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Investigation of Jordanian uranium resources in carbonate rocks

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Abstract

Determination of uranium content in Jordanian carbonate rocks has been investigated using three different detection techniques; neutron activation analysis, gamma ray spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The average uranium concentrations from the different methods were in good agreements. A leaching test was also performed using deionized water as a leaching solution (pH = 5.7) and it was calculated that about 9 % of the total uranium amount leached out. The results showed that carbonate rocks at Central Jordan Area contains a promising amount of uranium and more investigations need to be conducted to explore the uranium content in this area.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. Samer Kahook (Director General of JUMCO) for his great support throughout this work. The authors also wish to thank the entire JUMCO technical team for their support and assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan

    Ahmad Alsabbagh, Laith Zaidan, Ibtisam Harahsheh & Noora Ba Sunbul

  2. Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Sheldon Landsberger

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  1. Ahmad Alsabbagh
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  2. Laith Zaidan
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  3. Ibtisam Harahsheh
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  4. Noora Ba Sunbul
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  5. Sheldon Landsberger
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Correspondence to Ahmad Alsabbagh.

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Alsabbagh, A., Zaidan, L., Harahsheh, I. et al. Investigation of Jordanian uranium resources in carbonate rocks. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 308, 1063–1070 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4518-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4518-2

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