ACCUMULATION OF URANIUM IN GRANITIC SOILS OVERLYING THE MOURNE-MOUNTAINS, COUNTY-DOWN, NORTHERN-IRELAND

Accumulation of uranium is correlated with a number of major elements, classical soil properties, mineralogy, and chemical weathering index of podzolic soils from the Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland. Degree of enrichment of this element in the organic, amorphous, and crystalli ne fractions has also been investigated. Results show a relationship b etween the concentration of this element and the pedogenetic processes of podzolic soil formation. Soils formed over the different types of granite (G2-G5) show U to be evenly distributed between the three frac tions analyzed. Results from one site (Rocky River), a weathered relic t of the Tertiary period, show higher levels of organic carbon and oxy hydroxides and also the associated mineral gibbsite [Al(OH)(3)]. Highe r concentrations of these constituents correlate with a significant ac cumulation of U in the soil. Results strongly indicate that this anoma lous accumulation of U is a direct consequence of chemical weathering and pedological processes with the formation of clay and associated mi nerals. (C) 1997 Academic Press.