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Structural and luminescent characterisation of uraniferous fluorapatite and haematite associated with phosphatic rocks of the Bijawar group in Sagar District, Madhya Pradesh (India)

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Abstract

The structural and spectroscopic characteristics of phosphatic ferruginous shale samples from the Bijawar Group rocks from Sagar District of Madhya Pradesh (India) have been probed for identification of uranium species. Fluorapatite (\(\hbox {Ca}_{5}\hbox {(PO}_{4})_{3}\hbox {F}\), FAP) and haematite (\(\upalpha \)-\(\hbox {Fe}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}\)) were identified as the main phases in the separated mineral concentrates. The photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) studies pointed to a strong experimental evidence of both U(IV) and U(VI) oxidation states in the mineral concentrate portion obtained from the same parent host rock. The PL spectrum has confirmed the charge transfer (f–d) transition bands in UV and near-UV regions with emission peaks at ca. 290, 313, 336, 399 and 416 nm, which has been attributed to the substitution of \(\hbox {Ca}^{2+}\) ions by U(IV) in FAP and broad structureless emission due to stabilisation of U(VI) as \(\hbox {UO}_{6}^{6-}\) in haematite. Time-resolved spectroscopy studies have revealed biexponential decay components lasting 2–5 ns for U(IV) species and \(10\,\upmu \hbox {s}\) for U(VI) species. These characterisations revealed the fundamental information about the oxidation state and form of uranium in this region. Remediation measures for the Bijawar region are also suggested.

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Acknowledgements

The authors deeply acknowledge Ms. Parasmani Rajput and Mr S N Jha, RRCAT, Indore for their help in XANES measurement and Mr Raghvendra Reddy, IUC, Indore for his help in Mössbauer measurements. The authors also like to thank Mr A K Rai, the Director, AMD, for granting the permission to pursue this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, New Delhi, 110 066, India

    Pragya Pandit, Shailendra Kumar & Madhuparna Roy

  2. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, 144 011, India

    Pargin Bangotra & Rohit Mehra

  3. Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Mumbai, 400 085, India

    Manoj Mohapatra

  4. Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Technology, USICT, GGSIPU, New Delhi, 110 058, India

    A K Singh

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  1. Pragya Pandit
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Correspondence to Pragya Pandit.

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Corresponding editor: N V Chalapathi Rao

Supplementary material pertaining to this article is available on the Journal of Earth System Science website (http://www.ias.ac.in/Journals/Journal_of_Earth_System_Science).

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Pandit, P., Kumar, S., Bangotra, P. et al. Structural and luminescent characterisation of uraniferous fluorapatite and haematite associated with phosphatic rocks of the Bijawar group in Sagar District, Madhya Pradesh (India). J Earth Syst Sci 127, 110 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-018-1009-1

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