Uranium distribution and mobility in the weathering zone of the Nisa deposit, Portugal

Abstract

The Nisa deposit is the largest known uranium reserve in the country, and is hosted by metasediments of the Beiras Group, in the Alto Alentejo region, central Portugal. After almost two decades without significant studies, the current trend to seek improved knowledge of raw materials motivated the application of different surface geophysical and geochemical characterization methods, which proved to be a valuable exploration approach for this type of deposit. Detailed mapping in the experimental open pit showed the structural aspects controlling the mineralization. A radiometric survey of the deposit was carried out, providing a map of the main sites of mineralization. The U mineralization is of secondary origin, formed exclusively by uranyl phosphates that were formed during the development of a weathering profile. The mineralization occurs along schistosity planes, quartz veinlets and alteration zones, along a general trend N60°–80°W (approximately the same as S0) in association with iron oxyhydroxides, as demonstrated by both petrographic and geochemical data. These hydroxides, in addition to the geochemical characteristics of the host rocks, were key factors in the precipitation and trapping of dissolved uranyl ions.