Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Uranium (U) concentration and its genetic significance in the phosphorites of the Paleoproterozoic Bijawar Group of the Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The paper presents the uranium (U) concentration and distribution pattern in the Paleoproterozoic phosphorites of Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh. The study of thin sections, SEM and XRD reveal that apatite is the essential phosphate mineral while quartz and feldspars are the dominant gangue in the phosphorites of the investigated area. The collophane is observed to be mostly oolitic in form and microspherulitic in texture. The major element geochemistry indicated that the phosphorite samples are rich in P2O5, CaO, SiO2 and Fe2O3 whereas depletion of MgO, MnO, K2O and Al2O3 was observed. The CaO/P2O5 ratio ranges from 1.13 to 1.46 which is slightly lower than that of cations and anions substituted francolite (1.621) and close to that of carbonate-fluorapatite (1.318). The trace element geochemistry indicates that the phosphorites of Lalitpur have the significant range of U concentration (1.67 to 129.67 μg/g) which is more than that of Th (0.69 to 0.09 μg/g) among the analysed trace elements in the phosphorite samples of the area. The positive correlation of U with P2O5, CaO and U/P2O5 indicates a close association of U with phosphate minerals like collophane (apatite), whereas negative correlation of U with SiO2 and Fe2O3 may be due to mutual replacement. The antipathetic relationship of U with Ni may be an indication of high oxidizing conditions, whereas sympathetic relationship of U with K2O points towards higher alkaline conditions of the basin of deposition during phosphatization. The variable concentration of U and its relationship with significant major and trace elements in most of the phosphorite samples lead one to believe that the deposition of these phosphorites might have taken place in highly alkaline medium during fairly oxidizing to weakly reducing environmental conditions of geosynclinal basin.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adesanwo OO, Adetunji MT, Dunlevey JN, Diatta S, Osiname OA, Adesanwo JK (2009) X-ray fluorescence studies of Ogun phosphate rocks. Electron J Environ Agric Food Chem 8(10):1052–1061

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Bassam K, Al-Dahan A, Jamil A (1983) Campanian–Maastrichtian phosphorites of Iraq. Petrology, geochemistry and genesis. Mineral Depos 18:215–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Altschuler ZS (1980) The geochemistry of trace elements in marine phosphorites: part 1. Characteristic abundances and enrichment, marine phosphorites. SEPM Spec Publi 29:19–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Altschuler ZS, Clarke RS, Young EY (1958) Geochemistry of uranium in apatite and phosphorite. US Geol Surv Prof Pap 314-D:45–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Arning ET, Lückge A, Breuer C, Gussone N, Birgel D, Peckmann J (2009) Genesis of phosphorite crusts off Peru. Mar Geol 262:68–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banerjee DM, Khan MWY, Srivastava N, Saigal GC (1982) Precambrain phosphorites in the Bijawar rocks of Hirapur-Bassia area, Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh, India. Mineral Deposita 17:349–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banerjee R, Ranjan R, Roy MK, Maithani PB (2012) Geochemistry and petrogenesis of granites and associated cherty cataclasite around Parasia, district Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh: Implications for the Uranium mineralization. Indian Mineral 46(1):41–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Baturin GN, Dubinchuk VT (1978) On uranium forms in oceanic phosphorites. Okeanologiya 18:1036–1041

    Google Scholar 

  • Baturin GN, Kochenov AV (2001) Uranium in phosphorites. Lithol Miner Resour 36(4):303–321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bejaoui J, Samaali M, Baccouche S, Regugui N, Hamouda MFB, Azzouz Z, Trabelsi A, Bouhlel S, Salim B (2012) New information on radionuclides concentration in phosphorites originating from Tunisia and Algeria. Arab J Geosci. doi:10.1007/s12517-012-0536-3

  • Brookfield ME, Hemmings DP, Van Straaten P (2009) Paleoenvironments and origin of the sedimentary phosphorites of the Napo Formation (Late Cretaceous, Oriente Basin, Ecuador. J South Am Earth Sci 28:180–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burnett WC, Gomberg DN (1977) Uranium oxidation and probable subaerial weathering of phosphatised limestone from Pourtales terrace. Sedimentology 24(2):291–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burnett WC, Veeh HH (1977) Uranium-series disequilibrium studies in phosphorite nodules from west coast of South America. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 41:755–764

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook PJ (1972) Petrology and geochemistry of the phosphate deposits of N.W. Queensland, Australia. Econ Geol 67(8):1193–1213

    Google Scholar 

  • Debrabaut P, Pacquet J (1975) L’association glauconites phosphate-carbonate (Albien de La Sierra de Esfuna, Espaque mendionali). Chem Geol 15:61–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deer WA, Howie RA, Zussman J (1962) Rock forming minerals. Non-Silicates 5:371

    Google Scholar 

  • Follmi KB (1996) The phosphorus cycle, phosphogenesis and marine phosphate rich deposits. Earth Sci Rev 40:55–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govindaraju K (1994) Compilation of working values and sample description for 383 geostandards. Geostandards Newsletter. J Geostand Geoanalysis 18:1–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grashchenko SM, Drechko VF, Krisyuk EM (1981) To the norms of concentrations of natural radionuclides in phosphate fertilizers. Sanit Gig 1:84–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Gulbrandsen RA (1966) Chemical composition of phosphorites of the phosphoria formation. Geoch Cosmochim Acta 30:769–778

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard PF, Hough HJ (1979) On the geochemistry and origin of the D Tree, Wenarch, and Sherrin Creek phosphorite deposits of the Georgine basin, Northern Australia. Econ Geol 74:260–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Il’in AV, Volkov RI (1994) Geochemistry of uranium in Vendian–Cambrian phosphorites. Geokhimiya 7:1042–1051

    Google Scholar 

  • Imamoglu MS, Nathan Y, Coban H, Soudry D, Glenn C (2009) Geochemical, mineralogical and isotopic signatures of the Semikan, West Kasrık Turkish phosphorites from the Derik-Mazıdagı-Mardin area, SE Anatolia. Int J Earth Sci 98:1679–1690

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarvis I, Burnett WC, Nathan Y, Almbaydin FSM, Attia AKM, Castro LN, Flicoteaux R, Hilmy ME, Husain V, Qutawnah AA, Serjani A, Zanin YN (1994) Phosphorite geochemistry: state-of-the-art and environmental concerns. Eclogae Geol Helv 87:643–700

    Google Scholar 

  • Jha SK, Shrivastava JP, Bhairam CL (2012) Clay mineralogical studies on Bijawars of the Sonrai basin: palaeoenvironmental implications and inferences on the uranium mineralization. J Geol Soc India 79:117–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr PF (1959) Optical Mineralogy, (3rd Edition). New York, London, Toronto: McGraw Hill., pp. xiv + 442.

  • Khan KF, Dar Shamim A, Khan Saif A (2012a) Geochemistry of phosphate bearing sedimentary rocks in parts of Sonrai block, Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Chemie der Erde 72:117–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan KF, Dar Shamim A, Khan Saif A (2012b) Rare earth element (REE) geochemistry of phosphorites of the Sonrai area of Paleoproterozoic Bijawar basin, Uttar Pradesh, India. J Rare Earths 30(5):507–514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan KF, Khan Saif A, Dar Shamim A, Husain Z (2012c) Geochemistry of phosphorite deposits around Hirapur-Mardeora area in Chhatarpur and Sagar Districts, Madhya Pradesh, India. J Geol Min Res 4(3):51–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Kholodov VN, Paul RK (1995) The Black Sea: a geochemical model of phosphate deposition. Litol Pol Iskop 6:563–581

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolodny Y (1981) Carbon isotopes and depositional environment of high productivity sedimentary sequence, the case of the Mishash-Ghareb Formation, Israel. Isr J Earth Sci 29:147–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolodny Y, Kaplan IR (1970) Uranium isotopes in sea floor phosphorites. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 34:3–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kothiyal DL, Srivastava VC, Verma RN (2002) Geology and mineral resources of the states of India. Uttar Pradesh and Uttranchal. Geol Surv of India. Misc Pub 30, Part, XIII

  • Lucas J, Abbas M (1989) Uranium in natural phosphorites: the Syrian example. Sci Geol Bull 42:223–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas J, Prevot J, Larnboy M (1978) Les phosphorites de la marge norde de 1' Espagne, Chimie mineralogy, Genese. Oceanol Acta 1:55–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagaraju M, Shivakumar K, Verma SC (2011) A note on the uraniferous Phosphatic breccia in Proterzoic metasedimentary sequence, Betul district, Madhya Pradesh. Indian Mineral 45(1):75–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Pant A, Khan HH, Sonakia A (1989). Phosphorite resources in the Bijawar Group of central India. Phosphate deposits of the world. In: Notholt AJG, Sheldon RP, Davidson DF (eds) Phosphate rock resources. International Geological Correlation Programme Project 156: Phosphorites. Cambridge University Press, vol 2, pp 473–477.

  • Pitawala A, Schidlowski M, Dahanayake K, Hofmeister W (2003) Geochemical and petrological characteristics of Eppawala phosphate deposits, Sri Lanka. Miner Deposita 38:505–515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prakash R, Swarup P, Srivastava RN (1975) Geology and mineralization in the southern parts of Bundelkhand in Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh. J Geol Soc India 16:143–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Pric S, Rose AW (1981) Uranium anomalies in palaeoaquifers near sandstone type uranium deposits in the Devonian Catskill Formation of Pennsylvania. J Geochem Explor 15(1–3):219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao Liaqat AK (1984) Trace-element studies of the Precambrian stromatolitic phosphorites of Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. Chem Geol 45:17–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao Sesha RVS, Deshpande MSM, Shivkumar K (2004) A note on the occurrence of uraniferous phosphatic ferruginous breccias in the lower Vindhyan sediments of Son-valley, around Baskati, Sindhi district, Madhya Pradesh. J Geol Soc India 64(5):685–688

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao VP, Michard A, Naqvi SWA, Bottcher ME, Krishnaswamy R, Thamban M, Nataraja R, Borole DV (2002) Quarternary phosphorites off the southeast coast of India. Chem Geol 182:483–502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao VP, Hegner E, Naqvi SWA, Kessarkar PM, Masood SA, Raju DS (2008) Miocene phosphorites from the Murray Ridge, north western Arabian Sea. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 260:347–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roy M, Bagchi AK, Babu EVSSK, Mishra B, Krishnamurthy P (2004) Petromineragraphy and mineral chemistry of Bituminous Shale-hosted uranium mineralization at Sonrai, Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh. J Geol Soc India 63:291–298

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy P, Balaram V, Kumar A (2007) New REE and trace element data on two kimberlitic reference materials by ICP-MS. Geostand Geoanalytical Res 31(3):261–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roy P, Balaram V, Krishna AK, Singh RS, Chavan CD, Charan SN, Murthy NN (2009) A simplified and rapid method for the determination of sulphur in kimberlites and other geological samples by wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. At Spectrosc 30(5):178–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma KK (2000) Evolution of the Archaean–Paleoproterozoic crust of the Bundelkhand Craton, northern Indian shield. In: Verma OP, Mahadevan TM (eds), Research Highlights in Earth Sciences, DST, India Geol Cong 1:95–105

  • Slansky M (1986) Geology of Sedimentary phosphates. North Oxford Academic Publisher Ltd. pp. 19–35

  • Sokolov AS (1996) Evolution of uranium mineralization in phosphorites. Geokhimiya 11:1117–1119

    Google Scholar 

  • Soudry D, Ehrlich S, Yoffe O, Nathan Y (2002) Uranium oxidation state and related variations in geochemistry of phosphorites from the Negev (southern Israel). Chem Geol 189:213–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stamatakis Michael G (2004) Phosphate deposits of Neogene age in Greece. Mineralogy, geochemistry and genetic implications. Chem der Erde 64:329–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veeh HH, Burnett WC, Soutar A (1973) Contemporary phosphorite on the continental margin off Peru. Science 181:844–845

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verma KK (1980) Mineral deposits related to stromatolites. G.S.I. Spec Pub 17:303–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Zanin Yu N, Zamirailova AG (2007) Uranium in Supergene Phosphorites. Geochem Int 45:32–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zanin Yu N, Zamirailova AG, Gilinskaya LG (2000) Uranium of sedimentary apatite in catagenesis. Geochem Int 38:452–458

    Google Scholar 

  • Zanin YN, Zamirailova AG, Gilinskaya LG, Fomin AN, Kireev AD (2000) Uranium in the sedimentary apatite during catagenesis. Geokhimiya 5:502–509

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Chairman, Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University, for providing facilities to carry out this work. Authors are thankful to the Directors, National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad (NGRI) and National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, for their permission for geochemical analysis, XRD and SEM studies, respectively. We are also thankful to Dr. V.P. Rao, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, and Dr. Masroor Alam, Department of Civil Engineering, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, for their kind help in SEM, XRD and photomicrographs. First author is thankful to Dr. S. H. Jafri for his help and guidance during chemical analysis at NGRI, Hyderabad. University grants commission (UGC) is thankfully acknowledged for providing financial assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Shamim A. Dar, K. F. Khan & Saif A. Khan

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Kashmr, Srinagar, 190006, India

    Akhtar R. Mir

  3. Department of Geology, Amar Singh College, Srinagar, 190008, India

    H. Wani

  4. CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, 500007, India

    V. Balaram

Authors
  1. Shamim A. Dar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. F. Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Saif A. Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Akhtar R. Mir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. H. Wani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. V. Balaram
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shamim A. Dar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dar, S.A., Khan, K.F., Khan, S.A. et al. Uranium (U) concentration and its genetic significance in the phosphorites of the Paleoproterozoic Bijawar Group of the Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Arab J Geosci 7, 2237–2248 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-0903-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-0903-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation