Radionuclide distributions in Olympic Dam copper concentrates: The significance of minor hosts, incorporation mechanisms, and the role of mineral surfaces

Some iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits contain variable amounts of uranium. Developing mineral deportment models for the radiogenic isotopes resulting from decay of 238U presents a singular technical challenge, as concentrations of 226Ra, 210Pb, and 210Po fall far below the detection limits achievable for most in situ analytical methodologies. The nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS) platform combines low detection limits...