Post by @MyricaGale@mastodon.scot

2026-05-03 15:41 UTC

@LaChasseuse@mastodon.scot @fionaorkneynews@mastodon.scot I did my PhD on the occurrence of Uranium in the Caithness / Sutherland area in the late 1970s (same time as Orkney 'uprising'). The locations I examined were very similar to Orkney. There are many sedimentary rock horizons with enhanced U levels (typically a few hundred ppm) however these are too low to mine. There are some very small localised much higher mineral concentrations which are caused by U being 'sweated' out of the rock. 1/2

Replies (2)

@MyricaGale@mastodon.scot 2026-05-03 15:53

@LaChasseuse@mastodon.scot @fionaorkneynews@mastodon.scot but these are too small to have any commercial value. I have seen the Yesnaby mineralisation and believe it to be the same as in Caithness - no commercial value. I don't believe there are any mineable U desposits in the Caithness area (inc Orkney). BGS seems to agree (but politicians on a mission ignore science). https://ukinventory.nda.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Fact-sheet-uranium-mining-and-milling.pdf https://earthwise.bgs.ac.uk/index.php/Economic_geology_of_Orkney_and_Shetland#Uranium_ores 300ppm U is similar to some horizons I found in Caithness (though up to 700ppm if I remember correctly).

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@fionaorkneynews@mastodon.scot 2026-05-03 18:42

@MyricaGale@mastodon.scot @LaChasseuse@mastodon.scot about a decade ago we were given radon detectors to put in our homes as part of a survey to determine the natural level of radioactivity - I don't know what they did with those results.

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