Occurrence of Carnotite in the Phosphatic horizon of the Sudr Chalk, Wadi El-Quseiyib, East Central Sinai, Egypt: Paleoenvironmental and Radioactivity Implications
M. Gheith, A., M. El Sankary, M., I. Anan, T., S. Ibrahim, A. (2018). Occurrence of Carnotite in the Phosphatic horizon of the Sudr Chalk, Wadi El-Quseiyib, East Central Sinai, Egypt: Paleoenvironmental and Radioactivity Implications. EKB Journal Management System, 47(1.2), 23-35. doi: 10.21608/joese.2018.149479
Amin M. Gheith; Mohamed M. El Sankary; Tarek I. Anan; Asmaa S. Ibrahim. "Occurrence of Carnotite in the Phosphatic horizon of the Sudr Chalk, Wadi El-Quseiyib, East Central Sinai, Egypt: Paleoenvironmental and Radioactivity Implications". EKB Journal Management System, 47, 1.2, 2018, 23-35. doi: 10.21608/joese.2018.149479
M. Gheith, A., M. El Sankary, M., I. Anan, T., S. Ibrahim, A. (2018). 'Occurrence of Carnotite in the Phosphatic horizon of the Sudr Chalk, Wadi El-Quseiyib, East Central Sinai, Egypt: Paleoenvironmental and Radioactivity Implications', EKB Journal Management System, 47(1.2), pp. 23-35. doi: 10.21608/joese.2018.149479
M. Gheith, A., M. El Sankary, M., I. Anan, T., S. Ibrahim, A. Occurrence of Carnotite in the Phosphatic horizon of the Sudr Chalk, Wadi El-Quseiyib, East Central Sinai, Egypt: Paleoenvironmental and Radioactivity Implications. EKB Journal Management System, 2018; 47(1.2): 23-35. doi: 10.21608/joese.2018.149479

Occurrence of Carnotite in the Phosphatic horizon of the Sudr Chalk, Wadi El-Quseiyib, East Central Sinai, Egypt: Paleoenvironmental and Radioactivity Implications

Journal of Environmental Sciences. Mansoura University
Article 4, Volume 47, Issue 1.2, March 2018, Page 23-35  XML PDF (2.26 MB)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/joese.2018.149479
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Authors
Amin M. Gheith1; Mohamed M. El Sankary2; Tarek I. Anan1; Asmaa S. Ibrahim1
1Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
2Nuclear Materials Authority, El Maadi, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract
Anomalous uranium contents were recognized in the phosphatic beds of the Campanian-
Maastrichtian Sudr Chalk of Wadi El-Quseiyib at the East Central Sinai. Microscopic examination,
and scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of carnotite patches disseminated in the
studied Sudr Chalk phosphatic rocks. This mineral is recorded for the first time in the east central
Sinai and it may be significant in discussing uranium prospection and the origin of secondary uranium
deposits. The identification of this mineral directed the attention to study the natural radionuclides
content which have been measured by gamma-ray spectrometry using a shielded HPGe detector. This
study revealed that 238U and some of its progenies were redistributed after subjection to several
alteration processes.
Petrographic study of Wadi El-Quseiyib phosphatic rocks revealed that they are consisted mainly
of collophane pellets, bone and teeth fragments, which were diagenetically cemented by calcite,
gypsum and quartz materials. The studied phosphatic microfacies was described texturally as
pelphospharudite and pelphospharenite. X-ray diffraction analysis proved the presence of carbonate
fluorapatite (francolite) as the dominant phosphatic mineral, while calcite, gypsum and quartz are the
dominant non-phosphatic minerals with minor contents of bassanite and jarosite and siderotil.
Averages of P2O5 and uranium contents are 16.7 % and 70 ppm in the analyzed phosphatic rocks,
respectively. Carnotite characteristics are identified by SEM/EDX in the studied phosphatic rocks
which indicate that the uranium is leached out from the phosphatic materials and re-deposited as fine
specks in open pores by circulating meteoric water. The leached uranyl ions together with vanadate
ions are forming the identified carnotite under the influence of evaporation. The calculated annual
effective dose equivalent values (AEDE) are 0.478 and 0.504 mSv/yr for the lower and upper
phosphatic beds, respectively. The calculated radium equivalent activity values of (Raeq) are 2319 and
2802 Bq/kg for the lower and upper phosphatic beds, respectively. Accordingly, although the
estimated (AEDE) to the public is below the recommended limits, but the equivalent radium activity
and the expected coincided radon gas emanation renders the phosphatic exposures in the study area
classified unsafe for prolonged public activities.
Keywords
Sudr Chalk; phosphate; Carnotite; Uranium; Vanadium; SEM/EDX; HPGe; Sinai; Egypt
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