Carbon-13/carbon-12 isotope fractionation of organic matter associated with uranium ores induced by alpha irradiation.

Analyses of stable carbon isotopes from two sample suites from sandstone uranium (tabular) ores show interesting variations. Organic carbon associated with high-grade uranium ore is heavy (delta(13)C = -16.9 to -19.6 per mil, where delta(13)C = (13)C/(12)C relative to the Pee Dee belemnite standard) relative to the adjacent lower-grade samples (-22.7 to -26.4 per mil). It is suggested that the heavy isotopic values for the are samples are related to a radiation and chemical isotope effect that has occurred mainly because of an alpha-radiation dose of 10(11) rads.