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Field method for detecting deposits containing uranium and thorium

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6270341
Locations of buried deposits are determined by detecting the presence of /sup 2/exclamation/sup 4/PB, /sup 214/BI, /sup 214/PO, /sup 210/BP, /sup 210/BI and /sup 210/PO in solutions obtained by chemically leaching these elements from rocks and soil. Polonium from the solution is plated on silver foil planchets. Alpha sensitive films are exposed to the alpha decay of /sup 214/PO and /sup 210/PO by contacting the films with the planchets. The films, when etched, 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, planchet, foil or film area and exposure times measures concentration of /sup 214/PO and /sup 210/PO in the sample. Anomalus concentrations suggest presence of buried deposits containing uranium. Similar anomalus concentrations of alpha damage from /sup 212/BI and /sup 212/PO formed in films exposed to foils or planchets plated from leached solutions containing /sup 212/PB, /sup 212/BI and /sup 212/PO suggest deposits containing thorium. Plotting normalized alpha damage population (Numbers of alpha per gram, per square mm., per hour) and sample locations suggest mineral deposit locations.
Assignee:
EDB-83-083361
Patent Number(s):
US 4336451
OSTI ID:
6270341
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

050100 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Reserves
Exploration
& Mining
050200* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Exploration-- (-1987)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA DETECTION
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BISMUTH 210
BISMUTH 214
BISMUTH ISOTOPES
CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DETECTION
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LEACHATES
LEAD 210
LEAD 214
LEAD ISOTOPES
METALS
MICROSEC LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MIXTURES
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
POLONIUM 210
POLONIUM 214
POLONIUM ISOTOPES
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIOISOTOPES
RESOURCES
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SOLUTIONS
SURVEYS
THORIUM
URANIUM DEPOSITS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES