Borehole Wire-Line Logging for Uranium Exploration and Mining in Australia

Uranium (Nuclear Minerals) / Exploration, Mining, Marketing, & Acquisitions

Date posted: 03/01/16

Colin Skidmore (2009) provides information on the use borehole logging for uranium exploration: 1. Cost effective 2. Instantaneous results 3. Very accurate depth control 4. Excellent resolution of narrow intervals (typically 1 cm compared to about 1 m with physical rotary drill sampling) 5. Measures larger sample volume compared to collection of physical sample 6. Measures a wide range of petro-physical properties. A. Total Gamma Indirect measurement of uranium (214Bi & 214Pb) Cheap and reliable equipment Measures all radionucleotides (Sum of K+Th+U) B. Spectral Gamma Measures the energy spectrum of gamma radiation and to a degree can discern between different radionucleotides. Only cryogenic high-purity germanium systems can potentially discern peaks directly associated with uranium (e.g. 1.001MeV of Protactinium 234mPa) C. PFN (Prompt Fission Neutron) Direct measure of 235U Provides spontaneous measure of disequilibrium Expensive, complex, high maintenance system Requires specialist radiation licensing Limited availability Very slow logging speed (~0.5m/min) Restricted access to appropriate calibration facilities D. Other Logging Tools: SP & Resistivity Neutron Porosity Induction (single or dual) Focused Resistivity (Guard/ Laterolog) Magnetic Susceptibility Caliper Deviation Optical