Abstract
This paper discusses the behavior of elements in the paleokarst and attempts to establish the relation between uranium and other elements in the paleokarst conditions at Abu Zarab locality. Abu Zarab is a small area within Um Bogma environ located in southwestern Sinai, Egypt, where paleokarsts are widespread, especially in carbonate rocks. One of these paleokarsts at Abu Zarab area was selected to geochemical investigation. The studied paleokarst was dissected by three excavated trenches constructed by Nuclear Materials Authority team to reveal its geologic features. It is filled with lateritic components represented mainly, by intercalation of clay with gibbsite and kaolinite, ferruginous siltstone and clay minerals.Twelve samples were collected from the walls of these trenches and chemically analyzed for this purpose in term of major oxides, traces and rare earth elements. The geochemical data of the major oxides display three important geochemical processes in the lateritic components of the paleokarst: (1) Enrichment of aluminum and iron; (2) depletion of calcium and magnesium (3) silicon experienced both depletion and enrichment. The geochemical data of trace and rare earth elements (REE) display enrichment of U, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, As and Cd with obvious enrichment of REE and conversely some elements were depleted such as V, Cr and Ga. It also, noticed that uranium has strong positive correlation with both iron and Aluminum.It is more likely, according to geochemical features of radioactive elements, that the uranium enrichment process was later than the laterite formation and the iron played an important role in capturing and trapping uranium.
Published Version
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