HR: 09:15h
AN: GS22A-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Wind Transport of Radionuclide- Bearing Dust, Peña Blanca, Chihuahua, Mexico
AU: * Velarde, R
EM: rvelarde2@utep.edu
AF: University of Texas at El Paso, Department of Geological Sciences, El Paso, TX 79968, United States
AU: Goodell, P C
EM: goodell@geo.utep.edu
AF: University of Texas at El Paso, Department of Geological Sciences, El Paso, TX 79968, United States
AU: Gill, T E
EM: tegill@utep.edu
AF: University of Texas at El Paso, Department of Geological Sciences and Environmental Science and Engineering Program, El Paso, TX 79968, United States
AU: Arimoto, R
EM: arimoto@cemrc.org
AF: Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center, New Mexico State University, Carlsbad, NM 88220, United States
AB: This investigation evaluates radionuclide fractionation during wind erosion of high-grade uranium ore storage piles at Peña Blanca (50km north of Chihuahua City), Chihuahua, Mexico. The aridity of the local environment promotes dust resuspension by high winds. Although active operations ceased in 1983, the Peña Blanca mining district is one of Mexico`s most important uranium ore reserves. The study site contains piles of high grade ore, left loose on the surface, and separated by the specific deposits from which they were derived (Margaritas, Nopal I, and Puerto I). Similar locations do not exist in the United States, since uranium mining sites in the USA have been reclaimed. The Peña Blanca site serves as an analog for the Yucca Mountain project. Dust deposition is collected at Peña Blanca with BSNE sediment catchers (Fryrear, 1986) and marble dust traps (Reheis, 1999). These devices capture windblown sediment; subsequently, the sample data will help quantify potentially radioactive short term field sediment loss from the repository surface and determine sediment flux. Aerosols and surface materials will be analyzed and radioactivity levels established utilizing techniques such as gamma spectroscopy. As a result, we will be able to estimate how much radionuclide contaminated dust is being transported or attached geochemically to fine grain soils or minerals (e.g., clays or iron oxides). The high-grade uranium-bearing material is at secular equilibrium, thus the entire decay series is present. Of resulting interest is not only the aeolian transport of uranium, but also of the other daughter products. These studies will improve our understanding of geochemical cycling of radionuclides with respect to sources, transport, and deposition. The results may also have important implications for the geosciences and homeland security, and potential applications to public health. Funding for this project is provided in part via a NSF grant to Arimoto.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906)
DE: 0330 Geochemical cycles (1030)
DE: 1029 Composition of aerosols and dust particles
DE: 1040 Radiogenic isotope geochemistry
SC: Geochemical Society [GS]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly