Natural gamma-ray spectroscopy (NGS) as a proxy for the distribution of clay minerals and bitumen in the Cretaceous McMurray Formation, Alberta, Canada

Detailed examination of the mineralogy of the Cretaceous McMurray Formation within a facies framework is used to assess the use of natural gamma-ray spectroscopy (NGS) and a pulsed neutron generator (PNG) tool in delineating variation in clay mineral and bitumen contents. Characterization of the mix...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fuel (Guildford) 2021-03, Vol.288, p.119513, Article 119513
Main Authors: Day-Stirrat, Ruarri J., Hillier, Stephen, Nikitin, Anton, Hofmann, Ronny, Mahood, Robert, Mertens, Gilles
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bitumens
Cation exchange
Cation exchanging
Clay
Clay minerals
Cretaceous
Extraction plants
Floodplains
Gamma rays
Gamma spectroscopy
Geochemistry
Geokemi
Illite
Industrial plants
Kaolinite
Kaolinite-expandable mixed-layer mineral
Light microscopy
McMurray formation
Microscopy
Mine tailings
Mineralogy
Minerals
Natural gamma-ray spectroscopy
Oil sands
Optical microscopy
Plant extracts
Scanning electron microscopy
Sediments
Settling behavior
Smectites
Spectroscopy
Spectrum analysis
Tailings
Thorium
Uranium
Vermiculite
X-ray diffraction
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Summary:Detailed examination of the mineralogy of the Cretaceous McMurray Formation within a facies framework is used to assess the use of natural gamma-ray spectroscopy (NGS) and a pulsed neutron generator (PNG) tool in delineating variation in clay mineral and bitumen contents. Characterization of the mixed-layer (interstratified) clay phases in the McMurray Formation provides an improved understanding of clay interaction in bitumen processing and tailings settling behavior, important for mine planning and tailings remediation schemes. Mineral diversity in the McMurray Formation was determined on facies attributed samples using whole rock X-ray diffraction (XRD), cation exchange capacity (CEC) measurements, elemental analysis (XRF), clay size fraction (
ISSN:0016-2361
1873-7153
1873-7153
DOI:10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119513