Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Exploring the use of thorium isotope compositions and concentrations as nuclear forensic signatures for uranium ore concentrates

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This interlaboratory study measured thorium concentrations and isotope compositions in uranium ore concentrates from different geographical locations to examine whether thorium impurities may be useful forensic signatures for uranium ore concentrates found out of regulatory control. Measured 230Th/232Th in fifteen uranium ore concentrates record over three orders of magnitude of compositional variation. Results demonstrate that 230Th/232Th used in combination with U/Th ratios resulted in a unique signature for individual uranium ore concentrates from different processing locations. Data presented here suggest potential for 230Th/232Th and U/Th to be used as comparative signatures to investigate the provenance of seized uranium ore concentrates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kristo MJ, Gaffney AM, Marks N, Knight K, Cassata WS, Hutcheon ID (2016) Nuclear forensic science: analysis of nuclear material out of regulatory control. Annu Rev Earth Planet Sci 44:555–579

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Kristo MJ, Tumey SJ (2013) The state of nuclear forensics. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res B 294:656–661

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hausen DM (1998) Characterizing and classifying uranium yellow cakes: a background. JOM J Miner Met Mater Soc 50(12):45–47

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Richter S, Alonso A, De Bolle W, Wellum R, Taylor PDP (1999) Isotopic “fingerprints” for natural uranium ore samples. Int J Mass Spec 193:9–14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Svedkauskaite-LeGore J, Mayer K, Millet S, Nicholl A, Rasmussen G, Baltrunas D (2007) Investigation of the isotopic composition of lead and of trace elements concentrations in natural uranium materials as a signature in nuclear forensics. Radiochim Acta 95:601–605

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Keegan E, Richter S, Kelly I, Wong H, Gadd P, Kuehn H, Alonso-Munoz A (2008) The provenance of Australian uranium ore concentrates by elemental and isotopic analysis. Appl Geochem 23:765–777

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Badaut V, Wallenius M, Mayer K (2009) Anion analysis in uranium ore concentrates by ion chromatography. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 280:57–61

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Varga Z, Wallenius M, Mayer K (2010) Origin assessment of uranium ore concentrates based on their rare-earth elemental impurity pattern. Radiochim Acta 98:771–778

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Brennecka GA, Borg LE, Hutcheon ID, Sharp MA, Anbar AD (2010) Natural variations in uranium isotope ratios of uranium ore concentrates: understanding the 238U/235U fractionation mechanism. Earth Planet Sci 291:228–233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Han S, varga Z, Krajko J, Wallenius M, Song K, Mayer K (2013) Measurement of the sulphur isotope ratio (34S/32S) in uranium ore concentrates (yellow cakes) for origin assessment. J Anal At Spectrom. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3ja50231g

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Krajko J, Varga Z, Yalcintas E, Wallenius M, Mayer K (2014) Application of neodymium isotope ratio measurements for the origin assessment of uranium ore concentrates. Talanta 129:499–504

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. El Haddad J, Harhira A, Blouin A, Sabsabi M, Jovanovic S, Kell T, El-Jaby A (2018) Discrimination of uranium ore concentrates by chemometric data analysis to support provenance assessment for nuclear forensics applications. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 317:625–632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Rolison JM, Druce M, Shollenberger QR, Kayzar-Boggs TM, Lindvall RE, Wimpenny J (2019) Molybdeum isotope compositions of uranium ore concentrates by double spike MC-ICP-MS. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 103:97–105

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lin M, Zhao Y, Zhao L, Li L, Wang F, Zhu L, Hu X, Ning W (2015) Tracing origins of uranium ore concentrates (UOCs) by multidimensional statistical analysis of rare-earth impurities. J Anal At Spectrom 30:396–402

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Marks NE, Borg L, Eppich GR, Gaffney AM, Genetti VG, Hutcheon ID, Kristo MJ, Lindvall RE, Ramon C, Robel M, Roberts SK, Schorzman KC, Sharp MA, Singleton MJ, Williams RW (2015) Technical report on the behavior of trace elements, stable isotopes, and radiogenic isotopes during the processing of uranium ore to uranium ore concentrate. United States, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Report LLNL-TR-674363

  16. Varga Z, Krajko J, Penkin M, Novak M, Eke Z, Wallenium M, Mayer K (2017) Identification of uranium signatures relevant for nuclear safeguards and forensics. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 312(3):639–654

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Essex RM, Mann JL, Williams RW, Kinman WS, Hubert A, Bennett ME, Gourgiotis A (2018) A new thorium-229 reference material. Appl Radiat Isot 134:23–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Ball L, Sims KWW, Schwieters J (2008) Measurement of 234U/238U and 230Th/232Th in volcanic rocks using the Neptune MC-ICP-MS. J Anal At Spectrom 23:173–180

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Williams RW, Gaffney AM (2011) 230Th–234U model ages of some uranium standard reference materials. Proc Radiochim Acta 1:31–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Cherdyntsev VV (with Chalov PI et al) (1955) Uranium series disequilibrium dating. In: 3rd session, commission on the determination of absolute age in geological formations. Izd. Akad. Nauk SSSR: 175–182

  21. Kigoshi K (1971) Alpha-recoil thorium-234: dissolution into water and the uranium-234/uranium-238 disequilibrium in nature. Science 173:47–48

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kronfeld J (1974) uranium deposition and Th-234 alpha-recoil: an explanation for extreme U-234/U-238 fractionation within the trinity aquifer. Earth Planet Sci Lett 21:327–330

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Osmond JK, Cowart JB (1976) The theory and uses of natural uranium isotopic variations in hydrology. At Energy Rev 14:621–679

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Cowart JB, Osmond JK (1977) Uranium isotopes in groundwater: their use in prospecting for sandstone-type uranium deposits. J Geochem Explor 8:365–379

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Fleischer RL (1988) Alpha-recoil damage: relation to isotopic disequilibrium and leaching of radionuclides. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 52:1459–1466

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Cheng H, Edwards RL, Shen C, Polyak VJ, Asmerom Y, Woodhead J, Hellstrom J, Wang Y, Kong X, Spotl C, Wang X, Alexander EC (2013) Improvements in 230Th dating, 230Th and 234U half-life values, and U-Th isotopic measurements by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Earth Planet Sci Lett 371–372:82–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by U.S. Department of Energy.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear and Radiochemistry, Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS J514, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    Theresa M. Kayzar-Boggs, William S. Kinman, Annelise Cardon & Rebecca R. Foley

  2. Nuclear and Chemical Sciences Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA, 94551, USA

    Theresa M. Kayzar-Boggs, Rachel King-Lopez, Rachel E. Lindvall, Naomi Marks & Michael A. Sharp

  3. CIMS Laboratory, Nuclear Analytical Chemistry and Isotope Laboratories, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA

    Debra A. Bostick, Cole R. Hexel & Brian W. Ticknor

Authors
  1. Theresa M. Kayzar-Boggs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. William S. Kinman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Debra A. Bostick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Annelise Cardon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Rebecca R. Foley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Cole R. Hexel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Rachel King-Lopez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Rachel E. Lindvall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Naomi Marks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Michael A. Sharp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Brian W. Ticknor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Theresa M. Kayzar-Boggs.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kayzar-Boggs, T.M., Kinman, W.S., Bostick, D.A. et al. Exploring the use of thorium isotope compositions and concentrations as nuclear forensic signatures for uranium ore concentrates. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 327, 877–889 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07534-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07534-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation