New Method Detects Uranium and Thorium in Sandstone, Revolutionizing Mining Industry.
A method was developed to process uranium-bearing sandstone samples and detect uranium and thorium at the same time. By using sodium peroxide and CTMAB, the researchers were able to remove interference from silica acid gel and accurately measure uranium and thorium levels. The method showed that uranium and thorium can be detected in the range of 0.001 to 0.500 μg/10mL, with detection limits of 8.63×10-6 μg/mL and 5.16×10-6 μg/mL, respectively. This method was successfully used to continuously measure uranium and thorium levels in sandstone-type uranium deposits with concentrations below 5×10-6, yielding satisfactory results.