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Nuclear Techniques in
Uranium Exploration
SUBMITTED TO:
DR. ABID

Group Members
Name

Registration No.

Ali Ammar

MSPE-1323

Arslan Arshad

MSPE-1333

Ahtisham Arshad

MSPE-1332

Muhammad Mujahid

MSPE-1328

Synopsis
Exploration
Objectives of Exploration
Exploration Techniques
Nuclear Techniques
Gamma Survey
Radon Survey
Neutron Activation
Delayed Neutron Counting

Exploration
Analysis
Quantity
Quality

Several exploration techniques are used, depending on the

type of deposit and its proximity to the surface.

Objectives of Exploration
Establish baseline/background conditions
Find alteration zones
Find ore body
Determine if ore can be mined or leached
Determine if ore can be processed
Determine ore reserves

Locate areas for infrastructure/operations

Environmental assessment
Further understand uranium deposits
Refine exploration models

Exploration Steps

Area Selection

Reconnaissance
phase

Locate area of
interest

Follow up Phase

Detailed Phase

Deposit
Development

Locate exactly on the

ground the extent
anomalies in area of
interest

Fundamental Parameters
Physical Properties
Form of Mineralization

Accumulation in Host Rock

Abundance

Age of Rock

Uranium as Mineral Deposit

Uranium (U) has an average crustal abundance of 23 ppm
Minerals with uranium as a major constituent include uraninite (pitchblende),
betafite, coffinite and several others

While those with uranium as a minor constituent include zircon, xenotime,

monazite, orthite, apatite, and sphene
Uranium has three radioactive isotopes 238U (99.274%, T1/2 = 4.5 109 years),
235U (0.720%, T
8
234U(0.006%)
1/2 = 7.13 10 years) and

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Physical Properties

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Exploration Techniques
Magnetic Surveys
Electromagnetic (EM, EMI), Electromagnetic Sounding

Direct Current (DC)

GPR (Ground penetrating radar potential)
Seismic

Time-Domain Electromagnetic (TEM)

Controlled source audio-Magnetotellurics (CSAMT)
Radiometric Surveys
Induced Polarization (IP)

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Exploration Techniques (Contd..)

Spontaneous potential (SP)
Borehole geophysics
Satellite imagery

Imagery spectrometry
ASTER (Advanced space-borne thermal emissions reflection radiometer)
Multispectral

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Exploration Techniques
Radiometric Surveys
Gamma Survey
Radon Survey

Analytical Techniques
Neutron Activation
Delayed Neutron Counting
X-ray Fluorescence Analysis
Fluorometry
Spectrophotometry
Gravimetric and Volumetric Analysis

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Radioactivity
The atomic nuclei of some isotopes are unstable, disintegrate and form a new isotope
accompanied by emission of particles or energy, termed nuclear radiation.
Nuclides with this feature are called radionuclides.
The radioactivity decay law expresses the decrease in the original number of atoms (No)
of a radionuclide with time (t)
Nt= No et

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Measurement and Units

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Nuclear Radiation and Interaction

Potassium, uranium and thorium are naturally occurring radioactive elements found in
abundance in the rocks throughout the world. The emitted radiation of these elements is
relatively intense and easily measured in the field.
Alpha Radiation (positively charged alpha particles of relatively great mass)

Beta Radiation (electrons)

Gamma Radiation (electromagnetic, and its rays are specific for a particular radionuclide)
Photoelectric Effect
Compton Scattering
Pair Production

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Gamma Survey
The most important elements contained in crustal rocks that make up the bulk of
measurable terrestrial gamma radiation are potassium, uranium and thorium.

The total measured radiation can be represented by the equation

Itotal = Irocks + Icosm + Iradon + ICs
Irocks = Radiation due to rocks

Icosm = Cosmic rays

Iradon = Radiation due to atmospheric radon
ICs = Radiation due to Cesium (Areas which are influenced by Fallout)

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Gamma Survey (Contd..)

Gamma radiation of a point source (small geological object) with a radioelement mass
m, is reduced by the square of the source detector distance r (m), and attenuated by
the mass of environment of this path; attenuation for given energy of gamma rays is
specified by the linear attenuation coefficient (m-1).
I = (km/r2) * e-r

where k is the constant expressing gamma radiation of a particular radionuclide

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Gamma Survey (Contd..)

Environmental factors that can significantly affect observed gamma ray field are:
Weathering Overburden
Dense Vegetation

Increase in Soil Moisture

Weathering overburden will attenuate the gamma radiation, dense vegetation will
cause the reduction in the gamma radiation and the last will also reduce the gamma
radiation and the measured radiation will be much lesser than the original reading.

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Gamma Survey (Contd..)

Gamma ray surveying is conducted as a total count survey or gamma ray spectrometry.
Total count surveys (TC) with scintillation count rate meters are applied to ground
measurements and to borehole logging. The relationship between the recorded count
rate, nTC (counts/s), and the concentration of K, U, and Thorium in the ground is given by
nTC = SKCK + SUCU + SThCTh
where SK, SU, STh are the sensitivities of the TC instruments (counts/s per unit
concentration of relevant radionuclide), and CK, CU, and CTh are radioelement
concentrations.

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Gamma Survey (Contd..)

Airborne gamma ray spectrometry has been used over many years for uranium
exploration and spectrometers have scintillation detectors.
Car-borne gamma ray spectrometry is another platform for surveying and is applicable
in car-accessible terrain. A car-borne multichannel gamma ray spectrometer typically
has a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector.
Gamma logging in boreholes involves a TC technique or gamma ray spectrometry. The
NaI(Tl) or CsI(Tl) scintillation crystals installed in the logging probe have limited space
and therefore limited size.

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Gamma Survey (Contd..)

Scintillators:
The operation of a scintillation counter may be divided into two broad steps:

Absorption of incident radiation energy by the scintillator and production of photons in the
visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum
Amplification of the light by the photomultiplier tube and production of the output pulse

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Scintillators

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Gamma Survey (Contd..)

Solid State Detectors:
The term solid state detectors refers to certain classes of crystalline substances
which exhibit measurable effects when exposed to radiation.
Difference in energy produced by excitation and de-excitation of electrons produces
the fluorescent radiations.

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Gamma Survey (Contd..)

The Geiger Muller Counter:
It is based on the ionization of gas in chamber which is connected to anode and
cathode.
The flow of the ions produces the current which the measure of incident radiations.

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Geiger Muller Counter

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Radon Survey
Originated from the decay of uranium
Used as an indicator and is a source of alpha radiations
Uranium ore body exhibit radon activity concentration of the order of 104 but it
decreases with distance
Activity Concentration of Radon

CA = am * * kem/p
Radon (222Rn) activity concentration cA (Bq/m3) in soil gas, mass activity am of 226Ra
(Bq/kg), density of the rock (kg/m3), emanation power kem and rock porosity p

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Radon Survey (Contd..)

Radon Movement is due to:
Diffusion
Convection

Diffusion depends on the diffusion coefficient of the soil and the radon decay constant
CAx = CA0 e-x /D
Convection is caused by:

Underground Water
Temperature Gradient
Pressure and Tidal Effects

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Radon Survey (Contd..)

Emanometers:
These are the radon detectors which measure the alpha activity of the soil gas sample
Sample is placed in ionization chamber where the alpha particles are released by the
disintegration of radon
These Particles are then counted and registered

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Flow Path

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Radon Survey (Contd..)

Alpha Track Methods:
Based on the registration of radon alpha particles on the sensitive film

Cups with sensitive film are placed in pits covered by soils left for 20-30 days
Density of alpha tracks recorded on the film is a measure of radon in soil gas

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Radon Survey (Contd..)

Alpha Card Method:
Alpha card is a paper frame with a circular, aluminum-coated Mylar collector.
It detects the radioactivity of radon solid products as they accumulate on the collector
placed in the pit for 1-2 days

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Radon Survey (Contd..)

The Radon on Activated Charcoal (ROAC):
This method is based on the adsorption of radon gas on activated charcoal.
Charcoal in a plastic container is placed into a pit for an exposure period of several
days.
The gamma radiation of radon decay products balanced with the quantity of adsorbed
radon on activated charcoal is counted.

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ROAC Kit

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Radon Detection

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Neutron Activation
A useful, sensitive and accurate method used for uranium is neutron activation
analysis.

It can be carried out by any source of thermal neutrons, but usually requires access to
reactor.
An atom of 238U captures the neutron and converted into 239U which in turn decays by
beta emission with half life of 23.5 minutes to 239Np
In turn 239Np decaying by beta emission having half life of 2.36 days converted into
239U. Which can be used to determine the quantity of uranium in the sample.

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Neutron Activation

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Delayed Neutron Counting

Method may be used to determine the concentration of fissionable isotopic mixtures
of elements.
Irradiation of sample produces the DNPs (Delayed Neutron Precursors)

Amount of radiation depends on the number of atom activated and number of atoms
activated is proportional to the number of atoms present in the sample.
Neutron produced are counted by neutron counter.

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Seismic Imaging
Estimates the seismic characteristics of the Earths surface.
Acoustic energy waves are sent
Every mineral has different hardness, density, and porosity.
Intensity & time of reflected sound is measured.
How long it took to receive reflected sound wave. This data
tells where rock properties changes.
Reflected acoustic energy waves are measured.
Vibrators or detonators are used for sound waves.

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Seismic Imaging

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Magnetic Imaging
Magnetic field characteristics measured.
Minerals have distinct & different intensity magnetic
fields.
Magnetometer is mounted on an operator or on aero
plane or helicopter.
Magnetic surveys can be done on ground or aerially.

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Magnetic Imaging

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Gravity Method
Measurements of the gravitational field at a series
of different locations over an area of interest. The
objective in exploration work is to associate variations
with differences in the distribution of densities and
hence rock types.
Dense and heavy rocks, due to their extra
gravitational attraction increases the downward pull
and creates positive gravity anomalies (gravity
highs).
Where the rocks are light, the gravitational pull is
diminished and the anomalies are negative (gravity
lows).

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Geological Mapping (Results)

A way to gather & present geologic data.
By assembling different ground radiation
datasets a dose rate map of Uranium could be
constructed.
Shows how rock & soil on the earths surface
is distributed.
Help to come up with a model for an ore
body.
Show other features such as faults and strike
and dips.

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THANK YOU

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