Propagation and variation of material characteristics during the uranium ore concentrate production at Dolní Rožinka, Czech Republic

In the framework of the European Commission Support Programme to the International Atomic Energy Agency (EC SP task A1753) 20 samples were obtained from the Dolní Rožínka (DIAMO, Czech Republic) uranium milling facility. The sampling procedure followed stepwise the uranium production and purification from the U ore to uranium ore concentrate (yellow cake) end-product. Elemental concentrations, rare-earth elemental pattern, anion concentrations, morphology and isotope abundance ratios of S, Sr, Pb and U were measured at each sampling stage. The purpose of the measurements was to investigate the applicability of various material characteristics for authentication, propagation and variation of these parameters, and to identify the relevant signatures for nuclear forensics and safeguards during the uranium production.