Proceeding of the 6th Conf.

Geology of Sinai for Development

Ismailia, 2001, pp 121-130

HYDROGEOCHEMICAL EXPLORATION FOR URANIUM OCCURRENCES

IN WEST CENTRAL SINAI
A. E. El-Rayes1 & M. Gh. Mansour2
1. Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
2. Nuclear Materials Authority, B.O. Box 530 Maadi, Cairo, Egypt

ABSTRACT: Groundwater in contact with ore deposits may acquire chemical composition
that could be used as a guide for exploration. Eight well-water samples were collected from a
known uranium-mineralized area near Abu Zenima, west central Sinai to examine the applicability of using the hydrogeochemical technique in the search for uranium mineralization in
similar arid areas. Samples are analyzed for major and some trace elements constituents. The
chemical data are compared with the radiometric measurements, which carried out along six
profiles crossing the mineralized zone.
The obtained results indicate that groundwater affected by uranium mineralization have
specific relativity of major anion expressed as SO4>Cl>HCO3 associated as a rule with low
magnesium content. This association constitutes a signature of uranium mineralization on the
composition of the groundwater of west central Sinai and could be used as important exploration guide in the search for uranium deposits in similar arid areas.
The immobile trace element anomalies, including Ni, Fe, Zn and Cr, are strongly distributed over the ore body; whereas the relatively mobile trace elements, including U, Co and
V, constitute the dispersion haloes away from the ore body in the study area.
Based on the obtained results, a new site for uranium occurrence, west of W. Baba, is
delineated and recommended for future detailed geologic and geochemical surveying.
1 INTRODUCTION
Uranium mineralization in west central
Sinai occurs as secondary uranium deposits
(Dabbour and Mahdy, 1988) hosted in Lower
Carboniferous
rocks
(Um
Bogma
Formation). Several studies have been
conducted to this mineralization with
references to its geologic setting, petrography, geochemistry, mineralogy and radiometry (Soliman and Abu El-Fetouh, 1969;
Hussein et al., 1971; Amer, 1993; El-Agami,
1996 and many others). Only few researches
have been done considering the water-rock
system to locate uranium mineralization in
west central Sinai (Mahdy et al., 1998).
The purpose of the present study is to
describe
the
application
of
hydrogeochemistry in the exploration for
uranium deposits in west central Sinai. The
investigated area is located between latitudes
29o 00 & 29o 05N and longitudes 33o 20 &

33o 25E and covering about 71 Km2 surface

area (Fig. 1). Several drainage lines (wadis)
of various trends drain the study area.
The major one (Wadi Baba) that forms the
eastern boundary of the study area, originated
by the joining of Wadi Naseib and Wadi Seih
from the north with Wadi Abu Thor from the
south of the present area (Fig. 1).
Eight well waters around the known
uranium mineralization of the study area are
sampled and chemically analyzed for major
and some trace metal contents. On the other
hand, detailed field radiometric measurements using gamma ray spectrometer are
conducted along six profiles crossing the
mineralized
zone
to
correlate
the
hydrogeochemical data with the radiometric
anomalies. Because groundwater uranium
contents can be so difficult to interpret, it
may be more useful to use the relationship
between the major element composition of a

Hydrogeochemical Exploration for Uranium Occurrences in West Central Sinai

33 o 20 '
29 o
05 '

Alluvial Deposits
H-4

W. Seih

Basaltic Sheet and Sill

Hashash, Magharet
El-Maiah and Abu Zarab Fms.

W. Naseib

N-3

H-5

Um Bogma Fm.

N-2

H-3

Sarabit El-Khadim, Abu

Hamata and Adedia Fms.

N-1

W. Baba

H-2

Younger Granites

W. Abo Thor

H-1

N-1
29 o
00 '

Diorites-granodiorites
Complex
Water Sample Location
with Number

Scale
0

2 Km.

33 o 25 '

Figure 1: Lithologic and water sample location map of the studied area in west central Sinai.

groundwater in the search for uranium

mineralization. The obtained data are
interpreted to assess the usage of some
pathfinder species as predictors of uranium
mineralization in other similar arid areas.
2 GEOLOGY AND MINERALIZATION
The study area is occupied by sedimentary succession including the Paleozoic,
Cretaceous and Quaternary ages overlying
the Precambrian basement rocks (Fig.1).
Hussein et al. (1971) stated that some of the
felsite and microgranites of the basement
rocks of G. Naseib have a radioactivity
reaching three times the background. This
may indicate that the basement rocks constitute the mother source of uranium mineralization in the overlaying Paleozoic succession.
The Paleozoic succession in west central Sinai forms the most important sedimentary basin that contains uranium miner-

alization in Egypt. It is mainly represented by

the lower and the upper clastics which sandwiching the middle non-clastic carbonate
rocks. This succession is classified, from
older to younger, into two main groups
(Soliman and Abu El-Fetouh, 1969) namely
Um Bogma (Lower Clastics) and Ataqa (Upper Clastics). Um Bogma Group consists of
Sarabit El-Khadim, Abu Hamata and Adedia
formations. Ataqa Group sub-classified into
El-Hashash, Magharet El-Maiah and Abu
Zarab formations. Um Bogma Formation
(Middle Carbonates), which is the uraniumbearing formation, lies in-between the Upper
and the Lower Clastics and has variable
thickness ranging from 0.5 to 50 m.
Mineralization occurs mainly as secondary uranium minerals and detrital radioactive minerals (Dabbour and Mahdy, 1988).
Geochemical studies indicated that uranium

A. El-Rayes & M. Mansour

was deposited from alkaline water at pH 7.5
to 8.5 and concentrated by evaporation under
oxidizing conditions (El-Reedy at al., 1988).
Mansour (1994) concluded that uranium in
the carbonates of Um Bogma Formation was
deposited as supergene enrichments from
meteoric waters leached the surrounding
sedimentary and basement rocks.
3 RADIOMETRIC SURVEY
Six profiles crossing the uraniferous zone are
measured using gamma ray spectrometer
model GS-512. They crossed the Basement
rocks, Adedia, Um Bogma and El-Hashash
fromations. The obtained measurements are
converted to the equivalent mg/L uranium
(eU ppm) (Table 1) and used to construct the
iso-radiometric map of the surveyed area
(Fig. 2) to define the distribution of
radiometric anomalies and correlate them
with the locations of water wells. The
resultant radiometric map shows two main
anomalies. The first one is very strong and
located along the western flank of Wadi

5-6

4-6

3-6

1-6
2-6

6-5 5-5 4-5 3-5 2-5

5-4 4-4
5-3

4-3

5-2 4-2
7-1 6-1

3-4

3-2
5-1

4-1

3-3

1-5

2-4
2-3

2-2
3-1

1-4

1-3

1-2
2-1

1-1
29o
00'

33o 25'

Naseib with longer axis

Figure 2: Isorad map of the studied area in west
central Sinai.
(Values in eU ppm, Solid circles represent the measuring
stations with number)

extending in the NNW-SSE. This anomaly is

very close to wells numbers N-1, N-2, and N3 of Wadi Naseib. The second anomaly,
which is weaker in concentration than the
first one, is located to the west of the mapped
area at the eastern flank of Wadi Baba. Well
number H-5 drains the area of this anomaly.
4 HYDROGEOLOGY
Adedia Formation together with the
underlying Abu Hamata and Sarabit ElKhadim formations (Lower Sandstone unit)
are the primary water-producing unit in the
study area. It is equivalent to the CambrioCretaceous aquifer that is regionally spread
out allover central and northern Sinai. The
regional flow in this aquifer takes place from
the outcrop areas in the south toward the
north and northwest (Mills and Shata, 1989).
On the local scale, the lower sandstone
attains a thickness of about 40m and tapped
by large-diameter dug wells with depths
varied between 6m and 15m. The lower
sandstone unit is hydraulically connected
Table 1: Radiometric measurements of the studied
area in west central Sinai, expressed as eU
(ppm).
Station Formation
Lithology
eU
No.
(ppm
)
Um Bogma
Marl
56
1-1
Um Bogma
Dolostone
6
2-1
Um Bogma
Dolostone
4
3-1
Um Bogma
Marl
38
4-1
Um Bogma
Dolostone
5
5-1
Adedia
Sandstone
6
6-1
Basement
Granodiorites
3
7-1
Um Bogma
Dolostone
4
1-2
El-Hashash
Sandstone
6
2-2
Um Bogma
Dolostone
5
3-2
Adedia
Sandstone
5
4-2
Basement
Granodiorites
2
5-2
1-3
Um Bogma
Marl
14
2-3
Um Bogma
Shale+gibbsite
286
3-3
Um Bogma
Marl
44
4-3
Um Bogma
Marl
31
5-3
Basement
Granodiorites
3
1-4
Um Bogma
Shale
664
2-4
Um Bogma
Shale+gibbsite
845
3-4
Um Bogma
Marl
23
4-4
Um Bogma
Dolostone
6
5-4
Um Bogma
Shale
264

Hydrogeochemical Exploration for Uranium Occurrences in West Central Sinai

1-5
2-5
3-5
4-5
5-5
6-5
1-6
2-6
3-6
4-6
5-6

Um Bogma
Um Bogma
Um Bogma
Um Bogma
Um Bogma
Um Bogma
Basement
Um Bogma
Um Bogma
Um Bogma
Um Bogma

Marl
Marl
Dolostone
Gibbsite
Dolostone
Shale+gibbsite
Granodiorites
Marl
Marl
Dolostone
Dolostone

46
16
3
564
4
348
3
38
23
5
3

with the overlaying carbonate unit (Um

Bogma Formation). So that the downward
percolation of groundwater from the
overlaying Um Bogma formation move
freely to the lower sandstone unit through the
interconnected bedding planes and open
fractures. This is confirmed by the absence of
any perched water over the Um Bogma
Formation.
Principal recharge occurs in the south
where this unit is cropping out and directly
receives the rainwater that it has maximum
intensity of about 70mm/y (Shata, 1992). A
possible secondary recharge might occur by
leakage from the adjacent basement aquifer
as subsurface inflow through the joint
system, especially in the low land areas and
valley floors.
5 HYDROGEOCHEMICAL
EXPLORATION
Eight groundwater samples were
collected from the Cambrio-Cretaceous
aquifer of the study area. All the samples
were obtained from large-diameter, shallow
dug wells of depth less than 15m.
Groundwater samples were chemically
analyzed for major and some minor and trace
constituents. The chemical data are listed in
table (2).
5.1

Major Element Hydrochemistry

Generally, the groundwater of the study
area is highly enriched with sodium and
calcium relative to magnesium and
potassium. Sulphate contents are higher than
chloride in the majority of the samples,
which also are depleted in bicarbonate.

Schoeller plots (Schoeller, 1935),

which illustrate the Ca, Mg, Na+K, Cl, SO4
and HCO3 contents, have been made for each
water sample (Fig. 3). The shape of each plot
is a finger print for that water. Finger print
similarities have been used to identify waters
that are genetically related. On the basis of
similarities in the anionic part of each plot,
samples have been sorted into three groups;
A to C as illustrated in figure (3).
Samples of group A (Samples Nos.
N-2, N-3& H-5), which are collected from
wells adjacent to the high radiometric
anomalies of the study area, represent waters
affected by uranium mineralization. The
anionic relativity of this group are arranged
as SO4>Cl>HCO3 and uniformly associated
with relatively low Mg content as the least
cationic species (Fig. 3, A).
Group B represents waters derived
from non-mineralized zones. This group has
two anion relativity patterns, the first one has
Cl>SO4>HCO3 or SO4>Cl>HCO3 both
associated with Na as a dominant cation
(Samples Nos. H-1 & H-4) which represents
groundwater of longer flow path. The second
relativity pattern has SO4>Cl>HCO3
associated with Ca as a dominant cation
(Sample No. N-1) which represents waters of
shorter flow path (Fig. 3, B). The relatively
higher salinity level of the first type and the
lower salinity of the second water type
confirm this hypothesis (Fig. 4).
Group C represents mixed water
resulted by diluting of the mineralized waters
with the non-mineralized waters. This group
has
anion
relativity
arranged
as
Cl>SO4>HCO3 associated with Ca as main
cationic species (Fig. 3, C). The increasing of
Ca content gives an indication on the
increased proportion of non-mineralized
water in this mixture relative to the
mineralized proportion.
The decrease of Mg content in the
groundwater of the study area is a very
important guide in the search for uranium
mineralization. The extremely lower Mg
values are recorded in waters derived from
wells draining the radimetrically high

A. El-Rayes & M. Mansour

Table 2: Organized major hydrochemical data of groundwater from the studied area in west central Sinai
(Values in mg/L)
Group
Sample
TDS Ca Mg Na K HCO3 SO4 Cl
Ion
No.
Relativity
N-3
655
61.7 27.3 105 5.4 115 197 144
SO4 > Cl > HCO3
Na > Ca > Mg
N-2

718

72.5 34.5 98.6 5.7

99.6 283

125

SO4 > Cl > HCO3

Na > Ca > Mg

H-3

927

90.3 51.7 105

11

114

350

204

SO4 > Cl > HCO3

Na > Ca > Mg

H-5

958

116

57

11

104

316

231

N-1

700

84

45.6 61.6 5.8

99.6 283

120

SO4 > Cl > HCO3

Ca > Na > Mg
SO4 > Cl >HCO3
Ca >Mg > Na

H-4

1330

109

71.5 216

11

138

490

295

SO4 > Cl >HCO3

Na >Mg > Ca

H-1

2822

252

126

586

28

78

748

998

H-2

1181

152

76

129

9.3

108

397

309

Cl
Na
Cl
Ca

123

>SO4> HCO3
> Ca > Mg
>SO4>HCO3
>Mg > Na

Figure 3: Schoeller plots of major element composition of groundwater samples from the studied area in
west central Sinai.

Hydrogeochemical Exploration for Uranium Occurrences in West Central Sinai

Figure 4: Salinity levels of groundwater samples

from the studied area in west central Sinai.

Figure (5): Relation of magnesium to TDS of

groundwater from the studied area in west central
Sinai

anomalous areas. The median Mg

concentration level in groundwater samples occurrence may exist. More attention should
ranges from 3.5 meq/l (for mineralized group be paid to this site in the future geologic and
geochemical studies. Water samples
A) to 6.7 meq/l (for non-mineralized group
with
relatively
higher Mg content and plotted
B). The low Mg in waters of group A implies
To show the validity of using the low on the upper part of the M.L. represent the
Mg concentration as an exploration guide for mixing between mineralized and the nonuranium mineralization, the Mg content of mineralized waters. Sample No. H-2 is a
water samples is plotted against the total good example of such type of mixing (Fig.
dissolved solids (TDS) for the collected 5).
samples (Fig. 5). Samples derived from wells
adjacent to the radiometrically high 5.2 Trace Element Hydrochemistry
anomalous sites (N-2, N-3, & H-5) exhibit a
In groundwater, the majority of trace
positive and steep correlation line in this plot.
elements
are migrating as complex comThis line named as the line of mineralization
(M.L). Water derived from barren sites falls pounds with the major ions. Thus, the eleon another relatively gentle sloped line ments that are less capable of forming soluble complex compounds are less mobile in
named as the non-mineralized line (N.L).
Water samples plotted on the lower part of waters (Shvartsev et al., 1975). The hydrothe M.L. indicate the presence of stronger geochemical survey of the present area
uranium ore body along the flow path of this showed that there are conspicuous anomalies
water. In this concern and based on the of Ni, Fe, Zn and Cr distributed around the
results of the present study, sample of well locations of radiometric anomalies of the
number H-3 indicates a new strong anomaly uranium ore body (Fig. 6), owing to their
of uranium mineralization recognized for the relative immobility in this environment. On
first time by the present work. This well the other hand, the contents of relatively modrains the area extending westward outside bile elements in water, including U, V and
the mapped area towards the western flank of Co, are significantly increased as the distance
increases away from the ore body to form the
Wadi Baba in which a new uranium
dispersion aureoles (Fig. 7).

A. El-Rayes & M. Mansour

Ni

Zn

H-4

H-

N-

H-
H-

N-3

H-5
H-3

N-

N-2
N-1

N-

H-2

H-

H-1

H-

29

33 25

Cr

Fe
H-4

H-4

N-3

H-5
H-3

N-3

H-5

N-2

H-3

N-2

N-1

N-1

H-2

H-2

H-1

H-1

29

29

33 25

33 25

Figure 6: Immobile Trace element distributions in the groundwater of the studied area in west central Sinai.

Hydrogeochemical Exploration for Uranium Occurrences in West Central Sinai

Co

U
H-4

H-4

N-3

H-5
H-3

N-3

H-5

N-2

H-3

N-2

N-1

N-1

H-2

H-2

H-1

H-1

29

29

33 25

33 25

V
H-4

N-3

H-5
H-3

N-2
N-1

H-2

H-1

29

33 25

Figure 7: Mobile Trace element distributions in the groundwater of the studied area in west central Sinai.

A. El-Rayes & M. Mansour

Table 3: Trace element composition of the groundwater of the studied area in

west central Sinai (Values in g/L)
Immobile elements
Mobile elements
Group
Sample
No.
Zn
Ni
Cr
Fe
Co
U
V
N-2
45
78
178
318
<50 100 903
N-3
57
105 205
358
<50 100 612
H-3
155 88
193
393
50
71
362
A
H-5
24
75
107
389
68
83
137
Average 70.3 86.5 170.8 364.5 54
88.5 503.5
N-1
20
32
382
351
<50 36
1554
H-4
7
21
231
300
58
16
1639
B
H-1
61
24
170
293
63
17
1708
Average 29.3 25.7 261
314.7 56.7 23
1633.7
C

H-2

20

17

198

359

From the data given in table (3), it may

concluded that there is a more significant
contrast level in aqueous dispersion aureoles
of vanadium in comparison to the rest of the
analyzed trace elements. This may give an
indication to the possibility of using
thiselement, in association with uranium and
cobalt, as good indicator for the presence of
uranium at the up-gradient headwater.
Nickel exhibits a strongly positive
anomaly located over the uranium ore body
(Fig. 6). It is associated with strongly
positive anomalies of Fe, Zn and Cr
reflecting the good possibility of using this
association as indicator for the presence of
uranium
mineralization
nearby
their
anomalous distribution in similar arid areas.
Nickel content of groundwater from the
uranium-mineralized zones varies from 75
g/L to 105 g/L (86.5 g/L in average,
Table 3). These values are clearly
distinguished from the lower average values
of groundwater derived from barren sites that
has 25.7 g/L (Table 3). Because of this high
contrast level of nickel, it could be easily
used as a good indicator element for uranium
occurrences.
The same is true with zinc, although it
shows a relatively moderate contrast level in
water of the mineralized zone (Table 3). The
average level of Zn in well water near the
uranium ore body is 70.3 g/L that is
moderatly contrasted with the average value
of water derived from barren sites (29.3
g/L, Table 3).

78

200

1843

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The
results
of
regional
hydrogeochemical exploration for uranium
occurrences in the studied area of west
central Sinai indicate that the groundwater
affected by uranium mineralization has
similar major ion relativity expressed as
SO4>Cl>HCO3. This relativity is associated
by low magnesium content as a rule and
constitutes a signature of uranium
mineralization when expressed as Scheoller
plots.
The low magnesium content is the
most effective hydrogeochemical indicator of
uranium mineralization in the studied water
samples from west central Sinai. Progressive
mixing with water from barren sites cause
graded increase of magnesium level.
The positive anomalies of the immobile
trace elements, including Ni, Fe, Zn and Cr
are strongly distributed over the uranium
occurrences. Conversely, the relatively
mobile trace elements, including U, Co and
V are significantly anomalous in water as
leached far away from the uranium ore body.
Based on the obtained results, a new site for
uranium occurrence, west of W. Baba, is
delineated and recommended for future
detailed geologic and geochemical studies.
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Hydrogeochemical Exploration for Uranium Occurrences in West Central Sinai

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