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Activity ratios as a tool for studying uranium mobility at El Sela shear zone, southeastern Desert, Egypt

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Abstract

The present work aims to integrating detailed geologic field studies with natural radionuclides activity ratios as a tool for studying uranium-mobility in three rock types at El Sela shear zone, southeastern Desert, Egypt. Natural radionuclides content have been measured by γ-ray spectrometry employing a shielded HPGe detector. This study revealed that 238U and some of its progenies were redistributed after the rock emplacements and subjections to several alteration processes. The acidic and alkaline alterations play their role in the redistribution of radionuclides in different rock types. The main alteration processes are the argillization, fluoritization, silicification and ferrugination with formation of visible U-mineralization.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Prof. Dr Ibrahim El Aassy, Professor in Geology, Vice President of Nuclear Materials Authority of Egypt for reading and revising the manuscript, and for his valuable disscusions and suggestions. They cordially thank the reviewers for their helpful comments and recommendations.

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  1. Nuclear Materials Authority, P.O. Box 530, El-Maadi, Cairo, Egypt

    Ahmed E. Abdel Gawad & Eman M. Ibrahim

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  1. Ahmed E. Abdel Gawad
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Correspondence to Ahmed E. Abdel Gawad.

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Abdel Gawad, A.E., Ibrahim, E.M. Activity ratios as a tool for studying uranium mobility at El Sela shear zone, southeastern Desert, Egypt. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 308, 129–142 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4374-0

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