Abstract
A natural analogue study has been performed for the Koongarra uranium ore deposit in Australia as an international agreement of the Analogue Studies in the Alligator Rivers Region (ASARR). Rocks obtained from the Koongarra deposit, Northern Territory of Australia, were examined in order to understand uranium migration processes of primary and secondary ore-body in both weathered and unweathered zones. Total alpha activities of rock samples were measured to compare the relative amount of uranium in the sample. Uranium distributions have been investigated by means of both the alpha-autoradiography and the fission track registration technique after irradiation in a flux of thermal neutrons (~10$\times$$10^{13}$nㆍ$cm^{-2}$ㆍs$^{-1}$) for 2 minutes. The mineral phases corresponding to the registered alpha-tracks and fission tracks were identified by petrological observation with optical microscope as well as X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analysis (EPMA). Uranium was found mostly inside of the fracture of the quartzite and its mineral phase was identified as sklodowskite. The mineral phase associated with high uranium concentration was found as illeminite by petrological observation with optical microscope as well as EPMA.
