Recent uranium mobilization of late neoproterozoic El Sela sheared granites, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

The sheared granite of El Sela represents one of the most promising uranium mineralization in the southern part of the eastern desert, in Egypt. The present work concerned in detailed with El Sela shear zone through ENE-WSW and NNW-SSE trends as a perfect way for ascending hydrothermal solutions and meteoric water that led to leaching of uranium from its bearing minerals and redeposit them in the altered granites. Activities of radionuclides were identified for U-238, U-235, U-234, Th-230, Th-232, Ra-226, Bi-214, Pb-214, Pb-210, and K-40 in the studied samples by hyper-pure germanium detector. Furthermore, activity ratios U-234/U-238, Th-230/U-238, Th-230/U-234, Ra-226/U-238, Ra-226/Th-230, U-238/U-235, and U-234/U-235 were calculated. Additionally, the U-238/U-235 activity ratios range were evaluated from 20.99 to 22.4 with an average of 21.69 indicating a slight deviation from the natural ratio (21.7). The U-234/U-235 activity ratios range recorded from 4.866 to 121.39 with a reported average of 63.13 uranium migration (out / in). Finally, the age of uranium mobilization in the studied samples was calculated from 18.83 to 43.25 kyr. suggested a recent uranium mineralization.

Automated summary

This study focused on the sheared granite of El Sela in the southern part of the eastern desert in Egypt, revealing a promising uranium mineralization. Through detailed analysis, the study identified activities of various radionuclides and calculated their ratios. The results suggest recent uranium mobilization.