Alteration and elements migration of detrital zircons from the Daying uranium deposit in the Ordos Basin, China

•Two alteration types of zircon have been identified in the deposit.•According to the EDS elemental maps, uranium is enriched in the altered area of zircon from the uranium metallogenic belt.•Zircon alteration and elemental exchange are the results of the interaction between metamict and fluids via a diffusion–reaction process.•The action of uranium-bearing fluids and the radiation of uranium minerals increase the probability of zircon alteration and crack generation.