US4297574A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Radon detection
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1979-04-26
•
Granted: 1981-10-27
•
Expires: 1999-04-26
Abstract
Abstract A method of uranium exploration employs the detection of radon gas decay products to provide an indication of uranium mineralization. A plurality of collectors of similar surface areas are exposed to soil at or from spaced locations on an exploration site for a time sufficient for the decay products to deposit on the collectors and then, within substantially similar periods following the termination of the exposure, alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays emitted from the collectors are measured and the measurements are compared. The collectors may be exposed to the soil in air spaces in or on the ground or in containers holding soil samples and may be electrically charged.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey W. Card
- 👤 Keith Bell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 13:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V5/00; G01V5/02; G01T; G01T7/00; G01T7/02; G01T7/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S250/00; Y10S250/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
232 words
A method of exploring for uranium by detecting decay products of radon as an indication of the presence of uranium mineralization, comprising the steps of: providing, at respective spaced-apart locations at a uranium exploration site, a plurality of decay product collectors having at least substantially similar surface areas; enclosing each of said collectors at its respective location in an air space in which said collectors are exposed to radon migrating from the ground; the enclosure of the air spaces maintaining the air within the air spaces in a substantially undisturbed condition during the exposure of said collectors; continuing the exposure of said collectors for a period of time sufficient for the radon to migrate by natural processes into the air spaces and for the decay products of the migrating radon to become deposited on said collectors; terminating the exposure of said collectors; measuring alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays emitted by decay of the decay products deposited on said collectors; the measurements of the alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays being initiated at at least substantially equal respective time intervals following the terminations of the exposures of said collectors and being effected over at least substantially equal measurement periods; and comparing the measurements thus obtained from the spaced-apart locations to provide an indication of the presence or absence of uranium mineralization at, or geologically associated with, the uranium exploration site.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
232 words
A method of exploring for uranium by detecting decay products of radon as an indication of the presence of uranium mineralization, comprising the steps of: providing, at respective spaced-apart locations at a uranium exploration site, a plurality of decay product collectors having at least substantially similar surface areas; enclosing each of said collectors at its respective location in an air space in which said collectors are exposed to radon migrating from the ground; the enclosure of the air spaces maintaining the air within the air spaces in a substantially undisturbed condition during the exposure of said collectors; continuing the exposure of said collectors for a period of time sufficient for the radon to migrate by natural processes into the air spaces and for the decay products of the migrating radon to become deposited on said collectors; terminating the exposure of said collectors; measuring alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays emitted by decay of the decay products deposited on said collectors; the measurements of the alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays being initiated at at least substantially equal respective time intervals following the terminations of the exposures of said collectors and being effected over at least substantially equal measurement periods; and comparing the measurements thus obtained from the spaced-apart locations to provide an indication of the presence or absence of uranium mineralization at, or geologically associated with, the uranium exploration site.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said period of time is at least three hours.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes applying an electrical charge to the collector during the deposition of the decay products.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electrical charge is applied to the collector by connecting one pole of a d.c. power source to the collector and grounding another pole of the power source in the vicinity of the hole.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the electrical charge is applied to the collector for a period of at least three hours.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes employing holes in the ground at the spaced-apart locations as said air spaces, the enclosure of said air spaces being effected by covering said holes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, in which said holes are of substantially similar sizes and depths.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said collectors are exposed in substantially similar positions in said holes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, 6 or 7, further including the step of maintaining said collectors in a radon-free atmosphere, subsequent to the measurement, for a time sufficient for any 222 Rn decay products on said collectors to decay to negligible levels, and then repeating the measurements to determined the effect of any 220 Rn decay products deposited on said collectors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, 6 or 7, wherein said spaced-apart locations are on a grid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, in which each of said collectors is suspended in its respective hole at a spacing from the walls and the bottom thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, which includes employing a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, cardboard, silver, copper, brass, gold, platinum and aluminum as said collectors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, which includes employing an alpha-sensitive, silver-activated zinc-sulfide-coated scintillation chamber optically coupled to a photomultiplier tube connected to a power supply and a pulse counter for counting the decay product activity on said collectors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, which includes employing a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, silver and aluminum as said collectors.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
231 words
A method of exploring for uranium by detecting decay products of radon as an indication of the presence of uranium mineralization, comprising the steps of: collecting soil samples from respective spaced-apart locations at a uranium exploration site; enclosing said samples in respective containers with air spaces above said samples within said containers; positioning decay product collectors in said air spaces, said decay product collectors having at least substantially similar surface areas; closing each of said containers for a period of time sufficient for radon to accumulate by growth from radium and to migrate into said air spaces and for the decay products of the radon to become deposited on said collectors; the closure of the air spaces maintaining the air within the said spaces in a substantially undisturbed condition during the exposure of said collectors; terminating the exposure of said collectors; measuring alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays emitted by decay of the decay products deposited on said collectors; the measurements of the alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays being initiated at at least substantially equal respective time intervals following the terminations of the exposure of said collectors and being effected over at least substantially equal measurement periods; and comparing the measurements thus obtained from the spaced-apart locations to provide an indication of the presence or absence of uranium mineralization at or geologically associated with the uranium exploration site.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
231 words
A method of exploring for uranium by detecting decay products of radon as an indication of the presence of uranium mineralization, comprising the steps of: collecting soil samples from respective spaced-apart locations at a uranium exploration site; enclosing said samples in respective containers with air spaces above said samples within said containers; positioning decay product collectors in said air spaces, said decay product collectors having at least substantially similar surface areas; closing each of said containers for a period of time sufficient for radon to accumulate by growth from radium and to migrate into said air spaces and for the decay products of the radon to become deposited on said collectors; the closure of the air spaces maintaining the air within the said spaces in a substantially undisturbed condition during the exposure of said collectors; terminating the exposure of said collectors; measuring alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays emitted by decay of the decay products deposited on said collectors; the measurements of the alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays being initiated at at least substantially equal respective time intervals following the terminations of the exposure of said collectors and being effected over at least substantially equal measurement periods; and comparing the measurements thus obtained from the spaced-apart locations to provide an indication of the presence or absence of uranium mineralization at or geologically associated with the uranium exploration site.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 15, in which each of said collectors is exposed in its respective air space for a period of at least four days.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 15, in which each of said collectors is exposed in its respective air space for a period of at least thirty days.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 15, which includes applying an electrical charge to each of said collectors during the exposure thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the electrical charge is applied to each of said collectors by connecting one pole of a respective d.c. power souce to the collector and the other pole to a metal jacket enclosing the air space in which said collector is disposed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA591415A
Cited
CA631030A
Cited
CA837735A
Cited
CA859834A
Cited
US2330829A
Cited
US3665194A
Cited
CA927526A
Cited
US3796879A
Cited
CA994007A
Cited
CA1032662A
Cited
US3968371A
Cited
US4156138A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-10-26 | 1985-04-27 | 1985-10-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-10-26 | 1989-04-27 | 1989-10-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-10-26 | 1993-04-27 | 1993-10-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |