Inventors:
Lorin R. Stieff - Kensington MD
International Classification:
G01V 500
G01T 500
Abstract:
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 nuclear emulsions are exposed to the alpha decay of Po214 and Po210. The emulsions are developed to display alpha tracks. Alpha track population as a function of sample size, volume of solution used, emulsion area and exposure measures concentration of Po214 and Po210 in the sample. Anomalus concentrations suggest presence of buried deposits containing uranium. Similar anomalus concentrations of alpha tracks from Bi212 and Po212 formed in emulsions exposed to leach solutions containing Pb212, Bi212 and Po212 suggest deposits containing thorium. Plotting normalized alpha track population (numbers of alpha tracks per gram, per square mm. , per hour) and sample locations suggest mineral deposit locations.