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Redox processes in uranium deposits — Lessons from Natural Analogue Studies

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Uranium in the Aquatic Environment
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Abstract

The measurement and understanding of the processes that control the redox intensities (Eh) and capacities (RDC) of uranium deposits are critical to assess the long-term stability of nuclear waste repositories, the migration of toxic metals from uranium mine tailings and other contaminated sites. We present the redox modelling work performed in connection with the geochemical characterisation of five uranium deposits used as Natural Analogue systems: Poços de Caldas (Brazil), Cigar Lake (Canada), El Berrocal (Spain), Oklo (Gabon) and Palmottu (Finland). The data from these five sites indicate that Fe(III)/Fe(II) equilibrium controls the redox state of surface and intermediate groundwaters. However, the redox state of undisturbed groundwaters in contact with U mineralisations appears to be controlled by U(IV)/U(IV) equilibria in the solid phase.

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© 2002 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Bruno, J., Duro, L., Cera, E., Grivé, M. (2002). Redox processes in uranium deposits — Lessons from Natural Analogue Studies. In: Merkel, B.J., Planer-Friedrich, B., Wolkersdorfer, C. (eds) Uranium in the Aquatic Environment. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-55668-5_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-55668-5_29

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-62877-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-55668-5

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