%0 Journal Article
%T Crystallographic Study of Uranium-Thorium Bearing Minerals in Tranomaro, South-East Madagascar
%A Frank Elliot Sahoa
%A Naivo Rabesiranana
%A Raoelina Andriambololona
%A Nicolas Finck
%A Christian Marquardt
%A H£¿rst Geckeis
%J Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering
%P 347-352
%@ 2327-4085
%D 2013
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/jmmce.2013.16053
%X Studies are undertaken to characterize the uranium and thorium minerals of south-east Madagascar. Seven selected uranothorianite bearing pyroxenites samples from old abandoned uranium quarries in Tranomaro, south Amboasary, Madagascar (46¡ã28'00\"E, 24¡ã36'00\"S) have been collected. To determine the mineral micro-structure, they were investigated for qualitative identification of crystalline compounds by using X-ray powder diffraction analytical method (XRD). Results showed that the uranium and thorium compounds, as minor elements, were present in various crystalline structures. Thorium, as thorianite, is present in a simple ThO<sub>2</sub> cubic crystalline system, whereas the uranium component of the Tranomaro uranothorianite samples is oxide-based and is a mixture of complex oxidation states and crys-talline systems. Generally called uraninite, its oxide compounds are present in more than eight phases.
%K Tranomaro
%K Madagascar
%K Uranothorianite
%K Crystallography
%K XRD
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=40049