Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Oklo Mine, Franceville, Haut-Ogooué Province, Gabon

StandardDetailedBy ChemistrySearch Google

This mine near the Mouana Mine is the site of over a dozen precambrian natural nuclear reactors. Secondary enrichment of uranium oxides in cm to meter sized veins moderated by ground water consumed six tons of U235 and elevated temperatures to a few hundred Celsius. Remarkably the non-volatile fission products moved only a few cm in the veins during the last 1.5 billion years!

See also Bangombé, another natural nuclear reactor in the same area.



References:
- Econ Geol 84 (1989) 2286-2295
- Radiochimica Acta 66/67 (1994) 455-461.
- Dymkov, Y., Holliger, P., Pagel, M., Gorshkov, A., and Artyukhina, A. (1997): Characterization of a La-Ce-Sr-Ca aluminous hydroxy phosphate in nuclear zone 13 in the Oklo uranium deposit (Gabon). Mineralium Deposita 32, 617-620.
- Hidaka, H. (2007): Geochemical characteristics of an ancient nuclear reactor "Oklo". Journal of Nuclear and Radiochemical Sciences 8, 99-103.

- http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/centre/waisrc/OKLO/Where/Where.html





Mineral List:
  		•  Apatite-(CaF)
    Ca
     
    5
    		[F|(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    3
    		]
    Reference: [Radiochimica Acta (1996), 74 277-282.]
  		•  Baryte
    BaSO
     
    4
    Reference: []
  		•  Calcite
    CaCO
     
    3
    Reference: [Econ Geol (1989) 84:2286-2295]
  		•  Chervetite
    Pb
     
    2
    		[V
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		]
    Reference: []
  		•  'Chlorite Group'
    Reference: [Econ Geol (1989) 84:2286-2295]
  		•  Coffinite
    (U,Th)[(OH)
     
    4x
    		|(SiO
     
    4
    		)
     
    1-x
    		]
    Reference: []
  		•  Curienite
    Pb(UO
     
    2
    		)
     
    2
    		[VO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    		 · 5H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Dewindtite
    Pb(UO
     
    2
    		)
     
    3
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    		 · 3H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Duttonite
    VO(OH)
     
    2
    Reference: []
  		•  Francevillite
    (Ba,Pb)(UO
     
    2
    		)
     
    2
    		[VO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    		 · 5H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Galena
    PbS
    Reference: []
  		•  Illite
    K
     
    0.65
    		A
     
    2.0
    		 [][Al
     
    0.65
    		Si,
     
    3.35
    		O
     
    10
    		](OH)
     
    2
    Reference: [Econ Geol (1989) 84:2286-2295]
  		•  Karelianite
    V
     
    2
    		O
     
    3
    Reference: []
  		•  Kasolite
    Pb(UO
     
    2
    		)[SiO
     
    4
    		] · H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Metavanuralite
    Al(UO
     
    2
    		)
     
    2
    		[OH|(VO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		] · 8H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Montroseite
    (V,Fe)O(OH)
    Reference: []
  		•  Nolanite
    (V,Fe,Fe,Ti)
     
    10
    		O
     
    14
    		(OH)
     
    2
    Reference: []
  		•  Pyrite
    FeS
     
    2
    Reference: []
  		•  Quartz
    SiO
     
    2
    Reference: [Econ Geol (1989) 84:2286-2295]
  		•  Roscoelite
    K(V,Al)
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|AlSi
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		]
    Reference: []
  		•  Sudoite
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		Al
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    8
    		|AlSi
     
    3
    		O
     
    10
    		]
    Reference: [Dymkov, Y., Holliger, P., Pagel, M., Gorshkov, A., and Artyukhina, A. (1997): Mineralium Deposita 32, 617-620.]
  		•  Torbernite
    Cu(UO
     
    2
    		)
     
    2
    		(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		·12H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Uraninite
    UO
     
    2
    Reference: [Dymkov, Y., Holliger, P., Pagel, M., Gorshkov, A., and Artyukhina A. (1997): Characterization of a La-Ce-Sr-Ca aluminous hydroxy phosphate in nuclear zone 13 in the Oklo uranium deposit (Gabon). Mineralium Deposita, 32, 617-620.; Econ Geol (1989) 84:2286-2295]
  		•  Uraninite
    var: Pitchblende
    UO
     
    2
    Reference: [Econ Geol (1989) 84:2286-2295]
  		•  Vanuralite
    Al(UO
     
    2
    		)
     
    2
    		[OH|(VO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		] · 11H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Wölsendorfite
    (Pb,Ca)U
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		·2H
     
    2
    		O
    Reference: []
  		•  Wulfenite
    Pb[MoO
     
    4
    		]
    Reference: []


    27 entries listed. 25 valid minerals.

    The above list contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database!
    This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to find out how you can sponsor this page.

    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 30th Oct 2009 11:19:37