Uranium migration history in the igneous and metamorphic rocks of Solaf-Umm Takha area, based on multi-variate statistical analysis and favorability indices, central south Sinai, Egypt.

Abstract

The present study deals with the application of three different analytical techniques on the recorded ground gamma ray spectrometric measurements in order to detect the radioelements content specially Uranium in Solaf-Umm Takha area, south Sinai, Egypt. These techniques include Uranium migration (in and out), Uranium favorability index and multi-variate statistical analysis including first and second principal component and factor scores. The obtained results have indicated that Umm Takha granite and the quartzo - feldspathic gneiss as well as the El-Sheikh granite are Uranium source rocks with low favorability indices. However the application of favorability index technique has proved to be an effective tool in igneous and metamorphic environments to indicate Uranium depletion from source rocks. The integration of original uranium content, uranium migration rate and Uranium favorability index indicated that Uranium migrated from the eastern and southern parts and has been ultimately accumulated in the western and northern parts of the study area. Topographically, uranium has been migrated from the high relief mountainous region to the drainage divide of Solaf-Umm Takha valleys. Therefore, uranium migration history proves its validity in distinction between syngentically-mineralized source rocks and secondary enriched rocks in the investigated area.