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Field method for detecting deposits containing uranium or thorium

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6174365
Locations of buried deposits containing uranium are determined by detecting the presence of Pb214, Bi214, Po214, Pb210, Bi210 and Po210 in solutions obtained by chemically leaching these elements from rocks and soil. Alpha sensitive films are exposed to the alpha decay of Po214 and Po210. The films, when etched, will reveal the damage caused by the passage of the high energy alpha particles. Alpha damage as a function of sample size, volume of solution used, film area and exposure measures concentration of Po214 and Po210 in the sample. Anomalous concentrations suggest presence of buried deposits containing uranium. Similar anomalous concentrations of alpha damage from Bi212 and Po212 formed in films exposed to foils or planchets from leach solutions containing Pb212, Bi212 and Po212 suggest deposits containing thorium. Plotting normalized alpha damage (Numbers of alpha damage per gram, per square mm., per hour) and sample locations suggest mineral deposit locations.
Assignee:
IFI; EDB-81-109420
Patent Number(s):
US 4268748
OSTI ID:
6174365
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

050200* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Exploration-- (-1987)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ALPHA DECAY
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA DETECTION
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BISMUTH 210
BISMUTH 214
BISMUTH ISOTOPES
CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DECAY
DETECTION
DISSOLUTION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LEACHING
LEAD 210
LEAD 214
LEAD ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MICROSEC LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORES
PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM DETECTORS
POLONIUM 210
POLONIUM 214
POLONIUM ISOTOPES
PROSPECTING
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIOACTIVITY LOGGING
RADIOISOTOPES
RESOURCES
SAMPLING
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THORIUM ORES
URANIUM DEPOSITS
WELL LOGGING
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES