 0.67 μg L⁻¹ at Batamandi, at the base of the Himalaya. This decrease results mainly from mixing of the Yamuna mainstream with its tributaries, which are lower in uranium. The high concentration of uranium at Hanuman Chatti is derived from weathering of the Higher Himalayan Crystalline series (HHC) and associated accessary minerals, which may include uranium-mineralised zones. The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios in the samples from the Chambal watershed are in the range of 1.15±0.05 to 1.67±0.04; whereas in the Yamuna the ratios vary from 0.95±0.03 to 1.56±0.07, during post-monsoon and from 0.98±0.01 to 1.30±0.03, during summer. The relatively high ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios in the Yamuna system are in its tributaries from the lower reaches viz., the Amlawa, Aglar, Bata, Tons and the Giri. It is estimated that ~9×10³ and ~12 × 10³ kg of dissolved uranium are transported annually from the Yamuna at Batamandi and the Chambal at Udi, respectively. This corresponds to uranium weathering rates of 0.9 and 0.09 kg U km⁻² y⁻¹ in the basins of the Yamuna and the Chambal headwaters. This study confirms that uranium weathering rate in the Himalaya is far in excess (by about an order of magnitude) of the global average value of ~0.08 kg U km⁻² y⁻¹.     

Spatial and temporal variability of 234U/238U activity ratios in the Shu River,Central Asia

This study presents the temporal and spatial variability of ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios in the Shu River and provides interpretation to explain the downstream changes of uranium and the ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios in the study area. The positive linear correlation (R ² = 0.98, p < 0.001) between uranium concentration and specific electrical conductance is consistent with rock weathering and leaching as the major contributor of dissolved uranium in the studied area of the river. The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratio ranged between ~1.6 in the upper reaches of the river to ~1.15 furthest downstream. Activity ratios at specific sampling points do not show significant seasonal variability.     

Characterization and disequilibrium cases of radioelements in some Syrian hot waters

The radioactive and physical characteristics of Syrian hot waters were studied. The concentration of uranium, its daughters and the ²³⁴U/²³⁸U-activity ratios in the hot waters were measured by gamma and alpha ray spectroscopy. The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U-activity ratios showed that uranium in Syrian hot waters are in an equilibrium state. Some anomalous observations of these ratios were explained by former leaching of the uranium from Cretaceous phosphates by underground water. Also, the results showed that the temperature of the studied hot waters was independent of the contained radioelements. The temperature of hot waters is explained by the passing of these waters near the hot spot or by the relationship between the geological deposit of the aquifer rocks and the waters rather than the contents of the radioelements.     

U-Pb systems and U isotopic composition of the sandstone-hosted paleovalley Dybryn uranium deposit, Vitim uranium district, Russia

The isotopic (U-Pb, ²³⁸U-²³⁵U, ²³⁴U-²³⁸U) and chemical study of whole-rock samples and finegrained fractions of rocks in a vertical section of the terrigenous sequence at the Dybryn uranium deposit in the Khiagda ore field shows that a wide U-Pb isotopic age range (26.9-6.5 Ma) is caused by oxidation and disturbance of the U-Pb isotopic system in combination with protracted uranium ore deposition. The oxidation of rocks resulted in the loss of uranium relative to lead and eventually to an overestimated ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age at sites with a low U content. The ²³⁸U/²³⁵U ratios in the studied samples are within the range of 137.74–137.88. Samples with a high uranium content are characterized by a decreasing ²³⁸U/²³⁵U ratio with a decrease in ²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U and ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages. A nonequilibrium ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratio in most studied samples furnishes evidence for young (<1.5 Ma) transformation of the Miocene uranium ore, which is responsible for uranium migration and its redeposition.     

Modeling non-steady state radioisotope transport in the vadose zone - A case study using uranium isotopes at Peña Blanca, Mexico

Current models using U- and Th-series disequilibria to study radioisotope transport in groundwater systems mostly consider a steady-state situation. These models have limited applicability to the vadose zone (UZ) where the concentration and migratory behavior of radioisotopes in fluid are often transitory. We present here, as a first attempt of its kind, a model simulating the non-steady state, intermittent fluid transport in vadose layers. It provides quantitative constraints on in-situ migration of dissolved and colloidal radioisotopes in terms of retardation factor and rock-water interaction (or water transit) time. For uranium, the simulation predicts that intermittent flushing in the UZ leads to a linear relationship between reciprocal U concentration and ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratio in percolating waters, with the intercept and slope bearing information on the rates of dissolution and α-recoil of U isotopes, respectively. The general validity of the model appears to be borne out by the measurement of uranium isotopes in UZ waters collected at various times over a period during 1995-2006 from a site in the Peña Blanca mining district, Mexico, where the Nopal I uranium deposit is located. Enhanced ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratios in vadose-zone waters resulting from lengthened non-flushing time as prescribed by the model provide an interpretative basis for using ²³⁴U/²³⁸U in cave calcites to reconstruct the regional changes in hydrology and climate. We also provide a theoretical account of the model’s potential applications using radium isotopes.     

确定砂岩型铀矿矿化地段的铀、钍同位素证据

根据铀、钍同位素地球化学基本原理,对新疆伊梨盆地５１２矿床含矿砂岩的Ｕ、Ｔｈ含量及其＾２３４Ｕ／＾２３８Ｕ、＾２３０Ｔｈ／＾２３２Ｔｈ进行了测试,并在此基础上对含矿砂岩的氧化带、还原带和氧化还原过渡带特征进行了研究。研究表明,与氧化带、还原带相比,氧化－还原过渡带具有较高Ｕ含量和＾２３４Ｕ／＾２３８Ｕ比值,较低Ｔｈ／Ｕ比值;矿石样品中的＾２３４Ｕ／＾２３８Ｕ、＾２３０Ｔｈ／＾２３８Ｕ比值位于过渡带     

Behavior of isotope (<Superscript>18</Superscript>O/<Superscript>16</Superscript>O, <Superscript>234</Superscript>U/<Superscript>238</Superscript>U) systems during the formation of uranium deposits of the “sandstone” type

The uneven character of the distribution of ¹⁸O/¹⁶O and ²³⁴U/²³⁸U values was established in the vertical cross section of the productive sequence of the Dybryn uranium deposit (Vitim uranium-ore region, Buryatia). Both a deficiency and an excess of ²³⁴U in relation to the equilibrium ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratio in the vertical sequence may provide evidence for the extremely low rate of the infiltration water flow. The behavior of oxygen isotope characteristics for different size fractions of terrigenous rocks provides evidence for active uranium redistribution and openness of the isotope system of this element during interaction of terrigenous–sedimentary rocks with infiltration waters.     

Distribution of radioactive isotopes in rock and ore of Arkhangelskaya pipe from the Arkhangelsk diamond province

The contents of radioactive elements and the uranium isotopic composition of kimberlite in the Arkhangelskaya pipe at the M.V. Lomonosov deposit and of nearby country rocks have been studied. A surplus of ²³⁴U isotope has been established in rocks from the near-pipe space. The high γ = ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratio is controlled by the geological structure of the near-pipe space. A nonequilibrium uranium halo reaches two pipe diameters in size and can be regarded as a local ore guide for kimberlite discovery. The rocks in the nearpipe space are also characterized by elevated or anomalous U, Th, and K contents with respect to the background.     

砂岩铀矿成矿过程与氧化还原分带: 铀系不平衡证据

铀系不平衡技术被用来研究新疆伊犁盆地库捷尔太砂岩型铀矿床的氧化还原分带和成矿过程.取自该矿床的26个样品的铀、钍含量以及234 U/ 238U, 230 Th/ 234 U和230 Th/ 238U活度比值分别用ICP -MS和α能谱仪进行了测量.不同氧化还原带岩石的铀、钍含量和钍/铀比明显不同: 强氧化带岩石的U、Th含量和Th/U比分别为12.4 μg/g, 4.5 μg/g和0.48; 弱氧化带分别为20.4 μg/g, 5.0 μg/g和0.38; 过渡带(矿化带)分别为169.7μg/g, 4.7μg/g和0.07; 还原带(未蚀变带)分别为6.8μg/g, 3.7μg/g和0.87.其同位素特征亦有明显差异: 氧化带岩石234 U/ 238U大多大于1, 过渡带(矿化带)岩石部分大于或等于1, 部分小于1, 还原带(未蚀变带)岩石大多大于1; 氧化带岩石230 Th/ 234 U和230 Th/ 238U大多大于1, 过渡带(矿化带)岩石大多小于或等于1, 还原带(未蚀变带)岩石大多大于1.这可作为砂岩型铀矿床矿体定位的指示剂.铀系不平衡特征还示踪了该矿床的成矿作用过程.      

Isotope hydrology of the Chalk River Laboratories site,Ontario, Canada

This paper presents results of hydrochemical and isotopic analyses of groundwater (fracture water) and porewater, and physical property and water content measurements of bedrock core at the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) site in Ontario. Density and water contents were determined and water-loss porosity values were calculated for core samples. Average and standard deviations of density and water-loss porosity of 50 core samples from four boreholes are 2.73 ± 12 g/cc and 1.32 ± 1.24 percent. Respective median values are 2.68 and 0.83 indicating a positive skewness in the distributions. Groundwater samples from four deep boreholes were analyzed for strontium (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) and uranium (²³⁴U/²³⁸U) isotope ratios. Oxygen and hydrogen isotope analyses and selected solute concentrations determined by CRL are included for comparison. Groundwater from borehole CRG-1 in a zone between approximately +60 and −240 m elevation is relatively depleted in δ¹⁸O and δ²H perhaps reflecting a slug of water recharged during colder climatic conditions. Porewater was extracted from core samples by centrifugation and analyzed for major dissolved ions and for strontium and uranium isotopes. On average, the extracted water contains 15 times larger concentration of solutes than the groundwater. ²³⁴U/²³⁸U and correlation of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr with Rb/Sr values indicate that the porewater may be substantially older than the groundwater. Results of this study show that the Precambrian gneisses at Chalk River are similar in physical properties and hydrochemical aspects to crystalline rocks being considered for the construction of nuclear waste repositories in other regions.     

Uranium series dating of stalagmites from Blanchard Springs Caverns,U.S.A.

Because stalagmites are enriched in ²³⁴U beyond the equilibrium value at the time of deposition, they are potentially datable by measuring their progress toward equilibrium. Procedures for uranium-thorium and uranium disequilibrium dating of speleothems were developed, making use of alpha spectrometry for thorium determinations and mass spectrometry for uranium determinations. The stalagmites tested were generally beyond the age range of the U-Th age dating method and, as a result, ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratios provided the most useful dating technique. The estimated age range for a stalagmite from Blanchard Springs is 135,000 to 785,000 years BP with an interval of slow or suspended growth from about 320,000 to 570,000 years BP.     

粤北石角围花岗岩型铀矿床沥青铀矿LA-ICP-MS原位U-Pb定年研究

石角围花岗岩型铀矿床位于粤北下庄铀矿田东部,沥青铀矿是矿床的主要矿石矿物,也是厘定成矿年龄的理想对象。前人采用同位素稀释法(ID-TIMS)和电子探针U-Th-totalPb化学定年法获得的成矿年龄为38～138Ma,但前人年龄变化范围大,可靠性有待考究,难以有效约束矿床的成矿时代。本文利用LA-ICP-MS原位微区分析技术,对石角围矿床矿石中沥青铀矿开展了原位U-Pb定年。研究表明:沥青铀矿的206Pb/238U年龄为52. 46～56. 89Ma,加权平均年龄为54. 68±0. 53Ma(MSWD=1. 19,n=18)。本次沥青铀矿原位U-Pb定年与前人相比更好地避免了矿物包裹体、后期次生变化、显微裂隙等因素的影响,获得的沥青铀矿原位U-Pb同位素年龄代表矿床的成矿年龄。本研究获得的石角围矿床成矿年龄(～55Ma)与华南花岗岩型铀矿床主成矿期(～50Ma)相一致,指示石角围矿床铀成矿作用与华南岩石圈局部伸展作用下的断裂构造活动密切相关。     

Characterization of a La-Ce-Sr-Ca aluminous hydroxy phosphate in nuclear zone 13 in the Oklo uranium deposit (Gabon)

A La-Ce-Sr-Ca aluminous hydroxy phosphate of the goyazite-florencite-crandallite series was observed in the nuclear reactor zone 13 in the Oklo uranium deposit (Gabon). It has a trigonal elementary cell with a?=?6.98 ± 0.03 Å and c?=?16.35?±?0.04?Å (space group P3m). It occurs in a U-rich sample depleted in ²³⁵U (²³⁵U/²³⁸U?=?0.0047). Its chemical composition, measured by ion microprobe analyses, shows that it contains fission products (Zr, LREE) whereas the isotopic composition of Ba and Sr is natural. Ion microprobe imaging indicates that the nearby uraninite crystals are depleted in fissiogenic LREE. This study shows that the migration of some fission products, probably related to a dolerite dike intrusion, is limited by the formation of aluminous hydroxy phosphates.     

Uranium geochemistry and dating of Pacific island apatite

Uranium-series disequilibrium dating of island phosphate deposits is evaluated in terms of known associated coral ages, uranium geochemistry, and stratigraphic sequences as well as the concordance between the geochronometers ²³⁴U/²³⁸U, ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U and ²²⁶Ra/²³⁸U. U(VI) is the predominant oxidation state of uranium in island phosphorites and by analogy to the youngest surficial deposits, most of the uranium initially bound is in the form of U(VI) sorbed by surfaces from seawater. Insular deposits contain more organic matter than even very young ocean floor samples and this leads to a greater probability of reduction of available recoil uranium than occurs in marine deposits. As a consequence, R(VI) ? R(T) ? R(VI), where R represents the ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratio. This situation is completely opposite from that observed for marine-origin phosphorites. We determined that a fraction of U(VI) in ancient insular phosphorites is very labile and lost to alkaline carbonate solutions with a uranium activity ratio even more depleted in ²³⁴U than the bulk R(VI).Most younger samples appear to have no more discordance between ²³⁴U/²³⁸U, ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U and ²²⁶Ra/²³⁸U than marine phosphorites of similar apparent age. Young, surficial atoll-rim apatite cements and unconsolidated phosphorites date in the range of 1500–8000 years B.P., consistent with the concept of partial submergence of low-lying coral islands prior to 2000 years B.P. Sub-surficial samples in the same environment date older at about 20,000 years B.P. Violation of the closed system assumption occurs in at least 6 out of 13 ancient (> 800,000 year) samples. Uranium-series disequilibrium dating of insular apatite shows some promise as a recorder of climatic/sea level events, but the assumptions necessary for valid ages must be carefully evaluated for each occurrence.     

A method for determination of the isotopic composition of authigenic uranium in Baikal bottom sediments

A simple, reliable, and high-performance method has been proposed for direct determination of the isotopic composition of authigenic uranium in silica lacustrine sediments. The method is based on studying the kinetics of the selective extraction of authigenic uranium from sediments with weak solutions of ammonium hydrocarbonate followed by the ICP-MS analysis of the nuclides. To estimate the contamination of authigenic uranium by terrigenous one, the contents of ²³²Th and some other clastogenic elements in the extracts were measured simultaneously. The selectivity of extraction of authigenic uranium from the sediments treated with a 1% NH₄HCO₃ solution appeared to be no worse than 99%. The method was used to analyze the isotopic composition of authigenic uranium at several key horizons of a core dated before. The measurements directly prove that the ²³⁴U/²³⁸U values in Baikal water varied depending on climate, which contradicts the previous statements. The measured ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratios in paleo-Baikal water match the values reconstructed from isotopic data for total uranium in the sediments on the supposition that the U/Th ratio is constant in the terrigenous part of the sediment. Direct experimental determination of total and authigenic nuclides in sediments enhances the potentiality of the method for absolute ²³⁴U-²³⁰Th dating of carbonate-barren lacustrine sediments, including those from Lake Baikal, within the intervals corresponding to the periods of glaciation, where the sediments contain a large fraction of terrigenous component. Given the fractions of terrigenous and authigenic uranium are accurately determined, we have an opportunity to study the variability of the sources of terrigenous matter and to refine the previous model for reconstructing the climate humidity in East Siberia.     

Fixation of radionuclides in the 238U decay series in the vicinity of mineralized zones: 1. The Austatom Uranium Prospect,Northern Territory,Australia

The minimum age of a zone of secondary uranium mineralization, located at the Austatom Prospect in the Alligator Rivers region of Australia, is estimated to be 3.6 × 10⁵y. This is derived from a geochronological model based on retarded leaching of ²³⁴U with respect to ²³⁸U and on ratios within the ore of these members of the ²³⁸U decay series. Although kaolinite is a dominant mineral in the weathered schist-host-rocks, retarded dissolution of ²³⁴U occurs only in the presence of the clay minerals illite and montmorillonite. In their absence the reverse occurs. A model is proposed to explain the results. Ratios of ²³⁰Th to ²³⁸U indicate that the mineralization has probably remained stationary within the weathered schist for at least 1 to 2 × 10⁵y. Future use of clay minerals as buffers in radioactive waste repositories is supported by the excellent long-term retention obtained for oxidized uranium, probably due in part to isomorphic substitution into the clay crystal lattice.     

40Ar/39Ar Dating of Xuebaoding Granite in the Songpan-Garzê Orogenic Belt, Southwest China, and its Geological Significance

<正>Thus far,our understanding of the emplacement of Xuebaoding granite and the occurrence and evolution of the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt has been complicated by differing age spectra results.Therefore,in this study,the ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar and sensitive high resolution ion micro-probe(SHRIMP) U-Pb dating methods were both used and the results compared,particularly with respect to dating data for Pankou and Pukouling granites from Xuebaoding,to establish ages that are close to the real emplacements.The results of SHRIMP U-Pb dating for zircon showed a high amount of U,but a very low value for Th/U.The high U amount,coupled with characteristics of inclusions in zircons,indicates that Xuebaoding granites are not suitable for U-Pb dating.Therefore,muscovite in the same granite samples was selected for ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating.The ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pukouling granite in the Xuebaoding,gave a plateau age of 200.1±1.2 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 200.6±1.2 Ma.The ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar age spectrum obtained on bulk muscovite from Pankou granite in the Xuebaoding gave another plateau age of 193.4±1.1 Ma and an inverse isochron age of 193.7±1.1 Ma. The ~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar intercept of 277.0±23.4(2σ) was very close to the air ratio,indicating that no apparent excess argon contamination was present.These age dating spectra indicate that both granites were emplaced at 200.6±1.3 Ma and 193.7±1.1 Ma,respectively.Through comparison of both dating methods and their results,we can conclude that it is feasible that the muscovite in the granite bearing high U could be used for ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating without extra Ar.Based on this evidence,as well as the geological characteristics of the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit and petrology of granites,it can be concluded that the material origin of the Xuebaoding W-Sn-Be deposit might partially originate from the Xuebaoding granite group emplacement at about 200 Ma.Moreover,compared with other granites and deposits distributed in various positions in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt,the Xuebaoding emplacement ages further show that the main rare metal deposits and granites in peripheral regions occurred earlier than those in the inner Songpan-Garze.Therefore,~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating of Xuebaoding granite will lay a solid foundation for studying the occurrence and evolution of granite and rare earth element deposits in the Songpan-Garze Orogenic Belt.     

Uranium-series disequilibrium in tuffs from Yucca Mountain,Nevada, as evidence of pore-fluid flow over the last million years

Samples of tuff from boreholes drilled into fault zones in the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) and relatively unfractured rock of the Cross Drift tunnels, at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, have been analysed by U-series methods. This work is part of a project to verify the finding of fast flow-paths through the tuff to ESF level, indicated by the presence of ‘bomb’ ³⁶Cl in pore fluids. Secular radioactive equilibrium in the U decay series, (i.e. when the radioactivity ratios ²³⁴U/²³⁸U, ²³⁰Th /²³⁴U and ²²⁶Ra/²³⁰Th all equal 1.00) might be expected if the tuff samples have not experienced radionuclide loss due to rock-water interaction occurring within the last million years. However, most fractured and unfractured samples were found to have a small deficiency of ²³⁴U (weighted mean ²³⁴U/²³⁸U=0.95±0.01) and a small excess of ²³⁰Th (weighted mean ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U 1.10±0.02). The ²²⁶Ra/²³⁰Th ratios are close to secular equilibrium (weighted mean=0.94±0.07). These data indicate that ²³⁴U has been removed from the rock samples in the last ∼350 ka, probably by pore fluids. Within the precision of the measurement, it would appear that ²²⁶Ra has not been mobilized and removed from the tuff, although there may be some localised ²²⁶Ra redistribution as suggested by a few ratio values that are significantly different from 1.0. Because both fractured and unfractured tuffs show approximately the same deficiency of ²³⁴U, this indicates that pore fluids are moving equally through fractured and unfractured rock. More importantly, fractured rock appears not to be a dominant pathway for groundwater flow (otherwise the ratio would be more strongly affected and the Th and Ra isotopic ratios would likely also show disequilibrium). Application of a simple mass-balance model suggests that surface infiltration rate is over an order of magnitude greater than the rate indicated by other infiltration models and that residence time of pore fluids at ESF level is about 400 a. Processes of U sorption, precipitation and re-solution are believed to be occurring and would account for these anomalous results but have not been included in the model. Despite the difficulties, the U-series data suggest that fractured rock, specifically the Sundance and Drill Hole Wash faults, are not preferred flow paths for groundwater flowing through the Topopah Spring tuff and, by implication, rapid-flow, within 50 a, from the surface to the level of the ESF is improbable.     

A study of234U/238U ratios in groundwaters of Taiyuan area,Shanxi Province

Uranium contents and²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratios have been determined on 29 water samples from the Taiyuan area, Shanxi Province. The results show that the same artesian aquifer has similar uranium contents and²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios, and the deeper aquifers have higher A. R. values but lower uranium contents. The A. R. values increase slightly towards groundwater flow in the artesian aquifers dominated by oxidizing ground waters. The Lancun Spring and the famous Jinci Spring belong to two different karst groundwater systems, i.e., the east and west karst groundwater systems. The recharge area of the Lancun Spring should cover the wide limestone outcrops of middle Ordovician in the northeast. The Ordovician fissure-karst ground water to the Jinci Spring is extensively mixed with fissure water in Carboniferous-Jurassic formations and seepage water from the Fenhe River.     

Processes controlling 234U and 238U isotope fractionation and helium in the groundwater of the St. Lawrence Lowlands,Quebec: The potential role of natural rock fracturing

The goal of this study is to explain the origin of ²³⁴U–²³⁸U fractionation in groundwater from sedimentary aquifers of the St. Lawrence Lowlands (Quebec, Canada), and its relationship with ³He/⁴He ratios, to gain insight regarding the evolution of groundwater in the region. (²³⁴U/²³⁸U) activity ratios, or (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act, were measured in 23 groundwater samples from shallow Quaternary unconsolidated sediments and from the deeper fractured regional aquifer of the Becancour River watershed. The lowest (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act, 1.14 ± 0.01, was measured in Ca–HCO₃-type freshwater from the Quaternary Shallower Aquifer, where bulk dissolution of the carbonate allows U to migrate into water with little ²³⁴U–²³⁸U isotopic fractionation. The (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act increases to 6.07 ± 0.14 in Na–HCO₃–Cl-type groundwater. Preferential migration of ²³⁴U into water by α-recoil is the underlying process responsible for this isotopic fractionation. An inverse relationship between (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act and ³He/⁴He ratios has been observed. This relationship reflects the mixing of newly recharged water, with (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act close to the secular equilibrium and containing atmospheric/tritiogenic helium, and mildly-mineralized older water (¹⁴C ages of 6.6 kyrs), with (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act of ≥6.07 and large amounts of radiogenic ⁴He, in excess of the steady-state amount produced in situ. The simultaneous fractionation of (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act and the addition of excess ⁴He could be locally controlled by stress-induced rock fracturing. This process increases the surface area of the aquifer matrix exposed to pore water, from which produced ⁴He and ²³⁴U can be released by α-recoil and diffusion. This process would also facilitate the release of radiogenic helium at rates greater than those supported by steady-state U–Th production in the rock. Consequently, sources internal to the aquifers could cause the radiogenic ⁴He excesses measured in groundwater.