Uranium exploration detailed

A summary of the innovations in geophysical uranium exploration methods was compiled and is shown in Table 2.3 (lAEA-NF-T-15 2013). The gamma ray spectro-metric methods were discussed in detail earlier. 

Becquerel also found that the activity of his uranium salt did not diminish with time, even after several months. He also tried to use a nonphosphorescent uranium salt and found that the new effect persisted. He soon concluded that the emanation was due to the element uranium itself. Even after about a year had passed, from when he first began his experiments, the intensity of the new rays had shown no signs of decreasing. But Becquerel was soon to move onto other scientific interests, and it was left to others to explore the rays in greater detail. ... 

It should be noted that there are many variations of the fuel cycle, each consisting of several stages, that we shall not go into. The front end of the cycle starts with an exploration for uranium deposits (see Chapter 2 for details) and continues with mining operations to retrieve the uranium-rich minerals and with milling of the material to augment the fraction with uranium, usually close to the mine site. 

Hydrogeochemical surveys are effectively used in detailed exploration programmes as well as in a reconnaissance mode. Careful analysis of the uranium, radon and helium content of... 

Thus, detailed radiometric surveys should be used selectively according to the geologic terrain and the nature of the favourable geologic environment under exporation. Needless to say, in the exploration for uranium in near-surface environments radiometric surveys can still be an effective and inexpensive tool to the explorationist. 

Radon and helium soil-gas surveys may be useful in detailed or semi-regional exploration programmes by virtue of the fact that both are inert gases derived from the radioactive decay of uranium and its daughters. As such, the gases may migrate away from a buried uranium deposit to yield anomalous concentrations of radon and/or helium in soil gas. Thus, a buried uranium deposit may be remotely detectable indirectly by detection of anomalous radon and/or helium concentrations in soil gas. 

Soil and rock geochemical surveys may be usefully conducted in detailed exploration programmes where the uranium or other associated trace-metal content of the bedrock or soil of an area may be a useful guide to a buried uranium deposit. For example, uranium-, or copper- or molybdenum-in-soil geochemical surveys may be of value in detailed exploration programmes in the search for uranium vein deposits in terrain where uranium vein accumulations occur in association with copper and molybdenum sulphides. 

Use of radium in detailed soil geochemical exploration Because of its weak mobility in relation to uranium, it is particularly useful to determine the radium content in the soil during detailed prospecting. The contrary geochemical behaviour of radium and uranium (mobility in reducing conditions, immobility in oxidizing conditions) may be used to interpret specific anomalies (swamps, stream beds, etc.). 

I. UN, UP, UAs, USb, UBi. Since the uranium monopnictides and mono-chalcogenides are the only actinide compounds of which samples are readily available, and since they can be handled without any special precautions, they have been explored in much detail over the past 40 years. The first summary of the present state of knowledge is a survey up to the year 1970 by Kuznietz (1971). A more extended publication by Lam and Aldred (1974) carefully collects all the results up to 1972. A later summary given by Lander (1978) covers data up to 1977. The following discussion concentrates on the more recent results. 

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