M. Moreau, “Cycles Uranifères et Thorifères à Madagascar, ” Rapport C.E.A, n° 1685, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, 1960.

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Crystallographic Study of Uranium-Thorium Bearing Minerals in Tranomaro, South-East Madagascar

  AUTHORS: Frank Elliot Sahoa, Naivo Rabesiranana, Raoelina Andriambololona, Nicolas Finck, Christian Marquardt, Hörst Geckeis

  KEYWORDS: Tranomaro; Madagascar; Uranothorianite; Crystallography; XRD

  JOURNAL NAME: Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, Vol.1 No.6, November 26, 2013

  ABSTRACT: 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°28'00"E, 24°36'00"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 ThO2 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.