Laboratory Enrichment of Radioactive Assemblages and Estimation of Thorium and Uranium Radioactivity in Fractions Separated from Placer Sands in Southeast Bangladesh

Journal Article · Mon Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Natural Resources Research (New York, N.Y.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/S11053-014-9248-6· OSTI ID:22469912

Sasaki, Takayuki ^[1]; Rajib, Mohammad ^[2]; Akiyoshi, Masafumi; Kobayashi, Taishi; Takagi, Ikuji ^[1]; Fujii, Toshiyuki ^[3]; Zaman, Md. Mashrur ^[2]

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1. Kyoto University, Department of Nuclear Engineering (Japan)
2. Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Nuclear Minerals Unit, Atomic Energy Research Establishment (Bangladesh)
3. Kyoto University, Research Reactor Institute (Japan)

The present study reports the likely first attempt of separating radioactive minerals for estimation of activity concentration in the beach placer sands of Bangladesh. Several sand samples from heavy mineral deposits located at the south-eastern coastal belt of Bangladesh were processed to physically upgrade their radioactivity concentrations using plant and laboratory equipment. Following some modified flow procedure, individual fractions were separated and investigated using gamma-ray spectrometry and powder-XRD analysis. The radioactivity measurements indicated contributions of the thorium and uranium radioactive series and of {sup 40}K. The maximum values of {sup 232}Th and {sup 238}U, estimated from the radioactivity of {sup 208}Tl and {sup 234}Th in secular equilibrium, were found to be 152,000 and 63,300 Bq/kg, respectively. The fraction of the moderately conductive part in electric separation contained thorium predominantly, while that of the non-conductive part was found to be uranium rich. The present arrangement of the pilot plant cascade and the fine tuning of setting parameters were found to be effective and economic separation process of the radioactive minerals from placer sands in Bangladesh. Probable radiological impacts and extraction potentiality of such radioactive materials are also discussed.

• OSTI ID: 22469912
• Journal Information: Natural Resources Research (New York, N.Y.), Journal Name: Natural Resources Research (New York, N.Y.) Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 24; ISSN 1520-7439
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
BANGLADESH
COASTAL REGIONS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
EQUILIBRIUM
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
POTASSIUM 40
RADIOACTIVE MINERALS
RADIOACTIVITY
THALLIUM 208
THORIUM
THORIUM 232
THORIUM 234
URANIUM
URANIUM 238
X-RAY DIFFRACTION