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Feasibility of Handheld BGO Gamma-Ray Spectrometer to Evaluate U and Th in Phosphate Ore Mining Area: A Case Study |
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PP: 13- 20 |
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doi:10.18576/jrna/060103
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Author(s) |
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Khater A.E.M,
Ebaid Y.Y.,
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Abstract |
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| Equivalent uranium (eU in ppm), equivalent thorium (eTh in ppm), and potassium (K%) concentrations were assessed in soil using hand-held (in-situ) BGO (Bismuth Germanium Oxide) gamma-ray spectrometer in phosphate ore mining area. Soil samples were collected from the same locations of in-situ measurements. Gamma-ray spectrometers based on HPGe detectors, for in-laboratory measurements, were exploited to investigate and compare the activity concentrations in Bq/kg dry weight of 238U, 226Ra, 228Ra (232Th) and 40K, in soil samples, with the obtained results of in-situ measurements. In some cases, it was not possible to correlate both in-Situ and in-laboratory (in-lab) measurements especially in case of 238U and eU. While the correlation between 226Ra and eU was possible with careful consideration of the essential differences between in-situ and in-lab measurements such as sample-detector configurations, detectors characterization, and 222Rn emanation. Finally, hand-held spectrometers could be considered a very effective equipment to measure eU (214Bi) and eTh (208Tl) in quantitive/ semi-quantitive that could be correlated to U and Th series, respectively, in a very specific conditions of ensuring series’ secular equilibrium. |
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