Re: Are there any more "OKLO's?

[Rick_Strickert@radian.com (Rick Strickert)]

Marvin Goldman wrote:

> My question is whether any of you  knows of other locations on earth
> besides OKLO where this "natrual reaction" took place.  What are the
> odds that only one uranium ore body on our planet underwent this
> action?

The natural nuclear reactors (there were several) at Oklo were
discovered when analysts measured abnormally low U-235 isotopic content
(and later deviations in other elemental isotopic compositions) in some
uranium samples sent to France from the Gabon mine for enrichment.
There was a widespread review of isotopic data from other uranium mines
throughout the world, and a search was made for other possible sites,
but, as I recall, no other verified sites have been found.  Given the
higher U-235 content in uranium deposits 2-3 billion years ago, along
with the presence of water, there should have been many such natural
nuclear reactors.

However, other natural geologic processes that have occurred over the
past couple of billion years may have obliterated any evidence of such
sites, just as man-made geologic processes over the past couple of
decades will soon obliterate any evidence of the Oklo nuclear reactor.

Rick

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