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Abstract
The Proterozoic basement of the Dhofar region of the Sultanate of Oman might be considered as a potential source of Uranium mineralization like other Proterozoic basins of the world, which collectively contribute 30%-40% to the global production. Uranium exploration assumes great importance in this part of the world and therefore geochemical and geophysical exploration for Uranium was initiated. Initial, random sampling of the study area with Gamma ray spectrometry as well as in situ XRF (Xray Florescence) analysis indicated the presence of around 30-40 ppm of Uranium. Since Gamma ray spectrometry results in the calculation of the heat produced during radioactive decay of Potassium (K), Uranium (U) and Thorium (Th) within the rocks in the study area, measurements were acquired along eleven traverses of varying length from 100-250 m at a traverse interval of 20 m and sampling interval of 10 m. Individual plots of the concentrations of radioelements such as U, K and Th have shown favorable anomalous radioactive sources. Besides this, Uranium to Thorium (eU/eTh) and Uranium to Potassium (eU/K) ratio plots have been presented and the alteration zones associated with Uranium mineralization through all traverses have been identified. Further, the generated composite ternary image based on the combination of K, Th and U from Gamma ray spectrometry determines different relative amounts of radioelements and paves the way for deciphering the level of radioactivity in the study area. However, there seems to be no presence of strong Uranium anomalies in the near surface of the limited study area. As the study area is heavily faulted, the depth to concealed subsurface fault structures is estimated to be around 64 m based on Hartley spectral analysis of total magnetic anomaly (line-6).
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References
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- IAEA. Guidelines for radioelement mapping using Gamma ray spectrometry data, IAEA-TECDOC-1363, Vienna, Austria. 2003, 97.
- Rybach, L. Radioactive heat production in rocks and its relation to other petrophysical parameters. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 1976, 114(2), 309-317.
- Ward, S.H. Gamma ray spectrometry in geologic mapping and Uranium exploration. Economic Geology, 1981, 75, 840-849.
- Crowley, J.K., Brickey, D.W. and Rowan, L.C. Airborne imaging spectrometer data of the Ruby Mountains, Montana: mineral discrimination using relative absorption band-depth images. Remote Sensing of Environment, 1989, 29(2), 121-134.
- Schlapfer, D. and Richter, R. Geo-atmospheric processing of airborne imaging spectrometry data. Part 1: parametric orthorectification. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 2002, 23(13), 2609-2630.
- McCay, A.T. Harley, T.L., Younger, P.L., Sanderson, D.C., and Cresswell, A.J. Gamma ray Spectrometry in Geothermal Exploration: State of the Art Techniques. Energies, 2014, 7(8), 4757-4780.
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- Grasty, R. Spectral component analysis applied to portable Gamma ray spectrometry. ASEG Extended Abstracts, 2001, 1, 1-4.
- Toens, P. and Hambleton-Jones, B. Definition and classification of surficial Uranium deposits, 1984.
- Adler, H. Concepts of Uranium-ore formation in reducing environments in sandstones and other sediments. Formation of Uranium ore deposits,1974, 141-168.
- Poty, B., Leroy, J., Cathelineau, M., Cuney, M., Friedrich, M., Lespinasse, M. and Turpin, L. Uranium deposits spatially related to granites in the French part of the Hercynian orogen, 1986, (No. IAEA-TECDOC-361).
- Fralick, P.W. and Miall, A.D. Sedimentology of the Lower Huronian Supergroup (Early Proterozoic), Elliot Lake area, Ontario, Canada. Sedimentary Geology. 1989, 63(1), 127-153.
- Guang, Y. and Wenjie, H. The status quo of China's nuclear power and the Uranium gap solution. Energy Policy, 2010, 38(2), 966-975.
- Jefferson, C., Thomas, D., Gandhi, S., Ramaekers, P., Delaney, G., Brisbin, D. and Olson, R. Unconformity-associated Uranium deposits of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan and Alberta. BULLETIN-GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 2007, 588, 23.
- Brooks, J. Uranium exploration in Queensland. Geological Survey of Queensland. 1972, Report 69, 6-8.
- Abusini, M., Al-Ayasreh, K. and Al-Jundi, J. Determination of Uranium, Thorium and Potassium activity concentrations in soil cores in Araba valley, Jordan. Radiation protection dosimetry, 2008, 128(2), 213-216.
- Quidwai, H.A. Wadi Gharbatan Uranium prospect - Final report. MPM unpublished report, 1981.
- Quidwai, H.A. and Khalifa, M.I. Ground follow-up of the airborne radiometric anomalies in south western Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman: Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, unpublished report, 1982.
- BRGM. Geological study of the mineral occurrence of the central part of the Northern Oman mountains. BRGM/Oman. Unpublished report,1984, 2-28.
- Forbes, G., Jansen, H. and Schreurs, J. Lexicon of Oman Subsurface Stratigraphy (GeoArabia Special Publication 5). Gulf PetroLink, Bahrain, 2010.
- Telford, W. and Geldart, L. Sheriff. RE. Applied Geophysics. Cambridge University Press, 1990, 770 (157), 315-329.
- Guagliardi, I., Buttafuoco, G., Apollaro, C., Bloise, A., De Rosa, R. and Cicchella, D. Using Gamm ray spectrometry and geostatistics for assessing geochemical behaviour of radioactive elements in the Lese catchment (southern Italy). International Journal of Environmental Research, 2013, 7(3), 645-658.
- Lovborg, L. Botter-Jensen, L., Kirkegaard, P., and Christiansen, E. Monitoring of natural soil radioactivity with portable Gamma ray spectrometers. Nuclear Instruments and Methods, 1979, 167(2), 341-348.
- Wilford, J. Airborne Gamma ray spectrometry. Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Envirionments and Mineral Exploration, Commonwealth Scientific and Indusctrial Research Organization, Bertley, WA, Australia. Open File Rep, 2002, 144, 46-52.
- Adams, J.A. and Weaver, C.E. Thorium-to-Uranium ratios as indicators of sedimentary processes: example of concept of geochemical facies. AAPG Bulletin, 1958, 42(2), 387-430.
- Mercolli, I. Briner, A.P., Frei, R., Schonberg, R., Nagler, T.F., Kramers, J., and Peters, T. Lithostratigraphy and geochronology of the Neoproterozoic crystalline basement of Salalah, Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman. Precambrian Research, 2006, 145(3), 182-206.
- Béchennec, F. Le Métour, J. Platel, J.P. Roger, J. Geological Map of the Sultanate of Oman (1:250000, GIS Version), Explanatory Notes. Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, Directorate General of Minerals, Sultanate of Oman, Muscat, 1993.
- Sundararajan N, Pracejus B, Al- Khirbash S, Al- Hosni TK, Ebrahimy A. and M. Al-mushani. Magnetic Mapping for Delineating Structures Favorable to Uranium Mineralization in Dhofar Region, Sultanate of Oman. International Journal of Earth and Environmental Science, 2017, 127, 2-9.
- Bracewell, R.N. Fourier transform and its applications, McGraw Hill Book Co, 1986.
- Sundararajan N, Al-Garni MA, Ramabrahmam G. and Srinivas Y. A real spectral analysis of the deformation of a homogeneous electric field over a thin bed - a Hartley transform approach. Geophysical Prospecting, 2007, 55, 901-910.
References
Povinec, P. Commanducci, J., and Levy-Palomo, I. IAEA-MEL's underground counting laboratory (CAVE) for the analysis of radionuclides in the environment at very low-levels. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2005, 263(2), 441-445.
IAEA. Guidelines for radioelement mapping using Gamma ray spectrometry data, IAEA-TECDOC-1363, Vienna, Austria. 2003, 97.
Rybach, L. Radioactive heat production in rocks and its relation to other petrophysical parameters. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 1976, 114(2), 309-317.
Ward, S.H. Gamma ray spectrometry in geologic mapping and Uranium exploration. Economic Geology, 1981, 75, 840-849.
Crowley, J.K., Brickey, D.W. and Rowan, L.C. Airborne imaging spectrometer data of the Ruby Mountains, Montana: mineral discrimination using relative absorption band-depth images. Remote Sensing of Environment, 1989, 29(2), 121-134.
Schlapfer, D. and Richter, R. Geo-atmospheric processing of airborne imaging spectrometry data. Part 1: parametric orthorectification. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 2002, 23(13), 2609-2630.
McCay, A.T. Harley, T.L., Younger, P.L., Sanderson, D.C., and Cresswell, A.J. Gamma ray Spectrometry in Geothermal Exploration: State of the Art Techniques. Energies, 2014, 7(8), 4757-4780.
Grasty, R.L. Gamma ray spectrometric methods in Uranium exploration- Theory and operational procedures in Geophysics and geochemistry in the search for metallic ores, Geological Survey of Canada Economic Geology,1979, Report 31, 147-161.
Grasty, R. Spectral component analysis applied to portable Gamma ray spectrometry. ASEG Extended Abstracts, 2001, 1, 1-4.
Toens, P. and Hambleton-Jones, B. Definition and classification of surficial Uranium deposits, 1984.
Adler, H. Concepts of Uranium-ore formation in reducing environments in sandstones and other sediments. Formation of Uranium ore deposits,1974, 141-168.
Poty, B., Leroy, J., Cathelineau, M., Cuney, M., Friedrich, M., Lespinasse, M. and Turpin, L. Uranium deposits spatially related to granites in the French part of the Hercynian orogen, 1986, (No. IAEA-TECDOC-361).
Fralick, P.W. and Miall, A.D. Sedimentology of the Lower Huronian Supergroup (Early Proterozoic), Elliot Lake area, Ontario, Canada. Sedimentary Geology. 1989, 63(1), 127-153.
Guang, Y. and Wenjie, H. The status quo of China's nuclear power and the Uranium gap solution. Energy Policy, 2010, 38(2), 966-975.
Jefferson, C., Thomas, D., Gandhi, S., Ramaekers, P., Delaney, G., Brisbin, D. and Olson, R. Unconformity-associated Uranium deposits of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan and Alberta. BULLETIN-GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 2007, 588, 23.
Brooks, J. Uranium exploration in Queensland. Geological Survey of Queensland. 1972, Report 69, 6-8.
Abusini, M., Al-Ayasreh, K. and Al-Jundi, J. Determination of Uranium, Thorium and Potassium activity concentrations in soil cores in Araba valley, Jordan. Radiation protection dosimetry, 2008, 128(2), 213-216.
Quidwai, H.A. Wadi Gharbatan Uranium prospect - Final report. MPM unpublished report, 1981.
Quidwai, H.A. and Khalifa, M.I. Ground follow-up of the airborne radiometric anomalies in south western Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman: Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, unpublished report, 1982.
BRGM. Geological study of the mineral occurrence of the central part of the Northern Oman mountains. BRGM/Oman. Unpublished report,1984, 2-28.
Forbes, G., Jansen, H. and Schreurs, J. Lexicon of Oman Subsurface Stratigraphy (GeoArabia Special Publication 5). Gulf PetroLink, Bahrain, 2010.
Telford, W. and Geldart, L. Sheriff. RE. Applied Geophysics. Cambridge University Press, 1990, 770 (157), 315-329.
Guagliardi, I., Buttafuoco, G., Apollaro, C., Bloise, A., De Rosa, R. and Cicchella, D. Using Gamm ray spectrometry and geostatistics for assessing geochemical behaviour of radioactive elements in the Lese catchment (southern Italy). International Journal of Environmental Research, 2013, 7(3), 645-658.
Lovborg, L. Botter-Jensen, L., Kirkegaard, P., and Christiansen, E. Monitoring of natural soil radioactivity with portable Gamma ray spectrometers. Nuclear Instruments and Methods, 1979, 167(2), 341-348.
Wilford, J. Airborne Gamma ray spectrometry. Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Envirionments and Mineral Exploration, Commonwealth Scientific and Indusctrial Research Organization, Bertley, WA, Australia. Open File Rep, 2002, 144, 46-52.
Adams, J.A. and Weaver, C.E. Thorium-to-Uranium ratios as indicators of sedimentary processes: example of concept of geochemical facies. AAPG Bulletin, 1958, 42(2), 387-430.
Mercolli, I. Briner, A.P., Frei, R., Schonberg, R., Nagler, T.F., Kramers, J., and Peters, T. Lithostratigraphy and geochronology of the Neoproterozoic crystalline basement of Salalah, Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman. Precambrian Research, 2006, 145(3), 182-206.
Béchennec, F. Le Métour, J. Platel, J.P. Roger, J. Geological Map of the Sultanate of Oman (1:250000, GIS Version), Explanatory Notes. Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, Directorate General of Minerals, Sultanate of Oman, Muscat, 1993.
Sundararajan N, Pracejus B, Al- Khirbash S, Al- Hosni TK, Ebrahimy A. and M. Al-mushani. Magnetic Mapping for Delineating Structures Favorable to Uranium Mineralization in Dhofar Region, Sultanate of Oman. International Journal of Earth and Environmental Science, 2017, 127, 2-9.
Bracewell, R.N. Fourier transform and its applications, McGraw Hill Book Co, 1986.
Sundararajan N, Al-Garni MA, Ramabrahmam G. and Srinivas Y. A real spectral analysis of the deformation of a homogeneous electric field over a thin bed - a Hartley transform approach. Geophysical Prospecting, 2007, 55, 901-910.