Comparison of the Nagar Parkar (Pakistan) and Malani (India) granites with reference to uranium and thorium abundances
Keywords:
Granites; Nagar Parkar; Malani; Uranium; ThoriumAbstract
U and Th data revealed that the granites of both the suits may be considered as a moderate source for the small scale uranium deposit. Negative disequilibrium in the Nagar Parkar granites and the higher U-content in the wide and extensive zones of kaolin in the low lying inter-plutonic areas suggest mobility of uranium from the system. Higher U and Th concentrations, pronounced hydrothermal activity, relatively higher abundances of trace and REE and presence of UO2 in zircons in Malani granites enhance the probability of the creation of primary mineralization. U, Hf, and Ta are generally lower as compared to Th, Zr, and Nb in the granites of both the suits. Malani granites show relatively higher abundances of favorable trace and REE, particularly Siwana, which also have higher U/Th ratios (0.11 – 4.5). It has been found that the U and Th concentrations increase as a function of high heat production. Nagar Parkar as well as Malani granites contain certain accessory minerals (especially zircon, sphene, apatite, additionally alanite and epidote in Nagar Parkar granites) favorably accommodate uranium in their structure. The increase in U–content from east to west in Malani, moderate uranium enrichment in Bara Formation and calcretes in Tharparkar are indicative of probable transport, suggesting mobility of uranium from the system. Therefore, lignite-related sandstones of Bara Formation in Thar coal basin, adjacent to both the igneous suits, and calcretes in the desert environment may be the prospective hosts for secondary uranium deposits.
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