Transport and concentration of uranium isotopes in the Laguna del Cuervo, Chihuahua, Mexico

In Chihuahua, an important source of environmental radioactivity is found in the Sierra Peña Blanca, center state. The site comprises about 70% uranium reserves Mexico. Blanca was explored and partially exploited '80s. Due to closure operations, extracted unprocessed ore (hundreds tons) confined rocky stacks, exposed weathering. Subject leaching, this transported from mountains Laguna del Cuervo. mineral repository transport by surface water recent sediments must be studied, assess effects on environment, with radiometric materials science techniques conventional laboratories synchrotron light. This work presents study sediment pore samples at various points along lagoon, values activity ratio 234U/238U isotopes sediment-water distribution coefficient these isotopes, obtained applying liquid scintillation alpha spectrometry, gamma-ray scanning electron microscopy X-ray diffraction methods.