Characterization of Phosphorite Bearing Uraniferous Anomalies of Bijawar region, Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

The uranium containing phosphatic shale sub surface samples collected from Bijawar region Madhya Pradesh (M.P.), India as a part of the uranium exploration programme of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) were characterized by a variety of molecular spectroscopic techniques such as photoluminiscence (PL), time resolved photoluminiscence spectroscopy (TRPL), X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES), Raman spectroscopy and structural techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify the oxidation state, physical and chemical form of uranium in this region. Oxidation state analysis by fluorescence spectroscopy revealed majority of the samples in U(VI) oxidation state. The most abundant form of uranium was identified as uranate (UO66-) ion, as a substituent of Ca++ in Ca5(PO4)3F, Flourapatite (FAP). Two uranium species in U(VI) and U(IV) state; (UO2)2+ adsorbed on silica and uranium oxide species (UO2) were also identified. The study provided baseline information on the speciation of uranium in Bijawar region.