Thorium-Bitumen Mineralization in Silurian Sandstones, Welsh Borderland

John Parnell and Paul Eakin
Department of Geology, Queen's University, Belfast BT7 1NN, U.K.

Abstract: The Llandovery Folly Sandstone near Presteigne, Powys, contains disseminated thorium mineralization. The thorium occurs as inclusions of thorite and thorianite within sub-millimetre-scale bitumen nodules throughout the sandstone. The nodules grew replacively in situ. The two square kilometres outcrop/subcrop of the sandstone may contain over 500 tonnes thorium.

Keywords: thorium • thorite • thorianite • bitumen • Silurian • Wales

Mineralogical Magazine; March 1989 v. 53; no. 369; p. 111-116; DOI: 10.1180/minmag.1989.053.369.13
© 1989, The Mineralogical Society
Mineralogical Society (www.minersoc.org)