Applying multivariate statistics to discriminate uranium ore concentrate geolocations using (radio)chemical data in support of nuclear forensic investigations.
The application of Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to U and Th series gamma spectrometry data provides a discriminatory tool to help determine the provenance of illicitly recovered uranium ore concentrates (UOCs). The PCA is applied to a database of radiometric signatures from 19 historic UOCs from Australia, Canada, and the USA representing many uranium geological deposits. In this study a key process to obtain accurate radiometric data (gamma and alpha) is to digest the U-ores and UOCs using a lithium tetraborate fusion. Six UOCs from the same sample set were analysed 'blind' and compared against the database to identify their geolocation. These UOCs were all accurately linked to their correct geolocations which can aid the forensic laboratory in determining which further analytical techniques should be used to improve the confidence of the particular location.
GAU-Radioanalytical Laboratories, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 3ZH, UK. Electronic address: d.reading@noc.soton.ac.uk.
David G
DG
Reading
GAU-Radioanalytical Laboratories, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 3ZH, UK.
Ian W
IW
Croudace
GAU-Radioanalytical Laboratories, Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 3ZH, UK.
Phillip E
PE
Warwick
Faculty of Humanities, University of Southampton, University Road, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1BJ, UK.
Kassie A
KA
Cigliana
D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis*
D014501:Uranium