Prospecting, uranium

About 20 percent of the nation s electricity is produced by nuclear power plants, which consume uranium. Low-cost uranium for nuclear reactors is currently very plentiful in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Very few nuclear reactors are being built these days, so little exploration for uranium has occurred in recent decades. However, a nuclear revival, whether for electricity or hydrogen, would spur uranium prospecting and might cause uranium prices to escalate in the long term. 

Robertson, D.S., Basel Proterozoic units as fossil time markers and their use in uranium prospection in formation of uranium ore deposits, pp. 495-512. Proceedings of a Symposium, Athens, Inti. Atom. Energy Agency, Vienna, 1974. 

Clarke, W.B., Top, Z., Beavan, A.P. and Gandhi, S.S., 1977. Dissolved helium in lakes - uranium prospecting in the Precambrian terrain of Central Labrador. Econ. Geol., 72 233-242. 

Dyck, W., Jonasson, I.R. and Liard, R.F., 1976b. Uranium prospecting with Rn in frozen terrain. J. Geochem. Explor., 5 115-127. 

Gaucher, E., 1976. Alphameters uranium prospecting leakage from radioactive minerals. Amer. Mineral., 40 481-496. 

Martin, J.P. and Berquist, L.E., 1977. Study of the applicability of He/ He ratio for uranium prospecting. US Dept, of Energy, Open File Report, GJBX-58(77), 95 pp. 

Morrison, W.A., Pollock, H.C. and Scarth, R.F., 1969. Radon detection as a method for uranium prospecting. General Electric Research and Development Center, 69-C-085,29 pp. 

Pradel, J., Billard, F., Mirabel, J., Gangloff, A., Puybarand, Y. and Tayeb, G., 1963. La Prospection de I uranium par le radon. Commissariat a I Energie Atomique, Report CEA-2330 (translated into English as Uranium Prospecting with Radon ), AEC-TR-6472, 30 pp. 

Wennervirta, H. and Kauranen, P., 1960. Radon measurement in uranium prospecting. Bull, de la Commission geologique de Finlande, 188 24-40. 

Bowie, S.H.U., 1972. The status of uranium prospecting. In S.H.U. Bowie, M. Davis and D. Ostle (Editors), Uranium Prospecting Handbook. The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, pp. 1—16. 

Top Z, Clarke WB (1981) Dissolved helium isotopes and tritium in lakes Further results for uranium prospecting in Central Labrador. Econ Geol 76 2018-2031 Top Z, Eismont WC, Claike WB (1987) Helium isotope effect and solubihty of helium and neon in distilled water and seawater. Deep-Sea Res 34 1139-1148 Torgersen T (1980) Controls on pore-fluid concentration of ""He and Rn and the calculation of " He/ Rn ages. J Geochem Explor 13 57-75... 

Geology Uranium prospecting and exploration geological and archeometric age determination... 

Highlights. Uranium prospecting has come a long way from the days when prospectors looked for yellow deposits, as so vividly described (Zoellner 2010). Surface or superficial uranium deposits can be located by aerial surveys that are deployed... 

Charlton, J.D. and Kotrappa, P. (2006). Uranium prospecting for accurate time efficient surveys of radon emissions in air and water with comparison to earlier radon and hehum surveys. Proceedings of the 2006 International Radon Symposium, September 17-20, http // www.aarst.Org/proceedings/2006/2006 01 Uranium Prospecting for Accurate Time-Efficient Surveys of Radon Emissions in%20 Air Water with Comparison.pdf (accessed July 27, 2014). 

Both these factors, the (in practice) limited number of fuel fabricators and changing national policies, have led some countries to make national self-sufficiency in fuel supply a high priority, calling for the early establishment of uranium prospecting and mining and fuel fabrication. It can also lead to the choice of a power plant type which can be fuelled with natural uranium (HWR or MAGNOX). Fuel fabrication is a fairly easy technology, but its introduction locally for an SMPR is hardly justifiable from an economic point of view. 

Dall Aglio M. Planning and interpretation criteria in hydrogeo-chemical prospecting for uranium. In Uranium prospecting handbook Bowie S. H. U. Davis M. and Ostle D. eds (London IMM, 1972), 121-34. 

Robertson D. S. Basal Proterozoic units as fossil time markers and their use in uranium prospection. Reference 1, 495-512. 

Roper M. W. and Wallace A. B. Geology of the Aurora uranium prospect, Malheur County, Oregon. Reference 16, 81-8. 

The hydrographic network provides an appropriate tool for uranium prospecting under the following conditions water and stream sediment samples must be taken at the same location and assays in water must include uranium content in the dry residue, which appears to be the most suitable and reliable value. 

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