Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Isotopic study of natural fission reactors at Oklo and Bangombé, Gabon

  • Plenary Topics
  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Oklo and Bangombé uranium ores in the Republic of Gabon are fossils of natural fission reactors. Many elements in these natural fission reactors show isotopic anomalies derived from fission and neutron capture reactions. Isotopic analyses of uraninites and some other minerals provide useful information on the geochemical behavior of fission products and nuclear chemical characterization of the reactors. Integrated isotopic measurements by whole rock analysis with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and by in-situ analysis with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) make it possible to clarify the migration processes of fissiogenic nuclides over a range of scales from micro meters to meters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. I.A.E.A.: Le phénomène d'Oklo, STI/PUB/405, Vienna, 1975.

  2. I.A.E.A.: Natural Fission Reactors, STI/PUB/475, Vienna, 1978.

  3. P. K. Kuroda, J. Chem. Phys., 25 (1956) 781.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Proceedings of the 2nd joint CEC-CEA progress meeting. CEC Nucl. Sci. and Tech. EUR 14877EN, 1993.

  5. Proceedings of the 3rd joint CEC-CEA progress meeting. CEC Nucl. Sci. and Tech. EUR 16098EN, 1995.

  6. Proceedings of the 4th joint CEC-CEA progress and final meeting. CEC Nucl. Sci. and Tech. EUR 16704EN, 1996.

  7. F. Gauthier-Lafaye, F. Weber, Econ. Geol., 84 (1989) 2267.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. P. Toulhoat, J. P. Gallien, D. Louvat, V. Moulin, P. L'Henoret, R. Guerin, E. Ledoux, I. Gurban, J. A. T. Smellie, A. Winberg, Radiochim. Acta, 66/67 (1994) 351.

    Google Scholar 

  9. F. Gauthier-Lafaye, P. Holliger, P.-L. Blanc, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 60 (1996) 4831.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. H. Hidaka, P. Holliger, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, in press.

  11. R. Maas, M. T. McCulloch, Chem. Geol., 88 (1990) 301.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. H. Hidaka, A. Masuda, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 88 (1988) 330.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. H. Hidaka, P. Holliger, H. Shimizu, A. Masuda, Geochem. J., 26 (1992) 337.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. B. Nagy, F. Gauthier-Lafaye, P. Holliger, D. W. Davis, D. J. Mossman, J. S. Leventhal, M. J. Rigali, J. Parnell, Nature, 354 (1991) 472.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. C. H. Wescott, AECL No.670, 1958, CRRP-787.

  16. J. C. Ruffenach, R. Hagemann, E. Roth, Z. Naturforsch., 35a (1980) 171.

    Google Scholar 

  17. P. Holliger, C. Devillers, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 52 (1981) 76.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. R. D. Loss, J. R. DeLaeter, K. J. R. Rosman, T. M. Benjamin, D. B. Curtis, A. J. Gancarz, J. E. Delmore, W. J. Maeck, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 89 (1988) 193.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. B. M. Jeffry, J. Nucl. Mat., 22 (1967) 33.

    Google Scholar 

  20. K. Kleykamp, J. Nucl. Mat., 131 (1985) 221.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. D. B. Curtis, T. M. Benjamin, A. J. Gancarz, R. D. Loss, K. J. R. Rosman, J. R. DeLaeter, J. E. Delmore, W. J. Maeck, Appl. Geochem., 4 (1989) 49.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. H. Hidaka, K. Shinotsuka, P. Holliger, Radiochim. Acta, 63 (1993) 19.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. H. Hidaka, P. Holliger, A. Masuda, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 114 (1993) 391.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. H. Hidaka, T. Sugiyama, M. Ebihara, P. Holliger, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 122 (1994) 173.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. B. J. Fryer, R. P. Taylor, Chem. Geol., 63 (1987) 101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Planetary Systems Science, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama 1-3-1, 739, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan

    H. Hidaka

Authors
  1. H. Hidaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hidaka, H. Isotopic study of natural fission reactors at Oklo and Bangombé, Gabon. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 239, 53–58 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02349532

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02349532

Keywords

Search

Navigation