Tracking of uranium and thorium natural distribution in the chemical fractions of the Nile Valley and the Red Sea phosphorites, Egypt

Abstract

The present study aims to elucidate the possible sources of uranium and thorium content in the Campanian–Maastrichtian phosphorites from the Duwi Formation in the Nile Valley and Red Sea by conducting facies analysis and sequential leaching method. Nile Valley samples were collected from the El-Sibaiya East area, while those of the Red Sea were collected from two locations: Hamadat and Zug El Bahar. The petrographic investigation revealed that the Sibaiya East phosphorites exhibit peloidal bioclastic phospharenite–phospharudite microfacies, while Hamadat and Zug El Bahar phosphorites display peloidal bioclastic phosphalutite and silicified peloidal bioclastic phospharenite microfacies, respectively. Besides, U–Th bearing accessory minerals, such as zircon and monazite occur in Sibaiya East phosphorites. Thorium is present in Zug El Bahar phosphorites as minute accumulations associating apatite and quartz. Moreover, uranium is found with vanadium and iron as fine patches in the Sibaiya East phosphorite, and as small disseminations associated with Ca and Si in the Hamadat phosphorite. The X-ray diffraction shows that the investigated phosphorites are essentially built up of hydroxyl apatite Ca₅(PO₄)₃(OH) and quartz SiO_2. To accurately evaluate the bioavailability and mobility of uranium and thorium in the investigated phosphorites, it was necessary to identify the overall concentration and the various chemical forms of these elements by a five-step sequential leaching technique. The results indicate that Th and U are more abundant in the Red Sea phosphorites than in the Nile Valley phosphorites. Furthermore, Th is not bio-available and it is mostly found in the residue as Th-bearing minerals. Uranium, unlike Th is bio-available and fractionates among all fractions, indicating that U accumulation is the result of various diagenetic processes.