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Uranium in phosphate rocks and mineral fertilizers applied to agricultural soils in East Africa

Dennis A. Mwalongo, Nils H. Haneklaus

2022enuraniumphosphate rockmineral fertilizerEast Africaenvironmental pollution

Abstract

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Phosphate rock, pre-concentrated phosphate ore, is the primary raw material for the production of mineral phosphate fertilizer. Phosphate rock is among the fifth most mined materials on earth, and it is also mined and processed to fertilizers in East Africa. The objective of this work is to assess the uranium concentrations in major phosphate rocks and mineral fertilizers used in the region. The methodology involved measuring the uranium levels in four phosphate rocks and four mineral fertilizers using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Results indicated that uranium concentrations in phosphate rock ranged from 10.7 mg kg−1 (Mrima Hill deposit, Kenya) to 631.6 mg kg−1 (Matongo deposit, Burundi), with fertilizers showing concentrations between 107.9 mg kg−1 for an imported fertilizer and 281.0 mg kg−1 for a local fertilizer from Minjingu phosphate rock in Tanzania. This study confirms the presence of relatively high uranium concentrations in East African phosphate rock and fertilizer, with discussions on potential uranium recovery methods and recommendations for public–private partnerships to establish economically competitive technologies for uranium recovery.

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Cite This Work

@article{0840da2f-3732-4157-9143-c1b1350a9cb3,
  title={Uranium in phosphate rocks and mineral fertilizers applied to agricultural soils in East Africa},
  author={Dennis A. Mwalongo and Nils H. Haneklaus},
  year={2022},
  language={en}
}
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Uranium in phosphate rocks and mineral fertilizers applied to agricultural soils in East Africa
AU  - Dennis A. Mwalongo
AU  - Nils H. Haneklaus
PY  - 2022
LA  - en
ER  -

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